I'll never understand why fretless basses have fret markers in the first place... Most have side dots, which is what you're looking at anyway. And you can use tape when you're learning, like how kids learn strings.
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Fret Sprout on a Fretless?
- Thread starter Dr. Cheese
- Start date
I have owned quite a few fretless basses, and none have exhibited this "flip".
Then you have been luckier than I. If it is there, you will notice it as you glide your hand along the fingerboard. You definitely can feel the small ski jump at the end. And my basses all are older. Perhaps newer manufacturing processes have largely eliminated the problem.
One was a 1973 Telecaster Bass that I had detretted (by myself, after hearing Unorthodox Behaviour when it was released in 1976 - it may be that what I did to it was unothodox behaviour, too
), Others included (in order of appearance) a 1987 Yamaha BX-5, 1984 Alembic Exploiter, 1997 ZON Sonus Special 5, 1999 ZON Sonus 5/1, 2000 Rick Turner RB5-FL, 2004 Rickenbacker 4003FL, 2005 Rick Turner RB4-FL, and my current 2010 Martin Keith Elfin 5.
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One was a 1973 Telecaster Bass that I had detretted (by myself, after hearing Unorthodox Behaviour when it was released in 1976 - it may be that what I did to it was unothodox behaviour, too
That certainly is a numerous and diverse enough sample to be considered representative and would top my three, and now I think more on it I do have fretlesses that do not have the ski jump: Martin, Daion, Eko ABGs, and a parts fretless that just sings. But on a bass that does have it, that ski jump can sure sabotage a good set-up.
I have annoyed and/or offended some by stating my low opinion of the Squire VM fretless--after playing several examples in a variety of stores in three different cities with different climates in different provinces & all of them had neck issues, I was hoping that the newer ones would be better, but maybe not.
The older ones had a n artificial fingerboard (Ebanol)-which should have fret sprout--but switching to wood apparently didn't help.
(An ESP fretless with an ebanol fingerboard had similar issues)
Some people seem to have found good ones--or just live in the right climate?
Who knows?
It is possible.
I do agree they sound good--the pickups are good, but there seem to be too many problems with the necks, which is too bad.
A low priced fretless could do wonders for people wanting to check it out.
The older ones had a n artificial fingerboard (Ebanol)-which should have fret sprout--but switching to wood apparently didn't help.
(An ESP fretless with an ebanol fingerboard had similar issues)
Some people seem to have found good ones--or just live in the right climate?
Who knows?
It is possible.
I do agree they sound good--the pickups are good, but there seem to be too many problems with the necks, which is too bad.
A low priced fretless could do wonders for people wanting to check it out.
I put one and a half more business cards in the neck joint, and this shim did lower my action without choking high notes. The action is not low, but it is comfortable
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Sucks that it’s been an issue for you ! Most of the labor in building a bass is the neck IMO. I really love the fretless necks from Warmoth, really great action out of the box. The steel rods make them heavy but one could always spring for the graphite rod and even the “slim” profile neck. Really wish I had the money right now as I would love a Warmoth short scale fretless ( yes give me the lines please ). I know you still need your ears to be in tune but the lines at least get you roughly where you want to be. I found on my last fretless neck I had to play just behind the line when playing past the 12 fret even though I had the intonation near dead on at the 12th, again ears
The thing that makes me most annoyed is that a little more care in making this neck would not have made it expensive. I recently played an Ibanez SR375F which is in the same price range and the neck was flawless!
Ibanez SR375F: I was not expecting it to be this good!
No, I just said it was fun to go naked , I dont see the the word crutch anywhere in my statement.
Sounds like one of those "deep state" conspiracy's you keep hearing about these days
Sounds like one of those "deep state" conspiracy's you keep hearing about these days
I see by your avatar that you may indulge in a bit of unencumbered frivolity of the fretboard yourself
I see by your avatar that you may indulge in a bit of unencumbered frivolity of the fretboard yourself
I do indeed!
(And more than a bit, I might add.)
