Information on a Pass II

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by jeff freund

Hi ...have been playing a fretted Pass II since I bought it in 1984. Recently tho, I've been very inspired by playing my son's fretless Precision and have considered making the Pass II fretless. I'm wondering if by chance anyone out there has done this.

I'm not a luthier and I wondered if there was anything unique in the construction of a fretless vs a fretted model...i.e. if there is any reason I shouldn't do this. The Pass II is a lifelong love that I'd hate to ruin in any way. I'd very much appreciate your thoughts.

Thanks
Jeff Freund

A fretless needs to have the same board height as a fretted board so we would make the fb thicker to begin with. Dr-fretting this bass would make it too low for the bridge unless sunk in to the body. Then, the strings will be closer to the body wood as well.

On a bolt-on you can shim up or re-pitch the neck angle for the bridge height. On a Neck thru, it's done once, when it's made. Sorry..