Grand Wazoo
Well-known member
Wacky idea, but it could work...
For the attention of EBMM R&D
For years I have been thinking about this perhaps insane project for a more versatile bass that could be both fretted and fretless on the same neck at the flick of a lever under the headstock
I will explain my idea:
Imagine you have a neck with the receiding frets mounted on a lockable spring loaded mechanism under the fretboard, kinda like a second trussrod, running across the existing tensioning truss rod.
Well my idea would be that if you flick a lever your frets will all drop down flush with the fretboard making it fretless and then when you need them up again you flick the lever again they will pop up and be locked in place.
Of course there are a few drawbacks to this project, such as a compromised action that must compensate for both situations, but I am sure this is something that a skilled modern and forward thinking luthier could actually produce.
It will save us having to take 2 basses on the road for one thing!!
Yet, imagine if you will the surprise on peoples' face when one minute you are bopping a killer slap groove like Marcus Miller on your fretted mode, and the second you are wailing like Jaco on your fretless mode and yet you are still using the same bass?
If anyone was to make a bass like that I would certainly buy it now.
For the attention of EBMM R&D
For years I have been thinking about this perhaps insane project for a more versatile bass that could be both fretted and fretless on the same neck at the flick of a lever under the headstock
I will explain my idea:
Imagine you have a neck with the receiding frets mounted on a lockable spring loaded mechanism under the fretboard, kinda like a second trussrod, running across the existing tensioning truss rod.
Well my idea would be that if you flick a lever your frets will all drop down flush with the fretboard making it fretless and then when you need them up again you flick the lever again they will pop up and be locked in place.
Of course there are a few drawbacks to this project, such as a compromised action that must compensate for both situations, but I am sure this is something that a skilled modern and forward thinking luthier could actually produce.
It will save us having to take 2 basses on the road for one thing!!
Yet, imagine if you will the surprise on peoples' face when one minute you are bopping a killer slap groove like Marcus Miller on your fretted mode, and the second you are wailing like Jaco on your fretless mode and yet you are still using the same bass?
If anyone was to make a bass like that I would certainly buy it now.
Last edited:
