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Anyone just play fretless bass?

#61
Fretted and fretless have different sounds, just like finger and pick have different sounds. Sometimes it is subtle but often it is not.

If you want to cheaply try it out, I wouldn't convert a fretted. You should go to Rondo for it. Something like the ones here won't set you back much and if you just HAVE to have the perfect one, you can always sell the cheap one later:
Link Removed
 
#64
BlushResponse said:
I've come to realize that you can purchase a quality used fretless for MUCH cheaper than you can a comparable fretted bass. It always surprises me how many people purchase a fretless, then get scared off or not like the tone, then sell it cheap due to so little demand.
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Well, you'd think they would be a lot cheaper to make. I wonder what percent of the cost of making a bass is in putting frets in the neck.
 
#67
Feral Feline said:
I like that, "Fret-free".

But another thought just occured... you bought a bass but got the frets for free – awe that ain't workin', that's the way you do it...



Do you cover Sting's vocal parts as well? I can't sing and play at the same time, period. Must be tough on fret-free.



What a beautiful bass!


I used to be fret-free, completely, as I only played DB. I've picked up some fretted bass geetars and am trying to learn that now, too.

Maybe a de-fretted bass is a fretless, and a bass that never had frets from its inception is a fret-free.
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Thank you
 
#68
I rarely play fretted anymore. Not so much by design as it is my particular fretless is just so easy and comfortable to play that I sold most of my other basses. For the way I play its just easier for me, especially if its unlined. Sometimes I just don't have the goods to play fretless so I either work through it or play skyrim instead.
 
#69
BlushResponse said:
I've come to realize that you can purchase a quality used fretless for MUCH cheaper than you can a comparable fretted bass. It always surprises me how many people purchase a fretless, then get scared off or not like the tone, then sell it cheap due to so little demand.
Click to expand...

Exactly this. Got my fretless for a lot less than the fretted model. Works for me because I never plan on selling.
 
#70
Feral Feline said:
Do you cover Sting's vocal parts as well? I can't sing and play at the same time, period. Must be tough on fret-free.
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Yes.... I sing Sting and play his bass parts. The bass lines aren't horribly difficult on their own. But try singing some of the arrangements while playing, and you gain a new apreciation for just how good a musician Sting is. Driven To Tears was very difficult to get down. Keep in mind that he recorded most of the first and second album with a fretless, but his intonation is so good that you can't tell.
 
#72
This has been my main bass for awhile now and before that was a Tony Franklin Fretless
fretlesstrem1-jpg.jpg


I'd say I've been playing fretless only for around a year now.
Though my band is thrash metal which is so fast its pretty forgiving intonation wise.
 
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#73
Ale the Snail said:
This has been my main bass for awhile now and before that was a Tony Franklin Fretless
I'd say I've been playing fretless only for around a year now.
Though my band is thrash metal which is so fast its pretty forgiving intonation wise.
Click to expand...

Last time I saw a fretless with a whammy bar was Joe Hubbard playing with Gary Numan, Oxford Apollo, sometime towards the end of the last century(probably about 1985) - fretless Wal Probass (1e) with whammy and J-pickup at the bridge, IIRC. When I saw it I didn't get it, but when he used on harmonic chords it started to make sense...
 
#74
I haven't played or owned a fretless in almost 15 years but there was a period in the early 90s where I played fretless almost exclusively (aside from most gig situations.)

I'd love to have one again, but it isn't essential for me at this point.

I could pull off slap on a fretless back in the day, but I long ago earned The Right Not To Slap. So I rarely do. I like a lot of old school funk, but slapping just isn't my style...I used to be in this white boy funk frat band. The money was often good, but I didn't enjoy playing the music that much, or the frathouse scene (except when the frat guys would open the bar to us and toss women our way.)

Sheesh, now I'm thinking I need to get funky again!
 
#75
Ale the Snail said:
This has been my main bass for awhile now and before that was a Tony Franklin Fretless
fretlesstrem1-jpg.jpg


I'd say I've been playing fretless only for around a year now.
Though my band is thrash metal which is so fast its pretty forgiving intonation wise.
Click to expand...

COOL BASS!

I've been wanting to have this exact pup combination for some time (thinking of reversing the P, though).

How do you typically use them? (if typical at all)
 
#76
Just got through a long practice with my fretless. I'm terrible at it... And it's even lined!
Hate you guys :woot:;). But seriously, I love em but boy do I have a ways to go.
Fretless basses sound sooo amazing... In the hands of a good fretless player, and sooo awful in the hands of a poor fretless player. There's just no hiding your mistakes. I am determined though, by God:bassist:
 
#77
Feral Feline said:
COOL BASS!

I've been wanting to have this exact pup combination for some time (thinking of reversing the P, though).

How do you typically use them? (if typical at all)
Click to expand...

Thank you!
Before going over to fretless my main bass was a Yamaha Attitude so I had this bass wired stereo aswell.
Neck pickup has its own output and the P and J have a output together.
I use a Boss LS-2 to mix the pickups together. I find this is the best way to get a stereoish sound without lugging around two amps.
Sometimes at rehearsal if I don't feel like taking the pedalboard I'II just plug straight in with the P and J pickups and it still sounds amazing.
Really punchy bass have no problem cutting thru with it.
 
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#78
I've gone through phases where I've played fretless almost exclusively. For the last couple of years I've gone the other way and played nearly everything on my fretted bass. I've recently joined a band that's got me thinking about pulling the fretless back out again.
 
#79
Ale the Snail said:
Thank you!
Before going over to fretless my main bass was a Yamaha Attitude so I had this bass wired stereo aswell.
Neck pickup has its own output and the P and J have a output together.
I use a Boss LS-2 to mix the pickups together. I find this is the best way to get a stereoish sound without lugging around two amps.
Sometimes at rehearsal if I don't feel like taking the pedalboard I'II just plug straight in with the P and J pickups and it still sounds amazing.
Really punchy bass have no problem cutting thru with it.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply to my question. That just gets even cooler.

I've got a Squier Jag VM that may get the extra pickup, but not sure if I want to go stereo; it's my HB Jag that I intend to make fretless.
 
#80
I have been playing a ton of fretless lately - Modulus Bassstar.
The neck is ridiculously easy, thin and playable though it's unlined it does have side markers.

I have now set myself up with (for me) an ideal quiver of basses that suit all my playing needs.
The Fretless allows me tons of expression on my band's quieter, moodier tunes - especially the minor key ones.
I use my Q5 for more rocking songs that cry out for that low B string.
My Fender Jazz kills on funky stuff, meters, blues and copping a George Porter Jr. or Bobby Vega Groove.
I also play a lot of upright bass and this has made the transition to Fretless pretty much a no brainer.
 

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