How to Fix Fret Buzz by Leveling Frets

Have you ever had a guitar or bass that had one fret that would buzz no matter how you set it up and wondered, how to fix fret buzz? This is also commonly referred to as fret rattle or a dead fret. Here’s a quick video to show you how to repair a buzzy fret by identifying that the fret is too tall and leveling it.

These tools are needed to complete this repair:

• Sharpie Marker
• Fret rocker
• Sand paper
• Fine grit sanding block

Here are the steps to complete the repair:

1. Complete a full set up of your guitar or bass.
2. Identify all frets that continue to buzz and mark them with a sharpie marker.
3. Remove the strings.
4. Use a fret rocker to confirm that the frets are unlevel.
5. Sand down the problem frets evenly until they are level, remeasuring frequently to ensure you don’t over file the frets.
6. Once the fret is level, polish it with a fine grit sanding block or steel wool.
7. Restring and check the entire fretboard for dead, buzzing frets.
8. Repeat previous steps until all frets are even and no longer buzz.