AndyTravis Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 (edited) Been asked to do some acoustic covers with a mate and his girlfriend, and while Acoustic basses are low on my priority list, I wanted to look the part. Having done acoustic gigs using my fretless before, I knew i'd want a fretless acoustic bass. And as i've been playing covers requiring a Five string; it'd need a Low B too. The problem is they're few and far between under £500 so I set about looking for cheap answers. Harley Benton do a five String fretless ABG for £150, and that took my fancy...then spotted Gear4Music doing a five string! Could I defret it? Why not Eh? this bass is now for sale! 29/6/15 [attachment=155993:the patient.jpg] Got some Rosewood veneer from ebay £3...off we go. [attachment=155994:Fretlines.jpg] Edited June 28, 2015 by AndyTravis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 Read online (StewMac) that introducing backward bow to the neck opens up the fretlines - I wasnt 100% sold on this idea, but did it anyhow...Also, I oiled the fingerboard as dried wood splinters. [attachment=155995:oiled board.jpg] Again, how effective this was i'm not 100% certain. But It was a nice way to spend the afternoon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 So... I'd read about people heating up the frets. But as this was a budget bass, They didn't seem to need much encouragement. Meet Stanley - [attachment=155996:fret lifting.jpg] I Basically pried each fret proud, then scored around each side before gently lifting out the fret. [attachment=155997:Fret slicing.jpg] There was some very small splintering but I'd sort that later. Funny, the first fret was a swine - the rest were easy; i'll put that down to me being too careful/gentle on the first fret. [attachment=155998:out1.jpg] [attachment=155999:out2.jpg] [attachment=156000:out3.jpg] Took 30 minutes to get this far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 So, they were out - Took my trusy £3 junior hacksaw, and tidied the slots. [attachment=156001:slotting.jpg] [attachment=156002:slotting2.jpg] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 Woodglue, veneers, filled slots - pretty straight forward. [attachment=156003:roselines.jpg] Trimmed them back so the didnt get caught or knocked (2 four year olds really wanting to 'help'). [attachment=156004:roselines trimmed.jpg] Trimmed tham back with sharp scisors once the glue had set [attachment=156005:scraped down.jpg] - one of the veneers split - could've kicked myself, but instead I just fixed it... [attachment=156006:the slipup.jpg] I chose rosewood so the lines are semi visible, but at a distance would look fairly plain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 (edited) Once that was all set - I took away excess veneer and glue... [attachment=156007:scraping fine.jpg] And a rough sand revealed a lovely looking fingerboard! [attachment=156008:sand1.jpg] Edited February 24, 2014 by AndyTravis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 (edited) Once sanded, I got around to sorting the surpisingly small and few splintered areas. Saving the rosewood dust, and mixing it with the glue makes a brown putty - It goes on a slightly lighter shade of brown as the glue starts out white but dries clear - meaning it's more or less invisible. [attachment=156009:filler1.jpg] [attachment=156010:filler 2.jpg] Edited February 24, 2014 by AndyTravis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 (edited) And...after another rough sand, then a fine hand sand... [attachment=156011:done.jpg] Restrung it with the stock strings; [attachment=156012:finished.jpg] Need to lower the nut slots and bridge to a nice low action - but my needlefiles are at work and the 'pulling the strings back and forth over the nut is a bit of a pain. Ive also got some Flatwounds at work which are being dropped off later, so at the minute, I havent got the full idea. Sounds ace though, much better as a fretless. [attachment=156013:strung1.jpg] Edited February 24, 2014 by AndyTravis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ikay Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 Great job, I may follow your example! Would love to hear some sound clips if you can Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annoying Twit Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 (edited) Nice job. I saw a youtube video series on defretting a bass, which made the process look much more complicated than your series of photos does. In particular, making sure that the veneer is the right width to fit the slots. In the video I saw, he had to sand the veneer thinner. How did you make sure that the veneer fitted? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=115gvPzHMqw Edited March 24, 2014 by icastle Link fixed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 Excellent job. I to would love to hear some sound clips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 Cheers guys. Once I had the frets out, I simply offered up the veneers to the slots; beginners luck they were bang on - mainly. Some sections of the veneer were a smidge too thick, ran over some sand paper it was soon thin enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 [quote name='ikay' timestamp='1393261925' post='2377932'] Great job, I may follow your example! Would love to hear some sound clips if you can [/quote] Will do once the flats are on x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer of the Bass Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 When I defretted a bass, I also found that standard veneer fitted perfectly. Fret slots are usually around 0.6mm wide and this just happens to be the thickness most veneer comes in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted June 28, 2015 Author Share Posted June 28, 2015 This bass is now for sale... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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