Hi guys,
I want to build a fretless fiver.
The twist is that i want it to sound kind of.... Brass-ish.
Closest to trumpet.
I thought about it and i think i need a REALLY solid wood.
A 5/3 Piece neck.
Neck through body.
But what electronics... pickups? passive/active? kind of preamp?
Maybe a fretless maple neck would help?
Maybe hollow body?
I don't know, I'm really puzzled now...:help:
maybe you have an idea what do i need to make it like that?

Thanks,
Gal :)

i'm just curious about this thread.

interesting idea though..

My first build was an all flame maple body with a fretless maple/ebony neck. It surprised me to play it because it wasn't harshly bright like everyone expected. It's got a tight growly sound at any tone balance and when I solo the bridge pup with mids up it does indeed give you a brassy tone. This bass has a DeArmond preamp with twin soapbar pups. I think that active is definitely the way to go so you can really tweak the midrange.

hmmmmm...
ebony fretboard VS all that maple....
Definetly LOTS of mid's....
good idea!
Tanx...
Do anyone think a wooden bridge would help?

Metal fingerboards give this bright tone with even harmonics, without getting harsh.

Never heard about a fingerboard made from metal :eyebrow:

Wouldn't it be a little bit heavy?

not as bad as the ones made from stone

:eek: ...naahhhhhhhhhh

metal fingerboard?!?!
any example?
maybe graphite.... but metal?!

Metal fingerboards give this bright tone with even harmonics, without getting harsh.

Brass fingerboard? Never knew metal fingerboards existed. Then again i have seen a youtube video of a guitarist playing a fretless guitar with a glass fingerboard.

Metal fretboards...

http://www.elderly.com/vintage/items/images/185U/185U-297_fretboard.jpg
http://www.vigierguitars.com/gcatalog/GIcata/VE6FTouc.JPG

Yes yes ...I know ...those are g**t*rs ...but their fretboards are from metal!!!

stone! http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h279/spudmaster34/detail111.jpg http://www.nexus-guitars.com/bmmedusagranitezebrao.html

stone! http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h279/spudmaster34/detail111.jpg http://www.nexus-guitars.com/bmmedusagranitezebrao.html

:eek:

... And granite of all types of stone. How do the different materials the sound? (metal, stone, glass... uh Plastic?...)

stone! http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h279/spudmaster34/detail111.jpg

:eek: ....and it even looks nice!!! but it must weight like a ton!!!!!

"Trumpet-like sounding fretless?"

Try a Trombone.....



Sorry........ :D



Mike

think its more of a EQ thing than anything. listen to micheal manring, that's about as brass-like as you can get, and he's still playing quite a normal bass (i play a zon, and i dont get that kind of sound).

first thing that comes to mind is an all graphite neck.

Never heard about a fingerboard made from metal :eyebrow:

Wouldn't it be a little bit heavy?No. It's so hard, it doesn't need to be thick.
Vigier Basses are offered with a metal board as an option.
http://fr.audiofanzine.com/img/produits/normal/2/1/21721.jpg

"Trumpet-like sounding fretless?"

Try a Trombone.....



Sorry........ :D



Mike

LOL!

...or is it a Trumpet sounding like a fretless? :confused:

LeFay has metal fingerboards, and so has Andreas. As option, of course. And its a thin sheet of stainless steel over a wooden core, so it's not very heavy.



And the trumpet is entirely free from frets, I'm sure of that.

http://fr.audiofanzine.com/img/produits/normal/2/1/21721.jpg

...nice bridge.

God....
It's got to be awesome!!!
But the question is... How the hell can i build something like that?!
Or should i just order a neck from Vigier or LeFay?

For something more realistic - try a hard wood like ebony, and coat it with epoxy. Or use an acrylicized fretboard from Larry Davis at Gallery Hardwoods. Go listen to Basscast 27 (http://basscast.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=126654) to hear what an epoxy coated fretless can sound like. It's awesome!

edit: The hands of Mark Egan help a bit, as well.

edit: The hands of Mark Egan help a bit, as well.

...just a little tiny bit!!! :p