do anyone of you know how to make the "fretslots" of this bass? I would like to do this on a bass i'm gonna build but im not sure how

- Robin

do anyone of you know how to make the "fretslots" of this bass? I would like to do this on a bass i'm gonna build but im not sure how

- Robin

Use a dremel sized router in a vertical stand running the bit in from the edge. However, the router would need to be edge-guided to maintain a perfectly straight line. Don't sneeze! ;)

cool looking bass!

Use a dremel sized router in a vertical stand running the bit in from the edge. However, the router would need to be edge-guided to maintain a perfectly straight line. Don't sneeze! ;)
This seems like a good approach.. but i havent been able to locate a routerbit small enough.. can you think of any ther way of doing this?

I have been thinking about this as my son would like a bass that is part fretted and fretless.You could cut the slots regular and fill part with the appropriate wood and then fret the rest of the slot? I haven't done it but I think is would work. You would have to dress the one fret end before fretting. ebony with ebony filler strips wouldn't show as much or you could have a lined fretless with partial frets. Tim

Those are cool, I've been on that site and I think that bass was a custom order for some artist in Italy. That would be an awesome fretboard to have, There IS another company that does something similar, think its called DBDey. Not sure thats the correct spelling.

I think Pagelli uses a table saw or similar. And a very precise guide of some sort!

By similar, I mean an inverted version, i.e. a saw that slides over the board, on a couple of railings. That kind of gadgets have been reinvented several times by part time luthiers over the world. I know of one guy who used a...what do you call a machine that you use to wip cream, handheld?...as the saw motor. Kind'a cool....

actually, you can also use a handsaw for this. You draw out your pattern and cut from the edge until the pattern line. Of course, this would mean that the veneer has to go all the way through the board, but other than that, it works great. I did a similar thing with my first bass, I just didn't have that fancy pattern, but only went to about 1/4" from the board's edge. Remember, simpler is almost always better, so don't overkill yourselves.

This seems like a good approach.. but i havent been able to locate a routerbit small enough.. can you think of any ther way of doing this?

A fret slot can be anywhere between .020 and .030 wide maybe more. An actual "bit" isn't always needed. One substitute would be the gauged rotary files sold by Harbor Freight. You can get a set of a couple of dozen carbide micro drills, and rotary files for under $10 from them by mail order or in one of their stores. Some in the kit will be as small as .015. I use these for engraving and inlay to great effect.

actually, you can also use a handsaw for this. You draw out your pattern and cut from the edge until the pattern line. Of course, this would mean that the veneer has to go all the way through the board, but other than that, it works great. I did a similar thing with my first bass, I just didn't have that fancy pattern, but only went to about 1/4" from the board's edge. Remember, simpler is almost always better, so don't overkill yourselves.
You don't have to cut through. You can saw at an angle, with care! And at a very tiny angle, too. What you need to do, is to calculate how much of the pattern will disappear when you plane and sand the board. I'd say you'd need some 3mm (1/8") cut at the edge left after final sanding, to have the veneer to stay put. Minimum! And absolutely even between the positions...
And you would have to exaggerate the pattern, since you will take some of the length of the veneers away.

This method is HARD WORK, extremely precision demanding, but not always rewarding. Which is why the table saw method is popular among series producers.

Actually, this is a functional method (which is why I write this), but I don't recommend it. Unless you are some kind of 11th century munk kind'a guy.. :scowl: