Should I coat my fretless?

[diegom]

I've had an SpectorCore 4 for quite a while now. I love how it plays, but the tone is not a "present" as my other fretless (A 90s Ibanez, epoxied by HG Thor). The Ibby is my favorite fretless right now, but the Spector has a regular magnetic pickup and piezos.
I have contacted someone to do the job. His choice is to use poly, instead of epoxy, and based on his reputation and the fact that Pedullas are poly, I have very much decided that poly is a better solution. This person is local and the job is both reasonably priced and can be completed in the definite near future (that's why not HG Thor for this one...)

So, now that, as the kids say, $h!t's gettin' real, should I do it? Should I not? I'm a believer in having a variety of tones and tools available, but the bare rosewood doesn't inspire me much...

Vote as your conscience allows...

Thank you!

Diego

 

[luciens]

I voted carrots, since if it'll make you play it more, that's as good a reason to do it as any.

But, OTOH...

Personally, I try not to ever modify a bass. I've found over the years that no matter what the mod is, unless it's something trivial like new knobs, that I always come out on the losing end of the deal. What usually happens is the mod doesn't really improve it that much, if at all, and then I got all these old parts leftover that I can't sell.

Something like refinishing a fingerboard is different since there's no leftover parts. OTOH, the risk is that it's not a reversible mod. So if you don't like the result, you're kind of stuck with it.

L

 

[CTBassGuy]

I have a '90 Pedulla Buzz that I had refinished with Poly recently by a very good luthier; the fretlines were popping up under the finish, and it was getting worn, too. It may not be original Michael Pedulla "Diamondcoat", but it is terrific now, nonetheless.

That said, before you spend the $$ on the Poly, consider some different strings on it. My Pedulla is very bright, but I think it is due both to the Poly, and the NYXL strings on it. I think it's actually too bright, and when I get off my butt and take some time, I'm going to put GHS Pressurewounds on it to tame it a bit. Different strings on your SpectorCore may wake it up enough to not need to finish the fingerboard.

 

[diegom]

Different strings on your SpectorCore may wake it up enough to not need to finish the fingerboard.

I been hanging out here for years! and I really didn't think about that!
My fretless go to strings have been DR Sunbeams... I should try something brighter.

 

[AboutSweetSue]

I de-fretted and coated in poly. I didn’t like the look, stripped it off and went bare rosewood. I think it looks better.

 

[RSBBass]

I am not a fan of coated finger boards. Rosewood can have a very nice tone. I would mess with strings and setup.

 

[diegom]

You guys!!!
TL;DR = Will NOT coat (for now, at least...)

This is EXACTLY why I LOVE this site! You made me think a little more, before plunging into, what I thought was an informed decision.

I decided to spend some serious quality time with both basses.
I put a shim on the Spector and that allowed me to lower the action significantly. The bass plays easily from top to bottom (The action was high, higher up in the neck). Didn't even change the strings!
Now I have two different-sounding, awesome fretlesses. The uncoated gives me a somewhat warmer and blurry tone, whereas the coated can easily pass as fretted (If my intonation is ON! ).

Thank you for stopping me from making a drastic change that would NOT have addresses the important playability issues.

Diego

 

[MonetBass]

Make sure you understand that Pedulla used polyESTER coating, not polyURETHANE. There is a big difference in terms of hardness.

That said, do what you're most comfortable with.

EDIT: That said, I wound up putting 8 thin layers of Tru-Oil on my rosewood fretless fingerboard, and it didn't really change the sound of the bass.

 

[Killing Floor]

I think it depends on your preference. Certainly try a couple different string sets. It's all subjective. Rosewood isn't as "bright" as ebony so if you are wanting to replicate the brighter attack that you probably get from the Ibanez then you'll eventually cave in and get the coating. I don't think the coating will change much in terms of the piezo performance, but maybe the magnetic, just a possibly brighter tone. I like the softer playing surface for some things and the ebony type tone for others.

 

[Doctor Morbius]

Well, it's the middle of July, so perhaps a light jacket will do.

 

[UNICORN BASS]

There are those, (Dan Earlywine is one) who swear by super glue.

 

[JRA]

i'm glad you came to a point of resolution, diegom , even if it's a temporary one. but FWIW: i have never played a fretless board i didn't like --- no matter the wood/material/coating! i like 'em all!

that said: i've got an ebony board that needs 'fixed' after 25-30 years and i'm thinking about coating it (after a sand-down/ re-contour). although in my case = i'll do the work myself. i'll probably check in with the cats in LC for some sober advice and then go for it.

 

[Eilif]

You guys!!!
TL;DR = Will NOT coat (for now, at least...)

This is EXACTLY why I LOVE this site! You made me think a little more, before plunging into, what I thought was an informed decision.

I decided to spend some serious quality time with both basses.
I put a shim on the Spector and that allowed me to lower the action significantly. The bass plays easily from top to bottom (The action was high, higher up in the neck). Didn't even change the strings!
Now I have two different-sounding, awesome fretlesses. The uncoated gives me a somewhat warmer and blurry tone, whereas the coated can easily pass as fretted (If my intonation is ON! ).

Thank you for stopping me from making a drastic change that would NOT have addresses the important playability issues.

Diego

Sounds like you made a wise choice.
Trying to make one bass sound like another is not usually the best policy.

 

[Skip Chucker]

You guys!!!
TL;DR = Will NOT coat (for now, at least...)

This is EXACTLY why I LOVE this site! You made me think a little more, before plunging into, what I thought was an informed decision.

I decided to spend some serious quality time with both basses.
I put a shim on the Spector and that allowed me to lower the action significantly. The bass plays easily from top to bottom (The action was high, higher up in the neck). Didn't even change the strings!
Now I have two different-sounding, awesome fretlesses. The uncoated gives me a somewhat warmer and blurry tone, whereas the coated can easily pass as fretted (If my intonation is ON! ).

Thank you for stopping me from making a drastic change that would NOT have addresses the important playability issues.

Diego

I say do it if you want to. Don't if you don't.

However, if you want to get a coated go for a used Pedulla....

OR, you can get the greatest fretless bass known to man- a Roscoe with a Diamondwood fingerboard.




(I'm not biased at all BTW.)