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Tought decision: Defret my bass???
- Thread starter Music_for_life
- Start date
Been down that road - Don't do it. Even done properly there is a chance of damage, and it severely devalues the bass. Odds are you will just re-fret it again later, spending even more $$. Just sell it and get a fretless.
I had a Growler and it was the only bass which I've owned that I HATED. It played very poorly and was a nightmare from the getgo. So, in retaliation to my own experience I say defret 
Putting a $1,000 neck on a $500 bass is the wrong move. $1,000 will buy you a great fretless bass.
Vivo en buenos Aires, shipping costs and custom taxes are very high. Moreover, I have a friend that sells wood. I can buy a nice piece of wood and give it to the luthier.
I went through this very same thing just recently. I was looking at a Taylor AB2, in excellent condition, but I really wanted a fretless. I was going to buy it and then have it professionally de-fretted (estimated $300-$400). I pretty much concluded what others have said here - I'd be better off buying a good bass that was already fretless. I passed on the Taylor, it's probably still out there.
A long time ago I had an old Washburn Axxess Bass (P&J) defretted. At the time it cost me $100.00 to get it done. I have forgot the process the tech used to do but I still have this bass to this day. It still plays well but the only nuance is that to intonate correctly you must play directly where the fret line is.
The tech used some kind of clear boat varnish on it. If I can find my camera I will post a pic. The Bass sounds good for what for what it's worth. It seems it does not want me to upload pictures.
The tech used some kind of clear boat varnish on it. If I can find my camera I will post a pic. The Bass sounds good for what for what it's worth. It seems it does not want me to upload pictures.
Order something like this:
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...have your luthier defret it, fill the fret lines, & customize it to your specs (headstock shape, etc) Should be cheaper than having one built from scratch. Remember, from scratch, you'll need a truss-rod, etc. which a pre-built neck already has.
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...have your luthier defret it, fill the fret lines, & customize it to your specs (headstock shape, etc) Should be cheaper than having one built from scratch. Remember, from scratch, you'll need a truss-rod, etc. which a pre-built neck already has.
I'd say sell the bass and go shopping to buy a fretless you actually like, rather than gamble on the defret. If you don't like the way it turns out, now you're stuck with a bass you don't like and has not nearly as much re-sale value.
If you do a half-assed job, you will destroy its value.
If you study the process carefully, invest 20+ hours in doing the de-fretting, work meticulously and take great pains to do everything at a highly professional level, you will only lose part of the value.
Why? Because more people want fretted than fretless basses, so a fretless has less resale value.
If you study the process carefully, invest 20+ hours in doing the de-fretting, work meticulously and take great pains to do everything at a highly professional level, you will only lose part of the value.
Why? Because more people want fretted than fretless basses, so a fretless has less resale value.
