Help Needed

Bass_Machine · #1 06-03-2005, 11:14 AM

I recently caught the "Fretless Bug". I'm planning to get this:

It's a vintage bass, but I don't care what the company is, cause I really liked the tone and feel of it. It's quite exciting to be playing an unlined fingerboard and I think I'll enjoy it.
I'm worried, however, that if I use roundwounds on my nice rosewood fingerboard, that it'll get chewed up. I have played it extensively in the shop and I loved the tone it had with rounds on it. My question is, will the damage to my fingerboard be really bad if I use roundwound (nickel) strings? Do I have to get it epoxied if I want to play with rounds and want to keep my fingerboard in good condition? Will it affect my bass for the worse if I get grooves in the fingerboard?

Thanks

CJK84 · #2 06-03-2005, 11:25 AM

I've never played fretless, but I believe that the possiblity for damage is real - especially if the fretboard is not treated with epoxy.

Regardless of strings, avoid creating tremolo by moving a stopped string perpendicular to the neck (like you would on a fretted bass) - the rubbing of the metal string against the wooden fretboard will almost certainly damage the fretboard a little, even if epoxied.

Good luck - fretless seems really cool.

Bass_Machine · #3 06-03-2005, 11:31 AM

So around how much roughly would it cost to get it epoxied by a luthier (I'm not going to do it, I'll spazz it up!)? Is it really necessary to get epoxied to retain that nice "MWAH" tone without damaging the fingerboard severely?
And while we're on the subject of luthiers, how much would it cost to get a bass set up properly (intonated and string height and truss rod) by one?

Aussiephoenix · #4 06-03-2005, 11:49 AM

hey, try rotosound nickel FLATwounds. they have a nice sound, got a bit of byte... not as much as rounds, but if you really want to use rounds on a fretless, you could consider getting someone experienced to put on an Epoxy coating. it'll protect the fretboard... though it will change the sound too... :| but... if you dont, and play with rounds, still the damage aint going to be that bad anyway... after a few years you might have to get it sanded back, but so what?

Bass_Machine · #5 06-03-2005, 12:02 PM

I really like the "Mwah" this bass has at the moment, so I might just leave it as it is for now. Does it cost more to have a bass neck epoxied by a pro, or to have a damaged neck treated/replaced? Does anyone know how badly a few layers of epoxy will change the tone of this bass?

radi8 · #6 06-06-2005, 04:21 PM

I just bought a Lakland 44-01 lined fretless with rosewood fb.
Ya want epoxy on your bass, get on this man's list:
http://www.woodwiz.com/guitarlab/epoxy.html