What do you prefere and why?

Both.

Standard brings it way more for aggressive music. But... use the right tool for the right job.

What is 'standard'? If you mean fretted or fretless, I think there's a place for either/both, sometimes in the same song.

exactly, tools. most of the time i play fretted though

btw this should be in the bass section, since it has nothing at all to do with technique

Standard for me IS fretless. I do have a fretted bass, but I haven't picked it up in months.

Standard brings it way more for aggressive music. But... use the right tool for the right job.

Yes, but Steve DiGiorgio plays metal with fretless and sounds very cool!

Both. Depends on the song. Always the song!

+1... tools. So are pianos, violins, clarinets, synths, djembes... even guitars ;)

Use your ears, not your fingers/eyes/bass collection. Sometimes a bass-range singer is the right move, you know?

If I had to pick just one - fretted. I play both but I grab the fretted a lot more often. Just more versatile, at least for the music I play.

Fretless is all I've played for approx. 30 years, incl. a self-imposed 7 year lay-off from music altogether... started playing again 2 years ago.

Just for me personally, it's the sound I hear in my head, my voice on the instrument... it expresses what I have to say on bass.

JMHO

I use both fretted and fretless basses, depending upon the type and style of music.

i have a fretless jazz bass..........and haven't picked up a fretted bass for ages. i prefer fretless much more. :smug:

Fretless is all I've played for approx. 30 years, incl. a self-imposed 7 year lay-off from music altogether... started playing again 2 years ago.

Just for me personally, it's the sound I hear in my head, my voice on the instrument... it expresses what I have to say on bass.

JMHO

30 years on nothing but fretless? You are someone I want to take at least a lesson or two from.

If forced to pick, I'm leaning more and more towards fretless. I'm glad I don't have to pick - but it really is closer to being "my voice" (I'm still not sure if/when I'll be sure what "my voice" really is).

Definitely fretless. I like how it can be made to sound a lot more lyrical.

Fretless is preferred for speed, but frets are nice for grabbing chords.

both

Fretless. I don't play a Standard bass. I play fretted though.