Turning a bass fretless

DDR4LYF

Has anyone defretted a fretted bass before. I've heard of a few guys who have done that before. How does someone get that done? Is there someone in Joburg that can do that?

Bob-Dubery

DDR4LYF wrote: Has anyone defretted a fretted bass before. I've heard of a few guys who have done that before. How does someone get that done? Is there someone in Joburg that can do that?

It can be done. I guy I used to go to for lessons had a Schecter bass that had been defretted. I can't remember who did the job - somebody in the Melville area.

I'd recommend that you discuss the matter with Mando Silva at Music Connection.

AlanRatcliffe

Simple job with a few small pitfalls, but any competent tech should be able to do it. It boils down to ripping out the old frets and filling with something that will keep the neck compression. I always used either strips of wood or epoxy to fill.

domhatch

hey. if jaco pastorius can do it, anyone can do it... ?

DDR4LYF

domhatch wrote: hey. if jaco pastorius can do it, anyone can do it... ?

Assuming you're not talking about his bass playing! Ha ha!

Funny story. Flea tried to pull the frets out of his bass because he wanted to be like Jaco and completely wrecked his bass!

DDR4LYF

Thanks X-rated Bob!

Alan, what do mean be neck compression? I'm considering finding a cheap 2nd hand and trying a diy job. Checked out some diy instructions and it doesn't seem not too difficult, as long as you're really careful.

AlanRatcliffe

The fret tangs actually supply a lot of the stiffness to the neck because they push against the walls of the fret slots. Removing the frets makes the neck more unstable and bendy (you can even sometimes fix a neck that has too much relief by refretting with frets that have oversize tangs). So, ideally, when you remove the frets you replace with a material that will help keep some of the stiffness - a hard wood or an epoxy glue.

Sometimes the neck will even twist when you remove the frets - I have a cheapie Japanese Strat neck hanging on my wall that did a pretzel impersonation the moment I defretted it - I tried levelling, but started running out of fingerboard (and couldn't be bothered flatting the neck and replacing the board).

domhatch

DDR4LYF wrote: Assuming you're not talking about his bass playing! Ha ha!

Funny story. Flea tried to pull the frets out of his bass because he wanted to be like Jaco and completely wrecked his bass!

sometimes i reckon as players we think we're almighty in every aspect of our instruments. as for me, i wouldn't even attempt to fiddle with the action on any of my guitars. then again, i'm not flea, let alone jaco. of course, there are more than a few chaps and lasses here who are more than capable of doing the necessary.

ddr - who'd not love to play like jaco? ?

Pierre-Cronje

DDR4LYF wrote: Has anyone defretted a fretted bass before. I've heard of a few guys who have done that before. How does someone get that done? Is there someone in Joburg that can do that?

Phone Andy McGibbon 082 6511094. He's an absolute master at it.

DDR4LYF

Phone Andy McGibbon 082 6511094. He's an absolute master at it.
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I can't believe I didn't think of that! Thanks yo!!!

nameuser

Why rip a guitar apart at great cost...trade it in for a fretless....

Like buying a VW and paying someone to convert it to BMW. LOL

DDR4LYF

I want to get a fretless acoustic bass. Those are about R6000 new and you'll never find a second hand one. So if I can find a fretted acoustic bass for, say, R3000, I can still get what I want for less. Although now that I've been looking around, I don't seem to be able to find fretted acoustic basses either ☹ (it's a long term project...)

Keira-WitherKay

DDR4LYF wrote: I want to get a fretless acoustic bass. Those are about R6000 new and you'll never find a second hand one. So if I can find a fretted acoustic bass for, say, R3000, I can still get what I want for less. Although now that I've been looking around, I don't seem to be able to find fretted acoustic basses either ☹ (it's a long term project...)

well if you want/looking for an acoustic bass ala Ibanez AEB10 ..contact King louis music in pretoria .......and i know he has a 2nd hand AEB 10 for sale(great bass it used to be mine ....... ? in mint condition ) and he has a new Ibanez acoustic bass too .........not sure what model ....... BUT THEY BOTH FRETTED .so buy one and take frets out

DDR4LYF

Thanks so much for the heads up! Unfortunately, I blew the little bit I had saved on an Ernie ball Volume pedal (good price...), so I will make some inquiries as soon as I have some spending money again!!!