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Post by jcoutu1 on Dec 30, 2014 10:24:14 GMT -6
Anyone ever work on their board? I just grabbed a used fretless jazz and there are a few deadspots where the board is a bit worn. I read that a little sanding should clear it up. I'm going to grab a radius block and try touching it up. Any advice or concerns?
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Post by Johnkenn on Dec 30, 2014 10:55:47 GMT -6
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Post by popmann on Dec 30, 2014 15:01:54 GMT -6
I have never in my life heard of such a thing. But, then, what do you mean by dead spot....like it's worn so much it sticks there? You slide from below it to above it and....what happens that's not a continuous slide in pitch?
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Post by jcoutu1 on Dec 30, 2014 15:11:20 GMT -6
I have never in my life heard of such a thing. But, then, what do you mean by dead spot....like it's worn so much it sticks there? You slide from below it to above it and....what happens that's not a continuous slide in pitch? Dead from wear. I can bend out of the note and get it clean, but where the note should be, it's buzzing out. I imagine that someone had rounds on it before and the rounds wore out the fretting locations a bit. |
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Post by popmann on Dec 30, 2014 17:24:47 GMT -6
So, it buzzes....and SLIDING out of it takes the buzz away? Not bending--that changes where it is on the radius further up.
You've raised THAT string's height at the bridge a little? A lot?
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Post by jcoutu1 on Dec 30, 2014 17:57:40 GMT -6
So, it buzzes....and SLIDING out of it takes the buzz away? Not bending--that changes where it is on the radius further up. You've raised THAT string's height at the bridge a little? A lot? Bending or sliding take the buzz out. On the A string, my C and D buzz. C# is good. I don't think it's an action issue. |
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Post by mobeach on Dec 30, 2014 18:37:45 GMT -6
I did it with my fretless, I used a sanding block then steel wool, then West System marine epoxy. It really brought out the mids!  |
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Post by mobeach on Dec 30, 2014 18:46:01 GMT -6
This is the same bass just after refinishing, I then air brushed it with a gray/green color change paint. You can see the Turtle Wax in the photo as well, I buffed on about 15 coats with an orbital sander which gives the bass some nice muaahhhhhh. A coat buffed on during every string change works well. And I use D'addario half rounds   |
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Post by joelhamilton on Dec 31, 2014 21:11:11 GMT -6
I have never heard of sanding a board to make it more lively, but I have finished fretless boards in Super Glue which did wonders. Marine epoxy of course is what Jaco had on his boards, so that should be even better.
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Post by mobeach on Jan 1, 2015 9:01:46 GMT -6
The Polyester Mike Pedulla puts on his fretboards is amazing, but he won't share the mixture with anyone. Obviously  |
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Post by jcoutu1 on Jan 1, 2015 9:25:51 GMT -6
It seems like these dead spots from rounds are a fairly common thing with fretless basses and the common cure is a little board sanding to re-flatten those spots. I'm going to order a radius block and some paper from stewmac and give it a go.
Fortunately, we're talking about an 80's Fender MIJ jazz, not an Alembic or something.
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Post by joelhamilton on Jan 1, 2015 13:47:10 GMT -6
If I were going to order sanding blocks and work it over I would consider putting some kind of hard finish on it. It will add a lot of longevity to the instrument.
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Post by mobeach on Jan 1, 2015 16:15:30 GMT -6
I like the half rounds, they dig into the epoxy a little over time but it'll be years before I have to re-coat it. Those strings give me just enough twang while giving me the tone I want out of a fretless. I really only use it for melodic ambient stuff though.
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