some questions about defretting...

[Specialsauce]

I know, i know, there are a million and one threads about the subject of defretting, but i have a couple questions...

I've heard in a couple laces on the great big internets that you can use a ouse iron (like to iron clothes) to heat u the frets. This sounds like a bad idea... Won't this burn the fingerboard?

Also, how many watts soldering iron is needed. I have a really cheap small one (not sure of the wattage), and im unsure if this will work.

Can i finish it with suerglue? I heard a guy tell me that he defretted a bass and usedsuperglue and it works great..

Will leaving the last couple frets on really let me slap and pop?

What extra measures must i take to be able to use roundwounds? (im ppretty sure both jaco and les clayool use rounds on their fretlesses)

[Belfast Bassist]

Im not sure about the soldering iron stuff but ill answer the others

Can i finish it with suerglue? I heard a guy tell me that he defretted a bass and usedsuperglue and it works great..
I too have heard this but would advise against it unless you see how good it turned out for him, or unless some über-user knows about it.


Will leaving the last couple frets on really let me slap and pop?

no that wont work, take them all off. If you still want to slap and pop then buy or build a slap plate.

http://www.sonofthor.com/images/basses2.gif
^ look at the fretless with the black pickguard. The silver bit of metal at the end of the fretboard is a slap plate.


What extra measures must i take to be able to use roundwounds? (im ppretty sure both jaco and les clayool use rounds on their fretlesses)
You could finish the fretboard. Many people epoxy theirs to protect it.

[LambofDeth]

I'm in the midst of doing mine, and depending on the bass, you might not need a soldering iron. I bought a really cheap one and that will be perfectly fine for melting the glue, if your frets are glued on.
The slap plate is a good idea (and i'm not gonna look into that), but i must say that if you really love to slap, then fretless may not be what you're looking for. But hey, to each his own, i'm making mine fretless so i can use flat/tapewounds and just get that beauteous full bassy sound.
My friends dad is a session bassist and runs a pretty succesful modding/repair company at his house. He recommends epoxy, however if you're gonna go with flats, polyeurathain is all you need. He also recommended the stuff that i'm gonna use (sunday probably) called Envirotex. It's a 2 part much like epoxy, but it's made in smaller quantities for indoor projects like this rather than floors and boats like epoxy.
Hope i could help and good luck mate!