Do coated roundwounds eat up fretless fingerboards?

[akuma12]

I'm in the market for a fretless 4, probably going to get a Fender MIM Jazz. Unfortunately, it has an uncoated rosewood fingerboard, and I'm concerned with my strings eating into it. I'd like to use roundwounds, because I'm not after an acoustic thump (already have an upright for just such an occaision ) but I don't want to have to worry about coating it either. I currently use Elixir Nanowebs on my fretted Jazz 4, which I absolutely LOVE; I'm an Elixir convert. I was wondering if a coated string like Elixirs would eat into a rosewood fingerboard as badly as an uncoated string.

The other kind of string that has been intriguing me are nylon tapewounds. What kind of sound do they generate on a fretless? I've heard they're somewhat of a compromise between roundwound and flatwound. If anyone has any soundclips that would be WONDERFUL! Thanks very much!

Jim

[SherpaKahn]

Most roundwounds are pretty nice to fingerboards, anyway. I have little doubt that coated rounds will be very nice to your fingerboards. In my opinion, the whole "eat into your fingerboard" thing is too hyped. Unless you're playing Rotos and bending your vibratos side-to-side (instead of up and down the string), I think that roundwounds are a fine choice of string for fretless basses. Sure, Flats can sound divine on fretless, but let your ears be the capital decision-maker regarding string choice, not your fears.

While I know many of us (myself included), cannot afford to be replacing our necks/planing our fingerboards every year, I think you could get away with nickel rounds or smooth steel rounds on fretless for much longer than most people think. Besides, flats eat your fingerboard, too. They're just a bit slower eaters.

I don't mean to attack you personally, I'm just a bit surprised by how often this subject comes up. Anyway, I'd say coated rounds are most likely very safe to use on your fingerboard, and regardless (well, more likely with little regard), to what strings you use, your fingerboard will not be destroyed all that quickly anyway.

-Stephen

[anonymous278347457]

Originally Posted by SherpaKahn

but let your ears be the capital decision-maker regarding string choice, not your fears.

dont let your wallets be either, though sometimes it is hard to resist

[Koki]

My nickleplated steels eat up my frets so I think they would eat up wood too.

[LifeIsBass]

I had stainless rounds on this old crap fretless with a rosewood fingerboard I had a few years back and you could see marks if you looked closely but I wouldn't say that they ate into the fingerboard. So I too, think that people worry about it way more than what's necessary.

[lowtide]

I've played fretless for years and with just about every kind of string available and have never noticed wear to the point of replacing a fingerboard in my life. Sure, some roundwounds will leave impressions and the fboards WILL be wearing down in time, but if you are playing enough hours on your fretless to have to redress the board you must be good enough to not have to worry about it . . .