Extreme 5 string de-fret

[Dom in Dorset]

A while ago a got hold of a bass cheap. It's a Shine active 5 string (pics later) , it came from a shop that went out of business. I bought it with the idea of using it for parts but I've come round to the idea of trying to repair it. What's wrong with it? : the neck is more bent than a reject banana and the end of the truss rod is missing(from what I can see it's broken off). I though about fitting a new neck but the neck pocket is an odd shape so I'd have to make some sort of scratch plated to cover the join, also the cost is more than I wanted to spent on it (I may not like the finished bass, I'm not fussed on five strings or actives)
So... it occurrerd to me that if I could remove the fretboard, replace the truss rod and put on a fretless board I'd be £'s in.
Found this article on removing a fretboard:
[url="http://guitarnuts2.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=reference&action=display&thread=5347"]http://guitarnuts2.proboards.com/index.cgi...amp;thread=5347[/url]
I have nothing to lose...or do I?

[Dom in Dorset]

[quote name='Johnston' post='1355341' date='Aug 29 2011, 03:52 PM']I have done it to my old bass

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?s=&showtopic=73730&view=findpost&p=718431"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?s=&sho...st&p=718431[/url]

Only I didn't put the iron straight onto the neck I put an old tee shirt between the two.Came off clean.[/quote]
That's the green light then, tonight's the night...

[Dom in Dorset]

[attachment=88286:003__7_.JPG] bass as was.

[attachment=88287:004__4_.JPG] bent neck

[attachment=88288:006__2_.JPG] neck on opperating table

[attachment=88289:007__3_.JPG] here's one I did earlier!

Couldn't have been simpler! It went so well that the fretboard is still good enought to use. As my main reason for buying this bass was to fix it up and sell it on, I might just keep it as fretted.

Edited August 30, 2011 by Dom in Somerset

[Dom in Dorset]

ok, I had a slight change of heart and decided to put a fretless ebony board on it:
Board cut roughly to size, i might keep the off cut to a make a magic wand.

Trial fitting, I put it up on my lathe to see of any light was visible between neck and board.

Now with glue.

[7string]

You are a brave man sir!

[Dom in Dorset]

Getting the old board of was easier than you'd think.
Brave is only a step away from foolhardy.

[Dom in Dorset]

There she is, ebony and fretless. I'm going to try her with nylon wound strings before I decide if she's a keeper or not.

[Dom in Dorset]

Belt sander then cabinet scrapers, by eye. I got the board right for each string in turn, the radius formed as a by-product.
It was the filthiest job in the world , I looked like Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins by the time I was done.