De-Fret??

[DTB]

A while back I bought a heavily discounted BBNE2 and traded a multtiscale 6 string Ibanez I wasn’t getting in with. 
now I am all about fretless and have had this irritating idea that won’t leave my brain about having the Yamaha de-fretted. 
Am I crazy?

Would you do it?If so are there any decent luthiers in Suffolk you would trust to do it, or should I just leave it well alone for when I am back in love with fretted again. ????

Every time I pick up the Sire V10 I wish it was the fretless Yamaha and I don’t think Mr East even plays a fretless unless it is an upright. Aaarrrggghhhhh!!!

[miles'tone]

Do it. Onwards!

[Belka]

Do it. Some people might say that a bass that was originally fretted won't make an ideal fretless, but as long as you get a decent tech to do the work it'll be fine. It's really just a matter of removing the frets, filling the gaps with some kind of wood veneer, replacing the nut with a lower one, adjusting the bridge and perhaps putting some kind of finish onto the board.  It'll also be completely reversible if in the future you decide to go back to fretted. 

 

I'm sure someone will mention lines getting in the way/distracting you and fret markers being in the 'wrong' place for a fretless, but with daily practice this will become a non-issue, and in the long run will help with intonation, especially beyond the 12th fret.

 

Just had a look at Yamaha's catalogue and the bass in question already has an ebony fretboard, so you wouldn't need to worry about having that finished, which makes things easier.   

[DTB]

I saw a converted one (not aBBNE2) the other day with block markers which I previously thought made it impossible to do, but obvs isn’t. 
 

I know two luthiers, one now only does his own brand stuff, and the other I not sure if it is something he would take on. I normally do all my own repairs etc but I have never pulled frets out. 

[Gizmo]

Sell it and then buy the fretless version of the bass...

 

 

Ho but Jaco took the frets out........

 

 

Sure DIY if you like (or pay a someone else to DIFY), your looking at firstly getting the frets out without any chipping, then filling and re- radius'ing the board/slots + maybe CA/Epoxy/flatten/polish...and don't forget your side fret markers are now pretty much useless as they are cantered in the fret not over the lines/notes so drill out fill and redrill all those...Or just get the board replaced (much easier)

 

Or just go buy a cheap HB fretless to see if you bond with it...have fun

 

Have fun

[DTB]

I already play fretless. 
 

and they don’t do a fretless version of the BBNE2. 
 

It was my main bass before I started playing fretless and I miss the build quality and the weight, tone and feel. 

[Belka]

13 minutes ago, Gizmo said:

Sell it and then buy the fretless version of the bass...

 

 

Ho but Jaco took the frets out........

 

 

Sure DIY if you like (or pay a someone else to DIFY), your looking at firstly getting the frets out without any chipping, then filling and re- radius'ing the board/slots + maybe CA/Epoxy/flatten/polish...and don't forget your side fret markers are now pretty much useless as they are cantered in the fret not over the lines/notes so drill out fill and redrill all those...Or just get the board replaced (much easier)

 

Or just go buy a cheap HB fretless to see if you bond with it...have fun

 

Have fun

With more thought, I would pretty much agree with a lot of what you say - the BBNE2 is quite a pricey bass, and even if the OP got it at a bargain price, a Harley Benton fretless would probably be a better place to start.

 

I would still disagree about the side fret markers. On a converted lined fretless your existing dot markers show you the note, and the line ahead approximately (for proper intonation finger placement varies depending where on the neck you are, and also for the pedants who are going to bring up equal/true temperance - a moot point anyway unless your guitarist/keys/horn players are doing similar)  where your finger should go.

 

It's no doubt better to have the dot marker over the line, but it's not necessary, and to say the dots are pretty much useless is completely wrong IMO - I adjusted to this almost immediately; good fretting technique on a fretted bass is to put your finger as close to the fretwire as you can rather than on the dot marker anyway. 

[DTB]

The dot markers on my lined fretless are the same, in the middle not on the line. 

[jonnybass]

25 minutes ago, Belka said:

With more thought, I would pretty much agree with a lot of what you say - the BBNE2 is quite a pricey bass, and even if the OP got it at a bargain price, a Harley Benton fretless would probably be a better place to start.

 

I would still disagree about the side fret markers. On a converted lined fretless your existing dot markers show you the note, and the line ahead approximately (for proper intonation finger placement varies depending where on the neck you are, and also for the pedants who are going to bring up equal/true temperance - a moot point anyway unless your guitarist/keys/horn players are doing similar)  where your finger should go.

 

It's no doubt better to have the dot marker over the line, but it's not necessary, and to say the dots are pretty much useless is completely wrong IMO - I adjusted to this almost immediately; good fretting technique on a fretted bass is to put your finger as close to the fretwire as you can rather than on the dot marker anyway. 

I dont think thats right on the dots point.  Dots inbetween fretlines indicate where to put your finger for the string to then hit the fret behind the finger (closest to the bridge) to pitch the note.  With no fret (but a lined fretless board) your finger should be on the fretline closest the bridge end of the fret to accurately pitch the note.

 

As far as the OP goes, its your bass so its really down to you.  Is it one of those passing whims we all get? are you likely to sell the bass at some point?  I have had irreversible mods done to a fairly pricey bass, I dont regret it as I dont beleive I'll ever sell it. If you love everything about it, apart from the fact it has frets, take it to a luthier who is experienced and good at de frets and get it de fretted, or buy a bass that comes close and de fret that.

 

 

Jonny

Edited 1 hour ago by jonnybass

[Belka]

32 minutes ago, jonnybass said:

I dont think thats right on the dots point.  Dots inbetween fretlines indicate where to put your finger for the string to then hit the fret behind the finger (closest to the bridge) to pitch the note. 

It's always good practice to have your fretting fingers as close to the fret as possible without choking the note out. It helps to reach notes without excessive stretching when using the four finger per fret approach. Some say you get a better tone too, but I'm not personally convinced of this.