Jaws Fret Press
Fret an entire bolt-on neck, or most of an acoustic neck, FAST!
"My favorite fretting tool." — Dan Erlewine
The original handheld fret press
Jaws was invented by our own Dan Erlewine, master teacher of fretting techniques. It gives you the finest control as you press a fret into the slot—you actually feel it seating! You get the precision of an arbor press with the mobility of a hand tool.
NEW! Quick-change neck cauls
You get four padded neck support cauls, to cradle any neck:
- Standard for guitar and bass
- Wide for classical guitar
- Narrow for ukulele, mandolin and banjo
- Flat for bolt-on neck heels
A quick-release pin lets you swap neck cauls in an instant. The neck cauls slide on a brass bar, for centering the neck under the fret caul or moving off-center to press fret ends.
Self-leveling fret caul
The self-adjusting fret caul holds our 2-1/2" brass inserts, radius-curved and grooved to fit the fret. These are the same inserts used in our Fret Arbor Press and Jaws2.
Our Jaws Fret Press comes with these popular radii: 7-1/4", 9-1/2", 12" and 16", and a special 6" radius insert for gluing fret ends. Additional radii are available.
Built to last a lifetime
We manufacture Jaws here in Ohio, modifying the strongest clamping plier of all: the rugged FACOM/PROTO tool. Jaws is the finest tool available for installing frets, backed by StewMac's Lifetime Promise.
Why press frets?
Pressing the frets saves time and gives consistent results. That's why it's the method that's widely used in guitar production. Pressed-in frets are less likely to be loose or uneven, because there's none of the recoil produced by hammer blows.
Jaws2 for acoustic fretboard extensions
Hammering frets over an unsupported acoustic guitar top is risky! The Jaws2 Fret Press has special soundhole cauls and a self-leveling upper caul that take the stress off the guitar top, so you can safely press the frets into place.
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