binky_bass Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 Hi Chaps, I've picked up a very nice 7 string Warrior custom bass a month or so ago via a trade with a gentleman from this very forum, I'm a player who likes many strings and thought it a good idea to add a fretless ERB to the stable, however... a fretless player I am not... it's fun to mooch around on, but as far as me playing it regularly, that is unlikely. It is a really great bass and when it was made by the Warrior chaps out in the US of A it was originally fretted, somewhere along the line it got de-fretted, and now I want to re-fret it! I have tinkered with many a bass, but certainly nothing so daring as re-fretting a bass myself, my question is, should I do it myself? Acquiring quality fret wire is easy enough, and the bass is lined where the frets once were so measuring precise marks is already done. Seems like a self-fret could be potentially easy enough? Does anyone have advice or can offer any help with this? Any thoughts or tips etc. would be most welcome! I don't want to cock up this extremely nice bass so feel free to tell me it's not worth doing if it is truly not worth risking, if you've re-fretted something yourself I'd be interested in your experience to guide my decision. Alternatively, if you can do the job and are local-ish (I'm in Essex) I'd be very happy to have you do it while I help/watch/take tips! Paid work obviously! Thanks! Russ. [attachment=238133:warrior bass.png] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grangur Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 Hi Russ, in Bishops Stortford and I've done a few re-frets. I've not re-fretted a fretless though. I'd be happy to help you on it if you need a hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
binky_bass Posted February 14, 2017 Author Share Posted February 14, 2017 Absolutely, that would be perfect! I'll ping you a PM to see if we can get something sorted. Much appreciated sir! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HazBeen Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 Unless you have done it before you do not touch a Warrior for a refret is my advice. I have done it on an old banger (I firmly believe every bassist should know how to do work on their instrument) and it was not easy. Not difficult but also not easy and you want a level, nicely crowned and polished fretboard on a Warrior. Getting all frets even is important. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manton Customs Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 (edited) If you haven't refretted a bass before I'd advise against tackling this one yourself. Simply fretting a bass with the slots already cut is a fairly challenging task for a beginner and your first fret job will not be perfect. Just look at some of the pics of bad refrets on here which were done by people who are supposed to know what they are doing!! Then take into account that you'll have to re-slot the board, which also takes practice and itd make it quite easy to ruin the board. Really this is not even a job for the average tech, it's a job for a luthier who has experience cutting their own fret boards. If you were to have a go at it yourself, you would need: Fret saw and depth stop Fret bender Fret wire Flush cutters Crowning file Levelling beam Abrasive Polish You'd also need to make a new nut, so a nut blank and nut files too. Assuming you don't already have all of those, it wouldn't be much cheaper doing it yourself than paying a pro to do it. If you do pay someone to do it then use someone reputable, I could see this in the wrong hands turning ugly fast! Hope this helps but I'm guessing it's not the kind of reply you were hoping for! Edit: Rich replied while I was writing that...none of it was directed towards him! Edited February 14, 2017 by Manton Customs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grangur Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 Have to confess here when I responded I wasn't familiar with the Warrior Custom. No offence taken from MC. I believe I can do a good job on refretting, but thinking it through it would be sensible to get an experienced person to re-cut the slots. If the sides of a neck were straight and no radius to the fingerboard it could be straightforward. But having had time to reflect; these things do apply and it would be too easy for a thin saw blade ti wander. After all, it's not just one slot. If you want to do a refret, get the slots cut, then I'd be happy to work only with you. (Yeah, ok. It's a weakness of mine to dive in with an offer of help, then get cold feet sometimes when I think through the potential complications) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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