Anyone tried one of these........

[Waddycall]

https://www.dv247.com/en_GB/GBP/Goeldo-NJFLF-Fretless-Neck-for-4-String-Jazz-Bass-Rosewood-/art-GIT0009714-000

I’m thinking of fitting one of these to my bitsa fretless Jazz as I’d like to go unlined. Has anyone tried one and if so how do you find it? I’m guessing I’ll need to add a route at the neck pocket for truss rod adjustment?

 

[Waddycall]

We’ll no replies but I ordered one anyway. Still need to fit the string retainer and tweak the nut slots (the nuts not included) but it’s currently playable and I cant put it down for long enough to finish it. Custom decal needed too.

Seems to be a good quality neck. The side dots are at the fret positions - not between and they’re only at the 3,5,7,9 etc positions.

i had to shim the front of the pocket to get the action right but that’s fine.

[PaulThePlug]

Nice... custom decal? how about 'Fretless' in the you-know-who-font...

Edited June 22, 2021 by PaulThePlug

[Crawford13]

On 19/06/2021 at 15:50, Waddycall said:

The side dots are at the fret positions - not between and they’re only at the 3,5,7,9 etc positions.

That's how a fret less neck is meant to be. 

Glad you are enjoying it. Let the joy of fret less begin. 

[Waddycall]

1 hour ago, Crawford13 said:

That's how a fret less neck is meant to be. 

Glad you are enjoying it. Let the joy of fret less begin. 

Yep, sure is. I believe there are some that are between frets!

[Crawford13]

9 minutes ago, Waddycall said:

Yep, sure is. I believe there are some that are between frets!

The neck has probably been defretted. 

[PaulThePlug]

there was a fretless bass shown tother day Sandberg Cali - light pau ferro board... with lines at the fret along the neck edge, just wrapping over, with dots in between... best of both worlds?

I'm waiting for one with notes written on the fretboard!

Edited June 22, 2021 by PaulThePlug

[Waddycall]

I’ve found  the transition from lined fretless to unlined pretty straightforwards so far. Might be a different story playing live!

Edited June 22, 2021 by Waddycall

[paul_5]

I've got an unlined neck on my main Bitsa Jazz (with the same pickup configuration as yours, coincidentally) and have used a small needle file to put small grooves in the edge of the fingerboard in the places where the rest would be, and then filled them with silver paint. 

Makes it MUCH easier to play live on darkened stages etc... (at least, I seem to remember it does  )

[Soledad]

Very good indeed (IMHO) to see a maker doing UNLINED necks. Personally I don't see the point at all, from a normal playing position I can't see the lines... and they do look a bit naff anyway. Love a nice unlined board, with dots at the main fret positions of course. 

Looks really good, maybe could do with a logo on headstock just to fill the space a bit👍

[Mottlefeeder]

3 hours ago, Soledad said:

Very good indeed (IMHO) to see a maker doing UNLINED necks. Personally I don't see the point at all, from a normal playing position I can't see the lines... and they do look a bit naff anyway...

I think the main advantage to a manufacturer is that all their fretboards are cut the same so they save on a bulk order. They can then put in frets or lines.

David

[Soledad]

15 hours ago, Mottlefeeder said:

I think the main advantage to a manufacturer is that all their fretboards are cut the same so they save on a bulk order. They can then put in frets or lines.

David

Yes, sounds sensible. Interesting emailed Rob Allen the other day (just maybe an MB2) - he has a batch of 40 MB2's on the way, only 2 of which will be unlined. So it's really just a 'me' thing then !