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Fret Sprout on a Fretless?

#65
bluesblaster said:
If you never had a bass with "fret markers" you would still be required to play "in tune" it can be done either way. If you play double bass in an orchestra you absolutly need to be spot on, electric bass string are smaller in diameter making it a bit more of a challenge but it can still be done, I've seen it done. I prefer a blank FB, alot of people like the lines, I never care for that myself. But I dont play in an orchestra either.
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I don’t want to derail Doc’s thread, but I highly doubt anyones ability to actually play “spot on”.
I have the app/game Tunerval (download it). My ability to recognize 3rds, 5ths, m7ths, even octaves tops out at about 28% of a semitone. (That’s almost a third of the way to the next fret.) And, its much worse on the noisy El train, like 40%.
Im sure there are people much better than me, but I would be surprised if many people can do much better than 15-20%, which is more than the 5% threshold where notes start to beat.
There is a very good reason Leo named it the “Precision” bass. Lol
 
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#68
It's very cold and dry in St. Lou right now, yes?. Are you managing humidity in your space? Us cellists, pianists and acoustic guitarists live this issue everyday. If it's an unfinished (oil doesn't count) fretboard and your place is at 11 percent humidity because the furnace is on all the time, yeah, that FB will shrink.

A $19 dollar Vicks Steamer and a $13 dollar hygrometer* may be a better answer than generic Fender bashing.

Mugre

*being a former cellist, current woodwind and acoustic guitarist, I have had about 8 different hygrometers. I've had the best luck with the Accurite brand from Amazon. Oddly enough, one of the worst was a $60 unit that marketed itself as "scientific grade."
 
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#70
MVE said:
I don’t want to derail Doc’s thread, but I highly doubt anyones ability to actually play “spot on”.
I have the app/game Tunerval (download it). My ability to recognize 3rds, 5ths, m7ths, even octaves tops out at about 28% of a semitone. (That’s almost a third of the way to the next fret.) And, its much worse on the noisy El train, like 40%.
Im sure there are people much better than me, but I would be surprised if many people can do much better than 15-20%, which is more than the 5% threshold where notes start to beat.
There is a very good reason Leo named it the “Precision” bass. Lol
Click to expand...

OK, but we are not machines. With a fair amount of practice you can get pretty close, close enough for the human ear anyway. Maybe to Dogs we are horribly out of pitch:D
 
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#71
Mugre said:
It's very cold and dry in St. Lou right now, yes?. Are you managing humidity in your space? Us cellists, pianists and acoustic guitarists live this issue everyday. If it's an unfinished (oil doesn't count) fretboard and your place is at 11 percent humidity because the furnace is on all the time, yeah, that FB will shrink.

A $19 dollar Vicks Steamer and a $13 dollar hygrometer* may be a better answer than generic Fender bashing.

Mugre

*being a former cellist, current woodwind and acoustic guitarist, I have had about 8 different hygrometers. I've had the best luck with the Accurite brand from Amazon. Oddly enough, one of the worst was a $60 unit that marketed itself as "scientific grade."
Click to expand...

I am not a Fender hater by a long shot. I will get the Vick’s Steamer though.:)
 
#72
bluesblaster said:
OK, but we are not machines. With a fair amount of practice you can get pretty close, close enough for the human ear anyway. Maybe to Dogs we are horribly out of pitch:D
Click to expand...
But we are machines. Just machines made of meat! Hmmmm, "Meat Machines" isn't a bad band name. :D
 
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#75
Mugre said:
It's very cold and dry in St. Lou right now, yes?. Are you managing humidity in your space? Us cellists, pianists and acoustic guitarists live this issue everyday. If it's an unfinished (oil doesn't count) fretboard and your place is at 11 percent humidity because the furnace is on all the time, yeah, that FB will shrink.

A $19 dollar Vicks Steamer and a $13 dollar hygrometer* may be a better answer than generic Fender bashing.

Mugre

*being a former cellist, current woodwind and acoustic guitarist, I have had about 8 different hygrometers. I've had the best luck with the Accurite brand from Amazon. Oddly enough, one of the worst was a $60 unit that marketed itself as "scientific grade."
Click to expand...
I have a hydrometer next to my piano, and I am totally amazed at how much the humidity actually affects it. At 40% it sounds beautiful, under 35 or over 45... everything all out of whack.
 
#76
Dr. Cheese said:
It is not confusing unless you make it that way. I liked the way this Squier sounded. I don’t like the quality of it’s construction. My Pentabuzz sounds wonderful, but I enjoy a different tone at times.
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You misunderstood me.
Or I misunderstood you.
It seemed as if you were dissing the slap tone of Buzz basses, by saying the Squier has "a great slap tone, for a fretless."
Knowing that you have a Pentabuzz, that struck me as an odd statement. I'm thinking you already have a fretless with arguably the best slap tone out there.

Maybe the Squier just has a different kind of slap tone, that hits the target from a alternate angle! :thumbsup:
 
#77
MVE said:
I have a hydrometer next to my piano, and I am totally amazed at how much the humidity actually affects it. At 40% it sounds beautiful, under 35 or over 45... everything all out of whack.
Click to expand...

Pianos really change timbre as well as tuning because the wool in the felts take up and give off water like the wood. I agree with you about a 5 degree swing either was is audible.

mugre
 
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#78
So sprouting anything, frets, fret line inlays has to do with one thing and one thing only.... humidity level in the wood. That means this Squier Bass was not kept in a facility that regulates relative humidity in their store. Bad idea if you selling instruments made of wood. Dry wood will contract. Properly humidified wood will plump up to the size it was when the instrument was built and presumably the inlaid makers or frets will be flush with the edge of the fretboard, assuming they were when they left the factory. The neck issue sounds like the truss rod needs to be tightened, which will flatten out the fingerboard. You should be able to lower the action to desired level, unless there are other issues.
 
#79
2tonic said:
You misunderstood me.
Or I misunderstood you.
It seemed as if you were dissing the slap tone of Buzz basses, by saying the Squier has "a great slap tone, for a fretless."
Knowing that you have a Pentabuzz, that struck me as an odd statement. I'm thinking you already have a fretless with arguably the best slap tone out there.

Maybe the Squier just has a different kind of slap tone, that hits the target from a alternate angle! :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Maybe my Pentabuzz is not set up properly, but the finger or pick tone is amazing. The slap tone is merely ok to my ears. The best slap tone I ever heard on a fretless was an unlined Music Man Sabre with an ebony fingerboard around 1982.
 

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