Would you fret a vintage fretless p bass?

[Woodinblack]

Personally I would just get another neck that was already fretted, mainly because it is just a lot less faff than fretting something. Save the neck in case you want to go back at some point.

[BlueMoon]

If it were mine, I wouldn’t do it. I’d get another fretted bass or compatible fretted neck.

 

Your decision though!

 

 

[Downunderwonder]

3 hours ago, Cscsiga said:

It’s not that I don’t have a fretted bass. I’m grateful to have 3 other perfectly serving fretted basses. But that P has a totally different sound than the others and it would serve me better with frets in the music I play. 
But it’s interesting how devisive this topic is. 
 

And what if fretting it takes away some of that sound that was it being fretless? That's not a risk I would take. The regret in stuffing up a perfectly good fretless would be horrible.

[MichaelDean]

Are the side dots in the right place for fretless? If so then you'd probably want them to be moved too. Seems like a faff to me. Get a fretted neck to bolt onto it. It would probably be cheaper than getting that one fretted. 

[Dr.Dave]

It's a Fender. The whole ethos was - and still is - that you can get hold of spares anywhere and do the installation quickly yourself without needing pro help. Plus if you buy another neck you have , effectively , two basses. One fretted , one fretless. 

 

Absolute no brainer to me.

[Trueno]

I once bought a fretless Status neck for my fretted P bass. You wouldn’t want to change back and forth too much, but you have the option.

[Dr.Dave]

1 hour ago, Trueno said:

I once bought a fretless Status neck for my fretted P bass. You wouldn’t want to change back and forth too much, but you have the option.

 

I've often wondered about the neck coming on and off constantly. I've probably done it more than most , particularly on the rare occasions I've taken a bass on a plane. I've always used tooth picks stuffed in the screw holes when it's been off a few times but I still wonder about it. Then you see folk selling vintage stuff who have the neck off just to photograph the heel stamps . Dunno. Jury's still out for me.

[PaulThePlug]

If it's a regularish do... maybe neck inserts 'n bolts over wood screws?..

[Trueno]

I didn’t change it much… I was just starting my foray into fretless basses and ended up buying a number of Warwick fretless basses. I sold the P bass in the fretted version (But I should have kept it) and sold the fretless neck to Martthebass… if I remember correctly.

[Dan Dare]

23 hours ago, SubsonicSimpleton said:

Necks are IMO really important to the overall sound/response of electric guitars/basses - I would get a new/used fretted neck and if you like the sound, get the new neck cosmetically aged to match, or just buy a fretted P-bass for this project.

 

In my experience, irreversible destructive mods are a gamble that isn't worth taking on an instrument that you really like, or have money that you can't afford to lose tied up in.

 Great advice. Although a '78 isn't truly "vintage", it's still worth a bit more than an off-the-rack new one. If it works well fretless (not all do), it seems best to keep it that way.

[chris_b]

Are you suggesting you refret the neck yourself? Unless you are a luthier, I'd say that would not be a good move.

 

Are you going to get someone else to refret it for you? That'll be very expensive and pretty much a wast of money when you consider that a replacement neck would be cheaper and you won't have trashed the resale value of your vintage bass.

 

You say you won't ever sell this bass, but what would you do if you refret it and it doesn't sound or play how you want?

[Rich]

On 23/10/2022 at 17:56, SubsonicSimpleton said:

Necks are IMO really important to the overall sound/response of electric guitars/basses - I would get a new/used fretted neck and if you like the sound, get the new neck cosmetically aged to match, or just buy a fretted P-bass for this project.

 

In my experience, irreversible destructive mods are a gamble that isn't worth taking on an instrument that you really like, or have money that you can't afford to lose tied up in.

 

[Boodang]

Basses are meant to be played and if it were me (and I've done this myself in the past) I wouldn't be precious about it. If you like the feel of the neck, get it fretted if that's what you want. After all, despite all the fuss by those that call them vintage, it's still a cheaply made, mass produced, bolt on neck solid body and hardly a Stradivarius!

Edited October 24, 2022 by Boodang

[Cscsiga]

4 hours ago, Dan Dare said:

 Great advice. Although a '78 isn't truly "vintage", it's still worth a bit more than an off-the-rack new one. If it works well fretless (not all do), it seems best to keep it that way.

Exactly one of my thoughts. A same era neck itself is almost the price of the bass i bought it for. 

[miles'tone]

I'm of the opinion that a man's wood is to do with as he pleases (fnarr!) However, there are countless great P basses out there but, to a far lesser extent, there's a finite number of genuine 70s fretless Precisions left in one piece. 

To me it's a true vintage (and rarer) instrument so with this in mind I feel that with such basses, ownership also comes with 'custodian' responsibilities. To play it, love it and keep it safe until it eventually goes on to it's next adventure. 

Just my feelings, not saying I'm right because I know I can be a dreamy sentimental old git! 😄

[Geek99]

I would buy another 78neck and keep the fret less one as it is. You get what you want and it’s non destructive 

[Geek99]

5 hours ago, Dan Dare said:

 Great advice. Although a '78 isn't truly "vintage", it's still worth a bit more than an off-the-rack new one. If it works well fretless (not all do), it seems best to keep it that way.

A 62 wasn’t quite vintage once 

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

After careful consideration I have come to realise that I don't have any opinion on this either way.

[Cscsiga]

7 hours ago, miles'tone said:

I'm of the opinion that a man's wood is to do with as he pleases (fnarr!) However, there are countless great P basses out there but, to a far lesser extent, there's a finite number of genuine 70s fretless Precisions left in one piece. 

To me it's a true vintage (and rarer) instrument so with this in mind I feel that with such basses, ownership also comes with 'custodian' responsibilities. 

Good point, although as I said before it's not all original by now. It was sunburst originally and now it has a natural finish. That's how I bought it. 

[Geek99]

Get a luthier to copy the neck dimensions and make it fretted

keep the fret less neck as it is 

 

[Guest]

5 hours ago, Cscsiga said:

it's not all original by now. It was sunburst originally and now it has a natural finish

 

I'm enjoying picturing the effect of a sunburst finish on the tone of a fretless bass. I suppose that without it, the bloom never really gets started? 

[Grimalkin]

Nigel Tufnel : Look... still has the old tag on, never even played it.

 

Marty DiBergi : [points his finger]  You've never played...?

 

Nigel Tufnel : Don't touch it!

 

Marty DiBergi : We'll I wasn't going to touch it, I was just pointing at it.

 

Nigel Tufnel : Well... don't point! It can't be played.

 

Marty DiBergi : Don't point, okay. Can I look at it?

 

Nigel Tufnel : No. no. That's it, you've seen enough of that one.

[Ralf1e]

22 hours ago, Dr.Dave said:

 

I've often wondered about the neck coming on and off constantly. I've probably done it more than most , particularly on the rare occasions I've taken a bass on a plane. I've always used tooth picks stuffed in the screw holes when it's been off a few times but I still wonder about it. Then you see folk selling vintage stuff who have the neck off just to photograph the heel stamps . Dunno. Jury's still out for me.

I have Weston Specrum LX's sold with two necks from new in a special case only in the catalogue for one year. The Westone solution was to have threaded inserts into the necks which are fitted with allen bolts

Edited October 25, 2022 by Ralf1e
Photos

[Ralf1e]

It might cost you as much to have it fretted as to buy a bitsa fretted neck and still destroy it's value as a vintage piece.

[chris_b]

My 68 Precision wasn't really vintage when I modded it in 1988. Now it really is vintage and has minimal resale value because of the idiot owner it had at the time.

 

That's why my advice now is always buy the bass that sounds like you want it to sound and don't mod a bass, because it might not end up sounding like you want!