Turn cheap bass into fretless? and other fretless questions

[dohhhhh6]

Getting a fretless has been floating around in the big black void known as my brain for quite some time (just like those new pickups, which will be installed in series on Monday).

 

So, as I was browsing www.musiciansfriend.com mindlessly one day, I saw something that looked rather saweet, a cheap 80 dollar Rogue bass, SX100B, (originaly 200 dollars, like it matters). Then yesterday, I asked my inside salesmen at GC if it'd be worth my time getting that Rogue, defretting it, and learning to out mwah my opponets! He said, "Si" and that I should use the stuff they use on boats to fill in the spaces.

 

So now I'm going to ask you people some questions (I used search button already). What do you prefer to fill in the spaces? Wood, polyurethane (I think that's the stuff), etc? Would the P style pickups w/ flatwounds give the best fretless tone possible? Do you coat the neck with anything after you sand it? About how long will it take to do everything? Any other help would be appreciated.

 

I found this site through talkbass.com that pretty much goes through the process, only they use wood to fill in the spaces, which isn't what I'm probably going to use. Any sites that offer a very comprehensive step-by-step instruction on turning a fretted into a fretless?

 

Thanks for the help, guys, and gals.

[Bob Gollihur]

http://www.geocities.com/charlesarms/

http://www.seangallagher.net/Miscellany/Defretting/defretting.html

[rumpelstiltskin.]

i got ya one better, Bob:

 

we just talked about this yesterday

 

i made a reference to the same charles arms web site that Bob made above. it's a great resource.

 

robb.

[DanYmaL X]

Why not just spend the extra 40 or 50 bucks and buy the fretless Rogue? You'd be safer... fretted necks sometimes don't like to be stripped, and you'd save yourself a bit of messy work.

 

DX

[SteveC]

Sure that would be easier, but is that the point? Maybe she wants the challenge, or the experience of trying something new. I had a great time doing my fretless conversion, and it sounded pretty good, too.

[rumpelstiltskin.]

the only real concern for converting a fretted into a fretless is whether you still have a good fretted in case fretless isn't your thing.

 

for me, though my J is my main bass, i felt fine converting it to fretless because i have a nice peavey grind NTB 5 and a nice sounding plywood P copy (bartolini pick up) that i know i can use if i have to.

 

until then, i'm learning fretless and my jazz is a happy, respected bass again.

 

i say do the conversion yourself, because it never hurts to become more familiar, in the general sense, with the instrument you use to express yourself.

 

robb.

[Nicklab]

You might want to look at this from a cost angle: a decent luthier is going to charge at least $100 or more to make a fretted bass fretless. I know, because I had it done with one of my basses.

 

As for how mine was done, the frets were pulled, and the slots were filled with rosewood dust and a glue material. It gives the fingerboard the appearance of being a lined fretless fingerboard.

 

It might be a better move just to buy a fretless instrument right off the bat just from a cost standpoint.

[dcr]

Anyone who wants to do a fretless conversion REALLY SHOULD have a tech check out the instrument's neck first. A neck can get away with defects MUCH more easily if it's fretted than if it's fretless. A neck that played fine on an inexpensive bass can reveal all sorts of issues once defretted.

 

I've done it, & for myself I don't think it's worth it. If you want a fretless, get a fretless.

 

In any case, why not just put down the tools & practice on the damned thing, already!

[Mr. Phil]

Originally posted by Nicklab:

You might want to look at this from a cost angle: a decent luthier is going to charge at least $100 or more to make a fretted bass fretless. I know, because I had it done with one of my basses.

 

As for how mine was done, the frets were pulled, and the slots were filled with rosewood dust and a glue material. It gives the fingerboard the appearance of being a lined fretless fingerboard.

 

It might be a better move just to buy a fretless instrument right off the bat just from a cost standpoint.

She is going to do it herself though. Silly.

[Nicklab]

My bad. Should've read a little closer. However, I stand by my opinion: it's not that much more expensive to buy a fretless. Especially since when you're pulling the frets, it's entirely possible to damage the fingerboard. And that can lead you to more expensive repairs down the line.

[Fred TBP]

When I wanted to try fretless 25 years ago, I bought an Ibanez Musician Fretless, sat down and seriously practiced on that for a few months, then started bringing it to gigs with my fretted P. I got over the fear of missing notes and within 2 years I was a force to be reckoned with. It's not as much a decision to buy or make one as it is to really give it a chance, and I think you need to commit to the time to make it work, or not. You be de judge o'that, bro'.

 

Having said that, when I went to 5-string fretless (with apologies to the 4-string iconoclasts out there) I didn't like what was out there at the time and I had an old 5-string neck I felt was perfect for the task. I realized that I had limited wood-working skills and didn't feel confident enough to do the job well enough. I also realized, to paraphrase DeForest Kelly:

 

"Dammit, Jim, I'm a BASS PLAYER, not a luthier!"

 

So for about $150 a local luthier who shared my concern for living on a budget (they're out there, trust me) took out the old frets, used shims made of glued and filed pieces of rosewood veneer strips (local lumber store) to fill the holes, rosewood shavings to fill in the mistakes, and some form of "china-black" wood dye (wish I remembered) to darken the fretboard and make the work almost invisible. When I finally get someplace to store web photos I'll post a picture of this baby. I love her immensly, though I own better built and more expensive toys, because she was the first customized instrument I ever owned and she feels like an extension of my arms.

 

The other option is to buy the Rouge or any budget fretless, it's good enough for you to work out your chops, then when you're done with it, keep it, change the pickups, sell it, mount it on the wall with a little plaque, or use it to build a doghouse. What-ever! It's about the neck and whether the fretless is a one-night stand or the love of your life.

 

Dammit, Jim, you're a BASS PLAYER! Let someone with equivalent skill and love for woodwork do it for you. You'll be happier for it...

[ian101]

I'm in the middle of waiting for my liquid wood to dry and I have got to say that doing it yourself is pretty interesting and not as hard as I thought.

 

On the first fret I took out I dinged up the fingerboard a little but every one after that came out nice(definitely heat up the fret first).