Here is my P-Bass, defretted years ago. It's a 77 with a (not original) JazzBass PU near the Bridge. And a D-Tuner.
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SHOW ME YOUR FRETLESS P BASSES!!
- Thread starter frozilla
- Start date
Wish I still had my old P bass Elite, had the jade green with white guard. Never thought of de-fretting it, course I wasn't thinking at all when I sold it.
- Dec 21, 2008
- 353
- 1
- Disclosures
- ALSO also really wants to be Omar Alfredo Rodriguez-Lopez
godofthunder59
Life is short, buy the bass.
- Feb 19, 2006
- 9,060
- 38,447
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Cataldo Basses, Whirlwind products, Thunderbucker pickups
I paid 300 something for this parts bass. '74 Fender fretless neck with original tuners, the body who knows Ibanez most likely, sounds and plays great.
Heavily modded MIM J-bass; BAII, Noiseless pups, Vintage reverse tuning keys, aged pearloid guard, thumbrest, GHS flats.
Heavily modded MIM J-bass; BAII, Noiseless pups, Vintage reverse tuning keys, aged pearloid guard, thumbrest, GHS flats.
I'm not sure if this qualifies as a fretless p bass.
The TF absolutely kills! Yes, it is expensive, but the tone and quality are superb, especially for Fender. I usually don't like the way Fenders feel, but they really nailed it on the Tony Franklin. It's also the only Fender P/J combination where the pickups are buffered to match each other in output.
- Dec 21, 2008
- 353
- 1
- Disclosures
- ALSO also really wants to be Omar Alfredo Rodriguez-Lopez
Wouldn't a fretless be a Fender Approximation, not a Fender Precision?
Dan K.
Haha, yeah. "fretless precision" doesnt make sense
^
I need details on that thing! What parts etc...
Assuming you are talking to me, here's the story: Ishibashi had an English language web site where they advertised Japan-market basses for sale to US customers, among others. One of their Ps was a natural ash/unlined maple fretless for what I could pretend was a doable price. It looked like the one in the pic, but with a thumb rest and a black pickguard.
I already had a '51 P RI and a Classic '50s, and a fretless Jazz; the J got practically no use because, face it, I'm a Precision guy. But before I could pull the trigger, Fender stepped in and told Ishibashi they could sell Japan market instruments only in that area. Of course, by now I had pretty serious GAS for it.
MF was selling MIM Standard FSR Ps (rosewood fretted neck, natural ash) for around $450. I bought one, and ordered a Warmoth P-width fretless neck, as seen in the pic, and also acquired a set of Schallers and the retainer from stewmac. I had Warmoth cut a nut and finish it (two potential headaches). Once I got it, I installed a Basslines Quarter Pound (as in all my Ps) along with TI Jazz Flats. I also traded out the cap for an .050 to match as closely as possible the Classic '50s, which had become my #1 gigging bass.
The only other thing I did was cut some little squares of silver pinstriping tape, which I lapped over the top edge of the fingerboards for position markers.
It's a hell of a bass, but, of course, you have to like the chunky P-style neck. If you don't, it would be easy enough to specify the J-style when you order.
Haha, yeah. "fretless precision" doesnt make sense
I made up a headstock decal that says "Fender Imprecision Bass" but I've never put it on. I just don't like misrepresenting things (it's a Warmoth neck, after all).
I have a question: Do fretless P-basses have rosewood fingerboards? If you used rounds, wouldn't it chew up the fingerboard, or is there a coating you put on it?
Apparently you didn't look at my fretless '76 P on the first page with the stock maple neck.
