Defret Project Chronicle

[BobWestbrook]

http://bobsbassblog.blogspot.com/

[SBassman]

Well, that was certainly a creative approach.

[Jake-leg]

Bob, your choice in basses is really interesting to me. I also have a Cort Action short scale, and it has always seemed to me that it wants to be fretless. I almost chose the Dean EVO XM instead, and if I had known at the time that SX offered the SJB-62 in fretless form, I'd have considered that one too. Right now I'm thinking I'll defret the Cort and add an Epiphone EB-0 to leave the frets on (but I'll probably make other mods).

I'd love to hear a sound clip of the little fretless Cort, and I'd even more love to read some of your comparisons. How does the fretless Cort compare to the fretless SX, and how does the EVO compare to the Cort and/or the EB-0 when they still had frets?

A lot of questions, I know. Whatever you feel like writing, I'd be interested to read. My hands aren't small, but an injury has made it sometimes difficult to stretch for the lower frets on a 34" scale. I'm thinking of replacing some long-scale basses with shorter ones, and low-priced instruments don't bother me.

Nice job on that Cort, by the way!

[BobWestbrook]

Attachment 38010

Here's a short sound clip so you can hear what the Cort sounds like now. It's my favorite bass because it's so playable, and I love the acoustic-like tone from the lacquered fretboard with the Rotosounds Jazz 77 flats.

Glenos, regarding your questions, the EB-0 is my least favorite bass by it's own merits; it does have the muddy sound most people describe. However, now that I have defretted it and put Rotosound Tru-Bass 88 strings on it, it sounds much like an upright double bass, so its weakness has become a strength.

The SX has more of a "traditional" fretless sound, but I have not played it much lately because of some buzz in the G string which I've not bothered to correct yet.

The Dean EVO XM has a nice tone, but of all my basses I think it's the one with the least attention to quality at the factory. I know Dean makes good stuff; it's almost like their attitude towards this one is "it's just our cheapo starter short-scale".

[OmegaZ27]

Laquer to coat the fretboard? that sounds new. Is it resistant to scratches or do they still show up? Also, where did you find lacquer in a SPRAY CAN? I only see enamel around.

[Jake-leg]

Thanks Bob! I did go ahead and buy an EB-0, and although I agree with what you say about its weaknesses, I like mine a lot. I got a Korean-made one, with the see-through red finish. Looks a bit better to me than the opaque finish that most seem to have. I also took out the stock mudbucker and put in a DiMarzio Model One, which improved the sound. It's still a bit dark though, and when I find someone to do some routing for me, I'm going to put in a bridge pickup--probably a Rio Grande Pitbull. It certainly has limitations, but it's one of my favorite basses. With the right strap, the neck-dive doesn't even bother me.

I also like my Cort short scale. Still planning to defret it, though I won't do it up as fancy as you did yours.