FretMaestro Tutorials
Part Two: Maestro Technique

Part Two: Technique

1. Glide Strip included, back is a grid for easy cutting, one grid width per strip, scissor cut two strips. Position one on each side of lowest fret, allow ≤ 1/16" spacing (debris gutter) between glide strip and fret.
2. Mark top of fret with Sharpie
3. Correct hold: Thumb between dials, not touching either dial, rest body in heel of palm and index finger bent over front.
4. Correct Posture: Aligning your shoulder with target fret makes it much easier to file in a straight even vertical path along the fret length.
5. Position Neck support under the target fret to prevent neck movement.
6. Start with the 150 grit file, for Radius Maestro it is marked with a star, on Omni it reads 150. Spray file with Dry Lube.
Use Maestro Fret Height Gauge on the lowest fret per Forensics, if it rocks on fret, keep rotating to next incremet until it does not rock. What ever number it reads, for example 5, we will start with setting 4, one setting number lower than the read.
Insert file into pocket and align both dials to setting (in this example) four, push file with thumb nail in line with a dial while gently jiggling the dial, it will seat, the dial will not turn, repeat for next dial, and repeat both to make sure the file is completely seated.
7. File 3-4 light passes, inspect sharpie, if no sharpie is scratched or gone, go to next setting, in this case 5, and add a layer of scotch tape under glide strip, this could save .0015" filing work and fret material.
8. File fret and pay attention to the sharpie. With Omni, if we are at the ideal depth of cut using the scotch tape all the sharpie will erase, but with Radius Maestro the file must first shape the correct radius before all the Sharpie is erased. If you bottom out the Maestro and some sharpie is still there, Mesure the fret all across, if it is within .0005" to .001" leave it, otherwise remove the scotch tape and continue filing to bottom out, and then use same setting with or without scotch tape, whichever gave us the desired result, on all the rest of the frets.
9. Cut Eraser into strips about 3/8" wide, safest way is to use tin snips.
10. We found our depth of cut setting, now we file the fret, often using the eraser to clear fret debris from file when working nickel frets, not necessary for stainless steel frets.
11. Never jam the file into the fret. Use the weight of Maestro measured pressure, if you have to give it a shove, you are using too much force and you will destroy the file. This is true of all diamond files and also serrated metal files when filing metal. You absolutely cannot file frets the way you file wood.
12. As Maestro nears finishing the fret you will begin to see black scuff marks on the glide strip, do not push down on the file, back off, you do not want Maestro to wear the glide strip because then you are over filing.
13. Change over to the 300 file and smooth out the 150 work.
14. Sharpie Mark the crown, change over to the "V" or "C" File, file straight and even, you are looking at how wide or narrow the sharpie mark is to tell you the width of the crown. This can be a subjective measure, but 1/16" is my preference.
15. 600 sandpaper, smooth the fret, 800 grit, 1200 grit, moisten the sandpaper patting it onto a semi wet sponge to achieve a glossy finish.