**Detailed Bass Defretting Guide** - Page 2

Tryxx · 11-05-2005, 04:06 PM

This was my first time to do ANYTHING like this. And it was a random and somewhat spur of the moment decision. (I thought it Jaco-esque.) I grabbed one of my basses, a screw driver, pliers, clothes iron, tape, and a hammer.

This is a very amature and botched job, but so far this is how things have progressed.

To get an idea of how easy or difficult this was going to be, I just decided to do a few frets at a time. I used a technique to somewhat chisel them out. I used the clothes iron to heat all of the fret evenly, hoping it would make it much easier to take out. I did much what Jamie did, even hits around the fret. I found it easier to get them out but hitting the corners and progressing towards the middle of the fret, though that led to some dings. But with that route I didn't have to hammer both sides of the fret.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...ff/P1010023.jpg

I thought that was going well, so I continued, tell:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...ff/P1010026.jpg

I should have noticed before hand, but it was only after sanding that I noticed the dings in the fretboard:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...ff/P1010030.jpg
(Sorry, I don't have pictures after sanding.)

After going from grains 80-120-180-240-300 on the board, I started with the wood filler. I applied it with just my finger, literally rubbing it into the frets. I actually used a machine "mouse" sander. It made the job much quicker, and as far as that goes, it was pretty good quality.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...ff/P1010031.jpg

Once satisfied with that, I sanded once more paying a lot of care and attention to detail. (Well, as much as I could at this point.) And applied my first coat of polyurethane.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...ff/P1010034.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...ff/P1010035.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...ff/P1010036.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...ff/P1010038.jpg

I'm going to apply a second, and maybe even a third coat, but I haven't gotten that far yet. The instructions on the polyurethane call for you to use a fine grit sand paper to sand some off, then re-coat. In the meantime I've purchased these supplies, awaiting for the finished product.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...ff/P1010039.jpg

edgebass5 · 11-05-2005, 05:22 PM

I still truly believe that using a hardwood filler as described on this guide: http://www.geocities.com/charlesarms is a much better method than using a liquid wood filler.

Manadar · 11-12-2005, 05:11 PM

Wow great guide, i'm actually lookin forward to hard labour now!

Just a little question.. Is it possible to paint the fretboard completely? And if so, do you use any special paint etc.?

* EDIT: Sarcasm was all unintentionally all over i my post. Cleaned it now.

Bodo_Lefty · 11-15-2005, 08:04 AM

hey big man,

I was wonderin what i can do to make my bass sound more like time is running out all i have is a russian big muff and cant get hold of the other stuff he uses.....

Thank You.....

Jamie · 12-13-2005, 06:50 PM

^^^ Sorry about the incredibly late post, I just checked the thread!

Hmmm... I've been trying to achieve it myself actually. Try fiddling with your bass and your amp's EQ and you want hardly any bass and quite alot of mids and treble. From there just experiment turning the knobs on your Big Muff round as you play until you find that "spot"

Don't know if that helps but its worth a go

SLKBassist · 12-13-2005, 10:49 PM

I believe he uses a little delay too, but might be wrong. I had found a setting to use on my BP200, which sounded similar

basgitarist · 12-14-2005, 03:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Manadar

Wow great guide, i'm actually lookin forward to hard labour now!

Just a little question.. Is it possible to paint the fretboard completely? And if so, do you use any special paint etc.?

* EDIT: Sarcasm was all unintentionally all over i my post. Cleaned it now.

you could use stainer.I saw it on a website once;
http://members.chello.nl/r.n.kok/fretless/index.html

basgitarist · 12-14-2005, 03:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Manadar

Wow great guide, i'm actually lookin forward to hard labour now!

Just a little question.. Is it possible to paint the fretboard completely? And if so, do you use any special paint etc.?

* EDIT: Sarcasm was all unintentionally all over i my post. Cleaned it now.

you could use stainer.I saw it on a website once;
http://members.chello.nl/r.n.kok/fretless/index.html

basgitarist · 12-14-2005, 03:40 AM

double post..

Jamie · 12-14-2005, 03:34 PM

^^^ Triple post

Silent_loudspeaker · 12-26-2005, 12:17 AM

haha nice double post. I am Defretting my squier p-bass after i got a OLP MM2 and i have to say it was an easy operation. I used a soldering iron, wood filler, Epoxy coating, small screwdriver, and sandpaper (2 grains: medium and fine). The staining idea is cool but i prefer to see what im doing. The late master Jaco did the same thing that im doing but he used boat epoxy and he had a fender jazz.

RMakaru · 12-29-2005, 04:06 PM

Could you please try to fix the link on your defretting guide for it to become one page for saving? Because I am trying to defret a P-Bass, and I can do it in my woodshop class, so i would like to have the instructions in a printable format. Thank you.

...someone® · 02-17-2006, 02:31 AM

Hey, I have just DeFretted my bass [Using this guide

]. I am now at the stage of using Polyurethane. However, NoOne in my area has ever heard of it

- Is there another, Similar product i could use?

Mikey.

Jamie · 02-18-2006, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RMakaru

Could you please try to fix the link on your defretting guide for it to become one page for saving? Because I am trying to defret a P-Bass, and I can do it in my woodshop class, so i would like to have the instructions in a printable format. Thank you.

Sorry, im afraid I cant. A guy from MX uploaded it to his webspace (skynet or whatever it is) at least a year ago and I've no idea who he is now

So I can't contact him to edit the page to sort it out. You could just try printing all the html pages out though...

^^^ Just try asking for a clear gloss suitable for wood.

Jamie · 05-02-2006, 11:35 AM

Man, this is old school!!

I was such a noob back when I wrote this (you can tell by the unprofessionalism of the website!)

if_jaco_was_punk · 02-14-2007, 01:24 PM

i realise this is an old thread but i got questions. i want to defret my bass for using roundwounds on it, i want to defret my MAIN bass, even tho it's only like £300 but i got dimarzio ultra jazz in it and it's been with me for a lot of gigs so i want to get this right. Questions are :

Is there an epoxy i could use that sets slow enough but is good for getting a level finish? i'm in the uk so brand names would be great ,my mates have said that with a lot of epoxy's they don't always set rock solid due to bad mixing so something 100% would be good.

And how hard is epoxy? will it last forever or is there a risk ov grovves and the need to re-epoxy the fretboard??

Finally how can i test that the epoxy/laqeur/polyeurothane is level once it's on? this is obviously the vital part in the process so lumps and bumps would be ****.

Thanx for any advice posted.

exit · 12-18-2007, 11:15 AM

Sorry,

this is not really an answer to your question nor an ordinary bump. But i realized a week ago I still had an account here and was surprised i still had that defretting guide put online on my account. Pretty neat. Anyways, i see you cant mail to users directly anymore (or I am looking at the wrong options) and I wondered if the author of this guide (Jamie) is still around here

worthim · 05-15-2009, 02:47 PM

I put round wounds on mine after finishing with poly... Sturdy finish, and heck, you can re-finish the fingerboard in an evening if you need to!

I worked up some pretty clear instructions and posted them on http://www.bassdefret.com

Peace all,
Scotty

Mr. Pickle · 05-15-2009, 10:04 PM

11-12-2005, 05:11 PM	#23
Manadar I want Ampeg ! Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Netherlands Posts: 27	Wow great guide, i'm actually lookin forward to hard labour now! Just a little question.. Is it possible to paint the fretboard completely? And if so, do you use any special paint etc.? * EDIT: Sarcasm was all unintentionally all over i my post. Cleaned it now. Last edited by Manadar; 11-12-2005 at 05:13 PM.

11-15-2005, 08:04 AM	#24
Bodo_Lefty Registered User Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Liverpool, England Posts: 1	To Jamie_Dunce hey big man, I was wonderin what i can do to make my bass sound more like time is running out all i have is a russian big muff and cant get hold of the other stuff he uses..... Thank You.....

12-14-2005, 03:40 AM	#29
basgitarist Lay Down The Low Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 905	double post.. Last edited by basgitarist; 12-14-2005 at 03:56 AM.

05-15-2009, 02:47 PM	#38
worthim Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 1	Defretting Your Bass I put round wounds on mine after finishing with poly... Sturdy finish, and heck, you can re-finish the fingerboard in an evening if you need to! I worked up some pretty clear instructions and posted them on http://www.bassdefret.com Peace all, Scotty Last edited by worthim; 05-23-2009 at 01:19 PM. Reason: added link html

05-15-2009, 10:04 PM	#39
Mr. Pickle Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 9,052	gtfo

11-05-2005, 04:06 PM	#21
Tryxx It takes one to know one. Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 13,825	This was my first time to do ANYTHING like this. And it was a random and somewhat spur of the moment decision. (I thought it Jaco-esque.) I grabbed one of my basses, a screw driver, pliers, clothes iron, tape, and a hammer. This is a very amature and botched job, but so far this is how things have progressed. To get an idea of how easy or difficult this was going to be, I just decided to do a few frets at a time. I used a technique to somewhat chisel them out. I used the clothes iron to heat all of the fret evenly, hoping it would make it much easier to take out. I did much what Jamie did, even hits around the fret. I found it easier to get them out but hitting the corners and progressing towards the middle of the fret, though that led to some dings. But with that route I didn't have to hammer both sides of the fret. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...ff/P1010023.jpg I thought that was going well, so I continued, tell: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...ff/P1010026.jpg I should have noticed before hand, but it was only after sanding that I noticed the dings in the fretboard: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...ff/P1010030.jpg (Sorry, I don't have pictures after sanding.) After going from grains 80-120-180-240-300 on the board, I started with the wood filler. I applied it with just my finger, literally rubbing it into the frets. I actually used a machine "mouse" sander. It made the job much quicker, and as far as that goes, it was pretty good quality. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...ff/P1010031.jpg Once satisfied with that, I sanded once more paying a lot of care and attention to detail. (Well, as much as I could at this point.) And applied my first coat of polyurethane. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...ff/P1010034.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...ff/P1010035.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...ff/P1010036.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...ff/P1010038.jpg I'm going to apply a second, and maybe even a third coat, but I haven't gotten that far yet. The instructions on the polyurethane call for you to use a fine grit sand paper to sand some off, then re-coat. In the meantime I've purchased these supplies, awaiting for the finished product. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...ff/P1010039.jpg

11-05-2005, 05:22 PM	#22
edgebass5 overpriced trendy garbage Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 10,607	I still truly believe that using a hardwood filler as described on this guide: http://www.geocities.com/charlesarms is a much better method than using a liquid wood filler.

12-13-2005, 06:50 PM	#25
Jamie :O Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Durham, UK Posts: 10,789	^^^ Sorry about the incredibly late post, I just checked the thread! Hmmm... I've been trying to achieve it myself actually. Try fiddling with your bass and your amp's EQ and you want hardly any bass and quite alot of mids and treble. From there just experiment turning the knobs on your Big Muff round as you play until you find that "spot" Don't know if that helps but its worth a go

12-13-2005, 10:49 PM	#26
SLKBassist mx playboy Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Astral Plane Posts: 403	I believe he uses a little delay too, but might be wrong. I had found a setting to use on my BP200, which sounded similar

12-14-2005, 03:34 PM	#30
Jamie :O Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Durham, UK Posts: 10,789	^^^ Triple post

12-26-2005, 12:17 AM	#31
Silent_loudspeaker Fleet fingered bassist Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Vancouver, B.C. Posts: 2	haha nice double post. I am Defretting my squier p-bass after i got a OLP MM2 and i have to say it was an easy operation. I used a soldering iron, wood filler, Epoxy coating, small screwdriver, and sandpaper (2 grains: medium and fine). The staining idea is cool but i prefer to see what im doing. The late master Jaco did the same thing that im doing but he used boat epoxy and he had a fender jazz.

12-29-2005, 04:06 PM	#32
RMakaru Registered User Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 3	Could you please try to fix the link on your defretting guide for it to become one page for saving? Because I am trying to defret a P-Bass, and I can do it in my woodshop class, so i would like to have the instructions in a printable format. Thank you.

02-17-2006, 02:31 AM	#33
...someone® Registered User Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: England Posts: 596	Hey, I have just DeFretted my bass [Using this guide ]. I am now at the stage of using Polyurethane. However, NoOne in my area has ever heard of it - Is there another, Similar product i could use? Mikey.

05-02-2006, 11:35 AM	#35
Jamie :O Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Durham, UK Posts: 10,789	Man, this is old school!! I was such a noob back when I wrote this (you can tell by the unprofessionalism of the website!)

02-14-2007, 01:24 PM	#36
if_jaco_was_punk do all basists die young? Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Wales-land of the sheep and the leek. Posts: 183	i realise this is an old thread but i got questions. i want to defret my bass for using roundwounds on it, i want to defret my MAIN bass, even tho it's only like £300 but i got dimarzio ultra jazz in it and it's been with me for a lot of gigs so i want to get this right. Questions are : Is there an epoxy i could use that sets slow enough but is good for getting a level finish? i'm in the uk so brand names would be great ,my mates have said that with a lot of epoxy's they don't always set rock solid due to bad mixing so something 100% would be good. And how hard is epoxy? will it last forever or is there a risk ov grovves and the need to re-epoxy the fretboard?? Finally how can i test that the epoxy/laqeur/polyeurothane is level once it's on? this is obviously the vital part in the process so lumps and bumps would be ****. Thanx for any advice posted.

12-18-2007, 11:15 AM	#37
exit The Hard Goodbye Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Waregem, Belgium Posts: 819	Sorry, this is not really an answer to your question nor an ordinary bump. But i realized a week ago I still had an account here and was surprised i still had that defretting guide put online on my account. Pretty neat. Anyways, i see you cant mail to users directly anymore (or I am looking at the wrong options) and I wondered if the author of this guide (Jamie) is still around here

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