Anyone know a Luthier who refrets Graphite Necks?

[HeadlessBassist]

Guys, Guys, listen...

 

We picked up a nice, but very oddly spec'd Status S2-Classic 5 today and we're looking to get the lined fretless neck fretted. Obviously most Luthiers won't even go near a graphite neck with a fret hammer, but if you know of a brave one with nerves of stainless steel (like his frets!), please do let me know!

 

 

 

 

[itu]

Is this a factory fretless? 

 

Has to be a short scale, because of the Bendwell. 

Edited Tuesday at 19:43 by itu

[HeadlessBassist]

It is a factory fretless, yes. So would be a very delicate job, I'd assume.

 

Yes, with the bend well it's a 32" scale as standard.

Edited Tuesday at 19:47 by HeadlessBassist

[Mokl]

What's the fingerboard material?

[itu]

Phenolic resin? 

[HeadlessBassist]

3 minutes ago, itu said:

Phenolic resin? 

 

Yes, it's a Phenolic Resin fingerboard.

[police squad]

have you asked Rob Green? you never know

[Mokl]

Would it be tangless frets and epoxy to glue them in? Sorry, this doesn't help you, I'm just interested!! 

 

I expect The Gallery could help.

[Hellzero]

Why not use (sell?) it as what it is? A fretless bass... and a very good one.

[godathunder]

I read a piece recently about refretting a parker fly, which has frets glued to a carbon fibre fingerboard. The luthier (tony thompson) glued a thin ebony veneer to the existing fingerboard and cut the frets into that. If the extra couple of mm of neck thickness isnt a problem for you, that could be a solution

[HeadlessBassist]

1 hour ago, police squad said:

have you asked Rob Green? you never know

 

Yes, we've already emailed Rob & Dawn - awaiting response...

 

Kiwi suggested Jon Shuker who apparently has experience, as well as Mike at Zoot & Simon at GUS. All avenues to be explored.  

Edited Wednesday at 08:39 by HeadlessBassist

[Beedster]

29 minutes ago, Hellzero said:

Why not use (sell?) it as what it is? A fretless bass... and a very good one.

 

This ^

 

I can't speak for the effects of fretting a formerly fretless neck, but I've had basses that sang with a fretless neck and were comparatively lifeless when a fretted neck was installed (I like to chop and change necks). OK, the fact that it's both the original neck and that it's graphite reduces the risk somewhat, but I can't help feeling that Tony's advice is good advice 👍  

[Musicman666]

aren't the fretless fretlines just epoxy filled grooves waiting for frets to be hammered in?

[Hellzero]

33 minutes ago, Musicman666 said:

aren't the fretless fretlines just epoxy filled grooves waiting for frets to be hammered in?

Ever tried to hammer frets in a phenolic resin fretboard?

[Dan Dare]

Wouldn't the best option be to get a new, fretted fingerboard - ebony, rosewood or similar - made for it?

[Gizmo]

I CNC Slot make my own fretboards & builds, for this you'd be looking at cutting the slots to 0.7mm (so the width of the tangs as finding tangless fretwire is almost impossible) pre radius the fretwire cut to size and then slightly press the frets in with an arbour/fret press + CA/Super/epoxy glue to bond them down (because you wouldn't be able to tap the frets hoz to set the tangs), id set the cutting path for each fret line and cut them one at a time rather than as a single/full job, doing so would reduce any chance the the ordinal lines might be slightly off compared to the calibration of the current CNC vs the original cutting.

 

Have a look at the side dot markers on this because on some fretless basses these can be positioned on the fretting line not in the centre of the fret, if that's the case you'd also need the side dots relocating 

 

 

 

 

[Musicman666]

13 hours ago, Hellzero said:

Ever tried to hammer frets in a phenolic resin fretboard?

a little bird......  the question i would ask rob is are the grooves cut deep to accept frets or are they just for the lines??

 

A phenolic (sometimes called Richlite) fingerboard can definitely be fretted, but it behaves differently from traditional woods like rosewood or maple. Phenolic is a dense, synthetic composite material, so there are a few considerations:

Key Points

Durability: Phenolic is extremely tough and stable. It resists wear better than most woods, which is why it’s often used on fretless basses. This toughness also means it can hold frets securely once installed.

Workability: Cutting fret slots and shaping the radius is possible, but you need sharp tools and patience. The material is harder on saw blades and files than wood.

Fretting Process: Frets can be tapped or pressed in, but some luthiers recommend using glue (like hide glue or CA) to ensure they stay seated, since phenolic doesn’t compress around the tang the way wood does.

Existing Lines: If your bass already has fret lines cut into the phenolic board (common on fretless instruments with “lined” fingerboards), those grooves can be used as guides for installing actual frets. The challenge is whether the slots are the correct depth and width for fret tangs. If they’re shallow or narrow, they’ll need to be recut.

Tone & Feel: Fretted phenolic fingerboards tend to sound bright and articulate, with a snappy attack compared to wood. Some players love this clarity, while others find it less warm.

Risks & Considerations

If the fret slots aren’t properly prepared, frets may not seat well and could pop out.

Phenolic dust can be irritating when sanding or cutting, so protective gear is recommended.

Once fretted, the instrument loses the smooth fretless feel that phenolic boards are prized for, so it’s worth considering whether you’d prefer to keep it fretless.

If your lined phenolic fingerboard already has grooves in the right places, it’s not an “issue” to fret it—it’s more about ensuring the slots are cut to proper dimensions and using the right installation technique. Would you like me to walk you through the specific steps a luthier would take to convert a lined fretless phenolic board into a fretted one?

Edited 1 hour ago by Musicman666