Brighter Tone with Fretless Bass

[cheapimitation]

Warmoth now offers phenolic fingerboards (not listed on site, you have to call in for it). A better choice than ebony, which is an endangered or threatened species, depending on the variety.

 

[ArtechnikA]

Roscoe fretless use Diamondwood fingerboards and are known not only for amazing tone but virtual indestructability.
Mine has had rounds in heavy use for more than 10 years (only the last 3 by me) and while you can see a string mark here and there, I couldn't call any of it damage.

 

[VinnyIuspa]

Wow, I just read about monel strings, there way stronger than just nickel and resist corrosion. They don't last that long and go dull and dead just like Swing Bass Roto Sound round wounds. But if your Steve Harris you can put a brand new pair on your Bass guitar after every ten songs or so. Man, that must be nice getting a brand new set of Bass strings on your Bass every day. And not having to pay for them, sponsored. They are nice and bright sounding at first, though. I am not a fan of flat wounds. I love my stainless steel round wounds. The best IMO.

they definitely don't stay bright for long, and they're pricey. great tension and great tone though. if I could get a new set every time I picked up my bass those would be my go to strings as well

 

[Dan Bass]

they definitely don't stay bright for long, and they're pricey. great tension and great tone though. if I could get a new set every time I picked up my bass those would be my go to strings as well

Yeah, that would be awesome, every single time I pick up my Bass it's got a brand new set of fresh crispy strings on it. You know what, I could get very used to that.

 

[Malak the Mad]

I'm thinking of getting a fretless bass, but I'm a fan of brighter tones. I know flats are generally used, unless you lacquer the fretboard. Are there any flats that have a brighter tone? If not, how hard is it to lacquer a fretboard to put rounds on a fretless? Is there any risk to the bass itself?

If you don't mind yet-another string suggestion; I'm a big fan of Ernie Ball Cobalts for their higher-degree of "growl". So, when I found out they started making Cobalt Flatwounds, I had to try out a set…[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]. I must say, these do not sound like flats! They still keep that bright "bite" I've come to expect from Cobalts, with maybe just a little bit of temperance, without sounding too "clangy", if that makes any sense.

One thing, they don't feel like normal flats. There is a microscopic gap between the flat ribbons. I'm guessing they engineered that specifically to keep the "slink" in their "slinky" strings. If so, it worked. They don't feel any stiffer than new roundwounds, nor do they sound or feel "thuddy" when played acoustically.