Fretless Basses

SAguitar · Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2004 8:56 pm Post subject:

I've never tried the flatwound things. I gave up those in the early '70's when I discovered Rotosound. And if I chew up my fretboard on my fretless with roundwounds, so be it. The Tone is why we do this.
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brownma30 · Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2004 4:40 pm Post subject: Fretless Basses

I'm a confirmed fretless addict. I own a Godin A4 and a Rick Turner Renaissance 5-string. I hardly play fretted anymore. Here's why:<p>A fretless with a piezo pickup sounds more acoustic. Fretless is more sensitive to nuances. Glissandi are cool. Vibrato. The smoove way the neck feels. Fretless is sexy.

nate d · Newbie Alert Joined: 26 Jan 2004 Posts: 4

i agree. after owning mine for a little over a month now i can say its almost like trying to learn a whole new instrument. intonation is a mf'er. its also a 5 string which is a completely different topic. BUT, practice is the key to any new instrument/bass. new territory comes with new challenges. after spending 4 weeks straight on it, it really made me appreciated picking up my old 4 string p bass and jammin out with my boys.

-nate
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SAguitar · Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2004 7:21 pm Post subject:

Right on guys! Go for it!
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Rapture · Sea Monkey Joined: 09 Dec 2003 Posts: 14

My advice would be to never use a fretless 'to be different.' You'll end up with an annoyed guitarist and singer. I like to use fretless only for loops; and jazz where the bass can be the melody more so than the rhythm. For rock, primarily stick with a fretted. For all you bassist/ guitarists out there, it's like getting a 12-string. They are real cool and fun at first, then you soon realize that they are too impractical to be your primary instrument.

The unique sound of the fretless can be awesome in rock, however. It's kind of an airy hollow 80's new wave sound.
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SAguitar · Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2004 8:28 pm Post subject:

Good points, Rapture!
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BigGuppy · Posted: Sat Mar 06, 2004 10:06 am Post subject:

I got a fretless about 3 months ago after playing a warwick i decided to build one on my own. Now i hardly play my fretted anymore. I practice my intonation daily and now i play faster on my fretless than on my fretted because of the better action fretlesses tend to have. My advice try both, therell be one which stands out as being better and for me that was fretless.
its a much more expressive instrument
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SAguitar · Posted: Sat Mar 06, 2004 11:14 am Post subject:

I agree, they are much more expressive!
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Stingraymund · Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2004 1:07 am Post subject: I won't fret

I'm all set to buy my first fretless next week (after payday) Smile

it's gonna be a Musicman Stingray 4-string fretless...I went to the seller's house the other day to check it out. Having only played a fretless bas 2-3 times in my life previous, I acclimated to the thing fast. The dude even told me I had pretty good intonation for someone who never really played fretless before.

He did tell me that after playing fretless for a while, playing a fretted bass will feel weird. And he was right: I tried out his fretted Stingray (which wasn't for sale) just to see how it sounded and I swear the frets felt like they were a foot high.
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SAguitar · Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2004 6:25 am Post subject:

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FunkDoctorK · Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2004 11:13 pm Post subject:

i just bought a music man sterling fretless. best *Holy Censor, Batman* bass ive ever played. if i get tired of the fretless neck, i can always bolt on one that has frets...what a wonderful technological age we live in...
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BigGuppy · Posted: Sat Oct 30, 2004 8:30 am Post subject:

i have played only my fretless for a while now. and now i find that i cant do many things on a fretted. i can do two hand tapping efortlessly on my frettless but whenerver i try my fretted it comes out only as clicks. I can even slap better on my fretless now.
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Neil Gray · Posted: Sun Oct 31, 2004 6:36 pm Post subject:

Slapping on a fretless has always been a bone of contention for me. I tried it for months, and just couldn't get enough punch or pop from the thing. I play funk as my primary style, so at least once every four beats, something gets slapped!
It's frustrating, because the gliss and vibrato fit well into funk, but the lack of life in the slap capabilities makes it a no go for me.
The guy in Paul Simon's band slaps fretless better than anyone I've heard, but he has virtually created the style as far as I'm concerned. It sounds great for that music, but can't be assimilated into other styles effectively.
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malthumb · Goldfish Joined: 01 Jan 2004 Posts: 56 Location: Detroit

I started seriously playing fretless about trwo years ago. I will always have a fretless in my stash now. As has been said, they are very expressive.

As for playing funk, try playing Stevie Wonder's "Knocks Me Off My Feet" on fretless. It gives you an incredible feel and tone. I also used to play a funked up version of the Beatles "Taxman" and Jimi Hendrix "Them Changes" on fretless. Both sound better on fretless than on my fretted basses.

Peace,

James

beakerbass · Tadpole Joined: 30 Jul 2005 Posts: 26 Location: UK

Had a tokai Jaco pastorius model (fretless jazz) a great bass lovely sound,had to sell it ,but that is one bass i wished i kept.one day i hope to get another one .As it was the Jaco model it was a lined fretless which made it easier to play than a pure fretless ,but still had that tone.
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