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novatone?

#7
From what i've heard, the problem with them is

that to install them you have to take off the old fretboard

which leaves you with very little wood holding the truss rods in on the fretboard side of the neck

which leads them to eventually tear their way out
 
#12
Had a pre-EB Sabre with a Novatone switchboard mod for a couple of years. Great bass. I didn't have any problems with mine, and going from fretted to fretless was easy. I understand that other basses have had stability problems, but that bass had a fairly thick neck so it was fine.

Marshall
 
#14
Here's the Wilkins interchangeable fingerboard system,with a maple,rosewood and fretless rosewood fingerboard.

I've played a Wilkins Bass with this system and I thought it was very logical and useful.

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g161/jauqo/Wilkinsin1.jpg

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g161/jauqo/Wilkinsin2.jpg

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g161/jauqo/Wilkinsin3.jpg

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g161/jauqo/Wilkinsin4.jpg

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g161/jauqo/Wilkinsin5.jpg
 
#15
I saw many basses ruined by Novatones in the early 80's. The problem is that in order to install a flat steel layer for the magnetic fingerboards, they had to plane the original fingerboard off, along with a fair amount of neck wood. Thus, the truss rod lost all the wood above it that supported the compression of the rod. The result was the truss rod would push through the wood above it and the neck was then toast.

It was an idea who's time had never come.

Roger
 
#16
Not arguing with Roger Sadowsky, but my former bass didn't have that much wood taken off. I could still see a tiny bit of the fret slots. I think it had a new "taller" nut so that it could still be setup ok. All that said, hearing stories like the above (and others) in the years after I owned and sold the Sabre, I probably would not buy another with the Novatone mod.

M
 
#17
I still have a bass with the Novatone set up. The bass is an older Ibanez Roadstar. I've had this for probably 30 years now. Honestly I have never had any issues with it.

I really do not use the bass much at all, but it did have a tree trunk of a neck so it was fine with the overhaul.

The main issue I had with it: When you put on the neck that has the frets, the frets would buzz against the strings a bit more than I like.

I have a frettless fingerboard, a fretted, a glow in the dark frettless fingerboard with fret lines and a stainless steel fretless board.

I was ripped off by them though I had ordered a few custom necks and the company folded, I think I lost about $200 back then.

I'm thinking of selling it though as I really do not use it. :bassist:
 

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