Fretless - Lined or Unlined?

[bh2]

There is no answer.

 

[byrdzeye]

I've played a lined fretless Steinberger for years (along with various fretted Fender P- and J-Basses), and have always been glad the lines were there, because playing IN tune is more than just a "littel" important. The lines help a lot. I've just started upright bass, and it came with whiteout position markers (at the actual stopping position) at the 3, 5, 7, and 12th "fret" positions. Its been a big help learning the UB with the markers, especially when playing with others when its sometimes hard to hear yourself.

 

[pkstone]

I always wonder how players can even see the lines. If you're standing up and the bass is hanging free (i.e. with the surface of the fingerboard on a plumb line to the ground) it's pretty hard to see the fingerboard without a neck like E.T.

The side dots (when properly placed, as in almost all designed-as-fretless necks) are all I need -- that and my ears. I also prefer the look of an unlined board.

I'd say if you're asking the question, you have some bravery in you, so go for unlined, and you (probably) won't be sorry.

 

[Bob Gollihur]

Go unlined, the side dots are enough of a guide to get you started and be there as a safety net for jumps. You can always use tape lines or something as temporary "learning lines" if you really think you need them, but dependence is a fantasy as precision line/finger placement is not really possible from our typical vantage point. Ears work better in the long run. If the training wheels are welded to your bike...

Besides, I hate it when guitar players stare at their necks all night as if someone is about to steal their frets... if you don't have that as a distraction, you can enjoy more the pleasant distractions in the crowd.

 

[MrTaff]

I cant even see the lines when I'm playing but on the odd occasion I play fretless it's a lined one simply because the dots are in the same place as a fretted bass, having the dots where the frets should be just confuses me.

 

[ArtechnikA]

I cant even see the lines when I'm playing but on the odd occasion I play fretless it's a lined one simply because the dots are in the same place as a fretted bass, having the dots where the frets should be just confuses me.

I just don't get this.
With a fretted bass, you put your fingers where the dots are.
With a fretless bass, you put your fingers where the dots are...

 

[MrTaff]

I just don't get this.
With a fretted bass, you put your fingers where the dots are.

with a fretted bass you put your fingers behind the fret, not in the middle where the dot it.

http://www.studybass.com/lessons/bass-technique/fretting/

This is very important. Each finger should press as closely behind the fret as possible without being on the fret.

 

[bh2]

I just don't get this.
With a fretted bass, you put your fingers where the dots are.
With a fretless bass, you put your fingers where the dots are...

You can put your fingers anywhere you like... within reason and/or tune.

 

[kesslari]

Yes.
Lined or unlined.
Get a fretless, play it, and enjoy.

 

[Watchootognbout]

Thinking about getting my first fretless bass, and the Squier Vintage Modified Precision fretless is really tempting. I'm concerned about the lined fretboard, though. On the one hand, it seems like the lines might be good "training wheels" for learning proper intonation. On the other hand, the lines might keep me from learning how to get proper intonation by ear if I ever get an unlined fretless.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Thanks!

If you walk into a store,you'll find that you don't have much of a choice.Bass makers don't make or sell a fretless version of every bass that they make.Much less an unlined fretless version.
You can buy one of the few brands that do make an unlined fretless.But you may or may not prefer it's styling or sound.

You can also have a Luthier remove the fretted fingerboard and replace it with an unlined fingerboard.But that is very expensive.

As a result,many bass players have the fretted bass of THEIR choice defretted and have the fret slots filled with whatever material they choose.Which is far less costly and it's relatively easy to do yourself.So personally, I chose to defret a fretted Tune TWB63 and fill the slots with styrene plastic.

 

[Marcury]

It doesn't matter. Find a bass you like to play, don't worry whether it is lined or not. Fretless is a wonderful thing and with or without lines, you will know whether you want to pursue it only after you've had one for a while. Intonation is a journey and the technique is more fluid on fretless but lines or no ultimately it's your ear that matters not your eyes.

 

[Tumbao]

Lined. Although the edge lines on some basses like F Bass work quite well.

+1

 

[Watchootognbout]

I always wonder how players can even see the lines. If you're standing up and the bass is hanging free (i.e. with the surface of the fingerboard on a plumb line to the ground) it's pretty hard to see the fingerboard without a neck like E.T.

The side dots (when properly placed, as in almost all designed-as-fretless necks) are all I need -- that and my ears. I also prefer the look of an unlined board.

I'd say if you're asking the question, you have some bravery in you, so go for unlined, and you (probably) won't be sorry.

Speaking for myself,I don't stand bolt straight with my bass perfectly flat against my lower stomach.My right leg would be forward slightly angling my bass up a bit.Plus the fact that the fingerboard has a radius.So I can see the lines with out too much goosenecking.Even so,the ends of the fretlines(styrene strips)are visible along the edge of the fingerboard.

 

[MD]

If you're reading a chart, you're not looking at your board.

 

[Brother Goose]

I played fretless exclusively for a number of years- had dot position markers for all "frets".

Everyone thought I was amazing because I was playing some fairly technical stuff on an "unlined" bass.

I have a lined 5 string now and plan on lines in the future. I'm also going to try to use larger position markers so may band mates can reference where I am on the fingerboard.

Not everyone has perfect pitch and many players are coming up playing great as a result of using tuners, tab, and youtube. Music is as much visual and tactile for some player's brains- I want to play well with all of them!

 

[Remus_Redbone]

Lines are not a bad thing, but after you've been playing fretless for a while, you will likely gravitate toward the look of no line boards, and the positioning of side dots "on" the fret position. After playing no-lined boards for a while, I really don't like the "between fret" position of side dots on a lined board, but I played lined boards for a long time. Could be it's a normal progression for most, or perhaps it's just a preference. I know that I became a big fan of the no lines look of the fretless bass over time, especially maple P bass boards. It's just a clean look to me.

 

[Watchootognbout]

If you're reading a chart, you're not looking at your board.

I've seen players doing both at the same time while LEARNING a piece.But when they play onstage,they're not looking at a chart.Unless you're playing some one else's tough,complex music.

 

[BassilPesto]

...But when they play onstage,they're not looking at a chart.Unless you're playing some one else's tough,complex music.

Or when you're sightreading.

 

[thiocyclist]

In my jazz bands I usually need to read a chart every song because we pull randomly from a wide list of tunes, so I can't look at the fingerboard too often.

 

[frankieC]

Lined, no lines... Have both, use both, no preference.
If you've never played fretless before, and you're a little unsure, get a lined bass with a bolt on neck. I down the road you want an unlined bass, you can buy another, or for a fraction of the cost you can buy and unlined eck, and convert your existing bass.

The easiest way to do that and still have a quality bass, is still probably a Carvin. A quality American made bass, and various necks fretted, lined unlined, from various neck woods and finger board woods are readily available at a very reasonable price.