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Fretless: 5 or 6 string?

Matthew_84

Matthew_84

Nov 7, 2010
6,497
5,101
Greater Toronto Area, Canada
#1
I've settled on a fretless, but I keep changing my mind from if I want a 5 or 6 string, and I need some help.

At first I was settled on a 6'er, but changed my mind due to a lack of options, and while 6 string Ibanez SR necks are the best 6 string necks I've tried in stores, my hand isn't completely comfortable on them. I thought a 5'er tuned to D-G-C-F-A# would be a good compromise, for getting at least as low as a D, which I want, getting a few higher notes as well, and getting a more comfortable neck.

I tuned my fretted 4 string to D-G-C-F to prepare, but I'm not a huge fan of it. I can't play some of the fast rock riffs with it that I love to play (mostly Tool) and I'd prefer to go lower than D because I use it a lot and would rather it not to be an open string. I thought B-E-A-D-G would be good enough, but I think I'd really, really like the high C string on a fretless.

I'm likely going to get an Ibanez SR 6'er and defret it, but I'd like to hear some of your thoughts on the matter.

Thanks!

P.S. I'm curious what some of you guys think of the tone of a fretless high C string? I typically don't like the G string in the first few frets because it sounds really twangy to me, and I'm wondering if a high C string would be even worse.
 
#2
I went for a fretless 5. It's is tuned standard BEADG. The high C is really only going to give you (potentially) 5 extra notes. Those notes could be helpful if you are planning to solo a lot but that is something you need to analyze in your playing.

I picked up an F bass BNF5 with a theoretical space for 28 frets essentially covering the high C's extra notes. I like to mess around with the high notes, but when using it practically I don't really go there.

Good luck in your quest for a fretless!
 
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#3
Gnal said:
I went for a fretless 5. It's is tuned standard BEADG. The high C is really only going to give you (potentially) 5 extra notes. Those notes could be helpful if you are planning to solo a lot but that is something you need to analyze in your playing.

I picked up an F bass BNF5 with a theoretical space for 28 frets essentially covering the high C's extra notes. I like to mess around with the high notes, but when using it practically I don't really go there.

Good luck in your quest for a fretless!
Click to expand...

Thanks! Yeah, I'm not sure about the high C. I do think I'd use it often for double-stops and soloing/melodic playing, which I do like doing on a fretless, but I'm not sure how much I'd use it in a band setting.

I guess one of my concerns is neck comfort. I find Ibanez SR necks to be the most comfortable. With their 6 string models, some of the times I can play hem for 20 mins in the store with no concerns, the rest of the times though I feel a slight discomfort in my thumb (very slight pain, maybe the onset of pain is a good way to put it) and that concerns me... I'm not sure if I just needed to warm up my hands better beforehand or if maybe it's something that will improve as I get used to a 6'er?
 
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#6
I went 5. I also play a fretted 5. I wish I could play/use a 6 better, but I've tried 3 times and sold it every time. For me, the extra 5 notes aren't worth the "issues" for me the rest of the time. I don't do "solo bass" and I don't chord regularly so for me, 5 works just fine.

I would try a Roscoe 6 is you can. A VERY comfortable 6 string neck and I think a Roscoe fretless is even nicer than their fretted and probably one of the stop 3 fretless basses out there.
 
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#8
Thanks guys, I think I decided to stick with a 6'er. I do agree that intonation is easier, and I think that ultimately I'd regret it if I got a 5'er.

Steve, I'd love to try out a Roscoe, I've heard nothing but great things, but haven't found any locally to try.

Anothr thing I thought of is that I find fretlesses much easier on the hands than fretted... Lower relief, lower action, and lower string tension all help and these are how I setup my fretlesses.

I'll buy a used one first. If I cannot get comfortable with it after a few weeks than I'll sell it.... Though, I really dislike buying used basses, and I dislike selling them even more.
 
#9
I had a 36"scale 6 string fretless, lovely bass, but the top "C" was too twangy (not helped by the 36"scale). I also started to get pain in my left hand thumb joint, especially after playing this bass. I've now got an Xotic 5 sting fretless jazz and love it. Yes there are occasions where you miss the range across the strings, but i can live with it. Damaging my thumb joint was concerning.
 
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#13
Matthew_84 said:
Anothr thing I thought of is that I find fretlesses much easier on the hands than fretted... Lower relief, lower action, and lower string tension all help and these are how I setup my fretlesses.
Click to expand...

I kind of agree. My fretless is far from difficult to play, but I do find that there's a "certain something" about playing fretless.
 
#14
I played a six string fretted Modulus Quantum for over 10 years. I ended up not using the high C string that much, so I went back to strictly so I went back to strictly files 5's. If you were planning on doing lot of soloing or cordal work the CString comes in handy.
 
#17
iualum said:
If you're going to for sure go 5, then go 6.
Click to expand...

Nope. At least, not for me. 6's don't fit me and don't fill a need for me. It's not a case of "more is better".

What do you play when you play fretted? 5 or 6? Go with what you like and what works for you.

And I'd strongly suggest buying a fretless rather than buying fretted and defretting. Too many variables in the latter, and too easy to lose money on the project. There are a ton of fretless basses in the classifieds. Especially if you haven't settled on the 5 vs 6 issue - buy used, try, resell if it doesn't work for you, or keep and enjoy. Rinse and repeat.
 
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#19
Matthew_84 said:
Thanks guys, I think I decided to stick with a 6'er. I do agree that intonation is easier, and I think that ultimately I'd regret it if I got a 5'er.

Steve, I'd love to try out a Roscoe, I've heard nothing but great things, but haven't found any locally to try.

Anothr thing I thought of is that I find fretlesses much easier on the hands than fretted... Lower relief, lower action, and lower string tension all help and these are how I setup my fretlesses.

I'll buy a used one first. If I cannot get comfortable with it after a few weeks than I'll sell it.... Though, I really dislike buying used basses, and I dislike selling them even more.
Click to expand...
Try finding a used Carvin. Neck profile is a bit chunkier than Ibanez, but I find it more comfy. String spacing is 16.25 though - something to be aware of.
 
#20
Matthew_84 said:
I've settled on a fretless, but I keep changing my mind from if I want a 5 or 6 string, and I need some help.

At first I was settled on a 6'er, but changed my mind due to a lack of options, and while 6 string Ibanez SR necks are the best 6 string necks I've tried in stores, my hand isn't completely comfortable on them. I thought a 5'er tuned to D-G-C-F-A# would be a good compromise, for getting at least as low as a D, which I want, getting a few higher notes as well, and getting a more comfortable neck.

I tuned my fretted 4 string to D-G-C-F to prepare, but I'm not a huge fan of it. I can't play some of the fast rock riffs with it that I love to play (mostly Tool) and I'd prefer to go lower than D because I use it a lot and would rather it not to be an open string. I thought B-E-A-D-G would be good enough, but I think I'd really, really like the high C string on a fretless.

I'm likely going to get an Ibanez SR 6'er and defret it, but I'd like to hear some of your thoughts on the matter.

Thanks!

P.S. I'm curious what some of you guys think of the tone of a fretless high C string? I typically don't like the G string in the first few frets because it sounds really twangy to me, and I'm wondering if a high C string would be even worse.
Click to expand...

You're going to have to try out some six-string fretless basses, just to get some hands-on experience with them. Then make a decision as to how comfortably you can or cannot adapt to them, relative to the value of having the high C string.

Your ultimate choice is probably going to boil down to the best possible compromise between these competing factors (along with any others that you might not have mentioned here yet). Your criteria for weighing and evaluating these relative factors is, of course, an intensely personal one on which no one else could constructively advise you.

MM
 
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