Fretless Short Scale Club

[caeman]

I defretted my Gretsch G2202 myself. I took great care to sand the bumps down, poly coated it, sanded, poly coat, sand. I did that 10 times to make sure I had as perfect a finish as I was going to get. The results were too terribly bad.

I will probably be retiring my normal-scale fretless and picking up a second short-scale to either defret or buy as fretless. I think I may go back to a 5-stringer. My first bass was a 5-string and I miss that 5th string at times.

That reminds me, I should probably get a new pic of it fretless...

 

[dlenaghan]

Hey! Cool club idea... I'm trying to join, but I am in the process of letting TB peer pressure decide which of my basses to defret. Either the one in my avatar, or this one:

I'm getting a lot of pressure not to de-fret either (55%)..

I wouldn't do it myself, but short scales are hard enough to find, good ones that work even more so, and a factory fretless? Forget about it..

That Corto on page one is killer.. but so are the prices and I'm trying not to add to my 'just right' sized collection of two.

The thread is over here, and given that you are the definitive short scale fretless players on TB (I see it's a small crowd), I'd love for you to weigh in.

 

[caeman]

If you want to defret it, then defret it. Personally, I will never go back to frets. I picked up a cheapy Dean EVO XM as my next defret project.

 

[dlenaghan]

Do you think anyone's right to worry about de-fretting a set neck bass? It seems kinda ridiculous because frets get replaced at some point anyway... and if it was a pro shop, the only possible negative would be me not liking it, in which case it's pretty much reversible. As I say in the other thread, an expensive mistake, but not irreversible.

Have you had any intonation problems with your de-fret? I loved playing my Warwick, and I love playing my Guilds, and having one as a fretless would just be so choice..

 

[Michael Vee]

I'll join in with my Douglas WVEB Violin Bass.

 

[caeman]

Have you had any intonation problems with your de-fret? I loved playing my Warwick, and I love playing my Guilds, and having one as a fretless would just be so choice..

It is a fretless. There are no intonation problems.

 

[jags]

I'll join in with my Douglas WVEB Violin Bass.

MichaelVee, You're number eleven.



Fretless Short Scale Club

#1 - jags
#2 - RandyMolson
#3 - Duplo42
#4 - acleex38
#5 - spade2you
#6 - etoncrow
#7 - banditcosmo
#8 - Stefano50
#9 - 49sfine
#10 - dralionux
#11 - MichaelVee

 

[caeman]

I will take lucky number 12.

I defretted a Gretsch G2202. Soon, I will defret a Dean EVO XM.

 

[jags]

I will take lucky number 12.

I defretted a Gretsch G2202. Soon, I will defret a Dean EVO XM.

Here you go caeman, #12! Let's see some pics!



Fretless Short Scale Club

#1 - jags
#2 - RandyMolson
#3 - Duplo42
#4 - acleex38
#5 - spade2you
#6 - etoncrow
#7 - banditcosmo
#8 - Stefano50
#9 - 49sfine
#10 - dralionux
#11 - MichaelVee
#12 - caeman

 

[caeman]

My defretted Gretsch G2202

*Pic was pre-defretting.

I left fretline on it, because I need more experience time with short-scale fretless before I can completely unlined.

Some mid-process pics I took:

The tools I used:

 

[jags]

Thanks for the pics! What did you use to fill the fret grooves to make the lines? Post a pic of the finished project as I would love to see the neck after the poly coats.

 

[BassManPatsFan]

I never got a number! Check post 55 for a picture of my short scale fretless.

 

[caeman]

I used a plastic necklace material from Hobby Lobby. It was the perfect shape and width to fill the slits. A touch of glue, some hammering, sanding and 10 layers of poly.

 

[berniem]

Hello. Since today I can be part of this club.
I just defretted my Squier Jaguar Shortscale today. The work is far from perfect but I love it !

 

[jags]

Happy Holidays
to All!!​

Hello. Since today I can be part of this club.
I just defretted my Squier Jaguar Shortscale today. The work is far from perfect but I love it !

Welcome to the club berniem!

Fretless Short Scale Club

#1 - jags
#2 - RandyMolson
#3 - Duplo42
#4 - acleex38
#5 - spade2you
#6 - etoncrow
#7 - banditcosmo
#8 - Stefano50
#9 - 49sfine
#10 - dralionux
#11 - MichaelVee
#12 - caeman
#13 - berniem

 

[china707]

I've just this minute commissioned Brian Eastwood to put me an Ebony Fretless Board onto my Short scale Squire Bronco. Ive always wanted a fretless bass to add to my guitar collection and now I'll have one ! ..When I get it back I'll post a pic

 

[banditcosmo]

Here's my new Birdsong fretless.

 

[Jazzcat]

1965 Hagstrom HII-B
30-13/16" Scale Length

 

[caeman]

I like that color, Randy. Very pretty. And, you apparently have a few switches.

 

[Jazzcat]

I like that color, Randy. Very pretty. And, you apparently have a few switches.

Those were the days. Digital bass control.