At the bench
What we cover
- How to read the fretboard before removing material.
- Leveling for consistent action and clean note response.
- Crowning for shape, contact point, and intonation.
- Dressing and polishing so the neck feels smooth under the hand.
Instrument Care
Fret Leveling and Dressing
Six hours at the bench reading the fretboard, removing only what needs to come off, and bringing the playing surface back under control.
What this workshop is
This is for guitars held back by their fretwork.
Buzzing frets, choked bends, and notes that die early usually point to fretwork that needs more than a setup. This workshop works through the correction directly on a real guitar rather than on a plastic stand-in.
It is best for players or builders who already understand basic setup and want to see why fretwork changes action, intonation, sustain, and feel all at once.
Outcome
What you leave with
- A fretboard that plays cleaner and feels more alive.
- A practical standard for what good fretwork actually feels like.
- A better sense of when to level, when to stop, and when not to start.
- A clearer path to repeating the work on later instruments.