Defretting a fretted bass.

[Stupid Jerk]

I believe that's what Jaco himself did, if I'm not mistaken. Rumor has it that he pulled the fretwire out from a normal J-bass and then spackled the slots with some kind of polymer cement or something.

Also, my one friend, fellow bassist and astonishingly good (I've seen him make pros fight back bitter tears of inadequacy), told me he heard about guys doing that... popping out the fretwire and putting some kind of goop in and smoothing it out.

Any truth to that? And ultimatel what is the proper way to defret an axe?

I have this strange notion to get a double-humbucker MusicMan Stingray or Bongo and defret the thing. I don't know why... but it's in my head.

[Spacelordmother]

I believe that this post belongs in the "Marijuana and you" thread.

[Stupid Jerk]

It's a serious question. I've heard about people doing it. Jaco himself might have even done it if the rumor be true.

[Dave]

Originally Posted by Spacelordmother

I believe that this post belongs in the "Marijuana and you" thread.

[Eric Killinger]

jaco ripped out his frets then filled in the grooves with epoxy.


how you would go about ripping out the frets is a mystery.

I say, just get a fretless neck.

[CrUiSeR]

Defretting ?

[Stupid Jerk]

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... just what the doctor ordered!!!

[emils]

In future, if in doubt try the search function first! Especially if your question has "Jaco" or "defretting" in it.

[spudmaster34]

isn't there a sticky at the top of the setup page that you would have had to have seen before you posted this?