HTS Headstock Spline

Fender up until the 80's use to fit frets vee a technique called side fretting, this is where the fret is pulled into the fret slot from the side of the neck vee a caul and pressure applied from a rope connected to your foot, this technique works really well for preventing loose frets, however subsequent refrets have a tendency to fail when side fretting is done again.

This neck still has original frets, which had been fitted vee the side fretting technique, if we attempt to pull the frets in the traditional refretting manner, the fretboard will be torn up badly.

Time to repair approx 1 hrs

The tools needed are, Hammer, Fretboard guard, small pin punch, large punch.

With the board protected, we grind a slot into the fret surface for pushing onto.

Like so.

Repeat for all other fret positions.

Glue was not used during the fretting process from Fender, but I still like to heat the fret up, it removes any type of material that may be bonding the fret to the board.

Use a sharp knife to score through the finish along the side of the frets, Fender in the day fretted necks and then painted the neck with frets fitted.

I start with the small pin punch and lightly hammer the fret sideways in the recess I created.

Transfer over to my bigger punch once movement has started.

For simplicity, we are going to remove the neck from the body

Sit neck on a flat surface, I have just a cork lined piece of wood.

Using the Fretboard caul, we cover the first fret.

Here we have moved the fret around 1-2mm out of the fretslot.

Keep punching the fret until its clear of the fretboard.

At completion you have a fret slot with no marks through the fretboard from the fret tangs, this confirms that this neck has never been refretted since it was made.

Repeat for the whole board

Links for traditional defret / refret

I use the traditional refretting process when putting new frets in, Fender style process is a good once only option, Fenders design approach with guitars in the earleir days was all about being modular, that is, if neck stops working, put a new neck on, its only a 10 minute job.

If you attempt to reuse the slot, you will find the frets sit loose in the channels created from the manufacturer.