Club Fbass (Part 11!)

[Tom7]

Laughing. I'm sure 16.8 would be fun once I got used to it, but I doubt I would unless I quit playing my other basses... consequently it would drive me crazy.

I have been thinking about "thinning the herd" as they say here on talkbass though. With a smaller number of basses, perhaps I could play one enough to get that used to it.

[Tom7]

My youngest daughter is on the midlevel of the house blasting Justin Beiber so loudly I'm sure most of you guys can hear it too.

It's not that bad actually, although it sounds like he's using a machine to play bass.

[Tugboat]

Hey guys....could I get some help here please? I'm in the market for a fretless, and I've been looking at a couple F Basses. This is my first fretless and I do NOT want a lined fretless. I'm trying to get a handle on the FBass mini lines they use?? I know they are on the side and are located where the frets should be, and there are also dots on the outside where the note is, like on every fretless. I'm just curious because I'm not sure if I like the idea or not and I was wondering what anyone here with these on an F fretless thought about them? And does anyone have a pic of their bass with mini lines from the side? I'd like to see it. My whole point here is if I want a fretless with no lines, do these mini lines defeat the purpose? And I don't want lines for the learning curve, not because of the looks.

[bass4worship]

Going to miss my Fbass, it's on the block right now due to my hands. This is truly a amazing bass and the last one I wanted to let go. Thank you guys for the thread on Fbasses. I will continue to keep up with want going on here. Fbasses and you guys rock.

[kbuschmann]

Originally Posted by Tugboat

Hey guys....could I get some help here please? I'm in the market for a fretless, and I've been looking at a couple F Basses. This is my first fretless and I do NOT want a lined fretless. I'm trying to get a handle on the FBass mini lines they use?? I know they are on the side and are located where the frets should be, and there are also dots on the outside where the note is, like on every fretless. I'm just curious because I'm not sure if I like the idea or not and I was wondering what anyone here with these on an F fretless thought about them? And does anyone have a pic of their bass with mini lines from the side? I'd like to see it. My whole point here is if I want a fretless with no lines, do these mini lines defeat the purpose? And I don't want lines for the learning curve, not because of the looks.

Good question. I have a lined BNF5. I'm saving for an AC5 - which is likely to be unlined. I think it's time to take off the training wheels, but I get a little nervous thinking about it.

And if anybody has a nice AC5 they're looking to vend, shoot me a line.

[Tom7]

Originally Posted by bass4worship

Going to miss my Fbass, it's on the block right now due to my hands. This is truly a amazing bass and the last one I wanted to let go. Thank you guys for the thread on Fbasses. I will continue to keep up with want going on here. Fbasses and you guys rock.

Wow. Sad day. Please keep hanging out here; you are very welcome.

[Tom7]

Originally Posted by Tugboat

Hey guys....could I get some help here please? I'm in the market for a fretless, and I've been looking at a couple F Basses. This is my first fretless and I do NOT want a lined fretless. I'm trying to get a handle on the FBass mini lines they use?? I know they are on the side and are located where the frets should be, and there are also dots on the outside where the note is, like on every fretless. I'm just curious because I'm not sure if I like the idea or not and I was wondering what anyone here with these on an F fretless thought about them? And does anyone have a pic of their bass with mini lines from the side? I'd like to see it. My whole point here is if I want a fretless with no lines, do these mini lines defeat the purpose? And I don't want lines for the learning curve, not because of the looks.

I thought I had a photo that showed the lines somewhere, but I guess I don't. These will have to do until I can take one.




Now, about those hash marks...

[Laughing] Don't think of the hash marks as cheating or training wheels.

I also own a fretless non-Fbass which is exactly as you described other fretless basses: it has dot markers. And you know what? There is absolutely NO difference for me between putting my fingers where a white line is on my Fbasses, or putting my fingers at where I can see is the spot exactly between two dot markers. None.

Whether you are using white lines or the midpoint between two dots, you find your bearings either way by the white markings on top.

And it takes some work to play either, and the same work.

Before my unlined fretless basses, I had lined fretless bassess, and when I switched to unlined, there was a time when I thought I made a mistake. In fact, I thought I might not be able to do it which really rattled me considering the money I put out in it.

It took me awhile to play with good intonation, and Mitch Starkman, a player's player, recently got an AC5 and even he needed to work to get the intonation right. (See below).

Originally Posted by basses55

Hey guys, havent been here in a little while....just wanted to say that I've had this AC5 for a bit and its an amazing instrument in every way...these are really "Kings" in the fretless world ....and my first one.
I know I'm repeating things already stated over and over but I wanted to add my voice in saying that FBass is tops..George and the crew make incredible instruments that are unique in design, and beautiful to boot. Thanks FBass for making this killer bass!!

Now I have to learn how to play it..... ( in tune )

Cheers
Mitch

[olegsulimov]

Originally Posted by Tugboat

Hey guys....could I get some help here please? I'm in the market for a fretless, and I've been looking at a couple F Basses. This is my first fretless and I do NOT want a lined fretless. I'm trying to get a handle on the FBass mini lines they use?? I know they are on the side and are located where the frets should be, and there are also dots on the outside where the note is, like on every fretless. I'm just curious because I'm not sure if I like the idea or not and I was wondering what anyone here with these on an F fretless thought about them? And does anyone have a pic of their bass with mini lines from the side? I'd like to see it. My whole point here is if I want a fretless with no lines, do these mini lines defeat the purpose? And I don't want lines for the learning curve, not because of the looks.

Fbass AC6 is my first fretless and it's not lined. But it's enough to have dots and lines above the neck But in any case you'll have to practise a lot for pure intonation.

[swedbass]

For studio work having a lined fretless is a great help and saves a lot of time and many punches...for everything else, it's possible to learn to play with very good intonation by using proper hand positioning, muscle memory and your ears. But don't think of it as 'training wheels', even Gary Willis prefers lines on his fretless.

I think the way Fbass uses the mini lines and dots is extremely clever and the best solution I've seen for unlined fretless and I would definitely get them on my bass.

[Tugboat]

To be honest I'm psyching myself out/scaring the beejeesuz out of myself because I don't think of myself as a good bass player and I'm gonna drop $3+ grand on a bass that I can't even play!

[Tugboat]

To be honest I'm psyching myself out/scaring the beejeesuz out of myself because I don't think of myself as a good bass player and I'm gonna drop $3+ grand on a bass that I can't even play!

[Randyt]

Originally Posted by Tugboat

To be honest I'm psyching myself out/scaring the beejeesuz out of myself because I don't think of myself as a good bass player and I'm gonna drop $3+ grand on a bass that I can't even play!

Dont think of it that way...It can be called buyers remorse...but you wont go wrong with a FBass...Think of it as a Huge inspiration!!!

[TolerancEJ]

Originally Posted by Tugboat

To be honest I'm psyching myself out/scaring the beejeesuz out of myself because I don't think of myself as a good bass player and I'm gonna drop $3+ grand on a bass that I can't even play!

But it may inspire you to pick it up more often to practice. My chops certainly aren't gonna make anyone turn their heads in my direction, though I want an F Bass nonetheless.

[Tugboat]

Originally Posted by TolerancEJ

But it may inspire you to pick it up more often to practice. My chops certainly aren't gonna make anyone turn their heads in my direction, though I want an F Bass nonetheless.

The FBass part is easy. It's the whole fretless, never picked up a fretless in my life thing that is bothering me.. Like I have the feeling of shouldn't I keep practicing and get much better on a fretted in the kiddie pool before going and diving headfirst I to the deep end kind of feeling.

[puff father]

I've played my BN5 more than any bass I've owned. I can't walk past the case without wanting to get it out and play it. It inspires me to practice and I've improved as a bass player because I bought it. (Individual results may vary).

[Tom7]

Originally Posted by Tugboat

To be honest I'm psyching myself out/scaring the beejeesuz out of myself because I don't think of myself as a good bass player and I'm gonna drop $3+ grand on a bass that I can't even play!

First, there is a difference between playing well and playing in tune.

Second, a lineless fretless is daunting, but George makes lined fretless basses too.

Third, I have never heard anyone diss Jaco for playing a lined fretless, have you? That's why I didn't care and played one from 1979 to 2008.

Fourth, I didn't give it one second's thought when I went lineless; the bass was just so beautiful that I had to have it.

Then when I was butchering everything I played I had a panic that I could not tell my wife about, and I tell her everything. Did we just spend circa $7,000 (I don't remember the real price) on an instrument I can't play?

Here's the point: if that bass cost $700, I wouldn't have stuck with it.

But because I committed to that instrument, I stuck with it, now I don't want lines. I sold my lined 6.

BTW, if you are a vocalist, then you know what it is like to play a lineless fretless bass. You learn how to control your muscles to get what you want, and how to hear when you are off.

[Tom7]

Oh, and here is that first lineless fretless:

[TolerancEJ]

@Tom7 - That AC6 is spectacular! What is the body wood and top wood?

[Tom7]

Originally Posted by TolerancEJ

@Tom7 - That AC6 is spectacular! What is the body wood and top wood?

Thanks! The body wood is balsa and the top wood is ply. Yeah, I'm kidding.

The top is burl redwood, and the body is flamed maple with acoustic chambers.

[Tom7]

Okay, here is the top view of two different unlined, fretless basses.

The first is the Fbass AC6 I posted photos of earlier. The second is of my Barker electric upright fretless.

On the Barker, as on all fretless basses that I know of, the dots are placed where the fret would be instead of between them like on fretted basses, therefore it is an easy thing to place your finger at the midway point between two dots, and have it where the fret would have been.




Something I hope you notice is that especially with an Fbass unlined fretless, you can definitely see where you should be placing your fingers to play in tune. This is yet another of so many of George Furlanetto's innovations that help make him my favorite luthier.

If you are just playing a note, you can look and see where to press and do it just fine. The trick comes from playing lines and keeping it in tune with your hand changing positions... then it is another trick to do it without watching your left hand -- like when you are trying to read sheet music.

I LOVE watching and listening to Alain Caron play his AC6. Not only is he such a great player, but he's got such great fretless tone.

For everyone's enjoyment, here's a lineless fretless clip, courtesy of Andrea Balasso. Who wouldn't want that tone? As he solos, he is so far up the neck that you can see how the markers on the finger board under the C string can be a real help.

And here is Mirko Testoni playing a BNF6 (lineless). Different tone, but great as well. You can really hear how that metal bridge differs from the wooden one in the last clip.

Finally, here is Edmond Gilmore playing an AC5. Again, different tone, but so wonderful. This is an agile bass. Edmond is a monster among monsters, playing and (of course) intonation. Wow.