Flaking frets

[Jamie]

Its a NGD today. Just had a quick play around on this...




It feels very nice to play, the scalloped fretboard makes bending and vibrato so easy. However I felt the strings catch on some of the frets and upon looking I saw this...



It looks like the coating on a lot of the frets seems to be flaking away. Has anyone seen this before? It looks like it is going to be an expensive fix.

[blue]

it looks to me like whoever lacquered the fingerboard left the same finish on the frets too.  i could be wrong, but i would say a fret polish with some very fine steel wool will take it all off and leave your frets just fine.  just remember to mask off  the wood first, and either tape up or remove the pickups as it's "not ideal"  to get steel fragments in there

[Keven]

I had this happen on my warmoth tele build. the finish was a poly instead of nitro, and as i bend the frets i could see flakes of varnish wearing off the frets. they tear off easily so i don't think anything as major as steel wool would be needed, i took mine off by playing a whole lot, and then by the next string change i just brushed the frets with a toothbrush and the rest kinda just tore away. it was a bit of a frantic toothbrushing however so maybe steel wool is faster in that respect but all the preparation makes both ways even.

a pro should chime in on this!

[Philly Q]

I can't see the pictures, but if it's a maple board it's perfectly normal for them to spray lacquer over the frets. 

You'd then expect someone to have scr@ped it off while doing a final fret dress, but most of it'll come away naturally fairly quickly, it doesn't stick well on the metal.

I think Dan Erlewine (from StewMac) uses a special tool, made from a large nail with the tip ground down, to scr@pe off the lacquer.

[TheyCallMeVolume]

Press pretty heavy on the frets huh?

Anyhow, like everyone else is saying, my guess would be leftover lacquer, just find something to scr@pe it off with.

[JJretroTONEGOD]

try and use a scalpel knife to gently scr@pe it away then clean it with isopropyl alcohol and cloth

[WezV]

I think Dan Erlewine (from StewMac) uses a special tool, made from a large nail with the tip ground down, to scr@pe off the lacquer.

http://www.manchesterguitartech.co.uk/images/nail-as-fret-scr@per.jpg

the pic/link wont work due to spam filter - change the @ to an a

it needs to come off and it clearly wants to come off.  scr@pe with modified nail or rub it with fine wire wool.   if worried you can mask off the board and score the seam between fretboard/fret, but often it isnt needed

[Philly Q]

I think Dan Erlewine (from StewMac) uses a special tool, made from a large nail with the tip ground down, to scr@pe off the lacquer.

http://www.manchesterguitartech.co.uk/images/nail-as-fret-scr@per.jpg

the pic/link wont work due to spam filter - change the @ to an a

Ah, that's probably where I saw it, maybe it wasn't a Dan Erlewine tip at all!

Presumably the iron nail is somewhat softer than the fret material, so it doesn't mark them?

[Plenum n Heather]

It's broken and should be sent to me for disposal. I am PM'ing you my mailing address. You will send it at your cost, of course, since I am doing you a favour.

You're welcome.

[Jamie]

It's broken and should be sent to me for disposal. I am PM'ing you my mailing address. You will send it at your cost, of course, since I am doing you a favour.

You're welcome.

Not a chance... I'm not paying postage, looks like Dmoney could maybe bring it to you for 'disposal'.

Thanks for the info eveyone, I feel like I have dodged a bullet there. I really dig in with my bends and vibrato so I think I will just play it until it comes off.

I have quite an important maths exam tomorrow but I haven't been able to put the guitar down yet, so its safe to say I am really happy with this one. Unfortunately I have convinced myself to carry out a one in one out system so I now have to decide which guitar will be on its way out  :(

[Philly Q]

Unfortunately I have convinced myself to carry out a one in one out system

Very noble! 

Good luck with the exam!

[Plenum n Heather]

Unfortunately I have convinced myself to carry out a one in one out system

Very noble! 

Good luck with the exam!

+1

[WezV]

I think Dan Erlewine (from StewMac) uses a special tool, made from a large nail with the tip ground down, to scr@pe off the lacquer.

http://www.manchesterguitartech.co.uk/images/nail-as-fret-scr@per.jpg

the pic/link wont work due to spam filter - change the @ to an a

Ah, that's probably where I saw it, maybe it wasn't a Dan Erlewine tip at all!

it might have been dan, this is not a new trick.  iirc its not far off the way fender used to do it