Bass guitars with a 'slap enhancer'?

[InternetAlias]

I've seen a very interesting guitar once, but I never found out how they called *that* part. Basically, it's a really fat and tough part of stainless steel that's placed at the end of the fretboard completely in line with frets. Basically, it makes slap sound better and less dangerous for frets, since most damage goes against that metal part. I don't know what to search for so I can't really find any pics, I really wanted to ask if anyone has played one of these and if modding guitar in such way is worth it in any way?

[Rev J]

Slapping isn't that dangerous for frets anyway. It sound's like a gimmick to me to get people who are beginning slap bass to buy a completely useless unnecessary part.

The only thing I can think of that is remotely similar is the magnetic fretboard extension that Mike Pope uses on his Fordera. Essentially it is a 4 fret extension that he can take off when he slaps so that he has extra space between the end of the neck and neck pick-up to slap and pop.

C/S,
Rev J

[Bryan R. Tyler]

What you're thinking of was called a slap plate, and I've only seen it used on a couple fretless basses to help enhance the metallic ping that's missing when slapping on a fretless. Your frets, unless very small/soft, are likely to take decades of slap before needing any serious work.

[InternetAlias]

Thanks, I found it now, the one I was referring to is like this. I don't actually slap that much, I play metal, 'clang' style. Basically every attack hits the 21th fret with a lot of force so my 21th fret is pretty well chewed by years of clanging, which is why I'd look into a solution such as this, because my 20th fret seems to get some damage too.