The “Fret Kisser” Problem: Why This Tool Can Make Things Worse
I can’t blame people for trusting StewMac.
Dan Erlewine has helped thousands of techs improve their skills, and StewMac’s tools are generally well-made.
But let’s be honest about something…
They’re in the business of selling tools.
And even Dan doesn’t know everything.
The Sales Pitch vs. Reality
The ad for the Fret Kisser makes it sound simple:
“Got a high fret? Just file it down to match the others.”
Sounds easy. Clean. Safe.
It’s also wrong in most real-world cases.
The Truth About “High Frets”
Most new guitars don’t have one high fret.
They have several.
- Sometimes high on one end
- Sometimes high in the center
- Sometimes inconsistently high across multiple frets
In a typical guitar, you might have 3–8+ problem frets.
And here’s the part most techs don’t realize:
They’re missing most of them.
I was a full-time tech for years before someone showed me how much I was missing with a fret rocker.
That’s how subtle this problem can be.
The Real Cause (That Nobody Talks About)
Here’s the part that surprises people:
Most “high frets” are not actually high. They’re loose.
Let that sink in.
A fret that isn’t fully seated will:
- Rock under light pressure
- Seem “high” to a fret rocker
- Disappear under firm pressure (because you just forced it down)
Then it pops right back up.
Why Filing Makes It Worse
Now imagine what happens if you follow the Fret Kisser advice:
- You detect a “high fret”
- You file it until the rocking stops
- You think the problem is solved
But it’s not.
Because:
- The fret was loose, not tall
- The player presses it down when fretting
- Now that fret sits lower than the next one
Result?
Buzz moves to the next fret.
You didn’t fix the problem.
You moved it—and made it harder to fix later.
The Hard Truth
Until you understand:
- How to properly use a fret rocker
- How to detect loose frets (not just “high” ones)
- How to correctly seat a fret
You have no business touching a fret file.
That’s not gatekeeping. That’s protecting the instrument—and your reputation.
So What About the Fret Kisser?
One of our apprentices bought one a couple years ago.
His review?
“It mostly just kisses the fret.”
And he’s right.
It removes material very slowly—almost to a fault.
That might sound “safe,” but it also:
- Encourages trial-and-error work
- Gives a false sense of control
- Doesn’t address the real issue (loose frets)
What This Really Comes Down To
This isn’t about one tool.
It’s about a bigger problem in this industry:
Techs are taught fixes… instead of systems.
At Guitar Tech Academy, we teach:
- How to identify root causes
- How to work in a controlled sequence
- How to avoid creating new problems while fixing old ones
Because in guitar repair…
Every adjustment affects everything else.
Bottom Line
The Fret Kisser doesn’t fix bad technique.
And in untrained hands, it can absolutely make things worse.
If you want to work on frets professionally, you don’t need a “safer file.”
You need:
- Training
- Process
- Understanding
Everything else is just guessing with expensive tools.
Stop guessing. Start working like a pro.
Learn the system behind real guitar repair in our 8-week, hands-on program at Guitar Tech Academy.