Don't be scared to play fretless!

[Katoosie]

Heya!

A thing I have noticed throughout my bass journey is that a lot of bassists say something akin to "I'm not good enough of a player to play a fretless" and I think that is all kinds of wrong.

Just think this:
If we lived in a time before the electric was even invented, you would have been playing a double bass. No frets.

Nowadays, you got a choice.
And that choice shouldn't prevent you from grabbing that fretless and going at it, so just have fun. They don't even have to be expensive

So have fun.
Good luck!

 

[Vodyanoi]

@Katoosie, you *really* should inform people that once they go the fretless way, there's a high probability they won't go back to fretted road again; it's too bumpy.

 

[luciens]

Yep, the only way to do it is get an FL and just start playing it. What's important is to play your standards on it that you already know how to play on the fretted. That way you're not dealing with learning a new part and trying to intonate at the same time - you're only dealing with intonation on "muscle memory" you already have down pat.

You'll be shocked at how nasty it sounds at first, but then you'll notice that your hands will start to figure out how to intonate the notes on their own. You don't really have to force it and do a bunch of weird exercises (unless you really want to) - just the task of intonating on parts you already know will cause you to work it out naturally.

I'd avoid the exercises and such that are supposed to teach you intonation. They help and they do work, but they don't work as good as actually playing music, and particularly music that you already know, at teaching you how to intonate.

I bought an L2000 fretless (may she R.I.P.) around the turn of the century and made it my main bass. My gigging career was all but over by that time due to hearing damage, but I still just went FL full-time in all my non-gigging playing activities. That went on for the next 20 years and I still play FL about 75% of the time (bought a fretted bass last year).

So definitely give it a go and see if you like it. It's a different tone, though, and for some things a fretted bass still sounds a little better (agressive, machine-like parts where the notes are very exact, for instance). So don't necessarily get rid of your fretted bass at first. That's only later if you decide to go whole hog like some do (like myself)....

L

 

[TheDirtyLowDown]

I agree 100%

I've been playing bass (a 70's Fender P-bass) since my teens, but my path toward fretless started with one of the very first NS Design CR4M EUBs -- I bought one because my small car couldn't hold a full size acoustic bass, and I fell in love with it, playing it with a couple of roots/bluegrass and acoustic jazz bands. Those are great instruments, but when I wanted to play fretless funk and soul I switched to fretless bass guitar, and that's been my main instrument for the last 7 or 8 years now. I also play it in a country band. It makes me happy to play, because it's expressive and has more of a 'singing' feeling. Response from bandmates and other bassists has been surprisingly positive -- I think because it brings something different to the table, and because (regardless of talent level) a happier bassist is a better bassist!

 

[bassdude51]

I love fretless! They are fun to play! Overall, I like the sound.

But, there are "buts". They are a challenge to play and it takes more concentration. Higher register can sound bad because 34" scale is not forgiving. Overall, a fretless can sound like a bass with intonation issues.

And IMHO, fretless works with some genres of music better than others.

Sometimes when I listen to Jazz and the stand-up bassist gets his/her chance for a solo, I can easily hear that the higher register notes are off. It is impossible to play a fretless perfectly.

Sounds like I am anti-fretless but I am not. So, don't be afraid to play fretless but it's not for everybody.

 

[aproud1]

Heya!

A thing I have noticed throughout my bass journey is that a lot of bassists say something akin to "I'm not good enough of a player to play a fretless" and I think that is all kinds of wrong.

Just think this:
If we lived in a time before the electric was even invented, you would have been playing a double bass. No frets.

Nowadays, you got a choice.
And that choice shouldn't prevent you from grabbing that fretless and going at it, so just have fun. They don't even have to be expensive

So have fun.
Good luck!

Agree!

I love fretless, am not great at playing it but still do. My issue is it's not usually the sound I'm looking for.

 

[AGCurry]

I used to play bass guitar almost exclusively, but I now play double bass almost exclusively; and, I have owned and played fretless bass guitars. I like fretless bass guitars.

I agree that fear and lack of confidence shouldn't stand in the way of fretless (although it's hard to play any instrument without confidence). However, let's acknowledge that fretless sounds different from fretted; changing one of a string's two witness points from metal-on-metal to flesh-on-wood makes a difference.

Moreover, regarding OP's comment: If we lived in a time before the electric was even invented, you would have been playing a double bass, I have to point out that the popular-music world has been dominated by the fretted bass guitar for about 60 years now, so it's cemented its status as the de facto standard.

 

[el murdoque]

Well, I've heard often enough that people don't dare buying a fretless because they can't play it.
AFAIK, there's only one way to learn the fretless: By playing it.

 

[Deleted member 365158]

Well, I've heard often enough that people don't dare buying a fretless because they can't play it.

I wouldn’t buy one. Never cared or thought about it
I did end up pulling the frets on a jazz bass project though.
I play pretty close to the frets anyway, it definitely takes more concentration to play the fretless but i was surprised at how easily I slipped into the fretless.
I still mostly play fretted but i do like picking up the fretless!

 

[flannel cat]

i am waiting for the right fretless to enter my life, and it will be the day i own my first fretless and what a fret free day it will be.....

 

[Abner]

I've always thought "If I can play one in public, how hard can it be?"

... fretless works with some genres of music better than others.

... is it's not usually the sound I'm looking for.

... let's acknowledge that fretless sounds different from fretted;

Some people still seem to think that a fretless bass has to sound different from a fretted bass. This is simply not the case.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

I really haven't run across anyone that was afraid of fretless. My fretless in on its way back from having the fretboard coated, it's a converted EBMM Caprice.

 

[jd56hawk]

Okay.

 

[JRA]

"I'm not good enough of a player to play a fretless" and I think that is all kinds of wrong.

agreed!

it's simple and easy:
1. get a fretless, and
2. play!

 

[pingvuiini]

I have been playing fretless exclusively for 30+ years primarily for rock/classic rock. I've been lucky that throughout those years my bandmates didn't give a rat's a$$ that I played fretless, especially doing cover songs. More recently I have been playing fretless uke basses with ultra short scale to make it easier on my problematic pinky and ring fingers on the fretting hand. Again, no one seems to care thankfully. On my current five string 23" scale fretless it does get kind of hairy playing past the 12th fret. Intonation has to be spot on and if you are off by literally 1 millimeter things sound bad. But its a fun challenge.

 

[sonojono]

I love fretless! They are fun to play! Overall, I like the sound.

But, there are "buts". They are a challenge to play and it takes more concentration. Higher register can sound bad because 34" scale is not forgiving. Overall, a fretless can sound like a bass with intonation issues.

And IMHO, fretless works with some genres of music better than others.

Sometimes when I listen to Jazz and the stand-up bassist gets his/her chance for a solo, I can easily hear that the higher register notes are off. It is impossible to play a fretless perfectly.

Sounds like I am anti-fretless but I am not. So, don't be afraid to play fretless but it's not for everybody.

I can see where you’re coming from. Fretless is definitely a niche instrument that is catered to not all but certain genres. A fretless is one to be had in the tool box for sure!

 

[skycruiser]

@Katoosie, you *really* should inform people that once they go the fretless way, there's a high probability they won't go back to fretted road again; it's too bumpy.

I tried it earlier this year and found that I loved that there are some types of sounds you can get with fretless that you can't get with frets (more of the fretting hand muting and attack related sounds than the slidey sounds). But I also really missed some of the technique related sounds you get with frets and in the end swapped necks to a fretted neck.

Several months later, I'm thinking I should give fretless another try. The previous was Pau Ferro fretboard and there was a lot about that material I didn't like. I'm wondering if ebony might be better for me on a 2nd try. Next on my list - see if my wood-worker father might want to try a fingerboard replacement on a damaged Squier fretless neck I have laying around (ebanol).

 

[lowfreqgeek]

I can see where you’re coming from. Fretless is definitely a niche instrument that is catered to not all but certain genres. A fretless is one to be had in the tool box for sure!

Or, if you put your mind to it, it's not a niche instrument and can be used in any and all genres. The limitation is the player, not the instrument.

 

[chris_b]

it's simple and easy:
1. get a fretless, and
2. play!

. . . . and play
and play
and give up!!!

I bought a fretless Rob Allen MB-2 for a particular project. The guitarist preferred my fretted PJ5, and so did I. So, in spite of being a beautiful bass, it was sold.

 

[muggsy]

I bought a fretless EBMM Sterling many years ago, at this point I’ve owned it longer than any of my fretted basses. It’s a great bass. I still suck at fretless but it’s fun to mess around with when I’m in the mood. It’s not worth enough to justify selling it, and I continue to hold out hope that maybe someday I’ll put in the work to improve my intonation. But there’s nothing scary about it. If it was my only bass, yeah, that would be scary - for anybody who had to listen to me.