Fret hammer

A small hammer, usually with a brass or plastic head and a modest weight, used to seat frets into their slots.

The soft face matters because it drives the wire down without flattening or denting the crown, and the low weight keeps the blow controlled so the fingerboard and neck are not shocked. The hammer is used over a caul or directly, working along the fret from the centre outwards to press the tang into the slot and seat the ends. A fret press does the same job with an arbor and caul and gives more even results on a production line.

Example: a fret that has lifted at one end can often be tapped back down with a fret hammer and a drop of glue before any dressing is needed.

Fret hammer

See also