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Home : Fretting supplies : Shaping and crowning : Offset Diamond Fret File

Dual-edge and better clearance over the body

Offset Diamond Fret File


Read 46 Reviews   |   Write a Review

This well-balanced dual-edge steel fret file has an offset shape, for more comfortable fret dressing and improved clearance over the guitar body at higher frets. Both full-length concave filing grooves (one for narrow/medium fretwire, and one for medium/wide wire), are uniformly coated with micro industrial-diamond particles. 8-1/2" x 1" x 5/32". Available in either 150-grit or 300-grit.

Sold individually or SAVE when you buy the set of both files.

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Offset Diamond Fret File
 
Item# Description In stock Price Quantity
5053 150-grit Yes
$102.42

5054 300-grit Yes
$102.42

5059 Set of 2 SAVE $10.58 Yes
$193.98


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Details
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Diamond fret files are the best way to recrown your frets! Unlike traditional fret files, diamond files cut in both directions, they don't chatter or leave chatter marks, and the fret is smoother after crowning. These files are being used by repair shops and major manufacturers all around the world.

Our diamond fret files have concave cutting edges, one for medium and one for wide fretwire. Each edge is electro-coated with micro industrial diamonds. These super-tough abrasive surfaces round the frets more smoothly than standard toothed files, for cleaner filing without chatter marks. Because the diamond particles cut on the forward and backward strokes, you get better control over your work and the job goes much faster.

We offer three designs of diamond fret crowning files, each in two different grits. Diamond fret files are available in the traditional Diamond Fret File, the curved Offset Diamond Fret File, and the unique Dual-grit Diamond Fret File.

If you're use to traditional fret files, you'll probably be most comfortable with the Diamond Fret File, but you may find the curved design of the Offset Diamond Fret File may allow you to work more comfortably with less arm, wrist, and hand fatigue. Offset Diamond Fret Files are also excellent for working on the frets in the upper registers of acoustic and set-neck electric guitars. They virtually eliminate the chances of gouging the top.

What grit do I need? If you're just starting out in fretting, we recommend the 300-grit files, as they don't remove too much material too soon — a mistake that many beginning fretters make. Even a professional will find the 300-grit file allows them to quickly get the fret properly crowned after only a few strokes.

Use the 150-grit when you need to mill-off lots of material in a hurry.

Works on stainless frets, too!
All of our tools are suitable for use on stainless-steel fretwire, with the exception of our Fret Tang Nippers and Fret Cutters. Modern stainless-steel fretwire is known to be harder than the traditional nickel-silver blends, but our own shop experience indicates the wire does not cause premature wear of files or sandpapers.
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 Ratings and reviews
Offset Diamond Fret File
Offset Diamond Fret File
 
4.5 out of 5 stars
Based on 46 ratings Write a Review
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Displaying 11 – 20 < 1  2  3  ...  5 >
5 9-06-2012
Great re-crowning File

I put off purchasing this for a long time - now I have it I have no idea how I did without it. Wished I had bought it years ago. It is a really solid and well made tool and makes light work of re-crowning.

Leo Crossfield  UK Read my reviews (12)
Customer supplied image for review
4 7-13-2012
Great file!

this is hands down the best fret file that I have used, it removes material quick and leaves pretty small scratches making polishing easier.

My only complaint: Stewmac, for the sake of other who will buy this tool, please mark which side is which! I don't how much time I have spent staring at one side, and then the other trying to figure out which one is the narrow, and which is the wide... its kinda hard to tell sometimes.

shad Peters  Muncie IN
4 6-18-2012
300 grit is all you need

This tool saves so much time and gives me the piece of mind to know that my fret jobs are going to be spot on. I did not want to risk messing up the frets on my guitars so I bought this file.

2 reasons i did not give it 5 starts; 1-could use some markings to identify which side is which, 2-the price WOW it is expensive. I hope it last forever.

abilbay  Ft Worth, TX Read my reviews (12)
5 6-13-2012
Simply Amazing!

Erm, these files are boring. My job has been reduced to a cleaner, all I have to do is clean the file, clean the fret, cleant the file, clean the fret, etc.... All jokes aside, I am simply amazed. The files are perfect, weight and build are spot on and they work like little gremlins. All I can say is WOW!!!! The only thing I really regret about them is not getting them sooner! Would I recommend them to a friend?-I can't stop doing it :) They are not cheap but in my opinion totally worth it. No markings for the fret size but that's ok, I will engrave mine with a dremel, although I would have liked the etching to be a bit more serious, my 300 is really hard to read. Nevertheless, Totally awesome!

Tim Gospodinov  NYC Read my reviews (7)
5 6-11-2012
Great File!!

If you take what you do seriously, then this is the file to get. Worth every penny. I ordered the 300 grit file for crowning and it works wonderfully. One thing it doesn't mention in the description. The grit on both sides runs the full length of the file.

Dave Ward  Oklahoma City, OK Read my reviews (10)
4 6-09-2012
Offset Diamond Fret File

Overall I like it. This file definitely accomplishes the goal of providing easy clearance over a guitar body at the tip. Because of the curve and lack of handle, though, keeping the file level to the fret is more of a challenge than it was with the straight file. It seems that some sort of removable/reversible handle would make this file easier to use. Having that would make it a "five star tool" for sure.

Richard Young Jr.  Greenville, SC Read my reviews (2)
5 4-08-2012
Offset Diamond fret file is the best

The Offset Diamond fret file is the ultimate for crowning frets because it shapes the frets so fast by cutting in both directions and leaving no chatter marks. Once you use them, you won't want to use anything else for fret crowning. Regular crowning files were always a pain for me because of the marks they would leave.

Ron Siwicki  Winnipeg Read my reviews (3)
5 2-29-2012
diamond fret file

Always a pleasure when you have the right tool for the job, can't fault this tool, leaves a great finish, no chatter! Really speeds up the job of recrowning

Norrie  england
Customer supplied image for review
5 1-13-2012
diamonds are a frets best friend

I don't like crowning frets. In the past I often ended up with frets that looked worse after the crowning than they did before. But with THIS file I really enjoy doing it. It's fast and easy.

MoorMusic  Switzerland Read my reviews (48)
5 11-06-2011
good file

Very predictable.

Set-up Technician  Solon,Ohio Read my reviews (19)
Displaying 11 – 20 < 1  2  3  ...  5 > /\ Top of Reviews


Shown on page 6 of our latest catalog.
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