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02-24-2013, 02:53 PM
| | | | Making my J Bass a fretless
I have a Fender Jazz Bass (one of the made in Mexico models) that I don't play much anymore. Was thinking of taking it to a technician and asking them to pull the frets and make a fretless out of it. Figured it's cheaper than buying a whole new instrument.
Does anyone have any experience with converting a bass to a fretless? Is this a good idea? Thanks.
Last edited by TonyBlues : 02-24-2013 at 02:59 PM.
Reason: mis-spelling
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02-24-2013, 03:54 PM
|  | Ottoman | | Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Manhattan | | | Cheapest option is to buy a fretless neck from allparts, warmoth, or eBay. That way, if you don't like it, you can return the bass to stock and sell the neck to someone else. |
02-24-2013, 04:02 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Puyallup, WA | | | I'd have to agree - buy a fretless neck. I defretted a J and, although it turned out pretty well, it just wasn't as good as it would have been had I just bought a separate fretless neck. |
02-24-2013, 04:21 PM
|  | 155mm of pure destruction | | Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Atlanta | | http://www.rondomusic.com/ursa2jrmnfl3ts.html
this isn't a bad option. i was totally blown away at the amount of instrument you get for the money from these folks. just my .02 |
02-25-2013, 11:12 AM
| | | | The Rondo fretless
Thanks, everyone.
Price is an issue for me. Which option do you think is cheapest?
1. New neck.
2. Get the present neck de-fretted.
3. Get a new cheap fretless.
I was intrigued by the Rondo short-scale fretless. Does anyone else have experience with it? I have a short-scale Fender Mustang that just doesn't have the sound of a full-sized bass. |
02-25-2013, 11:31 AM
| | Ottoman | | Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Manhattan | | | New neck would definitely be cheaper than having your bass professionally defretted.
A Rondo SX might be cheaper still. |
02-25-2013, 11:32 AM
|  | (aka Greg Harman) | | Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Dunbar, West Virginia | | | new neck...as a matter of fact, I may have a fretless Allparts (maple/ebony) you can have really cheap. I recently moved so I am not sure if it is still with me but i will check and post tomorrow.
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Last edited by etoncrow : 02-25-2013 at 11:35 AM.
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02-25-2013, 11:34 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Colorado | | | I got my MIM Jazz defretted by a luthier in town and it turned out absolutely amazing. It ran me $120. No regrets whatsoever.
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02-25-2013, 11:38 AM
| | | | If its a Mexican J-Bass, just do it. A fretless neck from Warmoth would cost you more than the bass is worth; $400 |
02-25-2013, 01:09 PM
| | | | Just do it
Thanks, zfunkman. I think I'm going to just have a techie pull the frets and do the job. Don't have a lot of money for a new neck, and the bass only cost me about $400 to begin with. |
02-25-2013, 01:20 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2011 Location: yucca valley, california | | | I suggest a mighty mite fretless neck. a new one will run you less than the cost of a defret and you can go back if you don't like it. |
02-25-2013, 02:03 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: New Hampshire | | | +1
mighty mite fretless necks run under $100 on eBay
if you have the frets pulled and then decide it's not for you, you've just significantly devalued your bass. If instead you buy a fretless neck and then you don't like it, just switch 'em back and sell the barely used neck for slightly less than you paid for it. Plus if you DO like the fretlessness, you can sell the fretted neck for at least as much as you paid for the fretless neck...so at the end of the day you'll have netted a extra few bucks in your pocket instead of paying $120 to get to the same place.
Last edited by jlane72t : 02-25-2013 at 02:05 PM.
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02-25-2013, 02:16 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: San Diego | | | search the accessories page for a moses graphite fretless neck.. |
02-25-2013, 02:19 PM
|  | If Mark is your Queen that must make me King ;)
Endorsing Artist Cataldo Basses and manufacturer of the Badbird Bridge | | Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Rochester NY USA | | Bingo! http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mighty-Mite-...item1e77914f60 Quote:
Originally Posted by jlane72t  +1
mighty mite fretless necks run under $100 on eBay
if you have the frets pulled and then decide it's not for you, you've just significantly devalued your bass. If instead you buy a fretless neck and then you don't like it, just switch 'em back and sell the barely used neck for slightly less than you paid for it. Plus if you DO like the fretlessness, you can sell the fretted neck for at least as much as you paid for the fretless neck...so at the end of the day you'll have netted a extra few bucks in your pocket instead of paying $120 to get to the same place. |
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Scott Dasson maker of the Badbird Bridge. The direct replacement bridge for vintage Gibson Thunderbirds. "Intonation without modification"
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02-25-2013, 02:21 PM
| | Ottoman | | Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Manhattan | | Quote:
Originally Posted by zfunkman A fretless neck from Warmoth would cost you more than the bass is worth; $400 | No need to spend so much money. There are other options besides Warmoth if cost is an overriding concern. Quote:
Originally Posted by jlane72t mighty mite fretless necks run under $100 on eBay. | Exactly. | | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | 
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