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delmarindy
02-21-2006, 08:30 PM
Is there any way to make your fretted bass fretless?

Also, how much (and how how hard) is it to build your own fretless?

Detailed instructions for the latter would be nice

Thanks in advance
Akira
02-21-2006, 08:31 PM
Yes you can defret your bass, but I can't be much help as to telling you how.
:amaze:
02-21-2006, 08:32 PM
i'm pretty sure there's a detailed lesson about that somewhere around here ... i defretted my squier, and it's pretty awesome.





:amaze:
Biz
02-21-2006, 08:33 PM
Yeah search the forum, there was a topic on this about a month ago. It got lots of responses. Or just google it.
-Biz
delmarindy
02-21-2006, 08:37 PM
Do you remember the name of the thread?
The Brad
02-21-2006, 08:39 PM
I always played up higher on the neck (12th fret and above) and could get a pretty convincing fretless tone. Flats or tapewound help a lot.
darrell
02-21-2006, 08:43 PM
This is not possible. It has never been done. :thumb:
thelowsoundofbass
02-21-2006, 08:46 PM
what is needed, plyers, tape, glue, sandpaper, woodfiller and a bunch of time

lowsound
Biz
02-21-2006, 08:47 PM
what is needed, plyers, tape, glue, sandpaper, woodfiller and a bunch of time

lowsound
Lowsound is right. Essentially thats it. Also, no, I don't remember the name of the thread. Sorry homie.
-Biz
thelowsoundofbass
02-21-2006, 08:48 PM
Lowsound is right. Essentially thats it. Also, no, I don't remember the name of the thread. Sorry homie.
-Biz

thats all that i used, don't forget to take your strings off first

lowsound
gronk
02-21-2006, 08:49 PM
http://musicianforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=282982

:thumb:
delmarindy
02-21-2006, 08:50 PM
Lowsound is right. Essentially thats it. Also, no, I don't remember the name of the thread. Sorry homie.
-Biz

Hey, no big deal

My friend found something from Google

Ok, well I'll take you through the steps, but make sure you don't do anything to it before you know if it is worth something or not.

Step 1: Take out the frets - You can do this with a flat head screw driver which I found easiest.

Step 2: Remove the neck (keep it on in Step 1 because it makes the frets easier to take out)

Step 3: Get some fine sand paper and sand down the neck till smooth (might be rough around where you took the frets out)

Step 4: Get some wood filler from Home Depot or a store of the sort and fill in each fret with it and let it dry (people also use pieces of wood to put in there, but is more time consuming and wood filler works just fine)

Step 5: Sand neck down again because some of the wood filler could of gone a little over and also to make it smooth.

Step 6: Apply 3 coats of Polyurethane (I used Minwax, it works really well) and let dry for if I remember correctly, 6 or 7 hours then apply 3 more coats. Do this 5-6 times (yes, this is the most time consuming part, but keeps the neck well protected).

Step 7: After all dried and all coats on, put neck back on, put strings on and intonate it.

Step 8: Play it!
darrell
02-21-2006, 08:52 PM
http://www.musicianforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=282982

Search function FTW.

Edit: Beat to the punch. Crap.
BigBossBassist
02-21-2006, 08:59 PM
Is there any way to make your fretted bass fretless?

Thanks in advance
You serious? If you are, then yes, there is a way.
MyFriendOfMisery
02-21-2006, 09:05 PM
I always played up higher on the neck (12th fret and above) and could get a pretty convincing fretless tone. Flats or tapewound help a lot.
Thank god you changed your avitar. Your pic with that make up was really creepy(I think that your the one that had it). You can defret a bass but I wouldnt do it on an expensive bass until you know what you are doing.
The Brad
02-21-2006, 09:50 PM
Thank god you changed your avitar. Your pic with that make up was really creepy(I think that your the one that had it).

Haha, I never knew I was that scary.
Sorry about that.
Biz
02-22-2006, 11:19 PM
You serious? If you are, then yes, there is a way.
Give the guy a break, I am sure in the beginning when you started playing, you weren't certain about this either.
-Biz
edgebass5
02-22-2006, 11:27 PM
http://www.geocities.com/charlesarms

best defretting guide ever
-whitey-
02-23-2006, 03:43 AM
yeah,i have made a fretted bass,only to convince myself that i want it fretless,then i even considered fretting it again,but i left it as fretless

so have you done/thought about taking the frets out yet?
Thonk
02-23-2006, 02:26 PM
http://www.geocities.com/charlesarms

best defretting guide ever
I plan to use that one when I defret my old bass.

Jamie's the man!