Members jimwratt Posted February 29, 2008 Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 So I finally got cracking on my first fretless conversion this morning. It took about 45 minutes to pull all the frets out. Then I just spent the last hour and a half gluing in wood veneer lengths where the frets used to be. I'm gonna let the wood glue set for a while and then I'll get on to shaving and sanding the markers down to fretboard level. Here's some pics Before Frets coming out Frets totally out Markers going in Markers totally in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bedlum Bednarik Posted February 29, 2008 Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 keep us posted on the results, im watching. Id like to try this on a pos rouge strat neck I have Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jimwratt Posted February 29, 2008 Author Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 Ready for sanding Half way done All strung up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jimwratt Posted February 29, 2008 Author Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 and I'm rockin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bjcarl Posted February 29, 2008 Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 will you post sound clips when it's done? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vantango84 Posted February 29, 2008 Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 what's this do to the sound? +1 on the sound clips wanted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jimwratt Posted February 29, 2008 Author Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 I have to do the clips tomorrow because its too late to turn my amp on and record. They will be coming though. I'm jamming out to some Dave Fiuczynski right now on headphones and I haven't been this excited since I learned the opening lick to Purple Haze when I was 13. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bjcarl Posted February 29, 2008 Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 I have to do the clips tomorrow because its too late to turn my amp on and record. They will be coming though. I'm jamming out to some Dave Fiuczynski right now on headphones and I haven't been this excited since I learned the opening lick to Purple Haze when I was 13. can't wait-i've been eying my cheap-o peavey p-bass thinking about doing the same thing. i actually can't recall ever hearing a fretless guitar... btw...weren't you more excited the first time you ever touched a naked girl? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jimwratt Posted February 29, 2008 Author Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 can't wait-i've been eying my cheap-o peavey p-bass thinking about doing the same thing. i actually can't recall ever hearing a fretless guitar... btw...weren't you more excited the first time you ever touched a naked girl? That was before I was 13 :poke: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vantango84 Posted February 29, 2008 Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 .weren't you more excited the first time you ever touched a naked girl? it's a different kind of excited... er... I hope... I really really hope. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jimwratt Posted February 29, 2008 Author Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 CLIPS CLIPS CLIPS CLIPS CLIPS CLIPS CLIPS CLIPS CLIPS CLIPS CLIPS CLIPS http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=434569&songID=6316991 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members hshaitan Posted February 29, 2008 Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 That's freaking awesome. I've always wanted a fretless... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members hshaitan Posted February 29, 2008 Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 ohohoh! I just listened to the clips! That sounds freaking deluxe. Good job! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bdecorsey Posted February 29, 2008 Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 Awesome thread. I've been thinking about de-fretting my danelectro for a while, and this thread may have pushed me over the edge, especially after listening to that clip. How would you rate this project in terms of difficulty? Maybe compared to some other projects you've done? Also, could you talk a bit more about your intonation issues? You mentioned that it was easier to adjust to than you'd predicted. Is this with single-note lines, chords, both? I'm especially interested in how tricky it is to keep chords in tune, as this is I imagine that toughest part, esp. with some trickier chord shapes. Thanks a bunch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Snambo Posted February 29, 2008 Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 Well done! I'm impressed. My experience with a fretless guitar was comical at best. It wasn't my guitar so I didn't play it much. I was to dependent on getting close and letting the fret do the work. Had you had much experience with fretless guitar before you did this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members trill Posted February 29, 2008 Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 That clip was {censored}ing awesome. I've always been interested in fretless, but I'd definitely want to try one out before I bought one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members atrox Posted February 29, 2008 Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 Nice Job. Welcome to the fretless club! Looks great Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members thredlok Posted February 29, 2008 Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 wow nice job! Nice clip too! I have a hard enough time playing a guitar with frets:thu: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jimwratt Posted February 29, 2008 Author Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 Awesome thread. I've been thinking about de-fretting my danelectro for a while, and this thread may have pushed me over the edge, especially after listening to that clip.How would you rate this project in terms of difficulty? Maybe compared to some other projects you've done?Also, could you talk a bit more about your intonation issues? You mentioned that it was easier to adjust to than you'd predicted. Is this with single-note lines, chords, both? I'm especially interested in how tricky it is to keep chords in tune, as this is I imagine that toughest part, esp. with some trickier chord shapes.Thanks a bunch. Outside of sliding a finger up the neck of a fretless bass in a gc years ago and seeing Dave Fiuczynski and Bumblefoot play a couple of times, I'd never really been in the same room as a fretless anything. I played this guitar for about an hour and a half just to figure out how differently notes and chords sounded and I recorded the clip. Intonnation in chords is tough not because its hard to get your fingers in the right spot linearly speaking, but vertically speaking. If you try to play an open position E chord for example, its hard to get the b and e in tune because one finger winds up having to be in front of the other (unless you have really tiny fingers). As for single note things, the intonation isn't too hard because from the one year I studied classical guitar when I was a freshman in HS, I got into the habit of playing right behind the fret which is where the best tone is. For me, its really a matter of playing just a hair in front of that. The more I practice (especially once I actually start working specifically on intonation), the better my intonation will get I'd imagine. It's probably not too tough to play chords once you figure out what to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jimwratt Posted February 29, 2008 Author Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 Nice Job. Welcome to the fretless club! Looks great Man, those are gorgeous. Epoxy coating I presume? I was considering that for this axe but I couldn't figure out what kind to use. Any suggestions? BTW, what's a fretless like with a tremelo? Maybe I could throw a Bigsby on this baby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kasper Posted February 29, 2008 Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 That's cool man, I love my fretless bass, but I don't think I'd want a fretless guitar though Cool clip too, though you'll have to practise a lot to get somewhat good intonation I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Danox3 Posted February 29, 2008 Members Share Posted February 29, 2008 the middle one (Kramer) is mine, Floyd Rose depression just bottoms out the string to the fingerboard. Sound cool VERY slightly used. The action is very low, I don't really use the bar at all. Cool with a E-Bow! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jimwratt Posted March 1, 2008 Author Members Share Posted March 1, 2008 the middle one (Kramer) is mine, Floyd Rose depression just bottoms out the string to the fingerboard. Sound cool VERY slightly used.The action is very low, I don't really use the bar at all.Cool with a E-Bow! what kind of finish did you use on the board? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members atrox Posted March 1, 2008 Members Share Posted March 1, 2008 what kind of finish did you use on the board? I did the conversion for him. I use an epoxy, smooth it out with radius blocks and then finally add a coat of epoxy appliance spray paint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bjcarl Posted March 1, 2008 Members Share Posted March 1, 2008 wow...just checked out the clip-sounds absolutely stellar! now aren't you glad you didn't ruin your guitar? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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