Fret polish

Working the frets up through progressively finer abrasives until the metal is smooth and shiny again.

Polished frets let the strings slide freely, which makes bends smoother and reduces the squeaking and friction under the fingers on vibrato. The sequence usually runs from a fine file or abrasive through graded papers or polishing compounds, with the fingerboard masked so the abrasives do not scratch or dry out the wood. It is the last step of any refret or levelling job, and it is also worth doing on its own when a guitar feels grainy under the hand.

Example: a plain polish of the frets, with no other change, can make a guitar with stiff, graunchy bends feel like a different instrument.

Fret polish

See also