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Fretless - lined or unlined? Let's survey this question..What's your preference?

#81
Turnaround said:
Later versions don't measure up IMO.
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I'll have to agree. The A4 was a noticeable step down in build quality based on what I've seen of them.

BTW…Do you know if the later ones have the tuned tines inside the body that the Baggs version has. I suspect not since they have a different sound.

Right now I'm debating whether or not to keep mine. It doesn't get a lot of play and it's a shame it just sits in its case as much as it does. I got it for a project many years back, played it heavily in the studio during that time, but now just practice on it mostly. My "work day" fretless is a medium scale '80s Aria.
 
#82
bassmanford said:
I'm not a regular browser of TB and may have missed discussions on this topic. If you can direct me to such please do.



1) are you a regular fretless electric bassist? - Nope! Just started. Bought my first one ever on TB this week!

2) does the fingerboard or top edge of your favored fretless bass have lines, or is it fully unlined? - Fully unlined with sweet pearl dots on the side.

3) all other things equal, if you bought your next fretless bass from a brand that offered the choice of either a Lined or Unlined fretless neck, which would you purchase? - Unlined

4) if you only had the one choice (as with Godin) of your less favored fingerboard preference, from your favored fretless bass brand, would you buy one? - Nope. I waited for an unlined to be available and achievable.

5) Please describe your view on this subject? I like the way the unlined looks way, way better. Beyond looks, I really want to give my ear an exercise and improve my pitch by doing play-alongs with youtube and just creative noodling (which is a call back to when I first started). The upper register is challenging as the spacing is pretty tight and I really want to nail my intonation. Also, I have an upright but rarely play it. Our house is small and my free time is usually super late at night (what with a wife and baby and all) which makes dragging the upright down into our cramped living room a little unrealistic. Plus, that sucker is LOUD. In the next house I am shooting to have a music room, but until then...unlined fretless electric and headphones is the deal. :)


Thanks for taking the time to share your view..I will tabulate and probably share (no names) with a few brands and ask them to describe what their marketing strategy is in offering lined vs. unlined fretless basses..

Ted
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#83
1) are you a regular fretless electric bassist? - Yes

2) does the fingerboard or top edge of your favored fretless bass have lines, or is it fully unlined? - Unlined - but the top edge has brass dots inlaid in it.

3) all other things equal, if you bought your next fretless bass from a brand that offered the choice of either a Lined or Unlined fretless neck, which would you purchase? - the tone and play-ability are more important to me than lines or dots.

4) if you only had the one choice (as with Godin) of your less favored fingerboard preference, from your favored fretless bass brand, would you buy one? - no idea

5) Please describe your view on this subject? - IMHO you shouldn't even be looking at your left hand when you play bass. You should just practice your intonation using your ears.
 
#84
1) are you a regular fretless electric bassist? - semi

2) does the fingerboard or top edge of your favored fretless bass have lines, or is it fully unlined? - Lined

3) all other things equal, if you bought your next fretless bass from a brand that offered the choice of either a Lined or Unlined fretless neck, which would you purchase? - Lined

4) if you only had the one choice (as with Godin) of your less favored fingerboard preference, from your favored fretless bass brand, would you buy one? - No

5) Please describe your view on this subject? - I still need the visual training wheels of a lined fretboard.
 
#85
bassmanford said:
So let's conduct our own Fretless Bass Market Survey

1) are you a regular fretless electric bassist? - Y/N

2) does the fingerboard or top edge of your favored fretless bass have lines, or is it fully unlined? - Lined/Unlined

3) all other things equal, if you bought your next fretless bass from a brand that offered the choice of either a Lined or Unlined fretless neck, which would you purchase? - Lined/Unlined

4) if you only had the one choice (as with Godin) of your less favored fingerboard preference, from your favored fretless bass brand, would you buy one? - Yes/No

5) Please describe your view on this subject? - ________________________
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1) More "occasional" than "regular" but trying to work fretless more into my gigging bands than I have in the past.
2) Unlined.
3) Unlined.
4) No.
5) Nothing profound to offer here other than the two fretless basses I have are unlined, thus, what I am used to playing.
 
#87
bucephylus said:
. . . Many, especially younger or newer fretless players believe blank fingerboards look cooler. That's fine as far as individual preferences go; but, reality is that no one in the audience cares what your bass looks like. The personal preference part of this is fine; the macho "I'm a more awesome player because I don't need those training wheels" perspective is foolish, IMO. My goal is to play my parts with excellent pitch discrimination, and I will use any device available to make sure that happens. BTW, I am not pitch discrimination deficit, having tested 96th percentile for pitch discrimination. I also play classical double bass.
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bucephylus said:
This guy must not have read the posts on TB that marks on the fingerboard are uncool looking.
View attachment 964455

LOL. What's his problem, anyway?
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You had to know the condescending swipes were inevitable in this thread. Let me give you a break from patting yourself on the back by congratulating your otherworldly pitch discrimination.

Maybe you can talk Edgar into getting a lined fingerboard?
 
#89
1) are you a regular fretless electric bassist? - Yes, have been for many years

2) does the fingerboard or top edge of your favored fretless bass have lines, or is it fully unlined? - My current fretless bass guitar is lined, but I have had others that were unlined.

3) all other things equal, if you bought your next fretless bass from a brand that offered the choice of either a Lined or Unlined fretless neck, which would you purchase? - Cosmetically, I prefer the look of an unlined fretless bass guitar - looks closer to an upright. It makes no difference in playing (lined vs. unlined) as you use the dots on the side of the neck, not the lines on the top. As you progress, you start to know where the notes are (you ears guide you and your fingers eventually learn where to go).

4) if you only had the one choice (as with Godin) of your less favored fingerboard preference, from your favored fretless bass brand, would you buy one? - My current fretless is lined. I would have preferred to have unlined, but that was not an option. Basically, I wanted a fretless version of a fretted bass that I really loved. It was a Lakland Skyline 55-64, and the only fretless option was lined.

5) Please describe your view on this subject? - Cosmetic, as I mentioned before, you shouldn't really be using the lines on the top, use the dots on the side instead.
 
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#90
Lee Moses said:
You had to know the condescending swipes were inevitable in this thread. Let me give you a break from patting yourself on the back by congratulating your otherworldly pitch discrimination.

Maybe you can talk Edgar into getting a lined fingerboard?
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First, I apologize if there was the slightest condescension in my post. I absolutely intended nothing of the kind. I merely mentioned pitch discrimination because it happened to have been measured by Johnson O'Connor; and there is such a strong anti-fingerboard marking sentiment that I just wanted to make clear that I'm not using lines because my ears don't work. BTW, my other musical aptitudes, tonal and rhythmic memory were mid-80's, which is ok for a hobby player; but they essentially told me not to bother considering a career as a pro musician. I'm sure there are cats on here who are upper 90's in all three areas; so, I'm properly aware of my limitations.

LOL that I would presume to suggest anything to Edgar. There is a cat who has truly earned his stripes. He also is quite candid in his master classes that he uses the position markers in the upper register. He also has the attitude that any device that helps to produce the desired end result is a good thing. So, I believe the reference is appropriate; but, again, I apologize if I offended your sense of things. Such was not intended.

BTW, your choice of highlighting seems to be purposely ignoring the balanced points that I made in support of folks who prefer an unmarked board. I guess folks read what they want to read....
 
#91
1) are you a regular fretless electric bassist? - Y/N
YES

2) does the fingerboard or top edge of your favored fretless bass have lines, or is it fully unlined? - Lined/Unlined
Fully Unlined. Side dots only.

3) all other things equal, if you bought your next fretless bass from a brand that offered the choice of either a Lined or Unlined fretless neck, which would you purchase? - Lined/Unlined
Unlined always

4) if you only had the one choice (as with Godin) of your less favored fingerboard preference, from your favored fretless bass brand, would you buy one? - Yes/No
Nope. I'll probably never buy a lined fretless. The exception might be if I found a really great deal on a fantastic lined instrument, I might buy it and stain the board/lines until you can't hardly see them. Even then though, I'd probably hold out for an unlined instrument.

5) Please describe your view on this subject? - ________________________
Fretless is fun. I don't need the lines. My intonation is good enough in the lower register and I never really play high enough to need the added reference points. An unlined fretless is beautiful to me and I see no reason to compromise.

Also, the ability of an unlined fretless to make a strong impression on the audience, bandleader, etc. shouldn't be discounted. If you're going to play a fretless why not let people know it?!
 
#92
1) Yes, 90% of my playing is on fretless

2) Unlined

3) Unlined

4) No

5) I love the freedom of an unlined fretless. I can't get my head around a lined fretless at all.

This is what I play. I love it so much, best fretless ever :)
11581.jpg
 
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#93
1. Not at the moment, but I played my fretless 6 exclusively for 14 years including gigs. Recently got the 7 and am getting back into it.

2. Fingerboard is fully blank. Top edge has small side dots where the frets would be at 3, 5, 7, 9, 12, etc.

3. Unlined only.

4. No. I don't think an unlined board is a ridiculous request for a custom shop. I won't support a company that wouldn't do that for me, I'd go somewhere else. Now used, I might consider it and have a new board installed.

5. IMO I think boards with any sort of inlay on the face looks silly but that's just me. We all have our opinions on what we like and that makes the world great. But anyway all I want is the side dots at 3, 5, 7, 9, 12, etc. That way at a quick glance I can get a visual of the fingerboard so I know where I'm at and where I can go. I use my ear and finger memory to play in tune.
 
#94
1) Yes
2) Lined
3) Not a purchase decision for me
4) Yes
5) I usually don't look at my fretboard while playing, so it's a moot point, I'll get used to it. What I care about is how the neck profile feels in the hand, and that will determine a purchasing decision, if give the choice. Here's my muse (pic is form the Linc Luthiere site; I suspect it is my bass)
bass_col_8.jpg
 
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#95
1.) Yes. 2.) I own four fretless basses. Three are unlined (one plain, one with side dots, one with side dots and fingerboard dots), one has slight grooves where the frets would be, but no visible lines. It has side dots. 3.) Unlined, side dots don't matter. 4.) Yes. 5.) I wouldn't let lines prevent me from owning a great bass, but I don't like them or seek them out. I think they detract from the beauty of the neck and they don't really help my playing. I am building a fretless now and have no plans for any dots or lines. Have a great day.
 
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#96
For anyone taking up fretless for the first time, I'd definitely suggest lined. Once proficient coloring inside the lines, then the bare-board fretless becomes a viable option. I myself, having just picked up fretless for the first time this year, find the lines invalauble, until the intonation and position is fully internalized... which it is not yet, for me, in part because I don't play the fretless exclusively (which would speed things up).
 
#97
1) Yes
2) Lined
3) Lined
4) I wouldn't let the lack of lines deter a purchase
5) The lack of lines is an aesthetic choice. Fret lines provide functionality on a tool. Having lines allows you to make quicker corrections or the ability to see where you are playing a note if you don't have optimal on stage sound. If you consider your instrument a tool that allows you to perform a task get lines, if you consider your instrument a work of art go with which ever. I personally think the partial lines looks the best especially when they change sides after the 12 fret line.
 
#98
1. Yes.
2. All of my fretless basses have lined fingerboards (and face dots)
3. Lined
4. Yes, if the choice was lined
5. Basses are tools for self-expression (and work tools for many). Get the tool that works best for you and best helps you to do what you do. That's it, it's not an either/or proposition.
 
#99
1) are you a regular fretless electric bassist? - no. Upright, yes, but I play the fretless 'Bird fairly rarely.

2) does the fingerboard or top edge of your favored fretless bass have lines, or is it fully unlined? - Lined, but the lines are hard to see. It's lined only because there were slots where the frets were removed.

3) all other things equal, if you bought your next fretless bass from a brand that offered the choice of either a Lined or Unlined fretless neck, which would you purchase? - unlined, it I ever buy another one

4) if you only had the one choice (as with Godin) of your less favored fingerboard preference, from your favored fretless bass brand, would you buy one? - Yes, but neither Gibson nor Epiphone are making fretless Thunderbirds, let alone a fretless with no lines.

5) Please describe your view on this subject? - I can't see the fingerboard when playing anyway, so lined/unlined is a moot point. Side dots in the right place are more important. When defretting a neck and then trying to make the infill hard to see, you end up with confused visual clues on the side of the neck. It's easy enough to get used to and work around. No side dots at all would be more challenging.
 
#100
bassmanford said:
1) are you a regular fretless electric bassist? - Y/N

2) does the fingerboard or top edge of your favored fretless bass have lines, or is it fully unlined? - Lined/Unlined

3) all other things equal, if you bought your next fretless bass from a brand that offered the choice of either a Lined or Unlined fretless neck, which would you purchase? - Lined/Unlined

4) if you only had the one choice (as with Godin) of your less favored fingerboard preference, from your favored fretless bass brand, would you buy one? - Yes/No

5) Please describe your view on this subject? - ________________________
Click to expand...

1) Yes, though I'm currently fretless-less. :(
2) Unlined
3) Unlined
4) It probably wouldn't be my favorite fretless brand, in that case...:eyebrow: But if I found a great example of my favorite brand with lines and was not able to find one without lines, I'd consider buying it.
5) Playing fretless will *always* require listening, and for me, having lines means relying on the lines and not my ears. Dots in the 3/5/7/9/12... positions on the side gives me just about the right amount of visual indicators.
 

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