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Anyone just play fretless bass?

ofahy434

ofahy434

Guest
Nov 26, 2013
5
4
Lynchburg, VA
#1
Hello everyone!

So for some time now, I have imagined myself getting another bass to make fretless or just to buy one. However, reality has set in and I'm not going to get another one. With just purchasing a house and having a growing family, spare money is non-existent at this point; which I'm sure some can relate.

So currently I have a '98 Warwick FNA 5-string bass. The previous owner did not take great care of it so in the near future I'm going to refinish it and while I'm at it I was thinking to convert it to a fretless bass. I love the sound of a fretless bass, especially a Warwick, but I'm also hesitant and scared to do it. I have played fretless a few times and I know I will like it, but because its my only bass I'm worried it won't have the versatility like it has now. I play rock, acoustic, and church music primarily and I do almost no slap. What are your thoughts? Do you find that fretless has its own voice and can be incorporated anywhere or are there times you wish you had a fretted bass? I appreciate any wisdom shared! :D
 
#3
I love playing fretless bass and have a killer fretless FBass. It will never be my #1 or only bass though.

Some of the stuff I play requires very precise intonation that I just can't do on a fretless. I don't play Sweet Emotion, but it's a good example.... try to play the signature riff on a fretless on a dark stage if you aren't an extremely strong fretless player. Sounds pretty terrible for beginner or mediocre players.

I could easily pull off 80-90% of my current setlists on fretless, but I only use the fretless for 10-20% of gigs/songs.

Again, I love fretless and I am a pretty good fretless player, but am much more comfortable on fretted.
 
#5
With practice, you will be able to play that fretless and nobody would be able to tell the difference (if they were not looking directly at you!) but it is the journey to that point that you might sound a little fretless-like. Put some time into it and you will be able to use a fretless for everything. It's a skill but can be mastered.
 
#6
I play fretless a lot these days. I mostly play at church so fretless works really well - IMO. I will always have a fretted as sometimes you just want to change it up, or something might work a little better on one or the other. I could see myself being a 100% fretless guy without too much trouble. Fortunately, I have a beautiful pair of fretted and fretless Roscoe's.
 
#8
ofahy434 said:
Do you find that fretless has its own voice and can be incorporated anywhere or are there times you wish you had a fretted bass?
Click to expand...
Fretless only for 2 and a half years. I haven't had to worry about dark stages although I'm having Luminlay side dots installed at some point anyway.
That said, I have a fretted bass inbound for a variety of reasons. One is it's almost a twin for my fretless although it has another string. But I've been thinking about being able to incorporate more chording and learning tapping, both of which are problematic on fretless.

Yes, it has its own voice and yes, it can be incorporated anywhere I'd care to play it. I've been emphasizing accurate intonation in my practice since Day One and I am not called upon to incorporate many glissando slides in what I play, so there's not much mwah opportunity. I do like the vibrato warmth tho.

I think if I had a Warwick I'd be less concerned about the resultant versatility than the risk of defretting gone wrong. Do the refin if it needs it but stop there is my opinion (which you are of course free to ignore...). Should be no problem finding a reasonably priced fretless - there's a lot of churn in that market.
 
#9
SteveC said:
I play fretless a lot these days. I mostly play at church so fretless works really well - IMO. I will always have a fretted as sometimes you just want to change it up, or something might work a little better on one or the other. I could see myself being a 100% fretless guy without too much trouble. Fortunately, I have a beautiful pair of fretted and fretless Roscoe's.
Click to expand...

I play fretless quite a bit, but I don't think I'd ever want to go 100% fretless. I've always been a big fanboy of the matched fretted-fretless pair! My current main bass is a fretted-fretless PAIR of Blue Burst USA G&L L2500. Just fantastic.

If I were the OP I'd jump into fretless with a nice SX or similar (I've got THREE SX 6ers, one of which I converted to fretless {avatar}). When in stock they actually have the 6ers in fretless. The 5 string Ursa SX basses come in fretless too and none break the bank. Then as you get into fretless you can start saving for the fretless Warwick to match the one you've got. That's what I would do.
 
#10
100% fretless since 2001.
All basses 2014 002.JPG
 
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#11
bassbenj said:
I've always been a big fanboy of the matched fretted-fretless pair! My current main bass is a fretted-fretless PAIR of Blue Burst USA G&L L2500.
Click to expand...
Yeah - just because I -have- a fretted bass doesn't mean I actually play it ;-)
I have a fretted/fretless white Synapse 5-string matched-pair.
I'be been playing the fretless Roscoe 6 since it arrived 2 years ago, and the almost-matching fretted Roscoe will arrive Monday.
 
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#13
I have two fretted basses.
I almost never play them.
I won't say "100% fretless" because once in a great while I will pick one of the fretted ones up.
Like literally twice in the past 2 months.
Haven't played a fretted on a gig in several years. Fretless is the sound and feel that works for me.
 
#16
I have and have always had a fretless bass.
I love it's singing,expressive vocal quality.

But I can never just have just a fretless.

I like to tap.And slap on occasions.
And although many do both on a fretless,I don't!
It's very hard to tap in tune on a fretless.
Left hand finger intonation angles.

And I don't like the sound of slap on a fretless.
I like the "Ping" of strings on frets.Not the "Pawp" of a fretless.
So I have to play both.Fretted and fretless.
 
#19
Odd but as a guy who mainly plays upright (the original fretless!) my fretless Warmoth P/J usually just sits. I am a freelancing sideman, so I usually play what the contractor or person who hired me wants. I always ask. I get two requests, Fretted electric or upright. I always mention the fretless but no one ever bites. Most jazz callers prefer me on the upright. My poor fretless just sits these days <sniff>.

I have to admit, after wrestling with an upright to produce good intonation, sometimes those frets are welcome. Fretless electric seems like it can go out of tune quicker, much more present than upright and less wiggle room with intonation.

There is an issue of being compared to Jaco when you play fretless. No one can sound like Jaco but Jaco, and sad but true - if you are holding a fretless, the comparison will likely be made at some point. Hopefully that will change.

I am seriously considering getting a fretted neck for that P/J and stringing it with flats. I have a Jazz V with rounds and sometimes it is a little too much sizzle.
 
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#20
I play fretless at least 95% of the time. I'm so used to it that I can do anything on it that I can on a fretted bass, even slap with a change of EQ. Most people, even bandleaders can't tell it's a fretless unless I do an obvious slide that travels more than a half step. That being said, when I pick up my fretted Sterling 4, it's so easy to play and just cuts through the mix and is a joy to play but for some reason I just feel like fretless is easier for me now.
 

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