Recommend a defretter

[fatsobasso]

Hey i was wondering how to find someone who can convert my Roscoe Beck bass to fretless,i need a quick turnaround i can't wait months?

 

[FL Knifemaker]

Available from Stew-Mac

 

[fatsobasso]

Available from Stew-Mac

Heh, no i really wanted to know some company's that do the work,but thanks.

 

[Basshole]

Thor. He does wonderful epoxy too. Won't be fast turnaround, though. Someone have the link handy?

 

[ehque]

Thor is about the slowest one i can imagine, though. Isn't his wait time 2 years? (of course you dont have to give him the bass for 2 years, but i think there was a sense of urgency in the OP's post.)

 

[fatsobasso]

yeah 2 years is ridiculous in my opinion,i just don't have the patience for that nor the time.

 

[BassChuck]

Available from Stew-Mac

I'd go with the tool from Stew-Mac. I bought one and it took all of a half an hour to de-fret a cheapy bass I got for the purpose. Read the threads and check the net about this... it really isn't hard at all. I was really worried about doing it, I don't have any woodworking skills. All you need to do is get some tape down on either side of the fret to replace any splinters (and there will be some). The job I did was every bit as good as any I've seen from pros.

Enjoy it.

 

[ehque]

I'd go with the tool from Stew-Mac. I bought one and it took all of a half an hour to de-fret a cheapy bass I got for the purpose. Read the threads and check the net about this... it really isn't hard at all. I was really worried about doing it, I don't have any woodworking skills. All you need to do is get some tape down on either side of the fret to replace any splinters (and there will be some). The job I did was every bit as good as any I've seen from pros.

Enjoy it.

half an hour to pull the frets, sand down the neck, and fill the holes with superglue-sawdust powder? sorry, can't believe that...

I think that is important in a defret. Of course, just pulling the frets and leaving the holes is fine, but fretboards are rarely good fingerboards if they haven't been completely leveled. and of course the holes need to be filled.

 

[fatsobasso]

half an hour to pull the frets, sand down the neck, and fill the holes with superglue-sawdust powder? sorry, can't believe that...

I think that is important in a defret. Of course, just pulling the frets and leaving the holes is fine, but fretboards are rarely good fingerboards if they haven't been completely leveled. and of course the holes need to be filled.

This is true,if i have it done i need a pro.

 

[jwsamuel]

I'd go with the tool from Stew-Mac.

The frets come out easier if you heat them first with a soldering iron.

Jim

 

[jwsamuel]

but fretboards are rarely good fingerboards if they haven't been completely leveled. and of course the holes need to be filled.

So pull the frets, fill the holes and then use one of these to take care of the fretboard:

Invalid Link Removed

It's not brain surgery.

Jim

 

[Eric Moesle]

And don't forget recutting the nut slots to a lower depth for fretless.

 

[jgsbass]

it can be done. I used a pair of clippers and did mine in the same time frame including using plastic wood to fill in the slots. And this was done by me as an inexperienced youth (30 years ago, right after Jaco's 1st album). Unless you're epoxying the board too. That definitely takes more time. You can start it and do it as a work in progress and still have the advantage of a quick turnaround. Trust me, you will have a usable fretless bass in less than an hour.

 

[bottomzone]

The man you need to contact is Sam Horn. Here's his website link:

Link Removed. He did a fantastic job on my Dean Edge 4 and his turnaround time is fast!!!

A Groove is a Terrible Thing to Waste!

 

[jrfrond]

I have defretted countless basses over the years (this is NOT shameless self-promotion) at our shop here in NYC, and what overwhelmingly disturbs me with all of the DIY defretting stories is how many people fill the slots with glue or a sawdust/glue compound.

To PROPERLY defret a bass, you need to fill the slots in with something SOLID. There is pressure in those fret slots when the bass is tuned to pitch, and after awhile, the adhesives used in the DIY approach will break down under pressure, whether you use epoxy, Super Glue or whatever.

Slots REALLY need to be filled with something solid. Wood veneer and plastic binding strips are the most common. The slots need to be opened up to the point that your filler strips need to be LIGHTLY tapped in. Thin Super Glue is then used only to insure that the strips stay put. Another approach is to squeeze wood glue into the slots before tapping in the filler strips. Either one works.

I tend to prefer using .020" binding strips because it is close to the fret tang width. In addition, it trims with a sharp single-edge razor blade (used CAREFULLY, of course).

A slotted fretboard with no filler is like "kerfing" a piece of wood, i.e. cutting slots to make the piece bendable. The same thing can happen with a complete neck. The fingerboard is part of the reinforcement system, and open or weak slots defeats it's purpose. Hence, it is ESPECIALLY important with 1pc. necks.

Just had to get this off of my chest.

 

[tombowlus]

I would recommend the Fifth Avenue Fretshop, in Columbus, Ohio. Phil Maneri, the owner/proprietor, is a TBer (goes by the name Uncletoad), and I have him do pretty much all the work on my basses. His work is impeccable, and both prices and turnaround time are quite reasonable. Tell him I sent ya, if you do contact Phil.

Tom.

 

[fatsobasso]

I would recommend the Fifth Avenue Fretshop, in Columbus, Ohio. Phil Maneri, the owner/proprietor, is a TBer (goes by the name Uncletoad), and I have him do pretty much all the work on my basses. His work is impeccable, and both prices and turnaround time are quite reasonable. Tell him I sent ya, if you do contact Phil.

Tom.

Thanks Tom