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Anyone else try using a pick with a fretless bass?

#42
Reletive noob to bass, but I bought a 5 string fretless anyway and I love it. I am making good progress so recently started trying to play faster stuff. While trying to learn 'riot' by Dead Kenedys I noticed that repeated double stops at speed are hard to pluck. I grabbed a pick and found it sounded ace and it was great fun to be strumming away pretending to be Klaus Fluoride. I feel I am likely to play fingerstyle mainly, but for some things I will keep a pick handy. There is no right way in my view - I ignored loads of advice on fretless bass (like buying one as my first guitar) - and I encourage others to go with what you feel is right for you.
 
#45
Ric5 said:
I built this fretless bass here ...



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It sounds and looks awesome ... the 4 band audere preamp really brings out some nice tones. I play it mostly fingerstyle with the fretless but is really sounds awesome played with a pick. So am I the only one who uses a pick with a fretless bass?
Click to expand...


That bass looks gorgeous. I'm a big fan of your work.
 
#47
a bit of a zombie thread, so sorry, but I am primarily a pick player (95%) due to surgery and will be getting my first custom fretless soon, so I am trying to devour as much as I can. Any other suggestions out there?
 
#55
For me, when I want my fretless to sound fretted, I use a pick. The pick seems to cancel out the fretless effect. Mostly, I want my fretless to sound like a fretless, so I use my fingers. I seem to lose the 'mwah' with a pick. It seems to me that the 'mwah' comes from my right hand, as much as my left, but that's just me. I haven't tried a pick on my electric upright fretless, yet. Basically, when I play, I try all kinds of things until I get close to the sound that I want. Experiment like crazy. It's cheap and fun!
 
#56
Awaken the zombie thread!
I play with a pick almost all the time on my fretted basses,but for my fretless basses,i prefer using tapewound strings,and i just can't seem to get that to sound quite right with a pick.(a bit thin).
If i were to try a flatwound or other metallic string,i'm sure it would be fine.
 
#57
Depends on the bass player & the pick...

I play mostly with my fingers, but some songs come more alive with a pick.

However I do believe that us what started the finish blemish issues on my fretless (Playing with a pick)
 
#60
I prefer fingers for fretless, but a pick can do stuff that's cool. I like a pick because I can mute the notes at will. Kinda like tic tac stuff. The attack is different and you approach the bass in a different manor as opposed to when you play with you fingers.

The pick is another tool for the groove and making a good noise!

Beautiful bass too.. Wow..I mean it.. excellent job!

Have at it.

"rr"
 

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