When is it time to replace your guitars frets? A repair shops guide.

🎸 When Is It Time to Replace Your Guitar Frets? A Repair Shop’s Guide

Frets are the metal strips on your guitar's neck that allow you to change pitch. They are essential to playability, but they're also subject to constant wear and tear. Over time, worn-down frets can lead to buzzing, tuning issues, and a generally uncomfortable playing experience.

If your beloved instrument isn't playing like it used to, it might be time to consider a fret replacement (or sometimes just a fret level, crown, and polish).

Here’s a guide from our repair shop on the tell-tale signs that your frets are ready to be addressed:

1. 🛑 The "Dreaded Dips": Fret Pitting and Grooves

The most obvious sign of wear is the presence of grooves or pits worn into the metal, directly under the strings.

• How it happens: These dips are caused by the pressure of your fingertips and the strings pressing down over thousands of hours of playing.

• The Problem: The grooves create an uneven surface, causing the string to vibrate against the high points surrounding the pit. This results in fret buzz on notes that previously rang clear, especially in the first few positions (frets 1-7) where most players spend the bulk of their time.

• The Fix: If the grooves are relatively shallow, a full fret level, crown, and polish can usually fix it by sanding the entire surface down to the level of the deepest pit and then reshaping the tops. If the grooves are very deep, you may not have enough fret height left, and a full replacement is needed.

2. 📉 Loss of Fret Height

A brand new fret is typically rounded or crowned on top. As they are leveled and polished over the guitar's lifespan, the overall height decreases.

• The Problem: When frets get too low, they can drastically change the feel of your guitar. You might find yourself pressing much harder to get a note to sound clearly, or your fingers may drag uncomfortably against the fretboard wood. Very low frets also make proper string bending more difficult.

• The Test: If your frets feel almost flat across the top, or if you’ve had them leveled multiple times, it’s a strong sign that the next step is replacement.

3. 🎻 Intonation and Tuning Issues Up the Neck

While intonation is primarily set at the bridge, severely worn or inconsistent frets can also ruin your tuning accuracy.

• The Problem: If a fret is drastically flatter or more pitted on one side than the others, it changes the exact point where the string stops vibrating. This means when you play a chord or lead line past the 12th fret, your notes may sound noticeably out of tune even if your open strings are perfect.

• The Fix: New frets ensure a uniform height and shape across the entire neck, bringing your intonation back into perfect alignment.

4. 🔪 Fret Sprout and Sharp Edges

This issue is slightly different, but often happens on older necks.

• How it happens: When a guitar’s neck wood shrinks (usually due to low humidity), the metal frets don't shrink with it. This causes the sharp ends of the frets to protrude past the edge of the fretboard, a phenomenon known as fret sprout.

• The Problem: These sharp ends can snag your hand, cut your skin, and make playing truly painful.

• The Fix: While filing the fret ends is the immediate solution, if the sprout is extreme and the frets are already worn, replacing them during the repair process can give you the best, smoothest playing surface.

💡 Fret Leveling vs. Fret Replacement: Which Do I Need?

The choice often comes down to the depth of the wear and the existing height of your frets.

Ready to Bring Back Your Buzz-Free Tone?

Don't let worn frets ruin your playing enjoyment! If you notice any of these signs, bring your guitar down to the shop. We’ll assess your frets and recommend the best service—whether it’s a quick level and crown or a full, professional refret—to get your guitar feeling and sounding better than new.

Book your free assessment today!