Fretted or frettless mapple fingerboard

[hugebob]

hi guys,
I've ordererd a unfinished birdseye mapple neck for my bass project from warmoth, but i don't know if i want it fretted or fretless. so guys can you tell me what is easier, and what i should know about finishing the neck. I don't have any preferences between bot styles.
thank you!

 

[Beej]

How can we help?

 

[hugebob]

I want to know what is easier to achieve, and i want to have tips on how to to do it. At first i wanted to make it fretless but i don't know if the lines for the frets are large enougt to place something that will line it, and i want to know what finish i should use for a nice vintage style finish but that don't fell thick.
i hope you uderstand
thank you.

 

[MarthaSamira]

Where are you from, hugebob?

 

[hugebob]

im from canada

 

[MarthaSamira]

im from canada

Do you mind rephrasing the original question once again?

 

[Shakin-Slim]

While it seems great to get a fretless I would go with the fretted. You want to be sure about getting a fretless neck. It's best to try some out first, perhaps look at some cheap fretless options further down the track.

 

[hugebob]

okay, because i already have the unfinished neck ,so it would be easier if i buy frets and then finish it ? what finish i need for a fretboard ?

 

[line6man]

I'm not sure what "easier" is meant to refer to, but I personally would not bother with a maple fingerboard unless it had an epoxy coating. Maple is too soft, unless you like flatwounds.

 

[tjclem]

So what you have is a fretless neck and you are asking about installing frets?

A picture would tell a lot...

 

[line6man]

okay, because i already have the unfinished neck ,so it would be easier if i buy frets and then finish it ? what finish i need for a fretboard ?

What exactly did you order? If you bought the neck from Warmoth, the frets would have been free if you chose them, whether it was a custom order or a showcase piece. They could have done the finish work for $65 if you wanted satin nitro, or up to $95 (IIRC) for poly in clear or vintage tint.

 

[J Posega]

It sounds like he ordered a neck without specifying frets or fret lines, so it's coming to him with slots.

I'd see if you can send it back to Warmoth to have it fretted and finished.

 

[tjclem]

It sounds like he ordered a neck without specifying frets or fret lines, so it's coming to him with slots.

I'd see if you can send it back to Warmoth to have it fretted and finished.

If this is true then yup that is the thing to do.