bass defretting ? for Light (or any other qualified person)

[notCardio]

I seem to recall you estimating about $40/fret for a fret job, how much for a DE-fret job?

I'm toying with the idea of having a bass professionally de-fretted, because it's not the standard P or J that you can get aftermarket fretless necks for.

And before someone gives me the 'hell, just do it yerself' routine, I might buy a cheapo and play around with it, but I would like to have something of quality that will be finished while I'm still breathing.

Thanks.

 

[apl]

Get you one of these, fill in the slots with your fave wood filler, sand and buff.

 

[notCardio]

HEY! I said 'qualified' person

besides, it's not I'm talking about tearing up something that doesn't matter, like a Carvin...

 

[apl]

Abalone fretlines would be cool.

 

[notCardio]

Ah, baloney!

Sorry, couldn't resist.

 

[apl]

Ah, baloney!

Sorry, couldn't resist.

groooooan.

 

[mshilarious]

Instead of removing the frets, I like to fill in on top of the frets. I cover the fretboard with Elmer's Wood Putty to about 1/8" over the frets, then I sand until I get the contour I want. Then I stain & seal with Minmax products.

Another option if you'd like something more colorful is to use joint compound instead of wood putty (don't use spackle!) and then finish with any latex paint, or water-based spray paint.

You should be able to find everything you need at Home Depot

 

[Light]

It is pretty close to the same as a full refret, which is about $350-400 for an unbound fingerboard in our shop. You might save a little bit ($50-100), but not a whole lot because while we don't have to put in the new frets et. al, we do have to fill the slots (wood veneer, by the way; NEVER wood filler, which has no place on a guitar), and get the fingerboard absolutely true. And of course, the instrument still needs to be setup to work as a fretless, which is quite different from a freted instrument.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[notCardio]

One more question

then would the resulting fretboard be perfectly smooth, like a true fretless fretboard?

The reason I ask is that I have a cheapie fretless where the manufacturer has obviously replaced the frets with wood 'frets' that have been filed down, but there's a 'dip' at every fretline, like the veneer inserts shrank. That wouldn't happen with your method (if done correctly, by your shop) would it?

Thanks

Oh, and that's not the one I want done, I just was using that as an example. That one I might eventually try the quick & dirty version of the Jaco epoxy method. Or I might buy another cheapie fretted version of it to try that on.

And one more question again: Is it possible (for a pro) to put a gloss finish on a satin finish fretboard? For instance, the Fender and Squire satin maple boards? I know your going to tell me it's not economically prudent, but is it possible?

Thanks again


And MSH,

I was almost finshed typing out my response to you and then I realized you were pulling my leg. I'm a sloowww learner.

 

[ggunn]

Instead of removing the frets, I like to fill in on top of the frets. I cover the fretboard with Elmer's Wood Putty to about 1/8" over the frets, then I sand until I get the contour I want. Then I stain & seal with Minmax products.

Another option if you'd like something more colorful is to use joint compound instead of wood putty (don't use spackle!) and then finish with any latex paint, or water-based spray paint.

You should be able to find everything you need at Home Depot

Sounds like you may have got into that joint compound yerself... ;^)

 

[mshilarious]

I was almost finshed typing out my response to you and then I realized you were pulling my leg. I'm a sloowww learner.

Sorry, we have to keep ourselves amused until Light comes along with a real answer And actually I was not making fun of you, but of apl for giving you the answer you specifically didn't want

 

[Light]

then would the resulting fretboard be perfectly smooth, like a true fretless fretboard?

Yes, it would be smooth, like a normal fretless.

Oh, and that's not the one I want done, I just was using that as an example. That one I might eventually try the quick & dirty version of the Jaco epoxy method. Or I might buy another cheapie fretted version of it to try that on.

And one more question again: Is it possible (for a pro) to put a gloss finish on a satin finish fretboard? For instance, the Fender and Squire satin maple boards? I know your going to tell me it's not economically prudent, but is it possible?

I don't really like the epoxy thing, or really any other finish on a fretless fingerboard. The finishes wear away too quickly, and the sound gets muddy and it just doesn't feel right. I strongly dislike maple boards on fretless guitars for just this reason. Wood wears (much less quickly), but it can be resurfaced with realitive ease.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[apl]

Get a Carvin fretless bass kit.

And msh, what's yer plan for the nurt ifn yoo fill in between the frets??

 

[Slowrider]

In the late sixties, I removed the frets on a Montgomery Wards Beatle bass, sanded, filled, sanded and used wood grain contact paper. Ya know, it looked pretty sharp; got alot of complements on the sound also. What can I say...I was 15 at the time. Traded it for a Gibson SG outright. Wish I would have kept both.

 

[AGCurry]

I can see doing this to a "junk" bass, but I would never do it to a perfectly good fretted bass, considering the cost and/or time involved, the potential for mistakes and poor results, and the loss of resale value.

 

[notCardio]

Well, like I said

I would only do the Jaco thing on a junk bass, considering the likelihood that I would screw it up. The reason I wanted to have this done professionally was so that I could get a fretless in a bass that they don't make aftermarket necks for.

Fo instance, waht if you just absolutlely loved a Gibson EB-3, and wanted a fretless version? Set neck. What are you going to do?

And light, what about 'glossing' a satin neck if it's not fretless?

 

[Light]

And light, what about 'glossing' a satin neck if it's not fretless?

It depends on how they achived the satin finish. There are two ways to do it: you can do it by simply not finishing the polishing process, ie. wet sanding to about 320 and then stoping; or you can do it with flatening agents in the finish. If the former, then it can be polished out no problem, if the later then it will never get really glossy. By the by, flatening agents soften the finish, and they are used in most industrial satin finishes, which is one of the reasons I much prefer gloss finishes.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[notCardio]

So I'm assuming that Fender/Squire satin finishes would be of the latter variety?

As crazy as it sounds, I want a Squire Bronco bass that has a neck I really like, but I hate the finish. It would just be so much nicer in gloss. And I know it sounds silly to put that much money in that cheap of a bass, but it's not like you can just buy a more expensive version of it and get what you want. I also want to do a fretless Mustang bass. The exact things I'm looking for are not commercially available, not even as kits or replacement parts, so eventually I'm gonna have to bite the bullet and have them customized if I can't get them custom made.

 

[apl]

My thumb trips over gloss. Tung oil is ssmmmmooooooooovvve, baby!

But Light don't like tung.

 

[notCardio]

Tung and grooove.

Had to say it.

But I don't think I can go back and tung oil a Fender or a Squire, and before you say it, I DON'T LIKE POINTY HEADSTOCKS, SO NO CARVIN!

There. I feel better.