Fret Crowns 101: Understanding Why Guitar Frets Have to be Crowned
A key quality of guitars that consistently play in tune is great intonation across every fretted note, with buttery smooth gliding of strings on the frets during bends. And a key part of getting those results are precisely shaped fret crowns following a fret level. The great news is you don’t have to be a pro luthier or guitar tech to achieve amazing results.
After frets are leveled, the tops of the crowns become detrimentally, flat and wide. These flat crowns impede playability by not allowing the strings to properly ring out, robbing you of sustain and introducing annoying buzz. More importantly, these wide and flat crowns don’t allow each fret to be as “in-tune” as possible, as the jump off point from the string is now at the edge of the fret rather than the center.
While players, luthiers, and techs may have varying ideas of the ideal fret crown shape and fret crown top width, it’s generally agreed that the fret should be a smoothly rounded shape with a relatively thin crown center line.
FretGuru’s Dagger 2.0 Fret Crowning Files and Diamond Dagger 2.0 Fret Crowning Files have taken years to develop, and they deliver on our promise to craft the most advanced, simple to use fret crowning files ever created. Many of the world’s most demanding pro luthiers agree these are some of the best for the job.
So with that in mind, click here to check out our post on how to use the FretGuru Dagger 2.0 Fret Crowning File for amazing fret crowns that deliver supreme playability.
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Purchase Your Own FretGuru Dagger 2.0!
You can learn more about and purchase your own FretGuru Dagger 2.0 Fret Crowning Files here on our website or on our Amazon webstore using the modules below.
The latest Dagger 2.0 file is the most advanced and accurate guitar fret file ever created, and the first crowning file worthy of being a FretGuru.
Avoid deep scratches in your frets and fingerboard with the FretGuru Dagger 2.0's precisely shaped, sharp cutting teeth and smooth file edges, that give you total control, cutting accuracy and safety.
A precision tool designed to deliver exceptional fretwork results. Crafted with from high carbon European steel, which is heat treated and hardened to extreme levels, this file ensures smooth, clean, and accurate fret crowning, with superb control of your fret centerlines.
With the exclusive D.I.A. (Dual Integrated Arc) geometry, and the unique dagger-shaped profile, this allows for precise shaping and crowning of frets, enabling luthiers and guitar technicians to achieve impeccable fretwork with ease.
Now available in 2 sizes:
The original Dagger 2.0 MD/LG/XL covers fret widths in the range of ~0.085” to (barely) ~0.110”. If you’re doing vintage or 6105 frets, this is the file to get.
The new Dagger 2.0 LG/XL/XXL covers fret widths in the range of ~0.095” to ~0.118”+.
This is the file if you’re doing “modern” electric guitars. This size is also ideal if you have ~0.110” frets that have been significantly worn or leveled, in which case the XXL side is able to take a wide enough “bite” of the fret, in order to bring the sides in to a more clearly defined fret centerline.
**Both file sizes share the same LG/XL/6100 side**
Whether you're leveling, crowning, or shaping frets, the FretGuru Dagger 2.0 file is an indispensable tool for achieving professional-grade fretwork and maintaining optimal playability.
Looking for a FretGuru Dagger Crowning File with a Diamond cutting surface and an additional curved side that makes spot leveling and upper fret crowning even easier? Explore the new Diamond Dagger 2.0 Guitar Fret Crowning File, featuring the same advanced geometry as the original with a diamond cutting surface that many luthiers and guitar techs prefer.
*Box graphic is for illustrative purposes only.