Supplies for Defretting?

Skitch · #1 09-24-2006, 12:46 PM

I have a secondary bass that I am going to defret. I've read some stuff but could someone tell me what I need to do this project? I've heard of things like Polyurethane and eproxy but I'm not exactly sure what they are used for. I have a rosewood fingerboard and I want to finish it with a high-gloss look. Does anyone know what I should use for that? Also I've seen people use strips of plastic or wood as fillers for the fret slots, where can I get those? If someone could answer these questions I would really appreciate it.

-Skitch

tplyons · #2 09-25-2006, 09:55 AM

For the filler strips I got some red oak shelf edge veneer at my local hardware store for $1.81 and I had to sand the glue off but it worked nicely.

As far as finishing your board, are you more worried about the tone you'll achieve or the look? Coating your fretboard will change the sound.

Dan Knowlton · #3 09-25-2006, 11:04 AM

When I had one of my 5's defretted I had them use a thin 1/4" wide strip in the fretlines at the edge of the fingerboard and then fill in the rest of the slot with wood that matched the fingerboard. That little section of white filler was enough to really help with intonation but was not really obvious from more than a couple of feet away. Worked really well.

Dan K.

spudmaster34 · #4 09-25-2006, 05:05 PM

strips of venneer for filling the slots
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Fretting...g_Pullers.html or a nice pair of plyers
epoxy will get the high gloss look, but it will also change the tone, I love the tone of my rosewood boarded fretless, all it has on the board is this http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Finishin...shing_Oil.html

Skitch · #5 09-25-2006, 08:02 PM

Thanks for the help but I have a few more questions. You say it will change the tone. In what way? Is it a good or bad way. What does a normal rosewood sound like compared to a coted neck? If I leave the board as it is, will flat-wound strings damage it?

spudmaster34 · #6 09-25-2006, 08:36 PM

there isn't really such a thing as a good or bad change in tone, because tone is subjective. Jaco used a coated fb on his bass of doom. It is brighter with an epoxy coating it also helps for the sought after "wmah". Flatwound strings shouldn't do much damage to it uncoated but some oil like in the link above will help protect it

Skitch · #7 09-25-2006, 08:50 PM

Ok, thanks. Sorry to be a pest but I have one last question. I was reading a tutorial on how to defret a bass and I saw that the tech replaced a "plastic nut" with a "bone nut". What's a bone nut and is it neccissary for defreting my bass?

-Thanks a bunch!

BassChuck · #8 09-26-2006, 04:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skitch

Ok, thanks. Sorry to be a pest but I have one last question. I was reading a tutorial on how to defret a bass and I saw that the tech replaced a "plastic nut" with a "bone nut". What's a bone nut and is it neccissary for defreting my bass?

-Thanks a bunch!

I'm reading this thread with interest. I just ordered my defretting tool from Stew-Mac. Let me add a question about the nut. Since it will need to be altered or replaced to make up for the added string distance to the fingerboard... how do you do that? How do you remove the nut? And I'm assuming that with a vice and a file one can file off the bottom of the nut (opposite the string grooves) to lower it. I'm also assuming that the distance lowered is equal to whatever the height of the fret? Right?

Thanks

spudmaster34 · #9 09-26-2006, 03:54 PM

the nut does not need to be replaced in order to defret it. I like graphtech nuts http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Nuts,_sa...Tech_Nuts.html and would recomend going that route if you do replace it. You can either file away the botom of the nut (if you can remove it without breaking) unlikely or file down the slots with a set of files like these http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Sp...Nut_Files.html good luck

Skitch · #10 09-26-2006, 07:58 PM

Will the slots on the nut need to be changed in order to fit flat-wound strings?

spudmaster34 · #11 09-27-2006, 03:17 PM

no, as long as they are the same guage, but you will probably have to file the slots lower because of the lack of frets

WillBuckingham · #12 09-27-2006, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spudmaster34

no, as long as they are the same guage, but you will probably have to file the slots lower because of the lack of frets

I like to have my strings just barely off the fingerboard, seemingly laying on the board where they touch the nut. A nut cut for fretted bass wil be much higher than this.

Skitch · #13 09-27-2006, 07:34 PM

Thanks a lot guys. I really appreciate the help!

-Skitch

(Note- I'll probably pester you guys with more questions in the future. Just thought I would tell you now...)