Anyone remember the interchangable 'magnetic' fretboard?

[markob]

I was in a band years ago playing guitar and the bass player had, if I remember correctly, a G&L or Musicman w/ the option of using a fretted board or fretless board. The fretless board was marked. Funky for sure. Anyone remember or have one of these?

 

[Baconator]

I remember an aftermarket company that would do this modification. I remember seeing a review of it in Bass Player about 20 years ago. The review wasn't favourable citing the huge difference in string height between fretted and fretless fingerboards and stating that the medal plate on the neck developed a kink when they tried to adjust the truss rod.

 

[SteveC]

It's too bad no one can come up with a system to do this. Of course if they did, they wouldn't sell as many basses. Unless they built in a lifespan - like they do with cell phones and stuff so after a couple years you have to get a new one.

 

[mikezimmerman]

Yep, I remember that. The system was called "Novatone". I played an aluminum-necked Kramer once that had it installed, and it seemed to work OK.

 

[pbd]

the things I learn about reading on this forum!

 

[ajish4]

I also VAGUELY remember a setup where you flipped a switch or turned a knob, and the frets would just drop into the fingerboard.

LOOKED cool, but never tried either setup.

 

[line6man]

I also VAGUELY remember a setup where you flipped a switch or turned a knob, and the frets would just drop into the fingerboard.

LOOKED cool, but never tried either setup.

Convertable bass (fretted/fretless) - YouTube

 

[ajish4]

Convertable bass (fretted/fretless) - YouTube

That's it!

THANKS!

 

[king_biscuit]

I believe there is a rather well known photo of Tony Levin showing a Stingray with a Novatone system installed:

MUSIC MASTER STINGRAY BASS Tony Levin Promo Ad 8x10 | eBay

 

[Blaine]

i had the novatone installed on my steinberger, later reversed by modulus. in my opinion it was great but failed in the quality dept.. the fingerboards were a strange sandwich of magnetic sheet, some kind of plastic, and a very wierd feeling plastic fingerboard. the fretless boards were actually thicker so the action came out pretty well. very plasticy is what i remember most. i think it would be a great option if done with wood. actually thinking back one of the fretless boards had a stainless steel fingerboard and that one sounded the best. the company went bust in about a year i think.

 

[Reticle]

There was a setup called Switchboards that used to always advertise on the back cover of GFtPM and Bass Player about 20 years ago.

 

[Blaine]

Yes that's it, Novatone Switchboards. ahh, the 80's.

 

[Sadowsky]

The reason the Novatone system failed is because they had to plane a flat surface on the top of the neck to mount the stainless steel plate that the fingerboards would stick to. On Fenders, due to the thin curved fingerboard, this resulted in removing too much wood above the truss rod. When you went to tighten the rod, the rod would push up through the top of the neck!!!

Very poorly conceived idea.

I still have 3 of their fingerboards!!!

Roger

 

[Blaine]

i kept the fingerboards for years. they were the mother of all refridgerator magnets.

 

[herndonbassist]

The reason the Novatone system failed is because they had to plane a flat surface on the top of the neck to mount the stainless steel plate that the fingerboards would stick to. On Fenders, due to the thin curved fingerboard, this resulted in removing too much wood above the truss rod. When you went to tighten the rod, the rod would push up through the top of the neck!!!

Very poorly conceived idea.

I still have 3 of their fingerboards!!!

Roger

Ok then... this guy oughta know huh?

Roger, I think that it's awesome that you read and respond on this forum!

 

[Farfetched]

I also VAGUELY remember a setup where you flipped a switch or turned a knob, and the frets would just drop into the fingerboard.

LOOKED cool, but never tried either setup.

I think I remember seeing a thread re: a steinberger that could also do that. Might have been a prototype.

 

[markob]

Ok then... this guy oughta know huh?

Roger, I think that it's awesome that you read and respond on this forum!

Agreed! Thanks Roger.
I do now remember he had three fret boards. One being steel. The others were the very "plastic/MOT"-ish. I want to say it was a Musicman Sabre late 70's early 80's.

 

[smperry]

Agreed! Thanks Roger.
I do now remember he had three fret boards. One being steel. The others were the very "plastic/MOT"-ish. I want to say it was a Musicman Sabre late 70's early 80's.

Was it a white Sabre? I used to own that one! In fact, the guy that sold it to me has been trying to track it down...if you happen to know the current whereabouts, could you send me a pm?

 

[markob]

Was it a white Sabre? I used to own that one! In fact, the guy that sold it to me has been trying to track it down...if you happen to know the current whereabouts, could you send me a pm?

No smperry it was a very metallic blue.

 

[bassbenj]

I also VAGUELY remember a setup where you flipped a switch or turned a knob, and the frets would just drop into the fingerboard.

LOOKED cool, but never tried either setup.

In a previous thread here in TB I wrote:

"A local guy (Randy Stockwell) makes a truly nifty fretted-fretless twin-bass which switches between fretted and fretless with a lever. His is unique in that he's reduced the parts required to only about a dozen and most are made from wood. No rattles, wear, corrosion, springs, gears, etc."

"I've been trying to talk him into building a 5er or 6er but he wants a few more 4s under his belt before he does that. VERY nifty design giving two basses for the (high) price of one! He apparently doesn't have a website yet."

Oh yeah, price about $3,700! 5 or 6 string cost more.

I hope he shows up again at the next guitar show!