Fret tang nipper on a budget

[Stray Feathers]

I have not tried a bound fretboard yet, but I wanted to try nipping fret tangs to get a cleaner finish on the fretboard sides. Custom made nippers are expensive, even more so with shipping to Canada. I found some videos describing how to modify a sheet metal nibbler to do the job and decided to try it. After some searching, I found a nibbler for about $22 CAD and reasonable shipping. It's much like one described on YouTube, this one made in Taiwan for GC Tool, sold by Newark Tools. It's a fairly simple modification, removing the end cap (it did not explode with springs flying everywhere) and filing a groove in it with a small triangular file. It works very well on nickel silver fretwire. EVO fretwire is harder, and takes a little more oomph but if it is set right it works well - maybe a little rougher cut. I have found it works better if I cut the fret tang BEFORE cutting the fret to length - a couple of cuts with the nibbler and then cut it off in the middle of the nipped portion. (Sorry I don't know how to get these photos in the correct order . . .) Bruce W.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Yep I did that to a similar nipper sold by Harbor Freight here about 10 years ago. It still works fine. I think I paid $10 for the tool.

[TEETERFAN]

Well, I am gonna be fretting a bound neck, so I am headed to Harbor Freight! Thanks

[tippie53]

you may need to clean up the shear line with a file to get it to lay flat simple , Nice job on the tool by the way

[Diane Kauffmds]

You're better off with this one. I have a "luthier" tang nipper, which I spent $90 and it's a POS, to be blunt. Good job.