De-Fret??

[miles'tone]

7 hours ago, DTB said:

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. 

My take on playing music is that the player is actually the instrument, the conduit for the music. A bass is simply a tool for the job.

You have your favourite tool, it's ok to change it so it's up to the job at hand.

Imho of course.

[miles'tone]

This chap's work and reputation look to be worth at least a phone call and a chat about it:

 

https://www.81guitarworks.co.uk/

[pete.young]

6 hours ago, DTB said:

 

Think I will put some Cobalt Flats on it

I'm interested to see how that goes. I have Elixirs on mine.

[itu]

5 hours ago, Sean said:

...the BBNE2 then. Flagship Yamaha bass. 

I do not follow Fender or Yamaha or many other brands as they just do not fit me. That's why I didn't remember that it is a neck through. 

 

But my main point was that as it is a fine instrument, I would keep it as it is. Self made modification may be fine, but there are other possibilities, too. A skilled luthier can make a good fretless version of it. Same dimensions and everything, the playability between those two could be very interesting. And a good luthier may suggest some tiny modifications that support the fretless sound, too. 

[NickA]

Fretless rules.  I have a fretted MK2 Wal which I hardly ever play...because I have a fretless and that's what I almost always pick up. Fretless sounds and feels so good.

 

But: two reasons not to mod your bbne2.

 

1. That's an expensive bass to go modding.  I defretted a bass once but it was a plywood jazz copy.

 

2. Apart from being thro neck the bbne2 appears to have those mother of pearl plates ( forget their name) on the fingerboard.  Those would have to go and be filled with matched ebony. Difficult and expensive.  A whole new board might be easier...and that might upset the neck stability.

 

On balance if say great idea but not on this one!

[Gizmo]

23 hours ago, DTB said:

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

 

On my lineless/unmarked board they are located on the fretline/note position. 

[DTB]

15 hours ago, pete.young said:

I'm interested to see how that goes. I have Elixirs on mine.

I will let you know, was going to do it today but both my wife and son are off sick. Honestly, I am the one on the chemo medication and told don’t be around sick people and I the only one who doesn’t catch these colds etc. 

[DTB]

9 hours ago, NickA said:

Fretless rules.  I have a fretted MK2 Wal which I hardly ever play...because I have a fretless and that's what I almost always pick up. Fretless sounds and feels so good.

 

But: two reasons not to mod your bbne2.

 

1. That's an expensive bass to go modding.  I defretted a bass once but it was a plywood jazz copy.

 

2. Apart from being thro neck the bbne2 appears to have those mother of pearl plates ( forget their name) on the fingerboard.  Those would have to go and be filled with matched ebony. Difficult and expensive.  A whole new board might be easier...and that might upset the neck stability.

 

On balance if say great idea but not on this one!

The block inlays i think are fine. I saw someone playing fretless with similar inlays. They are no where near where you would fret a note in any case. 

[DTB]

One of the luthiers I contacted said he would be okay with defretting it and to take it along so he could have a look and give me a quote. 
 

but in any case I will be leaving it as is, apart from the new strings. 
 

at least that is today’s answer 😁

[NickA]

It'd be a great bass  if you did it.  😬

thing about the block inlays; this has of course been discussed 😁

 

[DTB]

Played it again today. 
 

The frets HAVE TO GO!!!!

 

Gonna talk with Luthier on ‘phone with a view to taking it in for him to see the work involved and getting a quote, but they are coming off one way or another!

[DTB]

I have been lucky enough to be able to play all sorts of instruments in my life. 
 

Fretless bass is one of my absolute favourites closely followed by alto sax. 

[tauzero]

On 03/02/2026 at 11:58, DTB said:

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

 

Conventionally that's where the dot markers go on a lined fretless, whereas they go where the frets would be on an unlined. I had the markers moved on a Sei lined fretless with very faint lines so they were on the fret positions, and another faintly lined fretless already had them on the fret positions. Conversely, I have a defretted Squier VM 5 Jazz - maple board and black lines, with the dots remaining in place, and that's not a problem.

 

I'd be inclined to find an equivalent fretless rather than have it defretted.

[NickA]

My Wal has dots where your fingers go. Loaned to a friend who proceeded to play it a quarter tone flat ... until he realised and stopped looking at his fingers.

[tauzero]

I have encountered a fretless Squier, presumably unlined as the dots were at the fret positions, which had subsequently been fretted. It was astonishingly hard to play as I couldn't work out where to put my fingers.

[DTB]

Sorry for the radio silence, not been up to much last few days. 
Currently looking for a second hand BBNE2 to buy and send off for defretting. Then I have one of each.