Maybe on the next bass you make, use a “zero fret”?
It’s just like all other frets, but is installed instead of a nut.
A friend of mine played on a bass that has a zero fret and he says it’s great, as all fretting position (also the open) sound exactly the same!
Also: you never have to worry about string diameters again, no filing, no nothing!
Congrats !
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I just finnish my first bass project. I really enjoy to do that.
Bass is old Aria maybe from the eighteens.
I shape the body, leveling the frets, new pickupss, new flat strings and home made saddle from the reindeer antler. And new paint, i used 2k car paint. Im really happy in end, and enjoy to play with this. Its nice to change to my two shortscale basses, and the flatstrings sounds totally different. Its not perfect, but huge upgrade, how it sounds before, and much better to play.
Now, looking forward, My head is full of ideas. 
I’m about to start a similar project with a 1991 Ibanez SR600
It’s current color is please-kill-me-white and I’m planning to paint it in BMW’s automotive dark orange metallic, like this:
I’m not going to sand it until wood tho, just sand the current finish, cover the dents, paint and finish again.
Wish me luck, last time I tried with a guitar was a mess haha
My Epiphone Viola has a zero fret- I am a fan
I also tend to put brass nuts on some of my builds
Same here: I have adjustable brass nuts on all my basses, except on my fretless - doesn’t make sense on fretless.
But since my friend explained the advantages of zero fret, this is what I really want (except on the fretless)
I have a couple basses with zero frets. I like them. As with anything, there are tradeoffs. The zero fret will wear faster than the rest of the frets, for one.
I wound up using a pre-slotted, pre-radiused fingerboard for this one, so a zero fret wasn’t an option. I’ll certainly consider doing one in the future, although perhaps not the next one.
I put a zero fret on a bass once. Pam did too - miss ya Pam.
Anyway, I was underwhelmed by it, but ymmv
ABSOLUTELY STUNNING!!! I wish I had that talent.
Thanks @RBC64 ! But let me assure you, the only talent involved here is being too thickheaded to realize this is supposed to be hard.
I did finish carving the heel transition on the neck though, and gave it an oil rub finish. It feels freaking fantastic, and looks pretty dang good too if I do say so myself!
I had a BMW 140 in that colour. I’m now sad that every car I’ve had since was not in that colour.
The M Sport blue is lovely too
Great color indeed!
We’ll see how it turns out this time. I didn’t even started sanding yet but I almost got everything I need. I just need some spare time without the kid running around as the varnish is 2K and it’s super nasty stuff…
I might take one or two days off and do it when the kid is at the school.
I really want to do it right this time! This bass was played by a close friend in my first band ever back in high school, then years later he bought another one and gave this one to me.
I think I may need to recognise I may have a problem, My latest project bass is pretty much done.
A “Hofner” Bass VI:
That’s pretty cool! I was looking at those Hofners yesterday as I’ve started playing some Beatles stuff. A VI would be an interesting twist.
It took a little bit to get it right-all the parts needed modding but it works now.
Stringjoy heavy Bass VI rounds, roller bridge.
I wanted to use a brass nut but the one I got was too short so I used an acoustic one I had lying around.
The donor is an old Axiom Beatle bass I don’t use
Made a sandwich of the cutoffs from the top and neck. Stained the lighter maple to match the color of the top. Secured with set screws.
I love that!
This is definitely a nice unique touch!
I think this bass is finally done. It was originally a Squier Classic Vibe 70’s bass. I added Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounder pickups and a Fender HiMass bridge. After that I got a new pick guard and knobs. Then I got new tuners. A month ago I put new Fender pots in it and shielded the cavity with copper tape. I have also realized in the last while that I prefer jazz necks to precision necks. I tried to get a cheap one online, but it was way too chunky (not really a jazz neck). So I bought a Classic Vibe 60’s jazz bass and swapped the necks. I also like the look of the darker fret board vs the maple and I really like block inlays. I really like the way it looks, feels, and sounds.
So the CV 60’s jazz bass… I put the precision neck on it and they look really good together. It quickly became my backup bass and I started playing it more and more. So it got some SD quarter pounders and a Fender HiMass bridge too and the same tuners that are on the P bass. And to finish it off I wrapped the pick guard with metallic black vinyl.
