Ol' Tex Project: Leveling Frets

In this episode of the Texas Themed Guitar Project, we focus on the neck work for Ol' Tex. This includes checking for high frets, leveling, crowning, polishing, and conditioning the fingerboard to get everything ready for final assembly. The neck—sourced from a Fojill FTLR-50 budget Tele-style guitar—needed attention to ensure playability and consistency. Rather than chasing individual high frets, the decision was made to level the full fretboard, followed by a complete crown and polish process. This video walks through the tools, approach, and mindset behind fretwork, along with practical insights from the bench. Whether you're working on your own guitar or just following the build, this is a key step in getting a solid playing instrument. Fojill Vintage Aged Heavy Relic https://amzn.to/48GqIXO Catch up on the series: Ol' Tex - Guitar Project (Fojill FTLR-50) https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMhTW3lOIKQ38SuaA17lSoA94i2HcV9Xz TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Intro and project overview 0:09 Neck background and sourcing 0:28 Headstock reshaping and finish 0:53 Project playlist mention 1:16 Plan for fret leveling and neck work 1:32 Nut replacement plan (red bone nut) 2:04 Tools and parts overview 2:30 Neck specs and measurements 3:19 Tools for fretwork 4:11 Checking neck straightness 4:59 Identifying high frets 5:24 Additional fret issues found 6:09 Decision to level all frets 6:27 Marking frets for leveling 7:20 Radius beam approach explanation 8:48 Sandpaper and leveling setup 9:18 Leveling process plan 9:50 Crowning and polishing plan 10:27 Fast-forward leveling sequence 12:03 Results after leveling, crowning, polishing 12:34 Cleaning and conditioning the fretboard 13:03 Final fret and board inspection 13:34 Neck ready for assembly 13:46 Closing thoughts TOOLS & MATERIALS MusicNomad Radius Gauges https://amzn.to/4d3iVoc Fret leveling beam (16" radius) https://amzn.to/3QRTq1H Basic Luthier Kit (this is like the one I purchased) https://amzn.to/4teTzuo Sandpaper (320 grit adhesive) https://amzn.to/48N4VgZ MusicNomad S-File https://amzn.to/3ODhqVt MusicNomad Fret Shield https://amzn.to/4cw4sB4 MAXMAN 24PCS Sanding Sponge Set https://amzn.to/4tX6Msc Diamond Plate Files https://amzn.to/429kYBS Lizard Spit Fret Polish https://amzn.to/4cw4sB4 Jim Dunlop System 65 Guitar Fingerboard Kit https://amzn.to/4cilkwh Howard Feed-N-Wax https://amzn.to/4cn1Kxk Guyker red bone nut (planned install) https://amzn.to/4d7QSEe SERIES PLAYLIST Ol' Tex - Texas Themed Guitar Project https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMhTW3lOIKQ38SuaA17lSoA94i2HcV9Xz Follow the full build as this guitar comes together step by step. ____ Shoutouts: @2Yards (Yard) @Guyker @MusicNomadCare Checkout our playlist page for more series and journeys https://www.youtube.com/@TedTalksGuitars/playlists Special Thanks to our channel members "The Jacks" Want to support the channel? Feel free to explore Channel membership options: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBr6kaWeOvldTHvntB3tnMg/join Ted Talks Guitars & Life Merch Store: https://tedtalksguitars-shop.fourthwall.com/ Amazon Affiliate Link: https://amzn.to/3W3PZox *If you click on this link to shop at Amazon the channel will receive a modest financial commission from your purchases. Disclaimer: This video is not sponsored. Some links are affiliate links. If you buy something I may make a small commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Guyker Referral Link: https://www.guyker.com/?ref=tedtalksguitars If you use the link you will save 15% at Guyker Use the coupon code: TEDSMITH #guitarrepair #fretleveling #guitarsetup #luthier #guitarmodding #guitarbuild #telecaster #guitarwork #diyguitar #guitartechtips