What are the steps of converting a bass to fretless?

GwennyT

GwennyT

Nov 3, 2023
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Knoxville, TN
#1
I've seen countless videos of fretless conversions-- but almost all of them are different. Some use a soldering iron to warm up the frets before removing them and some don't, some apply polyurethane to the fretboard, some apply superglue to the fretboard, some apply beeswax, some apply epoxy resin, and some don't apply any finish.
What are the most direct and effective steps?
 
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#2
GwennyT said:
I've seen countless videos of fretless conversions-- but almost all of them are different. Some use a soldering iron to warm up the frets before removing them and some don't, some apply polyurethane to the fretboard, some apply superglue to the fretboard, some apply beeswax, some apply epoxy resin, and some don't apply any finish.
What are the most direct and effective steps?
Click to expand...
Depends on (1) the quality of the job you wish to accomplish and (2) what kind of surface you want the board to have at the end.

Heating the frets up can loosen up any glue they might have in the slots and generally make them come out a little easier regardless if they're glued or not.

Use fret pulling pliers for the cleanest work. Take your time. Put down painters tape on either side of each fret so that any bigger chips don't get lost, then press them down and super glue them in place.

Fill the slots with wood veneers, not plastic or putty or some sort of goop. Plastic won't expand/contract like wood and will lead to the lines turning into little bumps as the fingerboard itself acclimates to changes in humidity.

Use a straightedge to make sure your neck is set dead straight before you start sanding anything. Remove the nut. Sand evenly one end to the other. Apply even but very light pressure as you sand. Use a sanding block (highly recommend a radiused block that matches the original radius of the fingerboard.

Apply whatever finish you prefer. Easiest is to just oil the board like you would if it had frets. If you want a hard finish, super glue (CA) is way easier than epoxy. It takes a more layering than epoxy, but I think it's more straightforward to use.
 
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#3
GwennyT said:
I've seen countless videos of fretless conversions-- but almost all of them are different.
Click to expand...
That’s because not all craftspeople approach the same task the same way.

@J Posega sums up the basics procedure above. As for the details of accomplishing each step, you’re likely to get ten different procedures from ten different luthiers. They’ll all be right and they’ll all just be one person’s method of achieving the same goal.
 
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#6
J Posega said:
Depends on (1) the quality of the job you wish to accomplish and (2) what kind of surface you want the board to have at the end.

Heating the frets up can loosen up any glue they might have in the slots and generally make them come out a little easier regardless if they're glued or not.

Use fret pulling pliers for the cleanest work. Take your time. Put down painters tape on either side of each fret so that any bigger chips don't get lost, then press them down and super glue them in place.

Fill the slots with wood veneers, not plastic or putty or some sort of goop. Plastic won't expand/contract like wood and will lead to the lines turning into little bumps as the fingerboard itself acclimates to changes in humidity.

Use a straightedge to make sure your neck is set dead straight before you start sanding anything. Remove the nut. Sand evenly one end to the other. Apply even but very light pressure as you sand. Use a sanding block (highly recommend a radiused block that matches the original radius of the fingerboard.

Apply whatever finish you prefer. Easiest is to just oil the board like you would if it had frets. If you want a hard finish, super glue (CA) is way easier than epoxy. It takes a more layering than epoxy, but I think it's more straightforward to use.
Click to expand...
Thank you so much! This will be very useful :)
 
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#7
Having "fixed" several DIY copies, unless you have a bass that is not a bolt on, buy a fretless neck and swap them out. The methodology Mr. Posega outlines is one good proper way to accomplish the task. Regardless of how you go about it, there are several tools that are really a necessity to get it right. If you don't own a good straight edge (NOT a ruler or scale) fret pliers, fret slot files, fret cleaning tools, and a radius sanding block, you'll really need to acquire them. By the time you've bought those things, you could probably have bought a used neck at least.
If this is not a bolt on, look at having a luthier you trust do the work.
On the other hand, if this is something you just want to do to gain the experience, by all means have fun.
 
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#10
GodsLove66 said:
Step 1: Buy a bass that was already made fretless!

*Alt Route: Buy a fretless neck and swap on a Precision or Jazz or something. Or Warmoth.
Click to expand...
This doesn't appear to have any frets-- do I buy it?
lmbassbig.jpg
 
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#13
GwennyT said:
I've seen countless videos of fretless conversions-- but almost all of them are different. Some use a soldering iron to warm up the frets before removing them and some don't, some apply polyurethane to the fretboard, some apply superglue to the fretboard, some apply beeswax, some apply epoxy resin, and some don't apply any finish.
What are the most direct and effective steps?
Click to expand...
Rip the frets out, sand the fretboard, fill the slots, sand and finish the fretboard.
 
#14
GwennyT said:
I've seen countless videos of fretless conversions-- but almost all of them are different. Some use a soldering iron to warm up the frets before removing them and some don't, some apply polyurethane to the fretboard, some apply superglue to the fretboard, some apply beeswax, some apply epoxy resin, and some don't apply any finish.
What are the most direct and effective steps?
Click to expand...
I de-fretted my bass with a putty knife. Jaco used a butter knife. I filled the frets with the dust from sanding the fret board. I then cleared over it, and used a grain filler to finish the fill job. I then cleared over that a few times, and sanded it flat. It came out pretty good actually.



I was attempting to refret my first bass. It didn't happen, so it turned in to a fretless instead.
 
#16
I've dealt with enough low spots on lined fretless boards direct from the factories that put them on their basses to be way too spooked to bust out the veneer strips and titebond. I think I'd rather steam off an existing fretboard and slap on a nice flat ebony unlined fingerboard sanded smooth with milliongrit, glue and wrap it in bands, and be done.
 
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