Spector crown inlays

[Scooberto]

I've searched, chatted about, and just about driven my best friend/luthier and myself crazy with this, BUT I want to re-inlay an existing bass fretboard. The mark, a Spector Performer 4 string, matte black finish with what I believe is a flame top. I bought one of these and gave it to my best friend after he sold his Spector to buy food while he was in luthier school. A few months later the bass I gifted had burnt to cinders in a mutual buddie's house fire. I swore that next bass like it I found, it was mine. Four years later I walk into a local pawn shop and spotted one. No questions asked, $120 and I took it home. These basses come equipped with plastic crap-lousy fretboard dots (sorry if you like them, I don't) I would much rather they not have anything than those dots. That being said, I want to remove those dots and CAREFULLY rout my fretboard. I want those super nice Spector inlays you see on the Rebops, Euros, and USA models. Being as I don't have $2,500 to just out right buy the bass of my dreams. I figure worst case scenario is I screw up and trash the fretboard then put the body away till I either find another neck or somehow replace the fretboard I thought about green abalone but I researched it and think I would like to use abalam. Price and workability are major factors. Now, I'm fairly crafty and feel confident that with some practice I could do a pretty good job, but my luthier insists that if I pull this off, it's going to require a refret. I'm not so sure, I think with precision and attention to detail it won't need a refret. I have minor experience with wood working and wouldn't touch my fretboard without plenty of practice. I just want a few more opinions as to whether this even a remotely good idea or not and if this will need a refret. This may be a completely dumb idea to you, that's fine, what I don't need are bunch of porky mouths explaining just how dumb of an idea this is. I can take criticism fine, but I won't have my intelligence insulted. Thank you for your input fellow TB'ers!

 

[Gilmourisgod]

I will be in a similar dilemma routing sharkfin position markers into a bubinga fingerboard for my bass build in progress. Having never done it, my approach will be to practice on scrap, several times, before I even attempt it on the actual FB. It's a skill, not rocket science, with inherent risk. Any small errors can be infilled with colored epoxy. Here's a link to an excellent tutorial I'll be using as my guide. Having the frets already in place will complicate matters for you, but that doesn't mean it can't be done. You might want to invest in one of Stewmacs precision router base for a Dremel, or make your own jig to compensate for the radius. Good luck with it!
Instructional Step by Step: How I do Block Inlays | TalkBass.com

 

[Arnie]

You do know they make the inlays in a stick on.. I think I saw the inlay stickers on eBay... Definitely a quick and easy way out.

 

[Snort]

Your Luthier is most likely correct in his assesment of a refret, once you inlay the new Abalone or whatever and seal the edges, the fretboard will nead to be re radiused to contour the new inlays. This is very difficult to do with the frets fitted. Not impossible but very difficult. Is there any finish on the fretboard or is it natural wood?

 

[Scooberto]

Thank you for the link gilmourisgod, Arnie, it's funny you mention that because I considered going that route but I made my own with plain silver colored HVAC tape. They've held up for over a year but are made of aluminum and you can see the string marks in them. They look cool though, especially under colored stage lights. Thank you for the idea. Snort, thank you for your insight, I thinking about all of that and having to radius the fretboard after it's all done. I thought it could be done but not without a degree of difficulty. That being said, the plan is to find and buy a suitable back up bass, set it up, then buy the tools and materials and practice on a spare neck along with some more wood that way I don't completely gooch the project. Gilmourisgod is right though, it's not rocket science just a skill. One I soon hope to acquire. Thanks again guys!