GUITAR FRET PRESS & CRADLE - Modular Fretting Station
- Mar 28, 2025
- 4 min read
Updated: Aug 9
The Guitar Fret Press & Cradle is an all-in-one fretting station suitable for acoustic and electric guitars.
The design combines stability, instrument care and ease of use with high-quality construction.
The included guitar cradle - serves as a comprehensive tool by itself.
The press can be supplied with grooved cauls, standard radiused cauls, or a combination of both.
The press is designed for placing directly onto the workbench. The round base allows it to be turned around for access on all sides.
The system is capable of pressing all fret positions on solid body guitars and frets over the supported section of neck and heel on acoustic guitars, typically up to the 12th-15th frets.
OPTIONAL ITEMS
Options for expanding the use of the press include a sliding neck caul for bolt-on necks and a brace support for fretting over the soundboard.
1) OPTIONAL - SLIDING NECK CAUL
The Sliding Neck Caul extends the full guitar fret press for bolt-on neck use. It provides smooth positioning of the neck and aids alignment of the frets for more efficient fret installation.
2) OPTIONAL - ACOUSTIC GUITAR BRACE SUPPORT
The Acoustic Guitar Brace Support provides additional security when pressing over the soundboard.
APPLICATION
SOLID BODY GUITAR SETUP
1) Fret pressing between the nut and mid neck position.
The guitar is positioned with the headstock adjacent to the leading end of the neck caul.
2) Fret Pressing from the mid frets to the last fret.
The guitar position should be adjusted with the neck transition adjacent to the neck caul and the heel support utilised underneath the body.
It is recommended to slide the supplementary support beneath the guitar cradle when extended as shown.
SEMI-ACOUSTIC GUITARS & THROUGH NECK GUITARS SETUP
The neck transition is positioned adjacent to the end of the neck caul.
The felt covered support shoe is fitted over the heel support.
*Note - Structural integrity of the instrument must be evaluated by the user when pressing directly over the guitar body and transition area.
ACOUSTIC GUITAR SETUP
The heel support is fitted underneath the neck/body join.
ADJUSTABLE HEIGHT FRET PRESS
The fret press comprises of 2 aluminium posts fitted with an adjustable height press beam for spanning the upper bout. The distance between the posts is 360mm.
The beam height is adjustable and secured by thumb and locking screws.
Procedure: Lock the bottom stop plates against the beam's underside to maintain press height and prevent lowering. Move the inner stop plates down to secure the beam and prevent upward movement.
SUPPORT TABLE
The support table features a 600mm x 300mm upper mounting board with a round loser sub-base for easy movement and minimal bench space utilisation.
EXTENSION SUPPORT
The extension support tucks underneath the end of the table.
MOUNTING THE PRESS TO THE TABLE
The fret press lower member is secured between the upper board and circular base with 2 x M8 countersink screws.
SCREW PRESS MECHANISM
The mechanism features a ball handle for ease of rotation and comfortable use. The screw is fitted with a thrust collar that connects the fret caul to the mechanism.
CHANGING CAULS
Slide the small black thrust collar into the cauls 'T' slot.
Push the caul up to locate the collar onto the end of the press screw.
(The collar has an internal spring that retains it on the screw).
To remove the caul, pull the collar downwards.
SETTING UP THE PRESS BEAM HEIGHT
The press height should be correctly set and locked in position.
1) SETTING THE CAUL
Before setting the press beam height, turn the handle anti-clockwise to raise the caul to its highest point, then wind clockwise 1-2 turns to lower it by 3mm.
2) SETTING THE BEAM HEIGHT
Place the protective rubber pad on the fretboard and lower the cross beam until the caul rests on the rubber. Ensure the beam is horizontal, then secure it with the thumb screws. Turn the handle to raise the caul to maximum height, remove the rubber, adjust the locking and bottom stop plates, and tighten the fixing screws.
After the initial caul seating, the fret is pressed with a single turn of the screw.
INCLUDED GUITAR WORK CRADLE
The guitar work cradle features a sturdy oak base with fixed neck support caul and universal support for the guitar body. It includes support pads at each end for use as a standalone unit, which are removed when using the cradle with the press.
HEEL SUPPORT SCREW JACK
The jack is positioned horizontally to achieve the optimal placement beneath the heel.
Procedure: Adjust the screw height until the heel is gently contacted. The packing blocks will accommodate different guitar body depths. (Ensure that the rebated packing block is placed at the bottom to allow clearance over the base clamps).
A supplementary felt covered support shoe is also provided for use depending on application (typically semi-acoustic guitar).
CONFIGURATION WITHOUT THE PRESS
The base allows easy swivelling for access all around the guitar.
