How To Defret a Bass Guitar

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Roland Carpenter
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3 How To Defret a Bass Guitar Scott Worthington Special thanks to Dave Hughes for his insight and great friendship. All rights reserved. It is illegal to copy and/or distribute any or all of this entire document. You must obtain written permission prior to reproducing this in any form, either electronic, or through printing or any facsimiles thereof. If you really want to share this guide with a friend, send this: They can sign up and get it, too! Contact information: scotty@bassdefret.com Additional Resources:

How To Defret A Bass Guitar Tools Required: Hardwood Veneer.023" Wood Glue Flush-Bottomed End Nippers X-acto Saw.

Steel Wool) Straight Edge Polyurethane (spray, wipe-on, brush-on, your choice. Tools to apply poly.

If you are not certain that you can complete these steps, do not proceed, and take your project to a qualified person for this procedure.

5 How To Defret A Bass Guitar Tools Required: Hardwood Veneer.023" Wood Glue Flush-Bottomed End Nippers X-acto Saw.022" X-acto Knife Electrical Tape Truss Rod Tool Radius Block (Not necessary if you sand carefully and maintain the radius) Sanding Block Various Grits Of Sand Paper (150, 180, 216, 400, 600, #000 Steel Wool) Straight Edge Polyurethane (spray, wipe-on, brush-on, your choice. Tools to apply poly.) Necessary Disclaimer These instructions assume that you have sufficient expertise to use these tools and to perform the procedures contained in these instructions. If you are not certain that you can complete these steps, do not proceed, and take your project to a qualified person for this procedure. The author cannot be held responsible for your actions regarding these instructions, and your interpretation of the steps contained herein. You, the reader assume all responsibility for your instrument, and the results of your choices including, but not limited to, any injury or damages incurred as a result of following these instructions. By following these instructions, you agree to release all responsibility and liability from the author, and from ultimateguitartone.com. Page 1 of 13

The Bass Defret Process 1. Ready the neck: If the neck is removable (Bolt-On neck), remove the strings and un-bolt the neck.

Turn the truss rod counter-clockwise until the tension is completely removed from the neck.

Note: About relieving the truss rod...this is to let the neck relax into its flattest condition with no string tension on it.

tensioned. 2. Prepare the frets for removal: If your bass guitar fingerboard has a coating of finish, use an X-acto knife to gently cut on either side of each fret.

6 The Bass Defret Process 1. Ready the neck: If the neck is removable (Bolt-On neck), remove the strings and un-bolt the neck. I removed the tuning machines and nut, too, just to prevent any damage to these parts. On the Kramer, Dave kept the tuners installed. Turn the truss rod counter-clockwise until the tension is completely removed from the neck. This allows the neck to relax to its flattest position and subsequently removes the side-to-side pressure from the frets and will allow the frets to come out easier. Note: About relieving the truss rod...this is to let the neck relax into its flattest condition with no string tension on it. Thus, when you sand the fingerboard in this condition, and if the neck responds evenly to truss-rod tension, it will be as flat as possible when strung up again and the truss-rod tensioned. 2. Prepare the frets for removal: If your bass guitar fingerboard has a coating of finish, use an X-acto knife to gently cut on either side of each fret. This will reduce the amount of chipping along the side of the frets. My fingerboard had no finish, so I used a screwdriver to gently tap on both sides of each fret to loosen the fret in the slot just a little bit. Using two strips of electrical tape, mask along both sides of the fret. Press the tape firmly in place right at the edge of the fret. This will hold in place any chips that might come out as a result of pulling a fret. Page 2 of 13

3. Remove the frets: Starting at the first fret, use fret nippers to grasp the fret and gently rock the nippers to pull

When you are somewhere between halfway and two-thirds of the way removing the fret, stop and grasp the other end of the

This will finish removing the fret and reduce the chance of chipping at the edge of the fingerboard.

Note: If there is some chipping of the fretboard, use a dab of liquid superglue (the really runny kind works best)

Because the chip is still in place with the tape it will just drop back in place and stick.

7 3. Remove the frets: Starting at the first fret, use fret nippers to grasp the fret and gently rock the nippers to pull the fret out. Start at one end of the fret and work toward the other end. When you are somewhere between halfway and two-thirds of the way removing the fret, stop and grasp the other end of the fret with the nippers. Slowly rock the fret toward the center of the fretboard. This will finish removing the fret and reduce the chance of chipping at the edge of the fingerboard. Take it slow on this process. The more patience you have, the better your bass de -fret will turn out! Note: If there is some chipping of the fretboard, use a dab of liquid superglue (the really runny kind works best) where the chip is and press the chip in place with a screwdriver handle. Because the chip is still in place with the tape it will just drop back in place and stick. I used this method on most of the frets on the Fullerton Bass de-fret project. The fret slots that I used super glue on came out better (less chipping) than the ones I left unglued (more chipping). Repeat the electrical tape masking, pulling, and super-glue/pressing of each fret until all the frets are out. Page 3 of 13

Here's Dave hard at work on his Kramer defret!

bottom of the slot. This allows for a good, tight fit for the veneer.

2.5" x.75" and (12) 3.0" x.75" strips (use your judgment here).

Determine the number of veneers you'll need, and how long to make them.

8 <-- SEE??? Your BASS is happy! 4. Clean and level the slots: Make sure all the fret slots are clean and flat along the bottom using a fret saw. I also removed the filler on the edges of the fretboard with the saw. Here's Dave hard at work on his Kramer defret! The objective for leveling the slot is to make the slot clean and flat at the bottom of the slot. This allows for a good, tight fit for the veneer. Again, for all the obvious reasons, go easy and slow with the saw to avoid cutting too deep. 5. Prepare the veneers: Using a straight-edge and x-acto knife, cut veneer into (12) 2.5" x.75" and (12) 3.0" x.75" strips (use your judgment here). Measure the width at the widest and narrowest fret slots. Determine the number of veneers you'll need, and how long to make them. By making the slots level in the previous step, and by cutting the veneethis will provide you with the best results you can hope for. Note: When installing the veneers, I snapped (5) of the veneer strips and had to make replacements for them. I recommend having them already cut and available, so you can simply remove the broken veneer and start with the new strip. Page 4 of 13

Consideration: If you desire obvious fret lines, you should choose your.

You could choose a lighter color, or a darker color according to your preference.

Glue veneers in place: Use wood glue for this process. You want this glue to dry slow and hard.

Hard cure allows the sanding process to go a bit easier, without clogging up the sand paper.

Holding both ends of the veneer strip, place veneer in slot and slide back and forth as you pull (or push) down on the

Sliding back and forth allows the strip to slip down into the slot, and moves the glue around into all the tiny spaces

I found that taking a break after the removal, fret slot leveling, veneer cuts, and glue in, was a GOOD thing.

9 Consideration: If you desire obvious fret lines, you should choose your.023" veneer in contrast to the actual color of your fretboard. You could choose a lighter color, or a darker color according to your preference. If you desire less obvious fret lines, you'll have to very closely match the color of your fretboard. 6. Glue veneers in place: Use wood glue for this process. You want this glue to dry slow and hard. Slow drying time allows you enough time to get the fret fillers set into place. Hard cure allows the sanding process to go a bit easier, without clogging up the sand paper. Apply liberal amount of glue to the fret slot, and to the veneer strip. Holding both ends of the veneer strip, place veneer in slot and slide back and forth as you pull (or push) down on the ends of the veneer. Sliding back and forth allows the strip to slip down into the slot, and moves the glue around into all the tiny spaces in the slot. Carefully wipe away any excess glue. Let the veneers dry in place overnight to allow for the best results. I found that taking a break after the removal, fret slot leveling, veneer cuts, and glue in, was a GOOD thing. I was grateful for a break after all that tedious work. On a side note: I made a decision regarding the veneer strips. I noticed that the veneer I obtained from my trusted source had a two-tone coloration. One color was dark brown and the other was light brown or almost tan. So, I cut the lighter strips to fill the slots associated with the inlays. It is a very subtle affect, but I like the way it turned out. You can see it in some of the pictures if you look fairly closely. Here's some shots of that process in action... Page 5 of 13

7. Trim Veneers: Using a sharp X-acto blade, gently score the veneers "just-above" the surface of the fretboard.

The only problem I had with these veneers is when one veneer broke off just below the level of the fretboard.

It was minimal, and was corrected after applying coats of polyurethane and sanding it all back down to the rosewood.

A second choice is to use a wood filler of the same color as the veneer, and simply apply that to the break-area.

You will have to use your judgment here, because extreme care is required to resaw a fret slot.

10 7. Trim Veneers: Using a sharp X-acto blade, gently score the veneers "just-above" the surface of the fretboard. This will allow you to break the veneers off just above the fretboard. The only problem I had with these veneers is when one veneer broke off just below the level of the fretboard. This created a slight problem where I needed to build-up the chipped area. It was minimal, and was corrected after applying coats of polyurethane and sanding it all back down to the rosewood. Caution: If you break out a veneer too deep, you could simply saw out all or part of the veneer, and reglue another piece. A second choice is to use a wood filler of the same color as the veneer, and simply apply that to the break-area. The strength of the veneer should still be enough to provide even tension along the fingerboard. You will have to use your judgment here, because extreme care is required to resaw a fret slot. There is significant room for error at this point... Fortunately, I didn t have this happen, but I could see where it might be a problem in some cases. 8. Check Your Work: As strange as it sounds, check your work periodically. Take frequent breaks, with many cold beverages (I prefer iced tea down here in Texas)... Remember, the most important thing is to have fun. Here I am using my super powers on the fretboard! Fret Slot Fillers - Before and after shots: Page 6 of 13

9. Sand Fingerboard: Now, using a radius block, lightly sand the board to get rid of any roughness.

) If there is any bow in the fingerboard at its flattest condition, it will have to hand-leveled by

To level and set radius, gently use a radius block with 80-grit sand paper to do the leveling,

Once it s straight (flat) and set to the correct radius, go over the board with 120- grit and then

I have seen DIY bass fingerboards with significant scratches and minor indentations.

MY personal preference was to make the fingerboard as smooth as possible.

After 220, 440, 600 and 800 grit papers in succession, I noticed the fretboard take on a shine.

Just too be sure, take a piece of #000 steel wool and work the length of the fingerboard, top and sides.

11 9. Sand Fingerboard: Now, using a radius block, lightly sand the board to get rid of any roughness. (This is also a good time to figure out if you want a different radius for the fingerboard.) If there is any bow in the fingerboard at its flattest condition, it will have to hand-leveled by shaping. You could check the flatness of the fingerboard using a long straightedge. To level and set radius, gently use a radius block with 80-grit sand paper to do the leveling, periodically checking for straightness. Once it s straight (flat) and set to the correct radius, go over the board with 120- grit and then 220-grit to get rid of any scratches. This sanding process can be done to your own personal discretion. I have seen DIY bass fingerboards with significant scratches and minor indentations. These fingerboards still sounded great when played! MY personal preference was to make the fingerboard as smooth as possible. That was my choice, and the fretboard I de-fretted is now very smooth! After 220, 440, 600 and 800 grit papers in succession, I noticed the fretboard take on a shine. With the reflection from a light source, and sighting down the fingerboard, it was smooth and shiny! Just too be sure, take a piece of #000 steel wool and work the length of the fingerboard, top and sides. Take care to maintain the smooth lines on the edges where the fretboard meets the neck wood. 10. Apply Polyurethane: There are several schools of thought regarding the application of finish. My choice was to use a sanding sealer on the board, and to allow that to dry for a few days, and then return to sand smooth again. I did that using a basic sanding sealer I found at the nearby big-box store. Page 7 of 13

After that was applied and dried, I began the re-sanding process to obtain the smooth, filled condition I was looking for.

Through the process, I discovered that the areas where it was gooey were consistent with the grain pattern.

subsequently the polyurethane, would not completely dry.

I could see that I had to change my tactic a bit when after applying another coat of polyurethane, the gooey spot would appear again!

When I would sand the board back to the rosewood, the gooey spots would simply go away. So, that s where I left mine.

My friend, Dave, finished the Kramer, a Squier, and a Danelectro bass with great success using the polyurethane process.

When satisfied with the results, you can steel wool the board to create a slight matte finish which will reduce the friction, and

12 After that was applied and dried, I began the re-sanding process to obtain the smooth, filled condition I was looking for. What I found was a bit disturbing. The sanding sealer was still gooey in three places on the fretboard! Through the process, I discovered that the areas where it was gooey were consistent with the grain pattern. My best guess is that where the grain was more porous, it was also more oily, thus causing the conditions where the sealer, and subsequently the polyurethane, would not completely dry. That was kind of disappointing, because I was looking for a nice glossy, dry finish coat, consistently covering ALL the fretboard! I could see that I had to change my tactic a bit when after applying another coat of polyurethane, the gooey spot would appear again! I attempted several times to obtain the result I mentioned above, each time with very similar results. When I would sand the board back to the rosewood, the gooey spots would simply go away. So, that s where I left mine. I figured I could use an oil to condition the rosewood, and be done with it! My friend, Dave, finished the Kramer, a Squier, and a Danelectro bass with great success using the polyurethane process. Just apply two or more coats with light sanding between coats. When satisfied with the results, you can steel wool the board to create a slight matte finish which will reduce the friction, and make the neck faster and easier to play. 11. Regulate The Nut: The frets are now out, and the distance between the strings and the fretboard are now greater than they should be for optimum playability. It is likely that the bridge saddles are too high as well! Check both of these things by re-assembling the bass, stringing it back up, tuning properly, and playing it. Check the distance between the bottom of the strings and the 1st fret position. Page 8 of 13

The nut is probably already loose. If not, tap it out and shave, file, or sand the bottom of the nut carefully to maintain the correct shape.

That way the nut will fit snug against the base of the neck wood and at the end of the fretboard.

particular bass! Consideration: The crown measurement, or height, on your bass frets can be anywhere from.036" to.053" high.

So, with that in mind, you could measure the crown on the first fret and shave the nut just a little less than that thickness.

The string tension should "feel good" to your playing touch, and have the absence of buzzing. A good rough estimate is about.

Set the nut height to what feels good for you! Caution: Take your time to get this right. You ll be glad you did when you get it right the first time. 12.

13 The nut is probably already loose. If not, tap it out and shave, file, or sand the bottom of the nut carefully to maintain the correct shape. Take off enough to allow for optimal playability. It s that simple! Hint: Be sure to keep the bottom of the nut at a 90 angle to the face of the nut. That way the nut will fit snug against the base of the neck wood and at the end of the fretboard. You want that snugness to help the string vibrations transfer into the instrument, which we all know helps improve sustain, and achieves ultimate tone for that particular bass! Consideration: The crown measurement, or height, on your bass frets can be anywhere from.036" to.053" high. The crown could be slightly lower if you ever had a fret-job done on your bass. So, with that in mind, you could measure the crown on the first fret and shave the nut just a little less than that thickness. Pop the nut back in and play around a bit. Your personal preference is what counts here. The string tension should "feel good" to your playing touch, and have the absence of buzzing. A good rough estimate is about.035" between the G string and the first fret position. The distance between the E string and the first fret position should be around.045" or so. Set the nut height to what feels good for you! Caution: Take your time to get this right. You ll be glad you did when you get it right the first time. 12. Adjust the Bridge: Your bass guitar should have been set up properly as a fretted instrument. If it was correctly set up, the bridge will be set too high for your new fretless neck! You ll need to lower the strings in relation to the new distances you ve made from yanking out those pesky ol chunks of metal! You should be able to simply lower the individual bridge saddles using your allen wrench and a feeler gauge. This part may take some time to get just right as you may encounter some issues that take a while to overcome. Page 9 of 13

Each of these issues must be approached with a slightly different method. The following pictures detail the process of checking each string. First, tune your bass correctly.

14 13. Setting String Height: a. String Buzzing String Buzzing could be one of the problems you encounter. You should pay special attention to the buzzing to determine if it is all along the fretboard, or if it is in just one place along the length of a given string. Each of these issues must be approached with a slightly different method. The following pictures detail the process of checking each string. First, tune your bass correctly. Then, press the individual string firmly to the fretboard, strike the string and slide your finger up toward the bridge at a consistent rate of speed. Repeat this step on each string while listening for any buzzing or dead spots. If the buzzing is seemingly consistent along most of the fretboard, then simply raise the bridge saddle a bit, re-tune, and try it again. You may have taken the nut too low, which can be fixed with a shim. You could use your.023" veneer for this! If the buzzing is in one spot along the fretboard, and is on one or more strings in the same spot on the fretboard, you may need to re-work the surface of the fretboard to work out that spot. It could be that there is a high spot or a low spot somewhere that needs to be leveled. b. Dead Spots Dead Spots could be another issue that you encounter. A dead spot will show up by failing to ring true when you play the note. It could be that you encounter more than one dead spot, if you do, I would suggest a re-surface sand with a long sanding block and some very light (600 grit or higher) sandpaper. This should remove any minor imperfections in the level-ness of the fretboard surface. If the dead spot is only in one place on one string, you can raise the string a tiny tweak, re-tune, and re-test. It could be that the fretboard needs to settle in to adjust to its new configuration. Please see my article about dead spots on Give it some time This is a slow process It s all good! Page 10 of 13

c. Bridge Saddles Bridge Saddles could possibly be a problem. There are many different types of bridges, too numerous to include all of the different adjustments that could be needed.

You will need to make the determination according to your exact circumstances. You can use the ultimateguitartone forum to post your defret issues and questions.

15 c. Bridge Saddles Bridge Saddles could possibly be a problem. There are many different types of bridges, too numerous to include all of the different adjustments that could be needed. For the purposes of this book, we will assume that there are essentially two basic adjustments, string length and string height. You will need to make the determination according to your exact circumstances. You can use the ultimateguitartone forum to post your defret issues and questions. Dave and I moderate the forum, and will respond as quickly as possible. If I can't answer your question, I'll defer to Dave. He is extremely versatile working with bass guitars. On my Fullerton Bass defret (above), which is one of the bass guitars defretted for this instruction manual, that is exactly the problem I had! I discovered that the thickness of the saddle piece is just a little too much, so I needed to make one of two choices. 1. Possible choice one: File the "bottom" of each bridge saddle piece to a height slightly lower than what is needed. Then I could seat the saddle in place, adjust the string length, and use the allen screws to raise the saddle to the appropriate height. Assuming the truss rod was set for the correct neck relief, as the length and height adjustments reached their correct locations, the intonation for each string, respectively, would be correct. Dave had to use this method with his Kramer bass because it is a set neck. 2. Possible choice two: Modify the angle of the neck with respect to the bridge. What that looks like is removing the neck, placing a shim in the neck pocket closest to the bridge, and retightening the neck in the neck pocket. If you have a set-neck bass, then this cannot be done. The Fullerton I de-fretted has a bolt-on neck, so this was a viable option in my case. Considerations: Filing metal is destructive, and not reversible. Shimming the neck, however, is reversible! When working with instruments, I tend to lean toward the reversible approach. That way I can back-step one step and make a different choice assuming there's an alternative! Another consideration is the possibility that a shim may negatively affect the tone and sustain of your bass. Using tone woods for your shims will help some. Using plastic cards, cardboard and paper shims will likely suck some of the life out of your bass. Page 11 of 13

14. Shimming The Neck: I used some left over walnut veneer

In order for the neck to rest in the pocket at the correct

headstock to be perpendicular (90 angle) to the neck.

below. The two veneer pieces at the heel (.

023"), tapered to the body provided exactly the angle needed

The result is an excellent coupling or seating of the neck in

16 14. Shimming The Neck: I used some left over walnut veneer from the fret-slot filler stock. In order for the neck to rest in the pocket at the correct angle, I had to shape the two veneer pieces to match the heel of the neck/slot. It was important to make the end of the veneer that faced the headstock to be perpendicular (90 angle) to the neck. I think you can see it illustrated pretty well in the pictures below. The two veneer pieces at the heel (.046"), tapered to one piece (.023"), tapered to the body provided exactly the angle needed to compensate for the height of the frets being gone! The result is an excellent coupling or seating of the neck in the neck pocket. Result of shim project = Nice tone... oh yeah. Again, take your time to get this step right, too. It will pay great dividends in your tone and playability! 15. The Finished Product: Page 12 of 13

17 16. Playing Your Fretless: If you haven't played a fretless before, this will be an amazing experience for you! I have a few tips for you to get started playing your "new" fretless bass guitar. Play the notes where the veneers are located. This will be a great beginning reference point for the initial tone of any note. If you start just a tiny bit flat, you can quickly and easily compensate. Roll your finger on the string slightly to vary the frequency of the note ever so slightly. You can use the combination of slide -n- roll to achieve the exact note you're trying to play. Experiment with your new style of playing. You will find a vast array of finesse-effects that you can achieve by simply attacking the neck in subtle and slightly different ways! Plucking the string in different places gives different attack and tonal characteristics. I find that plucking directly over the selected pickup gives the optimal attack and tone for my taste. When both are selected, plucking right between them is the best compromise (again, for my taste). Generally, plucking nearer the bridge gives a staccato attack and 'punchy' tone, while plucking up toward the neck heel gives a mellower, rounder tone with a softer attack. And I'd like to mention that one of the best ways to learn some of the subtleties of fretless bass tone and technique is to listen to and watch fretless players. Fretless bass seems to lend itself more readily to tonal variations due to hand techniques than does fretted bass. Experiment with different string types (round, flat, semi-flat, etc.) to determine what YOU like best. If the finish wears down on the neck, you can always re-finish it, right? Most of all, enjoy your new fretless bass guitar. You have chosen the ultimate electric bass upgrade! (Pesky little metal pieces!) Page 13 of 13

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