I know you guys don't mind people modding their Stingrays, so .....

[Aussie Mark]

Thought I'd post this cool mod that I found on eBay

What makes this even rarer is that it appears to have had 2 frets installed in the upper register at the factory. The job is so good this is the only way in my mind it could have been done. This way you get fretless however on the two lower strings you can slap. This is as good as it gets.

Vintage Pre Ernie Ball Fretless Stingray Bass (eBay item 190502994710 end time 24-Feb-11 14:22:49 AEDST) : Musical Instruments

 

[silverburst]

I wonder if maybe the factory just removed the rest of the frets and the markers. Makes almost as much sense.

 

[Duarte]

W....T.....F.....

What's going on here? Hahaha!

 

[lowliferumble]

W....T.....F.....

What's going on here? Hahaha!

Does that mean "Where's the Frets ? " or "Who's the Fool ?" or all of the above? Kinda' reminds me of " Did I tell you it goes to 11 ? "

 

[jlepre]

I don't get it..

 

[MadMatt]

I've seen so something similar from a luthier here in Frankfurt. Pretty cool if you ask me. It simply gives you the "String hitting fret" sound when you slap while retaining the fretless sound when playing normally. I imagine it started life as a normal rosewood fretted bass, then the Frets removed and a rosewood slab the same thickness as the frets was installed on the original board. Ask the buyer for a picture of the FB from the side at the nut and where the frets are. The extra rosewood layer may be visible.

 

[MadMatt]

BTW, I've just noticed the strings are not centered correctly on the neck at the bridge end. I would speculate the neck is not mounted straight or is warped lateraly. I would definitely pass on this one but I am not a pre-EBMM expert.

 

[jlepre]

I imagine it started life as a normal rosewood fretted bass, then the Frets removed and a rosewood slab the same thickness as the frets was installed on the original board.

I have to disagree. If this was the case, you would still see lines where the frets once were. JMHO

 

[MadMatt]

I have to disagree. If this was the case, you would still see lines where the frets once were. JMHO

Not if the thin piece Rosewood as wide as the FB is glued on top of the original fretboard, (think of it replacing the frets) and covers up the fret slots.

 

[danny-79]

Lost me ????

 

[jlepre]

So where do you get the pieces of rosewood "FRETS" that exactly match the existing blank plank? Unless they match perfectly, you will see them as faint lines. C'mon guys, somebody help me out here.

 

[danny-79]

It almost looks like there is another "Fingerboard" suck on top of a fretted neck ????

 

[jlepre]

That's what I was thinking also. Looks kind of like a band-aid.

 

[MadMatt]

It almost looks like there is another "Fingerboard" suck on top of a fretted neck ????

EXACTLY!!! Sorry my ability to explain things it lacking today.

It's probably simply a long piece of rosewood veneer 1.5mm thick with cut outs for the frets mounted on the original FB at the bridge end.

 

[danny-79]

Or another possible explanation is the part highlighted in red has been removed from a stock fret less fingerboard and the 1/2 and 3/4 bits of fret wire have been added.

 

[ptg]

I've seen so something similar from a luthier here in Frankfurt. Pretty cool if you ask me. It simply gives you the "String hitting fret" sound when you slap while retaining the fretless sound when playing normally.

I'm not a slap guy so I'm confused... If that were the case, why would you only want the slap sound on 2 strings?

 

[oli@bass]

Cool. I'd rock that bass. However, I slap my fretlesses and don't see a need for an extra fret for that purpose at all....

 

[jlepre]

Or another possible explanation is the part highlighted in red has been removed from a stock fret less fingerboard and the 1/2 and 3/4 bits of fret wire have been added.

That was what I meant. Not that someone glued an ENTIRE blank plank on a fretted board.

 

[MadMatt]

Or another possible explanation is the part highlighted in red has been removed from a stock fret less fingerboard and the 1/2 and 3/4 bits of fret wire have been added.

I doubt it. It would be pretty hard to machine the exact corners like that and don't forget the curvature of the FB that must be maintained... And then how would you cut the slot for the fret completely to the edge of the cutout. You could not make it look like even with one of the fancy CNC Machines the factory uses.

With a big piece of veneer, wood glue, a straight edge and an exacto knife I could make a FB that looked just like that

 

[RocketRalf]

BTW, I've just noticed the strings are not centered correctly on the neck at the bridge end. I would speculate the neck is not mounted straight or is warped lateraly. I would definitely pass on this one but I am not a pre-EBMM expert.

It might be due to the bass not having the period-correct saddles? (see BRIDGES - Musicmanbass.org, Music Man, Musicman, Music Man Bass, Musicman Bass, Music Man Guitar )