Hey Folks

[Königspinguin]

Hello, impressive forum you guys have here. Tons of useful information.

I have been playing the guitar (Schecter C+1, Martin D28) for about four years, and recently I have been interested in taking up bass. Specifically, the fretless jazz base. It is just such an interesting instrument. I don't know much about basses, besides that they are divided between "Precision Bass" and "Jazz Bass" styles, and that they require more of your right hand dexterity than a guitar does. Another reason I have moved into the bass spectrum is because I am a very big guy with very large hands, and working high up on the guitar is quite cumbersome. I also hear that good bassists are sought after commodities for bands these days?

I've been searching around the internet, but I haven't been able to find a fretless jazz bass that doesn't have fret lines or inlays. I kind of like that style, but I see it isn't really popular among bassists. And if I were to get a fretted bass, I've been looking into the Schecter Model T, since I quite like my Schecter C+1.

Are there any finger exercises I can start doing to prepare me better for bass before I get the instrument?

Thanks in advance,
Königspinguin.

[Late Boomer]

Originally Posted by Königspinguin

... I've been searching around the internet, but I haven't been able to find a fretless jazz bass that doesn't have fret lines or inlays. I kind of like that style, but I see it isn't really popular among bassists. And if I were to get a fretted bass, I've been looking into the Schecter Model T, since I quite like my Schecter C+1.

Are there any finger exercises I can start doing to prepare me better for bass before I get the instrument?

Welcome!

I'm not a fretless player myself: still trying to get the hang of the fretted instrument. If you're coming from guitar, IMO, you might want to consider starting with a lined fretless. My understanding is that getting the intonation right on a fretless is challenging at first. The extra visual help at the outset might be beneficial.

As far as finger exercises, I suspect that four years of guitar playing is all that you'll need. You will find that your left hand technique changes. My instructor is a fan of "one finger per fret" on the bass, where you span four frets with the fingers of the left hand. When sounding a note, you'll want to depress the string at the correct fret, and the other 1, 2, or 3 fingers on the same string further up the neck (hope that makes sense). Practicing a similar technique on your guitar might help a bit.

There is a wealth of information here. I'm just a rookie. See what the old-timers have to say: if you've not already done so, try searching for "exercises" or "unlined fretless" as a start, and see what comes up.

Welcome to TalkBass!

[Königspinguin]

As I've been researching fretted and fretless basses more, I think I've come to a conclusion that a fretted would actually suit the style of music I play more. Maybe I'll invest in a fretless down the line though.

[mitchlin]

Königspinguin, I have only been playing bass about 3 years and I picked up a Fender fretless about a year ago. I love that fretless sound and feel. I debated the "sissy" lines too, but ended up getting one with the lines. At the end of the day, I think it's a really handy way to start playing fretless. I figure as my ear gets better and I get more confident with the fretless I may go un-lined, but for now it's nice to be able to look down for that quick point of reference to make sure I'm "visually" in tune. - For what it's worth....