Sorry if this seems rude, but I'm not sure if that's really a valid point. Do you see anyone here suggesting that the OP "rip out the frets and fill the slots with who knows what?" If anything, we're trying to help by explaining how to end up with a high quality result. This is the Luthier's Corner. We tend to be supportive of DIY approaches - by making sure people know the correct methods and have their questions answered so they don't botch it.
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Fretless Conversion
- Thread starter Outshined91
- Start date
Sorry if this seems rude, but I'm not sure if that's really a valid point. Do you see anyone here suggesting that the OP "rip out the frets and fill the slots with who knows what?" If anything, we're trying to help by explaining how to end up with a high quality result. This is the Luthier's Corner. We tend to be supportive of DIY approaches - by making sure people know the correct methods and have their questions answered so they don't botch it.
Thanks so much guys! So far, looking to get some styrene plastic and possibly the wire cutters/fret pullers if I don't have similar ones on hand. I'll use super glue and make sure to clean the slots. I have a 5-string set of DR's lying around - since I'm probably going to end up filing the nut slots a little, I might make it a BEAD fretless while I'm at it (if the B string fits at the bridge). I have a lot of time on my hands thanks to the quarantine so may as well start this project! I'm excited!
@aproud1 that looks really clean and neat! Awesome!
Thank you. Take it as encouragement. I'm no great wood worker. I've done terrible, terrible things with a dremel tool. That said I read a lot and then really took my time. I think if you do that, most people could do a defret.
Fret pullers or a sharp chisel works. ALWAYS heat the fret with a soldering iron first!!! Essential!!!
I used to fill them with maple veneer, and it's a good way to go, but the last few I have done I used black epoxy. My customers have really liked it because up close you can see the 'fret' lines, but from a few feet away it looks like a naked board. Epoxy is also fast and easy. Fill the slots with a pallet knife, as neatly as you can but you don't have to be precise, and sand the board with 600 grit, then 1200 grit, and finer if you like after that.
Lower your nut 80% (you'll need a full set-up) Oil the board and restring.
I used to fill them with maple veneer, and it's a good way to go, but the last few I have done I used black epoxy. My customers have really liked it because up close you can see the 'fret' lines, but from a few feet away it looks like a naked board. Epoxy is also fast and easy. Fill the slots with a pallet knife, as neatly as you can but you don't have to be precise, and sand the board with 600 grit, then 1200 grit, and finer if you like after that.
Lower your nut 80% (you'll need a full set-up) Oil the board and restring.
My luthier has done 2 for me. And installed binding material. He did say he was going to remove some of the relief in the neck before pulling, tapes the fretboard, and uses a fretpuller. As they were fretted, that relief added to pressure on the fretboard. I don't know if he heats the individual fret. I'll have to ask him.
Then once he filled, smoothed the fretboard, and got nut and bridge set, then added a slight relief with the new set of tapewounds. Perfect for me, and no chips in the board.
Then once he filled, smoothed the fretboard, and got nut and bridge set, then added a slight relief with the new set of tapewounds. Perfect for me, and no chips in the board.
I think the problem is some people press down on the strings way too hard. Gary Willis has a video lesson I watched a couple years back about learning to play with as little finger pressure as possible. Not only has changing that preserved my fingerboards and frets better but my hands don’t get tired during long rehearsals like they used to.
drumvsbass
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- Aug 20, 2011
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I think you would need an overbite like Freddy Mercury to pull that off
!
drumvsbass
Commercial User
- Aug 20, 2011
- 1,981
- 4,323
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- I work for Long and McQuade Musical Instruments Canada in Sales.
Thanks for all the advice guys! The nice pics are just more motivation 
. I order a set of pullers that are coming tomorrow - in the meantime, I had one more question. What's the best way to go about adjusting/filing the nut slots? I need to make them deeper for the lower action, and the E slot just a smidge wider to accommodate the .130 B string. Thanks! 
. I order a set of pullers that are coming tomorrow - in the meantime, I had one more question. What's the best way to go about adjusting/filing the nut slots? I need to make them deeper for the lower action, and the E slot just a smidge wider to accommodate the .130 B string. Thanks! Ideally you'd use actual nut slotting files to do that. But it's not strictly required, and they're stupid expensive if you are only going to do this once. You can wrap sandpaper around an appropriately-sized drill bit shank and use that to file the slots. Or you can use a Popsicle stick shaved in thickness to match a given string gauge (or two stacked together for thicker strings), with sandpaper wrapped around it. If you're careful you can use a plain old round needle file on the larger strings, although it's difficult to keep the slot well-shaped because the needle file will likely not be the exact right size.
The key is to take your time and go slow, and focus on keeping the slots neat and clean with a consistent shape - rounded at the bottom and just wide enough to accept the string. On a fretless you can go pretty low with the slots, to the point where the strings are nearly touching the fingerboard. I've seen people give specs of .01" or even less. One approach is to put a feeler gauge of your desired thickness on the fingerboard in front of the nut and then file down until the files just touch the feeler gauge. This has the benefit of giving you some protection on the fingerboard so the files don't mar it. Some people give slightly more gap on the thicker strings.
After setting the depth, it's pretty typical to file down the top of the nut such that only half the string is in the slot, and then round the top outer corners. This is more a visual/feel thing though, there's no reason why you have to do it from a functional perspective.
The key is to take your time and go slow, and focus on keeping the slots neat and clean with a consistent shape - rounded at the bottom and just wide enough to accept the string. On a fretless you can go pretty low with the slots, to the point where the strings are nearly touching the fingerboard. I've seen people give specs of .01" or even less. One approach is to put a feeler gauge of your desired thickness on the fingerboard in front of the nut and then file down until the files just touch the feeler gauge. This has the benefit of giving you some protection on the fingerboard so the files don't mar it. Some people give slightly more gap on the thicker strings.
After setting the depth, it's pretty typical to file down the top of the nut such that only half the string is in the slot, and then round the top outer corners. This is more a visual/feel thing though, there's no reason why you have to do it from a functional perspective.
Hmm, makes sense. I have a screwdriver that fits exactly in the G slot so I might look into wrapping sandpaper around that and seeing how it goes. Thanks for pointing out the tip about maintaining the shape - I'll make sure to do that!
Use of a fret guard helps keep down slot fragmenting when pulling.
I did it yesterday and no filling the gaps. So far it sounds ok. I sanded the fingerboard and added some olive oil to the wood to keep it from drying and cracking.
I went with a different neck that was already fretless.
I have always disliked the damage done when people pull the frets out of the top leaving chunks of missing wood.
Surprised because last I knew Fender slid their frets in sideways and then nipped and finished the ends before leveling.
Surprosed that no one has lifted just one end and pulled them out sideways? Damage would be minimized.
I'm considering defretting a bass of mine. The radius of the ebony fretboard is 12", so once I've got the frets out and the veneer/plastic inserts are glued in could I then level out the fretboard using a 12" radius block?
I'd be filling the nut slots with maple veneer and having my local tech lower the nut slots.
Also, since the fretboard is ebony and I play with flats I'd leave it uncoated.
I'd be filling the nut slots with maple veneer and having my local tech lower the nut slots.
Also, since the fretboard is ebony and I play with flats I'd leave it uncoated.
I'm considering defretting a bass of mine. The radius of the ebony fretboard is 12", so once I've got the frets out and the veneer/plastic inserts are glued in could I then level out the fretboard using a 12" radius block?
I'd be filling the nut slots with maple veneer and having my local tech lower the nut slots.
Also, since the fretboard is ebony and I play with flats I'd leave it uncoated.
I'd be filling the nut slots with maple veneer and having my local tech lower the nut slots.
Also, since the fretboard is ebony and I play with flats I'd leave it uncoated.
