@smbstressfest Oh no I wouldnt dare give all the info just to get a if im not gana have enough money to pay you (bad economy!) I just ask becuase I would like to know the price AFTER I buy a bass.So sorry and forgive my bad english I just really dont like doing things like that if Im not gana be able to purchase your service. The most likely the bass is gana be a 4 string p bass copy and I gues your quite familiar with it so you might know the specs to tell me how much itll cost. Thanks
OK QUESTION. what if i wanted to go the other way and put frets on a fretless bass? i ordered i blank fretless paddle neck for a build project because it was cheap. how would i go about it?
@MrJoypad570 That would be tough. It could be done, but I don't recommend it. You'd basically be marking and sawing individual fret slots using a template of some sort. And how accurately you were with the slots' locations would be a strong influencing factor on the intonation of the finished product. I STRONGLY RECOMMEND AGAINST DOING THIS :-)
Amazing, I want to do this to one of my basses now. Say, I use Fender Nylon Tapewound Flat Wound strings on my frettless (mostly because after 5 or so years my fingers still refused to form calluses lol) and I would like to hear your opinion on them if you have one. In my experience they are low tension so they are easy to play, smooth, stay tuned longer, and last longer all together. They have a very warm sound unless you tune down and then magically become very metal lol.
@MyLastSerenade03 I'm sort of "traditional" regarding bass strings in that I tend to only use nickel plated steel roundwounds for both fretted AND fretless. I have a Breedlove fretless ABG that I string with Thomastik-Infeld Acousticore nylon-core bronze roundwound wrapped strings, but that's my only exception.
The nylon tapewound strings definitely have a unique feel and tone, and if you like them and they work for you; that's all that really matters.
Wow...amazing work in these series of 10 videos...I learnt a lot, thanks so much for sharing your knowledge! Maybe one day I'll attempt to convert my bass!? thanks again...
@Petrusist The strings on this bass are roundwounds. I prefer that sound myself in fact. If you roundwound strings on a wooden fingerboard fretless bass, eventually you will have fingerboard wear that will need to be leveled out so that you can maintain a good action without certain notes being deadened from the wear. But, unless you play really hard or hours everyday, it should take quite a while before this will become an issue. Flatwounds of course will take longer to cause wear.
I want to convert a 70's Fender p-bass maple neck into a fretless. Have you done any maple fingerboard conversions? Are they the done the same or are there any particulars I need to pay attention (I hope the guitar shop will be able to do that, but I will be the one playing and quality control it).
My second question relates to the nut. A new bone nut was made for me a while ago but wasn't glued. is that normal?
@theallmikey Yeah, I've done several maple FB fretless conversions, the only thing I do differently is the veneer… I go with something black or brown for contrast.
Oh, and in response to your second question; no that isn't normal, typically you do glue down a nut. You don't need a lot or a strong glue but something to keep it is place is pretty standard.
Well that nut was mysterious; the guitar store sent my guitar to "the best guitar tech in the country" for that nut, but when it came back the sellsman told me "look - the tech said this nut sits unglued. I added a piece of plastic under it to get it a bit higher because I couldn't get a good setup the way it came". This was years ago when I was a kid, and back then I was just happy to play the bass again, but now I see how bad that job was; he couldn't even bother with a setup!
Can I ask another question? I don't want to waste your time but I'm looking for a pro's opinion
I have 2 Fender P-basses; a mid 70's one with a rather unstable maple neck & fingerboard that requires a setup every 4-8 months and a late 90's Japeneeze one with a solid-as-a-rock neck with rosewood finderboard; I never had to set it up since I bought it. Which one should I convert into a fretless? The 70's one needs the new nut & probably neck refret+refinishin, so I'm gravitating towards that one.
Nice Job Very Informative. I was surprised you showed us every little technique. I have learned a few things that i can apply to my guitar repairing that i do on the side. Again very nice Job you took your time and did a few extra things that someone else may not do. In the end it was so worth it. God Bless and Im going to recommend your vids they are fantastic!!!!
I have a question. I've seen among replacement parts bass nuts which are made of brass. How would you install one of these, since I don't know of any glue that can bond metal to wood?
@9ooglesuxballs You'd install in exactly the same manner as you would any other string nut. Almost any adhesive has sufficient metal to wood bonding strength for this application. You especially have nothing to fear if it's a Fender-style "inlayed" string nut. If you're dealing with a Gibson style nut and it makes you nervous, epoxy or superglue could be used for the stronger bond they offer. Bottom line: if you have a good fit, white school glue is more than strong enough.
Hey, I have a little problem with my fretless. Strings are too high. So I have to make that string nut more lower? And how about if i varnish whole neck, what happends to sound?
@Sekhtrenil If the strings are too high, you'll want to identify the source of the trouble. Either it's too high at the string nut (cut the slots deeper), the neck has too much relief (tighten the truss rod), or the saddles are too high (lower them). Don't forget to consider that it could be any combination of these three. I doubt that any finish you'll put on the neck will affect the sound noticeably. Also, film finishes on the board are usually damaged by the strings readily.
@KongoXIIV I know what you mean, I used to obsess over the wear that roundwound strings do to wooden fretless fingerboards. I definitely got over it at some point and eventually I found myself able to do the work to resurface them. Of course at some point the fingerboard would thin so much that it would need to be replaced but we're talking about YEARS of playing before that's a reality with most players.
hi there excellent videos ...what strings should be used on a 4 string fretless i have a hofner mccartney model and i have flatwounds on it which i love should i use flatwounds on the fretless cheers bri
Hey, just wanted to say thanks a lot for these videos. Have completed converting my bass, sounds great. Couldn't have done it without this tutorial. I owe you one, merry Christmas!
hey great videos, totatly loved them and i think you have great skills at what you do. with all due respect though, the "A" at the end of the video was waaaay flat from the tuning fork. Just saying hehe. Like i said though, didn't mean any disrespect from that. hehe
@thebchsbassplayer Yeah, I'm sure it probably was a bit off. And I'm definitely glad there are at least people who still listen very closely. That being said though, going out of your way to point out such trivial thing runs contrary to your "didn't mean any disrespect" statement.
When I check the truss rod adjustment on my fretless, I have it like on the Gary Willis Bass Setup Advice Video here on YouTube where it's no more than a millimeter, but I get this buzzing sound at the first "fret" position on all strings (and not the good kind of fretless buzz). Any suggestions?
Around 1980 I bought an Electra Pro Endorser guitar and I also bought an Electra bass about that time. Both of them have what looks like brass nuts. Are the brass nuts hard to rework if I were to make the bass fretless? I wont make that bass fretless but I was just wondering if you had any dealings with brass nuts. Very good work and thanks for sharing the videos. I dont think I could do this kind of work. I wish I could. Im disabled and would like something to do at home as a hobby.
@clewi1091 Brass is much tougher and slower to rework than bone or any of the modern thermoplastics. I've done a lot of metal string nuts over the years; brass, nickel, and even stainless steel. They're a pain and command a high price over the softer alternatives due to the extra time needed to grind, shape, and polish but many players like them and don't seem to mind the added expense.
first of all amazing video series, seeing it discourages me however. I now know I won't be able to finish my conversion because I won't do a good job haha..
I have an acoustic bass that I have had for a very long time, and a while ago i put a number on it, trying to make it fretless i just ripped out the frets (ripping out bits of wood around some of the slots) I am wondering if you could finish the conversion while also fixing the rest of it.. aaand.. price?
@calebweyhrich Send me a PM or call me up at The Musician's Den. I'd really need to see some good pictures of the damage to get you an accurate estimate. But if you can give me a general idea, I'll bet I can give you a range.
Thats very nice brothers.I have some nut work to do on my Fender P-Lyte but im worried about how to get it of.Do Fender bass nuts come of easy.Ive got the files & i could do the work while its on but im sure i can do a much better jod if its off ?
The kids bass sounds & looks great.The nut work was top shelf.I learnt alot from this.
my nut just fell off, then broke into 4 pieces tryin to put it back on. im currently in the middle of replacein it with ebony. this is a helpful video
Wow, impressive work. You say it's "straightforward" but I'd say it.s closer to brain surgery. I would only want an expert such as you to attempt this (my guitar, not my brain, thanks). Mere mortals like Nike man ("Just do it ...blah blah blah") would have everything screwed up in a matter of minutes. Great instructive video.
I just asked a guy at my local music store about converting my 5 string Ibanez to fretless and they said they have a luthier that can do it. After watching your video series, I'm not sure I would want anyone but you to do this. I can't be sure anyone else would take the care and time that you do to make this great of an end product. Will you send me a private message and tell me what you would charge to do a 5 string Ibanez SR 485 conversion?
Hey I've seen all of the fretless conversion and I'm pretty damn impressed. Just by curiosity how much is it for a 4 string bass like this one to be converted ? And is it possible to convert one so that anything can be seen on the fretboard like the dots and the "maple frets" ?
lol his question was rather retarded, i think he means are the frets kind of just sitting on the fretboard, he may have been speaking about a few other videos where people have tapped them out sideways, as for the nut it would depend on the intonation and angle of the nut as to whether the action would be higher or lower
Well, that's the most careful and conscientious bit of work I've seen in a while! Thanks for all the effort you made to teach us how to do it right and make our clients happy! Maybe if everybody works like that, we can keep more jobs stateside?
You did an awesome job , very profesional and clean , and the most important you had the player comfort and concerns in mind , I only wanna ask you what type of oil did you used to polish the fretboard and what kind of steelwool , Thanks for your Excellent Demostration !
I think that net is too low, because it causes touching strings to the fingerboard and because of that the notes are distorted while playing.. well, I don't know, maybe I'm wrong..
It's not too low. A fretless bass allows for a string slot cut very close the fingerboard with less chance of unwanted string noise verses a comparable fretted bass.
Of course if the player tends to play hard, the slots should be cut with that in mind. The owner of this bass has good technique and doesn't play exceptionally hard.
hola soy peruano, me parecio excelente tu trabajo, como no estas en perú, ya me diste una excelente idea, y gracias por subir el video =) (Y) excelente!
I always seem to lose a lot of the fretless "zing" with roundwounds and a high action. Seems to sound better with flatwounds and high action on the, gets more of that thuddy string bass sound.
Well, this guy is the first one in the history to convince me to watch 10 episodes of a video on YT. I must admit it worthed the time. I wish there were more like him explaining how things are done in rich details. 5/5.
It wouldn't make much difference from a manufacturing or repair perspective. However, I suspect that players wouldn't like to play on a flat fingerboard. Our hands and fingers are curved so it feels a bit more natural to play on a fingerboard and neck that mimics that same curvature.
No, i`ve been playing basses for 25 years and i am very interested in handcrafts especially woodworks. i know how carefully some things have to be done. i think you know what you do
Your explanations sounded like a pro. once again thx...pretty fine vid...and work.
that's 50 stars!! Great vids man!!! Whenever I do guitar work and get stumped,you're the first dude i usually look up. I think I want a fretless strat haha! Ironicly enough, I need to look up your technique for polishing frets. I like to do this every 2nd or 3rd time I change strings because I believe a guitar plays so much better when its frets are mirror-like.
Probably not, but depending on what you use it might not offer much protection against roundwound strings. I tend to just use teak oil, or the Birchwood Casey tru-oil. Unless a customer wants to pay for CA or epoxy.
The thing is: I love fretless acoustic basses! Is it possible to converse an acoustic bass to a fretless?? Is there a way to put the neck off the corpus as you did?
Yeah, I've done a few acoustic fretless conversions over the years too. It's not necessary to separate the neck from the body, if that's what you mean. I just jig up the entire body and be extra careful when fitting, glueing, and trimming the veneer.
Wow, I watched the whole 10 videos and that was as entertaining as a Hollywood movie! haha I was just wondering if I could convert my bass to fretless myself. You made it look easy, but also discouraging. I don't have the patience to do this. So kudos to you and you skills. And I'll def check your other videos out. Good job.
man, this is great. i've some fretless basses but nothing like this. i'm from croatia, so, in the name of my country I say good job! this 10 part video made me go and buy a fretless one!! great.
This tutorial is just what I needed. I planned to restore a cheap guitar. Tomorrow I'm gonna buy a bass (my first one ever :p) and then follow your instructions.
You would fix it by simply leveling the fingerboard in the same way I did after initially installing the veneer strips. You could try a local woodworking store. I tend to buy mine from woodcraft, google them if you don't have a store locally.
i am building a road worn style bass . al i would have to do is just pluck the frets and lower the nut right and do i really have to worry about the channels where the fret where ? ps great work!!!!
Fret slots with nothing in them act like kerfing, making it easier for the strings to apply bending force to the neck. It's a pretty easy concept, just simple physics. So, for the record.... I DO NOT RECOMMEND leaving the fret slots empty. It may play fine in the short run, but over time the neck may take on an upbow that the truss rod can't correct. Do what you'd like but I think you'll feel more pride in your work if you take the time to do it right, and less chance for problems later.
Also, the part with the nut gluing, i think it's just that most people don't realize that the pressure of the strings will hold the nut in place just fine; probably why they go crazy with super glue.
awesome video! I watched this to see if I could convert my Ibanez bass into a fretless as well, and I must say, thanks for giving me the motivation to save the $300 for one that comes fretless! That was all nice work, but with all of the tools you used and time you put in, I could have just bought a fretless =D.
However, I greatly enjoyed this because I got some insight into the mechanics of the fretless for when (and if) I can add fretless into my arsenal.
Thanks for the offer, but I was thinking about it and I want to have a fretless and a fretted bass. As much as I loved the fretless I played, fretted basses still have their place, especially with the variety of things I play (I am in a metal band and am playing bass for a piano player with a Fray-like feel). I could also use my fretted one for down tuning for metal...
Its funny how I just like to slide my finger on the strings.. I love the sound of the fretless bass. I don't play any songs yet but I just slide and slide..
I did the same thing with an ancient Squier. No fret line refilling or anything. Sounded surprisingly good until the roundwound strings bruised my neck meat. Now I'm going to actually follow Jason's advice here and see if I can give it new life.
BUT, I'm also going to epoxy the neck...as soon as I find a vid that shows me how to do that.
It takes a while, but it's not too difficult. Use a fairly thin epoxy (maybe something with the viscosity of a pourable bartop finishing epoxy) build it up in thin coats using those cheapo disposable foam brushes, and then level sanding with a radius block after you have a sufficient build. When you sand you want to do so in an even manner so as not to vary the thickness of the topcoat too much.
Great videos Jason, thanks for doing these. I've watched them all and learned a great deal. How about a video on how to apply epoxy to a fretless fingerboard?? That would be good to watch. Keep up the fantastic work! :o)
Hey thanks, glad to help! I could do that as soon as I get a customer who wants that job on their fretless. It seems like most fretless guys these days just want the sound they get from the strings on the raw wood.
hi! ammm i have a question....ammm can i make a fretless out of a stratocaster with maple fretboard????? is it harder than the bass you just showed????
Post a video response, maybe re-record that same Led Zeppelin tune... do a kind of before and after for the bass. Or record "The Easy Way", did we ever look at that one in lessons?
Wow what a great series. It's cool you took the time to share your skill. I am beginning builder of weird guitars, you can check out my videos. You work very patiently and take care to get the details done with quality. I need to work on that.
I've done that before, but as picky as I tend to be it took me a long time to build enough on the surface and then carefully level sand everything and polish it to a shine. These days when a customer wants a protective treatment I tend to use the water thin superglue on the raw fingerboard. If it's fresh and therefore very thin, it will penetrate maybe the top .010" of most rosewoods and sort of "case harden" the wood. Of course it doesn't protect like epoxy, but is sooo much easier to apply.
Thanks for the reply. Sorry, I have another question.
I'm thinking of converting one of my basses and I think it will be my Warwick fortress one. I don't think I'll have to touch the nut because it's a just-a-nut and I can lower it but I was wondering if the wenge is an okay wood for the fingerboard?
Wenge will of course work, but is less than ideal as a fretless fingerboard because of the big differential in hardness and durability between it's early and late growth (same problem with pine) which is marbled throughout. Warwick chooses to go with ebony on their fretless basses if I'm not mistaken. This would be less of a problem if the wenge is perfectly quartersawn but often times it isn't. Also, I don't think the just-a-nut will get you low enough without shaving off some material below
i have a question.. may i? this is off-topic but i thought i'd ask u this since u'r a professional.. i'm a noobie bass player.. well u see i have a cheap bass.. it's really hard to fret.. it hurts when i do slapping and popping.. what is the problem with my bass? thank you in advance :D
Hard to diagnose over the internet of course, but likely you need a good setup. You'd want to make sure the neck is relatively straight, and also that the bridge saddles aren't contributing to a really high action. If you're new to bass, slap and pop will be tough regardless, but should be easier after a setup is performed. If you encounter pain when slapping, you may be hitting too hard, and with a lower action you won't have to slam it so much to get a good slap sound. Hope that helps.
yeah thanks.. i'm gonna try to set it up when i get home.. heheh.. currently studying in a university away from home.. heheh.. well when i borrowed a bass from my friend.. slap and pop wasn't painful.. eheheh.. or is it because of the strings? i use fender strings.. don't know the measurement.. but they are bigger than the usual strings..
It's likely the action, I could set up a bass with extra light strings and high action and you would have to hit very hard to get a good slap tone. Similarly, you could go with extra heavy strings and a lower action and it would be quite easy to slap and pop without hitting the strings too hard.
How much do you charge for perfect job like this? also Ilive In Puerto Rico so I gues shipping is on me right?
FMJman2 2 days ago
@FMJman2 Send me a private message with the details of your bass and I'll get you a quote.
smbstressfest 2 days ago
@smbstressfest Oh no I wouldnt dare give all the info just to get a if im not gana have enough money to pay you (bad economy!) I just ask becuase I would like to know the price AFTER I buy a bass.So sorry and forgive my bad english I just really dont like doing things like that if Im not gana be able to purchase your service. The most likely the bass is gana be a 4 string p bass copy and I gues your quite familiar with it so you might know the specs to tell me how much itll cost. Thanks
FMJman2 1 day ago
Great video series. I just defreted a Fender Jazz 24, and your videos were a wealth of knowledge. Thanks for posting them.
ve3vpc 1 week ago
That was a good series.
1951abcd 2 weeks ago
OK QUESTION. what if i wanted to go the other way and put frets on a fretless bass? i ordered i blank fretless paddle neck for a build project because it was cheap. how would i go about it?
MrJoypad570 3 weeks ago
@MrJoypad570 That would be tough. It could be done, but I don't recommend it. You'd basically be marking and sawing individual fret slots using a template of some sort. And how accurately you were with the slots' locations would be a strong influencing factor on the intonation of the finished product. I STRONGLY RECOMMEND AGAINST DOING THIS :-)
smbstressfest 3 weeks ago
Amazing, I want to do this to one of my basses now. Say, I use Fender Nylon Tapewound Flat Wound strings on my frettless (mostly because after 5 or so years my fingers still refused to form calluses lol) and I would like to hear your opinion on them if you have one. In my experience they are low tension so they are easy to play, smooth, stay tuned longer, and last longer all together. They have a very warm sound unless you tune down and then magically become very metal lol.
MyLastSerenade03 1 month ago in playlist DeFretBass
@MyLastSerenade03 I'm sort of "traditional" regarding bass strings in that I tend to only use nickel plated steel roundwounds for both fretted AND fretless. I have a Breedlove fretless ABG that I string with Thomastik-Infeld Acousticore nylon-core bronze roundwound wrapped strings, but that's my only exception.
The nylon tapewound strings definitely have a unique feel and tone, and if you like them and they work for you; that's all that really matters.
smbstressfest 1 month ago
@MyLastSerenade03 I just hit six years of playing on the 21st of last month, and I've STILL got no callouses... but I do have some mean endurance :)
How do tapewound flats sound?
ultimabass 2 weeks ago
that poor gio v.v
TheSonsofHorusx 2 months ago
The string spacing is uneven.
eggobass 2 months ago
Wow...amazing work in these series of 10 videos...I learnt a lot, thanks so much for sharing your knowledge! Maybe one day I'll attempt to convert my bass!? thanks again...
mankalabeat 2 months ago
"I'm back here with a damp Q-tip"... lol
NiklausMetal 2 months ago
a question....what strings on a frettles bass ? flat strings or round strings?using round, will the fingerboard have gaps?
thanks
Petrusist 2 months ago
@Petrusist The strings on this bass are roundwounds. I prefer that sound myself in fact. If you roundwound strings on a wooden fingerboard fretless bass, eventually you will have fingerboard wear that will need to be leveled out so that you can maintain a good action without certain notes being deadened from the wear. But, unless you play really hard or hours everyday, it should take quite a while before this will become an issue. Flatwounds of course will take longer to cause wear.
smbstressfest 2 months ago
I admire your attention to detail. Looks like a great job!
mikhailmyers1 5 months ago
Great job!!! Thanks for sharing.
anointed01 5 months ago
That was very interesting
Thank you for sharing!
I have a couple of questions
I want to convert a 70's Fender p-bass maple neck into a fretless. Have you done any maple fingerboard conversions? Are they the done the same or are there any particulars I need to pay attention (I hope the guitar shop will be able to do that, but I will be the one playing and quality control it).
My second question relates to the nut. A new bone nut was made for me a while ago but wasn't glued. is that normal?
theallmikey 6 months ago
@theallmikey Yeah, I've done several maple FB fretless conversions, the only thing I do differently is the veneer… I go with something black or brown for contrast.
smbstressfest 6 months ago
Oh, and in response to your second question; no that isn't normal, typically you do glue down a nut. You don't need a lot or a strong glue but something to keep it is place is pretty standard.
smbstressfest 6 months ago
@smbstressfest
Well that nut was mysterious; the guitar store sent my guitar to "the best guitar tech in the country" for that nut, but when it came back the sellsman told me "look - the tech said this nut sits unglued. I added a piece of plastic under it to get it a bit higher because I couldn't get a good setup the way it came". This was years ago when I was a kid, and back then I was just happy to play the bass again, but now I see how bad that job was; he couldn't even bother with a setup!
theallmikey 6 months ago
Can I ask another question? I don't want to waste your time but I'm looking for a pro's opinion
I have 2 Fender P-basses; a mid 70's one with a rather unstable maple neck & fingerboard that requires a setup every 4-8 months and a late 90's Japeneeze one with a solid-as-a-rock neck with rosewood finderboard; I never had to set it up since I bought it. Which one should I convert into a fretless? The 70's one needs the new nut & probably neck refret+refinishin, so I'm gravitating towards that one.
theallmikey 6 months ago
I just watched the whole series, very well done, just awesome.
78hiwatts 6 months ago
Nice Job Very Informative. I was surprised you showed us every little technique. I have learned a few things that i can apply to my guitar repairing that i do on the side. Again very nice Job you took your time and did a few extra things that someone else may not do. In the end it was so worth it. God Bless and Im going to recommend your vids they are fantastic!!!!
danbenkert 7 months ago
Nice film enjoyed the lot. I must say though flatwound strings sound like a bass, roundwound strings to me are horrible.
BeeFrogMan 7 months ago
Very nice work. CHEERS!!!
grota66 7 months ago
I have a question. I've seen among replacement parts bass nuts which are made of brass. How would you install one of these, since I don't know of any glue that can bond metal to wood?
9ooglesuxballs 8 months ago
@9ooglesuxballs You'd install in exactly the same manner as you would any other string nut. Almost any adhesive has sufficient metal to wood bonding strength for this application. You especially have nothing to fear if it's a Fender-style "inlayed" string nut. If you're dealing with a Gibson style nut and it makes you nervous, epoxy or superglue could be used for the stronger bond they offer. Bottom line: if you have a good fit, white school glue is more than strong enough.
smbstressfest 8 months ago
awesome buddy, i live in Mexico I `ve seen your bass fretless conversion congratulations
mithosyleyendas 8 months ago
nice nice ;)
jeroen0011 10 months ago
Song at end :P? It's pretty lax.
MrJoGroove 11 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Very nice, thank you so much!
I have a 5 string American Jazz that I "ripped" the frets offand I need to lower the action.
Where can I get these files you used for the nut?
Again thanks,
Claes
claws8008 11 months ago
@claws8008 Just do a google search for guitar nut files and you should find many places that are selling such tools.
smbstressfest 11 months ago
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claws8008 11 months ago
Comment removed
claws8008 11 months ago
WHY?
thehornypuppy 11 months ago
Hey, I have a little problem with my fretless. Strings are too high. So I have to make that string nut more lower? And how about if i varnish whole neck, what happends to sound?
Sekhtrenil 11 months ago
@Sekhtrenil If the strings are too high, you'll want to identify the source of the trouble. Either it's too high at the string nut (cut the slots deeper), the neck has too much relief (tighten the truss rod), or the saddles are too high (lower them). Don't forget to consider that it could be any combination of these three. I doubt that any finish you'll put on the neck will affect the sound noticeably. Also, film finishes on the board are usually damaged by the strings readily.
smbstressfest 11 months ago
I must say that was an excellent video production series totally enjoyed it. Well done.
pboshell 1 year ago
This is what makes the internet great, and why I don't watch tv anymore.
Craptron2000 1 year ago
Hargh god I love the tone of a Fretless bass! But even more when with roundwound strings! If only they didnt do damage over time. :-(
KongoXIIV 1 year ago
@KongoXIIV I know what you mean, I used to obsess over the wear that roundwound strings do to wooden fretless fingerboards. I definitely got over it at some point and eventually I found myself able to do the work to resurface them. Of course at some point the fingerboard would thin so much that it would need to be replaced but we're talking about YEARS of playing before that's a reality with most players.
smbstressfest 1 year ago
can these principles apply to making a fretless guitar?
PLZ REPLY
ottozing 1 year ago
@ottozing yes
smbstressfest 1 year ago
hi there excellent videos ...what strings should be used on a 4 string fretless i have a hofner mccartney model and i have flatwounds on it which i love should i use flatwounds on the fretless cheers bri
brianmay65 1 year ago
Hey, just wanted to say thanks a lot for these videos. Have completed converting my bass, sounds great. Couldn't have done it without this tutorial. I owe you one, merry Christmas!
harryaverill 1 year ago
hey great videos, totatly loved them and i think you have great skills at what you do. with all due respect though, the "A" at the end of the video was waaaay flat from the tuning fork. Just saying hehe. Like i said though, didn't mean any disrespect from that. hehe
thebchsbassplayer 1 year ago
@thebchsbassplayer Yeah, I'm sure it probably was a bit off. And I'm definitely glad there are at least people who still listen very closely. That being said though, going out of your way to point out such trivial thing runs contrary to your "didn't mean any disrespect" statement.
smbstressfest 1 year ago
i like the lil song at the end sounds awsome how can i get it
acheron777 1 year ago
great video series. every bit of this process was given so much detail, it really outshines all the other videos on the subject
krazyzark 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
When I check the truss rod adjustment on my fretless, I have it like on the Gary Willis Bass Setup Advice Video here on YouTube where it's no more than a millimeter, but I get this buzzing sound at the first "fret" position on all strings (and not the good kind of fretless buzz). Any suggestions?
cfiore88 1 year ago
Around 1980 I bought an Electra Pro Endorser guitar and I also bought an Electra bass about that time. Both of them have what looks like brass nuts. Are the brass nuts hard to rework if I were to make the bass fretless? I wont make that bass fretless but I was just wondering if you had any dealings with brass nuts. Very good work and thanks for sharing the videos. I dont think I could do this kind of work. I wish I could. Im disabled and would like something to do at home as a hobby.
clewi1091 1 year ago
@clewi1091 Brass is much tougher and slower to rework than bone or any of the modern thermoplastics. I've done a lot of metal string nuts over the years; brass, nickel, and even stainless steel. They're a pain and command a high price over the softer alternatives due to the extra time needed to grind, shape, and polish but many players like them and don't seem to mind the added expense.
smbstressfest 1 year ago
Hey, I have a bit of a request..
first of all amazing video series, seeing it discourages me however. I now know I won't be able to finish my conversion because I won't do a good job haha..
I have an acoustic bass that I have had for a very long time, and a while ago i put a number on it, trying to make it fretless i just ripped out the frets (ripping out bits of wood around some of the slots) I am wondering if you could finish the conversion while also fixing the rest of it.. aaand.. price?
calebweyhrich 1 year ago
@calebweyhrich Send me a PM or call me up at The Musician's Den. I'd really need to see some good pictures of the damage to get you an accurate estimate. But if you can give me a general idea, I'll bet I can give you a range.
smbstressfest 1 year ago
dude thats a "FANTASTIC" JOB thanks very much for sharing it with us.....
leojazzbass 1 year ago
how much do you charge for a 4 string? PM me thanks!
BRYANL0KS 1 year ago
@BRYANL0KS check your inbox
smbstressfest 1 year ago
Thats very nice brothers.I have some nut work to do on my Fender P-Lyte but im worried about how to get it of.Do Fender bass nuts come of easy.Ive got the files & i could do the work while its on but im sure i can do a much better jod if its off ?
The kids bass sounds & looks great.The nut work was top shelf.I learnt alot from this.
pece33 1 year ago
BRAAAAAAAAVO!! Great tutorials Jason!
RLJB25 1 year ago
man this kid is the new jaco!. NOT.
lucadepu 1 year ago
i watched all 10 of those video's and didn't get bored.....well done.....seriously thats the longest ive actually paid attention in years xD
cameronj279 1 year ago
my nut just fell off, then broke into 4 pieces tryin to put it back on. im currently in the middle of replacein it with ebony. this is a helpful video
Semimentalman2 1 year ago
Thank you so much for this series! Really helped me alot! :)
Patonk1 1 year ago
Wow, impressive work. You say it's "straightforward" but I'd say it.s closer to brain surgery. I would only want an expert such as you to attempt this (my guitar, not my brain, thanks). Mere mortals like Nike man ("Just do it ...blah blah blah") would have everything screwed up in a matter of minutes. Great instructive video.
mattbastardsen 1 year ago
I just asked a guy at my local music store about converting my 5 string Ibanez to fretless and they said they have a luthier that can do it. After watching your video series, I'm not sure I would want anyone but you to do this. I can't be sure anyone else would take the care and time that you do to make this great of an end product. Will you send me a private message and tell me what you would charge to do a 5 string Ibanez SR 485 conversion?
ecredle77 1 year ago
@ecredle77 Sure, I'll PM you and let you know the cost.
smbstressfest 1 year ago
@smbstressfest Thanks. I also just called your shop and left you a voice mail.
ecredle77 1 year ago
Hey I've seen all of the fretless conversion and I'm pretty damn impressed. Just by curiosity how much is it for a 4 string bass like this one to be converted ? And is it possible to convert one so that anything can be seen on the fretboard like the dots and the "maple frets" ?
jimmylaporte 1 year ago
@jimmylaporte You're wanting to completely hide the fret lines then?
smbstressfest 1 year ago
@smbstressfest Yes , like on a violin , or something like that. Maybe keeping the dots on the side of the fretboard but nothing more. possible ?
jimmylaporte 1 year ago
Really interesting! It's nice to be walked through a process like this by a guy who just plain knows what he's talking about...
plooba 1 year ago
greatly done SIR!!!!!!
philtiger22 1 year ago
it's real nice to see this work. it kinda seems and looks right when a guitar neck loses all its metal jewlery and turns into pure wood.
unruheGER 1 year ago
how much for a 4 string?
AudioMagnet 1 year ago
@AudioMagnet I have replied in a PM.
smbstressfest 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
@smbstressfest how much for a 4 string?
muflonpl 1 year ago
how much do you charge to convert a 6 string fretted bass to a ftretless one?
SuperShitstick 1 year ago
@SuperShitstick I've replied to you in a PM.
smbstressfest 1 year ago
its a work of art!
synth77 1 year ago
nice end result!
Lunchsacks 1 year ago
if the frets are just kind of like on the fretboard cant you just slip them off or no? and also does the lower the nut = lower action?
drkmonkey7 2 years ago
I'm not sure that I understand what you're asking? Clarify for me please.
smbstressfest 2 years ago
@smbstressfest
lol his question was rather retarded, i think he means are the frets kind of just sitting on the fretboard, he may have been speaking about a few other videos where people have tapped them out sideways, as for the nut it would depend on the intonation and angle of the nut as to whether the action would be higher or lower
sound right?
sluterry 1 year ago
@drkmonkey7
You need to pull the frets out with a wire cuts or a knife they dont slide out
lower nut on a fretless bass means lower action yes, but on a fretted you want the nut just over the 1st fret for low action
KreatorOfDeath1985 1 year ago
Well, that's the most careful and conscientious bit of work I've seen in a while! Thanks for all the effort you made to teach us how to do it right and make our clients happy! Maybe if everybody works like that, we can keep more jobs stateside?
FernandRaynaud 2 years ago
You did an awesome job , very profesional and clean , and the most important you had the player comfort and concerns in mind , I only wanna ask you what type of oil did you used to polish the fretboard and what kind of steelwool , Thanks for your Excellent Demostration !
jentzenbass 2 years ago
I think that net is too low, because it causes touching strings to the fingerboard and because of that the notes are distorted while playing.. well, I don't know, maybe I'm wrong..
geloika84 2 years ago
You said "net", I assume you meant "nut" right?
It's not too low. A fretless bass allows for a string slot cut very close the fingerboard with less chance of unwanted string noise verses a comparable fretted bass.
Of course if the player tends to play hard, the slots should be cut with that in mind. The owner of this bass has good technique and doesn't play exceptionally hard.
smbstressfest 2 years ago
I watched all 10 videos, and that's rare for me, nicely done! I envy Max on his new fretless.
More power to you Jason.
danniedannie 2 years ago
The guy shows promise. Hopefully he will reach the level of Steve DiGiorgio on fretless.
RiderAndKallen 2 years ago
hola soy peruano, me parecio excelente tu trabajo, como no estas en perú, ya me diste una excelente idea, y gracias por subir el video =) (Y) excelente!
malcodj 2 years ago
Honestly, personally I like a very high action on fretless.
well, very high from common standards.
guglio1290 2 years ago
I always seem to lose a lot of the fretless "zing" with roundwounds and a high action. Seems to sound better with flatwounds and high action on the, gets more of that thuddy string bass sound.
smbstressfest 2 years ago
Yeah, I agree with that.
I always play flatwounds, on fretted or fretless, and out of my 3 fretless only 1 has a notably high action.
To play fretless with rounds is to get a certain sound, and to do that with a high action defeats the purpose of rounds.
guglio1290 2 years ago
thank you for all video`s :)
MrGoktugerol 2 years ago
Well, this guy is the first one in the history to convince me to watch 10 episodes of a video on YT. I must admit it worthed the time. I wish there were more like him explaining how things are done in rich details. 5/5.
hpept 2 years ago 2
Very cool, thanks for the comment! It makes me happy if people find my work interesting, or learn something from these videos.
smbstressfest 2 years ago
Jason, for what is fingerboard radius there? Wouldn´t be easy if the fingerboard was flat?
psicofrango 2 years ago
It wouldn't make much difference from a manufacturing or repair perspective. However, I suspect that players wouldn't like to play on a flat fingerboard. Our hands and fingers are curved so it feels a bit more natural to play on a fingerboard and neck that mimics that same curvature.
smbstressfest 2 years ago
very professional, do you also build basses?
esperasoesperas123 2 years ago
No, i`ve been playing basses for 25 years and i am very interested in handcrafts especially woodworks. i know how carefully some things have to be done. i think you know what you do
Your explanations sounded like a pro. once again thx...pretty fine vid...and work.
Agonethefirst 2 years ago
That was pretty interesting. It was a pleasure to watch. Very professional....thx for recording this video.
Agonethefirst 2 years ago
Awesome job dude.
slatan420 2 years ago
you're my freakin hero man! long live this man!
tommyvizzle 2 years ago
that's 50 stars!! Great vids man!!! Whenever I do guitar work and get stumped,you're the first dude i usually look up. I think I want a fretless strat haha! Ironicly enough, I need to look up your technique for polishing frets. I like to do this every 2nd or 3rd time I change strings because I believe a guitar plays so much better when its frets are mirror-like.
kdjfnvjvd 2 years ago
whats that tune at the end?
Semimentalman2 2 years ago
it's Juanita by Dave LaRue from the album Hub City Kid
smbstressfest 2 years ago
i wouldn't be bad if you varnish the fretboard right?
jordancayco 2 years ago
Probably not, but depending on what you use it might not offer much protection against roundwound strings. I tend to just use teak oil, or the Birchwood Casey tru-oil. Unless a customer wants to pay for CA or epoxy.
smbstressfest 2 years ago
Man, thanks alot I've watched all the 10.
It was very entertaining AND instructive!
The thing is: I love fretless acoustic basses! Is it possible to converse an acoustic bass to a fretless?? Is there a way to put the neck off the corpus as you did?
Thx again!
madhippie17 2 years ago
Yeah, I've done a few acoustic fretless conversions over the years too. It's not necessary to separate the neck from the body, if that's what you mean. I just jig up the entire body and be extra careful when fitting, glueing, and trimming the veneer.
smbstressfest 2 years ago
Thanks a lot for the quick response!
Thats great, so I'm looking forward to converse an acoustic bass! :-)
madhippie17 2 years ago
Wow, I watched the whole 10 videos and that was as entertaining as a Hollywood movie! haha I was just wondering if I could convert my bass to fretless myself. You made it look easy, but also discouraging. I don't have the patience to do this. So kudos to you and you skills. And I'll def check your other videos out. Good job.
CarcPazu 2 years ago
man, this is great. i've some fretless basses but nothing like this. i'm from croatia, so, in the name of my country I say good job! this 10 part video made me go and buy a fretless one!! great.
markobjelovar 2 years ago
Awesome job on the end product, was interesting watching these videos.
D4athPanda 2 years ago 2
This tutorial is just what I needed. I planned to restore a cheap guitar. Tomorrow I'm gonna buy a bass (my first one ever :p) and then follow your instructions.
Great video!
Thidrek 2 years ago
You would fix it by simply leveling the fingerboard in the same way I did after initially installing the veneer strips. You could try a local woodworking store. I tend to buy mine from woodcraft, google them if you don't have a store locally.
smbstressfest 2 years ago
i am building a road worn style bass . al i would have to do is just pluck the frets and lower the nut right and do i really have to worry about the channels where the fret where ? ps great work!!!!
tengallonhatus 2 years ago
Fret slots with nothing in them act like kerfing, making it easier for the strings to apply bending force to the neck. It's a pretty easy concept, just simple physics. So, for the record.... I DO NOT RECOMMEND leaving the fret slots empty. It may play fine in the short run, but over time the neck may take on an upbow that the truss rod can't correct. Do what you'd like but I think you'll feel more pride in your work if you take the time to do it right, and less chance for problems later.
smbstressfest 2 years ago
That could be done, but you'd have to slot the fingerboard VERY accurately, to within <.005". Less accurate than that and you'll be in trouble.
smbstressfest 2 years ago
Man i want to buy a fretted bass now just so i can send it to you to convert it!
louievondoom 2 years ago
Gracias amigo, muy educativo
Carlosbassman9886 2 years ago
hahahah that was so cool. thanks for the videos!
Nateisbored 2 years ago
That was great, I love the sound of a fretless and that inexpencive Ibanez really sounded great when you finished with it.
Cheers!
tkojams 2 years ago
Also, the part with the nut gluing, i think it's just that most people don't realize that the pressure of the strings will hold the nut in place just fine; probably why they go crazy with super glue.
edthehead83 2 years ago
You sound just like Jaco, playing with roundwounds on a fretted-to-fretless bass.
edthehead83 2 years ago
ok all 10 of these were amazing
i found them by accident
but it just so happens to be
i like to work with wood
and basses
so i dicided to watch 'm all
i took me a while but these are the first youtube vids i really liked
wonderfull,,you did a great job man
csRocker 2 years ago
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed them!
smbstressfest 2 years ago
awesome video! I watched this to see if I could convert my Ibanez bass into a fretless as well, and I must say, thanks for giving me the motivation to save the $300 for one that comes fretless! That was all nice work, but with all of the tools you used and time you put in, I could have just bought a fretless =D.
However, I greatly enjoyed this because I got some insight into the mechanics of the fretless for when (and if) I can add fretless into my arsenal.
872463051 2 years ago
I can convert your bass to a fretless for way less than $300.
smbstressfest 2 years ago
Thanks for the offer, but I was thinking about it and I want to have a fretless and a fretted bass. As much as I loved the fretless I played, fretted basses still have their place, especially with the variety of things I play (I am in a metal band and am playing bass for a piano player with a Fray-like feel). I could also use my fretted one for down tuning for metal...
Thanks anyway, though. You did a great job!
872463051 2 years ago
gracias
DeathSchuldiner90 2 years ago
Its funny how I just like to slide my finger on the strings.. I love the sound of the fretless bass. I don't play any songs yet but I just slide and slide..
dragonzith 2 years ago
I made my fretted bass into a fretless by prying the frets off XD
It all good though. It's just a rockwood pro. I also restrung with B-E-A-D string from a five string. And doodled all over it XD
It take such horrible care of my bass.
Once I get a better one it's gonna be a lot different though.
Nick5379 2 years ago
I did the same thing with an ancient Squier. No fret line refilling or anything. Sounded surprisingly good until the roundwound strings bruised my neck meat. Now I'm going to actually follow Jason's advice here and see if I can give it new life.
BUT, I'm also going to epoxy the neck...as soon as I find a vid that shows me how to do that.
quehannaband 2 years ago
It takes a while, but it's not too difficult. Use a fairly thin epoxy (maybe something with the viscosity of a pourable bartop finishing epoxy) build it up in thin coats using those cheapo disposable foam brushes, and then level sanding with a radius block after you have a sufficient build. When you sand you want to do so in an even manner so as not to vary the thickness of the topcoat too much.
smbstressfest 2 years ago
Thanks!
quehannaband 2 years ago
It's never funny when someone cracks a nut. Haha good video.
fingerboy18 2 years ago
Great videos Jason, thanks for doing these. I've watched them all and learned a great deal. How about a video on how to apply epoxy to a fretless fingerboard?? That would be good to watch. Keep up the fantastic work! :o)
davematthews414 3 years ago
Hey thanks, glad to help! I could do that as soon as I get a customer who wants that job on their fretless. It seems like most fretless guys these days just want the sound they get from the strings on the raw wood.
smbstressfest 3 years ago
hi! ammm i have a question....ammm can i make a fretless out of a stratocaster with maple fretboard????? is it harder than the bass you just showed????
angelbecker 3 years ago
It can be done, the procedure is just about the same. You'd want to inlay veneer of a contrasting color though. Something black would be best.
smbstressfest 3 years ago
sounds fine to me... You can't please the internet, no matter how hard you try.
twoboots4you 3 years ago 9
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Excellent videos!
All this work for a kid who can't play... ;-)
Chavvvvvvv 3 years ago
I obviously can, I hit the string and move my fingers! So fuck you good sir.
Tengent 3 years ago 4
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Ah ah! Do you have ears ?
Chavvvvvvv 3 years ago
Yes, I forgot to mention pretty sounds come out.
Tengent 3 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Anyway, the videos are awesome, great work.
I still think you should now learn how to play such a beautiful fretless bass.
Chavvvvvvv 3 years ago
The guy in the video taught me to play.. so if you think I suck blame him.
Tengent 3 years ago 4
yeah... oops, my bad LOL
smbstressfest 3 years ago
>:B
Jason how can I prove that I'm better than whats in the video? ;__;
Tengent 3 years ago
Post a video response, maybe re-record that same Led Zeppelin tune... do a kind of before and after for the bass. Or record "The Easy Way", did we ever look at that one in lessons?
smbstressfest 3 years ago
Yup we did that, not all of the song though.
I did try to make a different video but the you could barely hear it.
Tengent 3 years ago
Comment removed
Chavvvvvvv 3 years ago
Fuck that guy.
VHOBSESSED78 3 years ago
Wow what a great series. It's cool you took the time to share your skill. I am beginning builder of weird guitars, you can check out my videos. You work very patiently and take care to get the details done with quality. I need to work on that.
center77 3 years ago
A great series!
radmin2 3 years ago
I've done that before, but as picky as I tend to be it took me a long time to build enough on the surface and then carefully level sand everything and polish it to a shine. These days when a customer wants a protective treatment I tend to use the water thin superglue on the raw fingerboard. If it's fresh and therefore very thin, it will penetrate maybe the top .010" of most rosewoods and sort of "case harden" the wood. Of course it doesn't protect like epoxy, but is sooo much easier to apply.
smbstressfest 3 years ago
Thanks for the reply. Sorry, I have another question.
I'm thinking of converting one of my basses and I think it will be my Warwick fortress one. I don't think I'll have to touch the nut because it's a just-a-nut and I can lower it but I was wondering if the wenge is an okay wood for the fingerboard?
JacqueRamon 3 years ago
Wenge will of course work, but is less than ideal as a fretless fingerboard because of the big differential in hardness and durability between it's early and late growth (same problem with pine) which is marbled throughout. Warwick chooses to go with ebony on their fretless basses if I'm not mistaken. This would be less of a problem if the wenge is perfectly quartersawn but often times it isn't. Also, I don't think the just-a-nut will get you low enough without shaving off some material below
smbstressfest 3 years ago
Waw.. i watched all the parts.. ehehe..
i have a question.. may i? this is off-topic but i thought i'd ask u this since u'r a professional.. i'm a noobie bass player.. well u see i have a cheap bass.. it's really hard to fret.. it hurts when i do slapping and popping.. what is the problem with my bass? thank you in advance :D
greeting from the Philippines
kukie1000 3 years ago
Hard to diagnose over the internet of course, but likely you need a good setup. You'd want to make sure the neck is relatively straight, and also that the bridge saddles aren't contributing to a really high action. If you're new to bass, slap and pop will be tough regardless, but should be easier after a setup is performed. If you encounter pain when slapping, you may be hitting too hard, and with a lower action you won't have to slam it so much to get a good slap sound. Hope that helps.
smbstressfest 3 years ago
yeah thanks.. i'm gonna try to set it up when i get home.. heheh.. currently studying in a university away from home.. heheh.. well when i borrowed a bass from my friend.. slap and pop wasn't painful.. eheheh.. or is it because of the strings? i use fender strings.. don't know the measurement.. but they are bigger than the usual strings..
kukie1000 3 years ago
It's likely the action, I could set up a bass with extra light strings and high action and you would have to hit very hard to get a good slap tone. Similarly, you could go with extra heavy strings and a lower action and it would be quite easy to slap and pop without hitting the strings too hard.
smbstressfest 3 years ago
Great video. What's your opinion on epoxying the fingerboard to avoid roundwounds chewing it up?
JacqueRamon 3 years ago
Great video series!
The playing sounded good, and I can tell with some fretless practice you'll do great.
lkb3rd 3 years ago
I've improved. And being on camera makes me.. eh.
Tengent 3 years ago
HEY THATS ME OMG.
Honestly all that I played sounds like poop. Oh well. >:B
Tengent 3 years ago