Is this fretless or not?

dmusic148 · #1 12-24-2008, 08:38 AM

I can't tell. He gets a pretty convincing fretless mwahh tone, bit I didn't think Dominique DiPiazza played fretless. Gorgeous playing either way.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=yq-TT0i5uTc

Demon_Hunter · #2 12-24-2008, 08:42 AM

looks like a lined fretless.
Sounds cool...
after seeing that I had to see more of him and found
THIS with John McLaughlin

jmattis · #3 12-24-2008, 08:44 AM

Yup, thats a fretless. Check out the slide he does right around 1:00.

bongomania · #4 12-24-2008, 08:45 AM

It is hard to tell, but he's running through some effects, so maybe it's a "fretless" patch on a multifx unit. Normally those "fretless" fx suck beans, but I suppose in a good player's hands it could work.

He seemed almost as bored by that noodling as I was.

dmusic148 · #5 12-24-2008, 10:20 AM

After watching again, I think the answer is no. I can see the frets hanging over the bindings. Can't explain the tone though.

Jazz Ad · #6 12-24-2008, 10:23 AM

I think it's a fretted with a Neuser NFS-Bridge.

jmattis · #7 12-24-2008, 10:56 AM

Wow, I think you are right. Nice pick-up. That thing is pretty incredible.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jazz Ad

I think it's a fretted with a Neuser NFS-Bridge.

frankie5string · #8 12-24-2008, 11:16 AM

How the heck does that work? Is' there some sort of friction on the string beyond the saddle point?

BigOldHarry · #9 12-24-2008, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmusic148

After watching again, I think the answer is no. I can see the frets hanging over the bindings. Can't explain the tone though.

+1

sounds great, though.

**barebones** · #10 12-24-2008, 11:25 AM

The giveaway to me is the side-to-side left hand vibrato technique, rather than the forward-to-backward rolling technique typically used on fretless instruments. Definitely a fretted bass.

VroomVroom · #11 12-24-2008, 11:29 AM

Man, I love hearing him play! Kind of a trip - just listening (as I'm doing now), I'd sure guess it was a fretless instrument. That bridge is incredible - I'm going to have to read up on that thing.

Thanks for sharing the link - aside from the great question, it's a beautiful bit of playing.

frankie5string · #12 12-24-2008, 11:31 AM

Ah... I found the setup instructions on their website... What mess to get that thing in tune!

Actually, looking at the video, it appears that some of his vibrato was actually fore-and-back... so I wonder if the bass had really thin/short frets...

dmusic148 · #13 12-24-2008, 12:15 PM

Geez, did you see their 'Claudia' bass? What the.....!?

**barebones** · #14 12-24-2008, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankie5string

Ah... I found the setup instructions on their website... What mess to get that thing in tune!

Actually, looking at the video, it appears that some of his vibrato was actually fore-and-back... so I wonder if the bass had really thin/short frets...

I agree. I thought I saw him using fretless vibrato technique when he was playing down lower. Not sure why that would be. I know some players who do that out of habit sometimes on their fretted basses when they switch from fretless. When he moved up the neck, though, it looked to me like he was using the fretted technique.

bassrique · #15 12-24-2008, 02:26 PM

dmusic148,

I was wondering if you'd please do an edit and somehow put "Dominique Di Piazza" in the subject line for archive search purposes?

Grizzly700 · #16 12-24-2008, 02:29 PM

Is it just me or is the string spacing huge. He might have small hands throwing it out of proportion but it looks really wide too me.

frankie5string · #17 12-24-2008, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grizzly700

Is it just me or is the string spacing huge. He might have small hands throwing it out of proportion but it looks really wide too me.

I think that's the bass... Looking at other examples of the same brand, they all seem to be such that you can order wide spacing...
But then again, that was outside of the distracting face-closeups that make him look like he's passing gas and sniffing himself while playing... <sigh> ... another hack with a zoom lens...

iamthebassplayr · #18 12-24-2008, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stringbass69

The giveaway to me is the side-to-side left hand vibrato technique, rather than the forward-to-backward rolling technique typically used on fretless instruments. Definitely a fretted bass.

That is what I was thinking when I saw it.

Awesome playing, and an awesome effect none the less.

bassrique · #19 12-24-2008, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grizzly700

Is it just me or is the string spacing huge. He might have small hands throwing it out of proportion but it looks really wide too me.

And speaking of the bass in the posted vid, what is it?

Stealth · #20 12-24-2008, 02:48 PM

...that sounds unusual. I wonder how hard it is to install, intone and play it. But heck, if that thing can give a fretted the sound of a fretless, here goes another bass mod.