Put frets on?

[mike o]

Hey folks,

I have a bass Carvin fretless bass for sale here not getting any action. It's not that I need the money, just not playing bass any more. I'm thinking about putting frets on this and keeping it for impromptu jams at my house and recording. Am I crazy? Any idea what the cost would be?


Thanks

 

[walterw]

it would be cheaper to sell it and get something else, put it that way.

 

[trunkshope6]

yeah ive heard of fretting a fretless and it would surely be over 150 at least.theirs a fair amount of mathematics involved to get it right i guess.

 

[walterw]

measuring and cutting slots from scratch, then fretting? i'd expect twice that at least.

 

[JLS]

measuring and cutting slots from scratch, then fretting? i'd expect twice that at least.

At the very least!

 

[hdracer]

Can you buy just a neck from them?
I picked up a fretted Fender neck for my frettless Jazz just so I swap them out.

 

[mike o]

Can you buy just a neck from them?
I picked up a fretted Fender neck for my frettless Jazz just so I swap them out.

This is a neck through design.

It's a shame I'm considering this. It is a great bass as is but I would be fooling myself thinking I could occasionally pick this up and play in tune. I thought the price was reasonable? Going through eBay with all the fees and shipping I'll end up with nothing while I can own a playable bass now for the cost of adding frets.

Thanks for the help

 

[SolidFooting]

It would be easier to replace the fingerboard altogether, if you ask me. Even then, you'd have to fret it. But at least you wouldn't have to cut the slots on an attached fingerboard that's already radiused. I wouldn't do that. At all.

 

[slaphappychappy]

EBay. Cheap neck. Done deal.

 

[JLS]

EBay. Cheap neck. Done deal.

"Neck through".

 

[walterw]

It would be easier to replace the fingerboard altogether, if you ask me.

yikes, that likely means re-finishing the bass!

this is just the wrong tree to bark up; "fretting a fretless" and "remotely cost-effective" don't go in the same sentence.

 

[JLS]

this is just the wrong tree to bark up; "fretting a fretless" and "remotely cost-effective" don't go in the same sentence

.

I'm chucklin', here!

Rough times, to be trying to sell gear...

 

[mike o]

Thank you folks. You have talked me out of making a bad decision.