Fretless: Lines or No Lines?? Which is Least Annoying??

[Brad Johnson]

Originally posted by Richard Lindsey
LOL. I know exactly what you mean. I just figure that's why God made vibrato.

That is indeed why it came to be.

Now if someone could just explain Squirrel Nut Zippers*.






* and no, don't picture a squirrel with his little squirrel pants down around his little squirrel ankles... it's a candy from way back when

 

[Bruce Lindfield]

Like this :

 

[arcopizz]

Back when I was learning to play fretless very few of them had lines. In fact, if one had lines it meant it was a neutered fretted bass. I learned without them and now find them a distraction.

 

[Brad Johnson]

Originally posted by arcopizz
Back when I was learning to play fretless very few of them had lines. In fact, if one had lines it meant it was a neutered fretted bass. I learned without them and now find them a distraction.

They used to be a distraction for me too. Then I realized that frets weren't a distraction so why should lines be?

I still prefer unlined but I own both and I'm happy with all of them.

 

[Phil Smith]

Originally posted by Richard Lindsey
Not really--ears are only a guide to pitch *after* you've played the note, by which time it's too late to nail it, though you can of course fudge it (as we've all done). Good unlined players rely on visual cues and muscle memory, just like good lined players. (What not-so-good players of either persuasion may do isn't really relevant.) It's just that the visual cues used by unlined players happen not to include lines ...

Ears are guide to pitch *before* you play the note because you're anticipating what you want to hear and you can adjust the actual pitch to the desired one before anyone notices that you're out of tune. I'm not talking about slurs, I'm talking about the micro adjustment that occurs whether you're playing lined or unlined where a simple wiggle of the finger alters the pitch.

I like line LEDs!

 

[Copycat]

I should be receiving my Stambaugh fretless four string tomorrow. Can't wait. Even though I've always had unlined boards in the past, I've heard some studio recordings where my intonation was just a wee bit off on a note or two, and it bugged me. At the time, I thought I had nailed the note, but when I had time to listen closely. uh-uh. While I agree that the look of an unlined board is cleaner and thus "cooler", I decided to have Chris put bubinga lines on a Macassar ebony board which is broadly striped, so to be honest the lines will be very subtle and virtually invisible from a distance. Before finishing the neck, Chris also called me and asked where I wanted the side position dots to be placed. Being an unlined board player up til now, I chose to have them AT the line in all the typical positions, as they'd appear on an unlined fretless, rather than between as they would be on a defretted bass (or some manufacturers' lined fretless models). That way I can navigate as I would with an unlined board and not rely on the lines generally, but the darker lines will be there should having an additional bit of help prove to be useful. I'll try to post pix of the bass after I receive it. Figured black walnut top, ash body, bolt on, neck through stringing option, two Bartolini X pups, Aguilar OBP-3 pre. Should be a smokin' bass. Chris' work is phenomenal, and his prices? Unbeatable.

 

[Richard Lindsey]

Originally posted by Phil Smith
Ears are guide to pitch *before* you play the note because you're anticipating what you want to hear and you can adjust the actual pitch to the desired one before anyone notices that you're out of tune. I'm not talking about slurs, I'm talking about the micro adjustment that occurs whether you're playing lined or unlined where a simple wiggle of the finger alters the pitch.

I like line LEDs!

Well, that's really what I referred to as fudging--fixing the note after you didn't get it quite right for starters. By "guide to pitch" I intended to signify a way of determining where to place your fingers in preparation for playing a note, not either an internalized pitch barometer or a way of evaluating (and if necessary correcting) your pitch after you play the note. To have good intonation, you need to be able to predict what the pitch of your next note will be before you play it, but you can't use your ears on a note you haven't heard yet. So the pitch of the note as it is played can't possibly be what determines where you place your finger *in preparation for* playing it.

Lined LEDs, huh? Now there's an idea whose time may be coming soon.

 

[Brad Johnson]

Originally posted by Richard Lindsey Lined LEDs, huh? Now there's an idea whose time may be coming soon.

Yep... and after that maybe they'll make some 3D lines, maybe even use something shiny...

 

[Phil Smith]

Originally posted by Brad Johnson
Yep... and after that maybe they'll make some 3D lines, maybe even use something shiny...

Not 3D bro, but holograms, yeah! Yeah, that's it, fret holograms. You heard it hear first folks!

 

[bmc]

Q: What's the difference between a fretless bass and a lawnmower?

A: Vibrato

 

[lonote]

Lines drive me crazy! When I play a lined fretless, I seem to worry more about intonation and I am constantly looking at my fingers. When I play my unlined MIJ Jazz, my ears take care of the intonation.