three

Thanks - I despise locking jacks (and actually find them potentially dangerous) - I have loads on basses and preamps. I'm about to make the mod.

Have a look for BC member Steve Browning's excellent posts on the TT800 - I think Steve has a couple and is a long-time Mesa user. The downside with Mesa is the wait and it's possible that the TT800 won't make it to UK shores (and time soon anyway) - just a few units were shipped to the UK prior to the onset of various crises and getting hold of any Mesa gear new in UK/Europe has become highly problematic. Getting hold of a TT800 is particularly problematic. I was on the waiting list but abandoned the wait - not a bad thing as after hearing a TT800 up close, I realise that it wouldn't suit me at all and would have been going back. Still, if it's your kind of thing, then a great choice. Edit: found the link to Steve's review:

Some great ideas above, some of which I've used. Recently, I've been using an Aguilar Tone Hammer with some success - there's a drive function that seems more than adequate, though its something that I don't use. It's a very hot unit so a bit of care required with gain and output, though a really useful and powerful EQ section. Essentially, it's an Aguilar OBP3 in a box (and the latter is one of my favourite on-board pres). Another alternative with a really fantastic EQ section is the Mesa Subway 800D plus - I had one until a few months ago and it really is a very well-built pre with an excellent feature set. I probably shouldn't have sold it as they're not easy to find (especially in more recent times).

A lot of people seem to be using (and enjoying) GSS Sumo and Baby Sumo amps - there's a link here: https://www.guitarsoundsystems.com/gss-baby-sumo-ampxlite-bass-guitar-power-amp-c2x21844846

First, I'm not a great fan of the aesthetics of the JD 2, and I really don't care what JD plays or whether he writes his own parts. That said, I do get a great deal of pleasure from hearing and watching JD play (alongside no small amount of envy). Thanks @drTStingray for the link!

Every fretless I’ve owned - a status graphite necked apart - had dead or dull spots at or close to where the OP describes. Frustrating but almost inevitable in my experience

A really easy and friendly deal with Paul - he very kindly drove over to collect a bass. Communications throughout were brilliant and payment was incredibly prompt. Great to have a chance to meet and to talk bass. An entirely upstanding and very knowledgeable member of our community - deal in absolute confidence

Sorry, it's a Gillett

Apologies, I really should have provided some further context. I've been playing fretless for well over thirty years and enjoy it immensely - I won't be giving-up either, I have another fretless that meets my needs and that will remain fret-free. The two basses for which I'm considering the addition of frets are both short-scale (30.75" and 31.5" respectively) and I much prefer to play fretted short-scales. Indeed, I play fretted shorties almost all of the time, though weirdly (perhaps) prefer to play long-scale fretless. There's something about the feel of a long-scale fretless that is just right for me, especially a graphite neck with an unlined phenolic board. I don't use fret-lines on a fretless and play by listening/feel rather than watching what I'm doing (most of the time, at least). In addition, I tend to play fretless seated - I struggle with long-scales on a strap and tend to suffer backache as a result of the extra stretch, even with a nicely balanced instrument. @Bunion Thanks - I'm a fairly active member of the Alembic Club - I could put the bass up for a swap as you suggest, but the likelihood that somebody would have a small-bodied, short-scale SII with a similar spec to mine (in the UK) is pretty small I'd have thought. I'm pretty sold on the SII electronics and pickups too - I have a SCD and whilst it sounds wonderful, it's not the same as the SII. Some great ideas and advice here and again, thanks. I'm erring on the side of selling the electro-acoustic but still weighing-up how to proceed with the Alembic.I'm off shopping next so some kitchen twine. I have loads of cable ties too (small size) so I can give that a go, though the favourite so far is half round wire - plenty on Etsy.

Thanks - I can certainly see the logic here! Unfortunately, the electro acoustic is no longer in production, and a fretted version of the Alembic… well, you can imagine. I’m certainly in two minds here - having the solid body fretted is likely to be very expensive (as you suggest) and would probably reduce its value, though it would make it much more useable and I’ve not really considered selling

Sort of doing this. I use a Warwick Hellborg PR40 preamp into the power section of an Agi DB750. The Warwick, I'm told, is a bass optimised version of a Neve channel strip. To me it sounds lovely. Very nuanced and present with a kind of viscous element and a 'produced' sheen. I've used a Pultec clone (Warm Audio EQP) too and that was lovely. The only valve pre that I really liked - I'm not sure why I sold it.

I'd not thought of kitchen twine but have been working through options on Etsy - the suggestions on here have been both welcome and highly creative with some very useful stimuli. I agree re: time and trouble and have been down this route previously. Fretting really does change a lot (one of the reasons that I'm considering the move - the changes would be positive for me) and some basses designed and built as a fretless don't really take kindly to being converted. On top of this, one of the basses is a through-neck and the other set. So, I'm being very cautious prior to any decision. They're also both rare and expensive basses. I've been playing one this morning - the electro-acoustic - and I may just sell it as it is (a very fine fretless). The other I will hang onto either way, though I know that I'd play it much more as a fretted. The tone and playability of the instrument is fabulous, though I have little call to play fretless and the bass is just too good to be sat in its case. For the experiment, I'm erring towards half round wire and double-sided sticky tape as a starter and will update on results. If the work goes ahead, I intend to ask Martin at the Gallery to undertake the job - it's really not a basic one and will involve removal of board edge lines, re-positioning of side LEDs, insertion of oval fretboard markers, and the fretting itself. Martin is one of the very few people that I'd trust with the work. Unfortunately, sending it to the original builder (Alembic) is prohibitively expensive. Thanks again all for the suggestions!

Some brilliant responses - thanks very much - that bass viol looks lovely. @PaulThePlug - excellent idea - both basses have adjustable nuts fortunately! Hmm, some form of hardened fabric… I’ll look into all ideas and update - thanks again

Hi and thanks very much for this - how intriguing. I'll dig around on YouTube and take a look. Weird on the intonation front too!

@NoRhino It might be helpful if you could post details of the model of bass (maybe an image) and what kind of strings you normally favour - rounds or flats and gauge etc? Also, what kind of tone/sound you’re looking for. I play short-scale almost exclusively and tend to use only two types of string as they meet my needs and ‘compliance’ preferences really well - both short, super light nickel rounds. Both fit on a variety of basses with different construction and hardware but good to see what you’re hoping to achieve on what bass (and I hope the short strings you ordered are doing the job!)

Well this question may be as ridiculous as the title sounds. However does anybody know if it’s possible to source stick-on temporary frets? I have two fretless basses - both lovely instruments but I know that they’d be far more likely to get played if they were fretted. Before committing to having the basses modified (one a straightforward job, the other not), I’d like to try them with some temporary frets. Any ideas from this incredibly imaginative and knowledgeable resource (and thanks in advance)?