Fretless disease

[arbiterusa]

Is this how it happened for other fretless players?

No. I started on a fretted, one that I would very charitably say "sucked". A few months in, already knew I wanted a better bass, so a friend of mine in wood shop offered to build me one. It came out reasonably OK, but he then confessed he had no idea how to put frets in. I tried it without; I'd played violin for almost 8 years prior so how hard could it be?

Not that hard. The end. I haven't played anything but fretless since 1984.

The mischief with fretless is that after a time you want to play only fretless, and in some musical contexts that is a poor fit.

I disagree vehemently. I've played mine in everything from acoustic duos to metal to slap to musical theater, and had several bandleaders fail to even notice I was playing a fretless until it was pointed out to them. You don't have to make it sound like Boys of Summer or Graceland, because, although awesome, that kind of tone and approach does not work with everything. But any fretless player who's not just playing it as an effect knows that.

Seriously, it's all in your hands. Nice attack and precise intonation and nobody will know you're playing fretless, unless they look.

 

[logdrum]

I learned to play on upright, so after a few years of playing a fretted bass, it never felt comfortable to me. I realized that fretless was what worked for me and I haven’t owned a fretted bass since. I’m no Jaco or Mark Egan. In fact, if you couldn’t see me, you wouldn’t know right away what I’m playing. I don’t play fretless to sound like a fretless, I just like the open feel. That, plus I sound terrible on fretted. .

This. I try to be very precise on the fretless and mine has a high action as well. There was artist who liked the fretless sound as we associate it. with the mwah. I think she saw Michael Manring and loved the sound. That is why I got the Pedulla Buzz used for an incredible low price way back then. Low action and thinner gauges. For fretted , one thing I learned on the Jaco instructional VHS video was to play on top of the fret. Made fretted playing clean and solid and then translated to good intonation on the fretless.

 

[Keger Jupit]

I started on fretless, played nothing but for the first 3 years. I own both now & have for the last 27 years. Both instruments have their strengths & weaknesses I suppose, but I am completely in love with & twitterpated by fretless, while merely "adoring with complete devotion" my fretted basses.

I completely agree with One_Dude; any time I'm in a shop or online & see a fretless...oh, look a squirrel!! They get me every time.

It's OK to be addicted to some things...

 

[blowinblue]

When I first began taking lessons in 1977 my teacher played nothing but fretless. Sometime prior to us being introduced, he had left his fretted P-bass in its case on the ground behind his car after a gig. You guessed it. He backed over it and snapped the neck. Decided to replace it with an aftermarket fretless neck (I forget which brand). That definitely influenced me to order a brand new G&L fretless. Fast forward many years to my next fretless, the Elrick in this pic. As many of you know, singing lead and playing fretless requires more energy and focus than with a fretted bass. It did for me, at least. So, most gigs I would play fretted.



M. M.

 

[Watchootognbout]

No. I started on a fretted, one that I would very charitably say "sucked". A few months in, already knew I wanted a better bass, so a friend of mine in wood shop offered to build me one. It came out reasonably OK, but he then confessed he had no idea how to put frets in. I tried it without; I'd played violin for almost 8 years prior so how hard could it be?

Not that hard. The end. I haven't played anything but fretless since 1984.



I disagree vehemently. I've played mine in everything from acoustic duos to metal to slap to musical theater, and had several bandleaders fail to even notice I was playing a fretless until it was pointed out to them. You don't have to make it sound like Boys of Summer or Graceland, because, although awesome, that kind of tone and approach does not work with everything. But any fretless player who's not just playing it as an effect knows that.

Seriously, it's all in your hands. Nice attack and precise intonation and nobody will know you're playing fretless, unless they look.

Check this out.Tony Franklin on fretless.
Does it fit the music?


Bjorn Englen on lined fretless.

 

[Ellery]

I play mainly metal, but on this I just played melodic stuff. I’d play rock too. I did see some guy playing some crazy metal on a 6 string fretless... And of course Ryan Martinie plays whatever he wants and it sounds amazing.

Cool. Forgive me if this was posted already, but would you be using flats or rounds?

 

[4bluestrings]

My son wants flats, but I am leaning on rounds.

 

[rickdog]

I went fretless a long time ago. Had a fretted Jazz, bought a Rick, guys I was playing with got on my case about having two fretted basses, so off came the Jazz neck, and on went a fretless Precision neck. Played it in front of an audience a few days later, and never looked back. It's the bass I play most now (still have the Rick, though!).

I'm currently using LaBella white nylon tapes on it, lots of bottom in the low register, lots of tone up high.

 

[jamro217]

I love my Carvin LB76F... even with the butterfly reflecting through the window.

View attachment 3298706

If you flip it around and aim the headstock towards the window it'll look like a Fodera. Sort of. Not really, but closer than it does now. Still a great bass.

 

[zontar]

I usd to be afraid of fretless--but one time I was in a music store & they had a fretless bass & I tried it.
I liked it.
I couldn't afford that one, but they were lowering the price by 5% each week--but it sold before it got to the price I could afford (It wasn't that long after I had bought a guitar)
But that was okay.
a few years passed & the awakened fretless desire never went away.
Eventually I had a good gear fund & was looking for fretless basses.
I considered various ones when I found them--but when I held an Ibanez SR500F I knew that was the one before I even played it.

Then I joined here.

 

[TheDirtyLowDown]

Ok, so back when I was 13, our (small town) public school had an assembly where a touring jazz/rock band played for all of us in the gym. I do not remember who they were, but they covered some songs I knew from the radio-- tunes by Chicago, Herbie Hancock, Spyrogyra, Chuck Mangione, and that kind of thing. I was seated near the floor on the side of the stage where the bass player was. He was playing a fretless Kramer with the aluminum neck. THAT was the coolest thing I had ever seen and heard. I knew then that I had to play bass, and though I started with a fretted P-bass (that I could afford, used) in my teens, I knew that I was heading for fretless and upright bass one day.

Fast forward 4 decades and that's where I am now. Once, I tried a fretless Kramer and didn't like the feel of it, but I play fretless exclusively now. It's expressive and fun and I love the sound.

I wish I could find that guy and thank him. I'm inspired and amazed by the multitude of great bass players we all know and follow, but that unknown guy with a fretless Kramer in my school gym pointed out the way forward for me.

So play what you love and remember that you may be that person who inspires some young pimply kid at your seemingly random gig...

 

[Ed Goode]

Been playing DB my entire life, and I’m older than dirt, so fretless is very natural to me in spite of the scale differences and technical approach. Lined or unlined, doesn’t matter a lick to me ...

 

[Minirehak 212]

For me it took a really nice fretless to fully convert. I did a fretless conversion on a GSR that was alright and fun, I got a 6 string fretless SX that was fun. But I didn't get INTO it until I got this

Since I bought this I sold most of my collection and now I only have two basses. But a 6 string Thumb is on my radar

 

[bholder]

This one's "fletless":

Tune TS-364 Fletless Japan | ParkGuitar


(Another droolworthy Tune)

 

[4bluestrings]

How those tune basses? They look cool, but how do they play? Not really my style.

 

[4bluestrings]

Ordered a Tony Franklin fretless in black last night. Now the wait.

 

[Showdown]

PSA: Roundwounds will not destroy a tung oil-treated rosewood board.

I agree, I've played them for years with only surface scratches that have no effect on playability. I think some people see those surface scratches and freak out though.

 

[Barton Lee]

I've had this MIJ fretless Jazz since 1991, when I bought it new at GC for $350.

Since it was an affordable bass, I never worried about damaging the fretboard with roundwounds and used Rotosound 66 strings on it from 1991 until last summer, when I tried out a set of Chromes on it. They worked okay but I prefer flats on my P and JMJ. I'd recently become a convert to TI flats and decided to give the TI Jazz Rounds a try on this bass.

I'm really liking the TI rounds so far. Not as bright or aggressive as the Rotos of course but bright enough, and very easy to play. The E string is only a .89 but has plenty of low end, and there's mwah wherever/whenever you want it. I installed Lindy Fralin split jazz pickups, so no issues with hum. Soloing the front pickup with the tone mostly rolled off makes a lovely, full sound, growl with lots of warmth. Full back pickup with the front and tone at 2/3 and played back by the bridge yields the requisite Pastorius/Berlin sound. Not that I'm in that league...

I've gigged this bass many times over the years and the fretboard is fine. It's a generic looking bass that fits aesthetically in any situation (even if fretless tone doesn't always), has a Hipshot D tuner (I've had five strings and low D is enough for me now) and was cheap to buy in the first place. It's all I'll ever need in a fretless bass.

 

[bholder]

How those tune basses? They look cool, but how do they play? Not really my style.

@gebass6 - care to comment?

 

[Raulplaysbass]

I bought this beauty about 5-6 years ago cause my mouth hit the floor when I saw it. I messed around with it a little from time to time but started using it full time a few weeks ago and am loving everything about it. Definitely caught the bug and so happy I did.
Cheers