Fret size

[wademp]

I hoping that someone will be able to clear this up for me. I tend to press down on the fretboard harder than I should, I guess. When I do, I'm always making the note go sharp. My main guitar is a Classic Vibe Custom Tele (gasp! Lol) and it is one of the only electrics that i've played that I don't do this to. It won't allow me to press too hard and "overplay" the fret. I don't know why this is either. The CVC have medium jumbo frets, but I've played tons of other guitar with the same sized fret and I always press too hard. Why is this? Could it be something like a truss rod adjustment?
I really would like to not be so limited to my tele and want other models, but I never end up getting them because of this fact. Help!

[jazzandmetal?]

Fender sometimes over dresses their frets so maybe your CVC has slightly flatter frets than other guitars with Med/Jumbos?

[tucky]

Sometimes I find if my action is too high I press to hard to try to get the strings to bed properly against the fret. Lowering the action enables you to play with a lighter touch.

[Dale]

If there is a vintage wire it will not go flat as easily. Several fender models have vintage wire where the specs say medium jumbo. Be sure it is not the vintage wire.

[Structo]

Could also be the size and shape of the neck is different so your hand grips it differently.

[wademp]

-It might be that the frets were overdressed because I have an old squier mik strat that the frets had been filed on and I can play that one without pressing too hard.

-I have the abilty to press the strings lighter, I just naturally press down super hard.

-How would I know if it is actually medium-jumbo, or vintage wire?
How do fret sizes even work? Do jumbos actually stick up taller than medium-jumbo frets do?

[wademp]

Originally Posted by Structo

Could also be the size and shape of the neck is different so your hand grips it differently.

That might be it too. The CVC's have super weird, skinny, and flat shaped necks....

[jazzandmetal?]

Originally Posted by wademp

-It might be that the frets were overdressed because I have an old squier mik strat that the frets had been filed on and I can play that one without pressing too hard.

-I have the abilty to press the strings lighter, I just naturally press down super hard.

-How would I know if it is actually medium-jumbo, or vintage wire?
How do fret sizes even work? Do jumbos actually stick up taller than medium-jumbo frets do?

Vintage is small. You could measure them with a set of calipers.

Also, Fenders "med/jumbo" is usually not super tall but they are wide, again because I think they tend to flatten their frets more than other builders. You could go to Warmoth or USACGs site for a visual on fret sizes.

Fenders specs list that guitar as having med/jumbos and a 9.5" fingerboard radius.

[wademp]

So....should I just have the frets filed a little bit when I get a new guitar? How much do fret jobs usually run, on average?

[dspellman]

Originally Posted by wademp

So....should I just have the frets filed a little bit when I get a new guitar? How much do fret jobs usually run, on average?

A "fret job" usually means replacing the frets altogether. "Fret dressing" or leveling usually involves modifying or sprucing up the frets that are already there. Major difference in price. Never ask for one when you mean the other. You usually don't want to have the frets filed down on a new guitar.

The very best thing is to develop a technique that doesn't involve gorilla gripping your strings. The next best thing for you is to buy guitars that have low frets if you can't develop non-gorilla-grip technique. That's going to be difficult, because most middle-of-the-road manufacturers are putting medium-jumbo or even jumbo frets on everything. Just remember that you do NOT need to contact the fretboard in order to sound the note.

Jumbo frets generally stick up higher than medium jumbo frets. Most fret wire is listed by crown width and crown height. The width is usually around twice the height, give or take. That "give or take" is what makes for "short, wide" or "tall, skinny" frets. There's a listing of common (and not so common) fret sizes here: http://www.lutherie.net/fret.chart.html

[wademp]

Thanks. I am fully aware of the difference between fret dressing and fret changing. I was asking about the actual replacement of frets, because I have been playing for 14 years and can't seem to develop a non-gorrila grip. (I like that term, btw lol)
I'm thinking that it might have something to do with the fact that I am left handed, but play guitar right handed. Also, I went through an acoustic only phase for a few years. That might have something to do with it too. Oh well....maybe that's why I am more of an "amp guy". Lol