Fret Saws – The Ultimate Luthier’s Guide

This guide is not just for beginners. It’s taken me many years to uncover many of the subtler points of using my hand tools, fret saws included. It took many, many guitars before I eventually realized some of the critical pieces of information I was missing.

Once I did get a deeper understanding of the tools themselves and how to use them, the quality of my guitars (and my life in general!) took a quantum leap.

A guitar fret saw is a simple tool really; a handle, a blade with teeth, and limitless possibilities – that’s why I love it.

Mastering the art of hand-crafting guitars is not just about having the most complex tools and techniques.

The true secret to doing our best work—world-class work, work that matters—is all about mastering the basics and staying away from the overly-complicated distractions that surround us, attempting to entice us away from hunkering down and working on the task at hand.

 You might be thinking, “Tom, chill out! It’s just a saw, man!” To me, I don’t just see the tool, I see another opportunity for me to refine a fundamental technique, that when mastered, can reap great rewards of accuracy and personal satisfaction.

All done simply and quietly. No loud sounds, no computers. Just you, the wood, and that still small voice guiding you as you watch your hands do the work they were made to do.

1 – Saw Kerf

The kerf of the saw is the cutting width of the blade, so it determines the thickness of the slot you will cut.

The saw you use, and the fret slot you create, must be properly fit to your fret wire for a snug, not too tight or too loose fit.

Most fret saws will cut a slot that is .023” wide, which is perfect for most fret wire and is the starting point for great guitar fretwork.

Here’s why it is so important: A fret that is in a slot that is too wide will result in a neck that lacks strength and in frets that tend to move or could even pop up, ultimately resulting in uncomfortable playability and lack of stability.

Conversely, if the fret slot is too small, the installed frets will compress the neck and cause a back bow which will ultimately result in uncomfortable playability and high action. Nobody likes that!

*For more on learning to master your fretwork check out our luthier training courses.

2 – Saw Tooth Design

There are two main tooth designs that one will commonly find in fret saws.

The most common is the Traditional Luthier Fret Saw Tooth. Each tooth is set to cut on the pull stroke and has a very slight alternating outward bend. This “outward bend” is how the kerf of the saw is established with this method.

One good thing about this traditional design is that these types of teeth can be sharpened and reset if needed (though not many people do that these days).

The second common type is the Japanese Fret Saw Tooth (the bottom one in the photo).

This type of tooth design is much different, having a superior cut (in my opinion). The drawback is that the teeth are very fragile and can easily be broken if misused. The Japanese style cannot be re-sharpened.

3 – Spine

The spine (or spline) is the part on the back of the blade which gives it its rigidity and strength. Saws of this design are commonly known as a Back Saw. Some saws have a full spine, others may have a ¾ length spine, and others may have no spine at all.

I find, for cutting fret slots, a very rigid full spine is essential to keep my cuts straight. It prevents the blade from curving, resulting in a buildup of heat and friction as well as the potential for a slightly curved fret slot.

For some flush cut applications, you need a no-spine saw which is typically of the Japanese style of tooth. Having at least one saw with no spine is a must in my opinion, though I would not use it for fret slotting because of the reasons mentioned above.

4 – Handle Design

There are basically two main styles of handles commonly found in guitar fret saws.

The first and most common is the classic rounded design. This type lets you wrap your hand around the end of the saw, creating a linear extension of your arm as you work.

The second handle type is the Japanese style. It’s much longer and gives the saw a sword-like feel.

Your grip and fret slot cutting technique will be different with a Japanese-style handle, which is wonderful for fret slotting as well as other tasks like trimming binding at miter joints and other precision operations.

When I built my first guitar in the mid-90s, I’m thankful there weren’t as many options as there are today.

The variety of fret saws available to you may feel overwhelming and intimidating, not to mention all the other tools and advice available to a luthier. I’ve been building guitars over the last 20+ years, and this is what my experience was like.

I had experience as a finish carpenter, but I had a lot to learn and a lot of tools to buy. When I built my first guitar, I couldn’t even afford to buy a fret saw!

Luckily, I was able to strike a deal with a local guitar technician. He let me use some of his lutherie tools one day a week for a few hours for the cost of $20. It was like a weekly guitar lesson, only in my case, I got to use his small workshop and get a little advice along the way.

I only met with him a handful of times, but it was just enough to help me get the fingerboard slotted, along with a few other critical luthier-specific tasks like using fret crowning files, fret leveling, and other things that were outside of my previous woodworking experience.

It’s a nice little saw, and I used it on many guitars and repairs. Very lightweight and smaller than the newer models, it has its benefits for certain applications.

Eventually, I wore it out. It began to get too dull to cut ebony, so I started looking around to see what saw would be the right fit for the next phase of my journey into the art of lutherie.

The next saw I decided on was the LMI fret saw pictured above. This saw is a lot more substantial than my first saw, with every part denser and heavier-duty. It feels great.

The handle is a nice hardwood with a solid brass furl anchoring the spine and blade in place. It was a definite improvement from my previous saw, and I still use it all these years later.

Unfortunately, it’s too dull now for some applications. I eventually needed an upgrade and decided to try the Stew Mac version of this saw.

This fret saw from Stew Mac is so close to being the same as the LMI version I literally sometimes don’t even pay attention to which one I’m using.

The same great handle and stiff spine and blade make for a great saw. There is a very slight difference in the tooth pattern, but they both cut very well and have lasted about the same amount of time. Neither seems better than the other: both classic designs and quality investments, so you can’t go wrong with either one.

As usual, though, after many more fingerboards and guitars, again, this new version started getting dull too, and it seemed like a good move to try the one with the guide attachment next to help me get a more consistent fret slot depth.

This is the same great saw but with a depth slot attachment, the Stew Mac Fret Saw With Depth Stop. As I was writing this, I went to look for the attachment, but I can’t find it! After trying it for a while and struggling to get used to it, I eventually realized that it just wasn’t for me. Having the guide bolted to one side threw me off balance and blocked my view.

It did help me learn that I was perfectly confident in judging the depth of the slot by eye as I have always done.

I took away a valuable lesson: when you find something that doesn’t suit you and your style, it can actually help you define and refine your sense of style and identity.

In 2000 I went to Baja California to study with Boaz Elkayam. When I was there, I watched him use a Japanese Dozuki saw like the one below to cut his brace wood to length, trim mahogany neck blanks, and several other tasks.

Being someone who needs quiet and simplicity while I work, I was instantly drawn to this type of saw. Incorporating it into my guitar-building practice reduced the number of times a day I turned on loud machines. Though I never could never use that particular saw for slotting frets because the kerf was wrong, the amazing cutting power of the super sharp teeth was intoxicating.

I wanted to cut fret slots with a saw like this. After I broke a few teeth on my first Japanese saw, I upgraded to the one above from LMI, but the kerf was still wrong for fret slotting.

Still, I use this saw every day for many different cuts: trimming binding, nearly all my guitar bracing work (tone bar article link), and cutting fret slots, too. I’d say it is one of the most used tools in my workshop, earning a premium spot on my tool wall.

Eventually, I found MY perfect fret saw. The StewMac Japanese fret saw with the right kerf for fret wire (.023”), pictured above. This one is a game changer—I use it for cutting my fanned fret guitar fingerboards, too, it’s just a really great tool!

It has beautiful, fast-cutting, non-clogging Japanese-style teeth. The handle gives me a great sense of control and stability, allowing me to do better work with a much more relaxed grip than I need for other saws.

Unlike my other Japanese saws, this one has a very stiff blade and full-length super rigid spine. It’s the perfect combination of all the greatest features from all the other saws mixed into one.

Getting the perfect saw—is only half the battle.

No matter what saw you choose, a great deal depends on your sawing technique. Great technique is the “master key” to becoming a great luthier.

It takes a great deal of effort to master this subtle art, but with the proper guidance, you can start cutting like a pro in no time.

Are you ready to stop wrestling with that saw and struggling to cut those fret slots?

If so, I strongly encourage you to check out my course How To Build A Fanned Fret Guitar which includes a step-by-step video demonstration of the fret-sawing technique.

In it, you’ll learn my special approach to mastering the fret-sawing technique for the fastest, most accurate, and most efficient results on your next hand-cut fingerboard.

Which type of fret saw do you like best for fret slotting or guitar making in general?

Are there any saws that you think I should add to my list?

Please join in the conversation and leave your answers in the comments below. Remember to share this guide with your fellow luthiers and friends!