Defretting a bass guitar.

[Motorbreath5478]

Recently, a lot of thought has been going into somehow modifying my old bass guitar to breathe new life into it. After looking at several processes online, I came across the process of defretting a guitar.

Is there anyone here who has actually done this? If so could you please reply with instructions on how to go about doing this. IT would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

[PaulSimonon]

Search for it on here, there have been numerous threads both with discussions of methods and with actual picture tutorials of what people have done.


Just take a spackling knife, tape up either side of the frets with masking tape, and pull them out. If your bass has glued in frets, grab a soldering iron to liquify it, and then pull them out.

[Motorbreath5478]

It's ok, I just went ahead and did it. Just waiting on getting some polyurethane varnish to cover it up now.

I gotta say, this turned out to be far easier than I expected. Tha actual fret pulling took around half an hour and the filling/sanding took about one hour.

Thanks for the reply anyways though.

[bass&cookies]

fun stuff, huh?
you may find the strings a little high on the nut side, and to solve that sand the not down(on the bottom) a little bit. i found that it plays the best if you have the nut end of the strings just above the fretboard.

[Thonk]

Oops, didn't see you already did it. :p

Have fun!

[Motorbreath5478]

One more question... Does it absolutely have to be indoor varnish with polyurethane?

[PaulSimonon]

Nope. I'd personally use outdoor poly. Don't use the fast dry stuff either.


I'd use epoxy myself, but that's sometimes a bit more pricey.

[Motorbreath5478]

My bass is looking uber cool now. I used a pine coloured wood filler to contrast the rosewood fretboard. Just waiting to varnish the fretboard and headstock (After I've replaced the "Marlin Sidewinder" logo with my name of course...).

Of course I've yet to play it. I still need flatwound strings which are proving to be a little more pricey than normal ones. Shouldn't be a hassle though. Can't wait to play it.

[the101er]

You have a Marlin!!!!!


I was looking at one of those in my local music store! It played absolutely beautifully, and has that double jazz thing

I used polyeurethane(sp) when i did my cort

[erk5000]

Can i see of how its coming along plz!

[Motorbreath5478]

I'll post a pic as soon as the varnish has dried. I just did it about five minutes ago you see. Do you use direct link HTML to post a pic here?

I don't know what kind of Marlin you played, but mines played terribly as a fretted bass. Once you reached the 16th fret, the higher frets would interfere with the sound and make this annoying as hell rattling sound.

Then again... I did only pay £80 second hand for it...

Then again... I didn't pay anything for it... My parents did...

[Thor]

I thought about doing it, but I just know that I'd screw things up. :)

[Motorbreath5478]

It's real easy. If you have an old bass sitting somewhere wasting away, I advise doing it. BUt of course, I still haven't played mine yet.

[Down'd Angel]

i'd suggest using epoxy for it...

i did 4 coats of poly...played beautifully, but then added one layer of epoxy, and got a little bit richer tone from it...

and how you said flats were more expensive...mine were about the same price as rounds...

[darrell]

This bass doesn't exist without pics. :thumb:

[wileycoyote]

I defretted my bass. And I found that you don't need to fill in the fret holes. It didn't do anything to my sound. It might wear the strings out faster though.

[bass&cookies]

you dont have to use flats, especialy since you polyd it. personally i like rounds on a fretless. alot of the time thats why people poly their boards, so that they can use rounds on them without as much damage

[Motorbreath5478]

I prefer the sound of flats on a fretless though. They sound so mellow and smooth.

I can't wait to play this bass! Only problem is that the first caoting of varnish STILL hasn't dried!

I'll get a pic up A.S.A.P!

[Chaos]

Recently, a lot of thought has been going into somehow modifying my old bass guitar to breathe new life into it. After looking at several processes online, I came across the process of defretting a guitar.

Is there anyone here who has actually done this? If so could you please reply with instructions on how to go about doing this. IT would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.


It's ok, I just went ahead and did it. Just waiting on getting some polyurethane varnish to cover it up now.

I gotta say, this turned out to be far easier than I expected. Tha actual fret pulling took around half an hour and the filling/sanding took about one hour.

Thanks for the reply anyways though.

Oh...one of these threads..hmm.

[Motorbreath5478]

Yes... one of these... hmmm...