Started on short scale pos fretted, then got a nice Washburn. a year later grab a 3/4 upright and going strong. Have made 4 basses. Two 4's and 2 sixes, all fretless.
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Fretless disease
- Thread starter 4bluestrings
- Start date
It's high on my list, but I am going to be taking the advice and practice of several session masters, like Mark Egan, and get a lined one.
I made the decision to play one Bass. It is a fretless, due to maximum sonic flexibility.
I took my Ash '96 USA Schecter California Custom Shop Traditional Jazz Bass, sold the neck, purchased a Status Graphite lined fretless P 1.65" nut width neck, rewired to V-B - T/B Aguilar OBP-1, with the MONSTERTONE J tapped pickups each on its own mini switch. I use TI nickle roundwounds 107-043 with a BAII and Hipshot Ultralight tuners.
This is a clear, powerful and flexible Bass, that works for creating a style/tone, as slapping has never played into the music to a great extent, that I have been involved with.
I took my Ash '96 USA Schecter California Custom Shop Traditional Jazz Bass, sold the neck, purchased a Status Graphite lined fretless P 1.65" nut width neck, rewired to V-B - T/B Aguilar OBP-1, with the MONSTERTONE J tapped pickups each on its own mini switch. I use TI nickle roundwounds 107-043 with a BAII and Hipshot Ultralight tuners.
This is a clear, powerful and flexible Bass, that works for creating a style/tone, as slapping has never played into the music to a great extent, that I have been involved with.
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I wanted fretless when I first hear Sean Malone from cynic and Steve di georgio from like every metal band ever... learnt to use it to compose a few pieces and play in a thrash band... but it never fit my new band in which I slap and as it sat unused for so many years I sold it recently... kinda sad but would prefer it being used properly! Oh yeah it was an Ibanez gwb35... nice bass!
I love the way that fretless plays but I always found myself fighting against its natural sound when I owned one for a year or so. I'd like to have one again at some point just for my own enjoyment at home, but what I go for sound-wise just doesn't seem to be what the fretless is all about.
I got a Squier VM Fretless Jazz for Christmas and strung it up with TI Jazz Flats. It’s all I’ve been playing at home; haven’t gigged it yet, and haven’t had an actual gig for about 6 months. When I play my fretted basses I find myself disliking the frets, like they’re getting in my way. We’ll see how it goes but for now I’m having a darn good time.
My first foray into fretlessness was a SX P-Bass that I owned about 10 years ago. It needed a setup in the worst way and I never really got into that bass. I sold it on here after owning it for only a brief period of time.
My first foray into fretlessness was a SX P-Bass that I owned about 10 years ago. It needed a setup in the worst way and I never really got into that bass. I sold it on here after owning it for only a brief period of time.
For the price of a Kiesel, check out Brady Muckelroy. You can find him on Facebook, Instagram, or at Link Removed. I got a pair of his basses after looking at Kiesel, and I'm floored by them. FWIW, I'm not sponsored by Brady, but after 43 years, I finally have the basses I've wanted for all that time.
After seeing / hearing Rick Danko play his fretless Ampeg Devil Bass with The Band on stage at the Sullivan Auditorium in Chicago I was convinced. Rick was proof that a fretless needn’t sound like one. When my Jazz Bass was stolen in ‘68, I picked up a cheap Conrad fretless and used nothing else for the next 5 years of gigging - nobody cared. I also picked up an upright.
Today it’s rare that I’ll choose a fretless for a gig, but if I do it’s without any fear. Once you really learn the technique, you don’t lose it. At least I haven’t, and I'll bet you won't either!
Today it’s rare that I’ll choose a fretless for a gig, but if I do it’s without any fear. Once you really learn the technique, you don’t lose it. At least I haven’t, and I'll bet you won't either!
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BTW, fretless isn't the disease. It's the cure...
When I got my Steinberger L2 in the fall of 1983 I decided to pull the frets out of the Aria Pro II SB-900 that it replaced. I did a hack job. I wish I had never done that and I wish I had kept that bass.
I sold it a few years later and eventually got a Music Man Sterling Fretless (the real thing, not the import). I just didn't bond with it.
Now I am ready to get another fretless. Good thing I waited until a Pedulla Buzz goes for $5500 new.
I sold it a few years later and eventually got a Music Man Sterling Fretless (the real thing, not the import). I just didn't bond with it.
Now I am ready to get another fretless. Good thing I waited until a Pedulla Buzz goes for $5500 new.
Hi 4bluestrings 
Is it a virus? (it is contagious!!!)
Is it a drug? (it is addictive!!!)
I can' t say, but it changed my life!
may the bass be with you
Wise(b)ass
yep.
Is it a virus? (it is contagious!!!)
Is it a drug? (it is addictive!!!)
I can' t say, but it changed my life!
may the bass be with you
Wise(b)ass
Not quite that way for me. Initially I studied string bass. From there I moved to fretted electrics, next I added a string bass to my arsenal and then got fretless electrics. I have two of them, a Rob Allen and a Carvin with a high "C".
That's not quite how it went for me. I began studying string bass, from there I moved to fretted electrics. Next I added a string bass to my arsenal and then got fretless electrics. I have two of them, a Rob Allen and a Carvin that has a high "C" rather than a low "B". I also have a fretted six string Carvin so I have both the high "C" and the low "B".
stevieg
For me, fretless is like an addiction, and addiction is a disease...
My first “gateway” fretless was an 80’s Aria Pro II Integra that my friend gave me. It sounded like a wet turd so I ripped the frets out. This was in ‘93 when I had just started playing bass (but played guitar for 6 years before that, so I was not all that green to instruments). This was also the first time I encountered and Ebanol fingerboard and what happens to it when frets are ripped out of it.
I don’t know what happened to that bass...I just can’t for the life of me remember...
So I then bought a ‘94 Stingray fretless. Hands down the best production fretless ever. But 2 years later I wound up trading it for the L2500 I have now...I wanted a 5-string more than a fretless.
I’ve been missing that Stingray and wound up going through a handful of Chinese fretless basses from Rondo, it was literally a revolving door. I couldn’t afford to buy another Stingray, and was looking for that same playability and aggressive tone, but it was a futile search.
8 years later, after acquiring a taste for Jazz basses, I was able to put together a very fine fretless 5-string Jazz out of a Squier body and roasted maple/Ebony Warmoth neck. Turned out to be the best playing non-production fretless bass ever.
I currently have Fender Marcus Miller pickups out of the MM signature bass in it, and they sound great. But I will be getting a set of Quarter Pound Jazz pickups for it, because I still want that aggressive, thunderous growl I get out of them in my Fretted Jazz V.
When I feel the need for some fretless inspiration, I typically watch two videos, and both styles cant’d be further disconnected. Both music styles inspire me in different ways.
My first “gateway” fretless was an 80’s Aria Pro II Integra that my friend gave me. It sounded like a wet turd so I ripped the frets out. This was in ‘93 when I had just started playing bass (but played guitar for 6 years before that, so I was not all that green to instruments). This was also the first time I encountered and Ebanol fingerboard and what happens to it when frets are ripped out of it.
I don’t know what happened to that bass...I just can’t for the life of me remember...
So I then bought a ‘94 Stingray fretless. Hands down the best production fretless ever. But 2 years later I wound up trading it for the L2500 I have now...I wanted a 5-string more than a fretless.
I’ve been missing that Stingray and wound up going through a handful of Chinese fretless basses from Rondo, it was literally a revolving door. I couldn’t afford to buy another Stingray, and was looking for that same playability and aggressive tone, but it was a futile search.
8 years later, after acquiring a taste for Jazz basses, I was able to put together a very fine fretless 5-string Jazz out of a Squier body and roasted maple/Ebony Warmoth neck. Turned out to be the best playing non-production fretless bass ever.
I currently have Fender Marcus Miller pickups out of the MM signature bass in it, and they sound great. But I will be getting a set of Quarter Pound Jazz pickups for it, because I still want that aggressive, thunderous growl I get out of them in my Fretted Jazz V.
When I feel the need for some fretless inspiration, I typically watch two videos, and both styles cant’d be further disconnected. Both music styles inspire me in different ways.
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Bought a Fretless SX P to test the waters. Never looked back.
Play More - Fret Less (Fretless)
Play More - Fret Less (Fretless)
