Fretless P or J?

[gsquare]

I have a fretless P, all original, and a fretless P with Jazz pickups. They are both awesome for different reasons. I'm using the J setup for a jazz project where articulation is important, and the P for recording, worship, rock, pretty much everything else where I'm using a fretless. Not sure that helps in your quest. If I only had one fretless it would be a PJ, absolutely, positively.

 

[TrevorOfDoom]

Big fan of the fretless P. Just as versatile as a fretted P, but without the speedbumps!
Never been a hige Jaco tone fan, but I understand why folks dig it and like it.

 

[Acoop]

J-bass baby! ... W/bridge pickup up full and the neck dialled back a notch is the sound. ... I'll go one further and suggest having the tone control removed completely.

 

[Asat77]

G&L L2000 fretless. Sounds really awesome, very versatyle.

 

[jjmuckluckjr]

Um, well.....

 

[joinercape]

When not on double bass I'm a P bass guy, but my fretless is a P bass shape and neck width with J pickups (I like Fralins but choose your own flavor). I tried just P pickups, then P/J, and settled on this setup.

 

[ERIC31]

Because Sting says it's fretless P Bass all the way!

 

[GMC]

Personally, I like either a MM pickup or a pair of J style pickups on a fretless.

 

[SteveCS]

Okay I will not quote!

Are there some fretlessplayers on the thread???

or are all fretless guys boring? (I hope I am not )

may the bass be with you

Wise fretless(b)ass

Yes we are and no we're not!

 

[Pirate Captain]

both

 

[Deleted member 165050]

My two fretless basses are Wal and Guild so neither P nor J for me and I mostly play fretless. The Wal's pickup is down by the bridge though so much easier to get J sounds and the Guild has something of a P tone in one pickup position. I had a fretless P many years ago which I wish I'd kept...

 

[inthebassclef]

I am usually a traditional guy, but the best fretless to me is a dual coil setup

 

[Burwabit]

I just bought a fretless J with active electronics. It's only been 1 day, but I'm hoping this is the sauce. I went active for a little more control over tone.j

 

[bassliner50]

I think a fretless P would emulate a DB more closely.

 

[keith1r]

Jazz for Jaco bridge pickup sound but a P will get more of an upright bass sound although you can just use the neck pickup

 

[joinercape]

IMHO if you want a double bass sound play double bass. Fretless electric bass have their own sound and feel, and a good player will make just about any pickup combination sound good or at at least interesting, and suit their needs. Electric basses sound like electric basses.

 

[Old Garage-Bander]

Why yes a fretless P/J, why place such restrictions on yourself.

In practice I would not impose such a restriction.
I was looking for opinions on one vs the other without statistically muddying things up.
I suppose someone who would have voted P/J could always take the carrot option.

 

[Old Garage-Bander]

I have a fretless PJ (granted the neck is a custom job) and I'm pretty happy with it. The feel is very comfortable and the PJ configuration sounds great. For what it's worth though, I think the answer is totally subjective and you wouldn't be wrong to go either way.

Unless it has a lined neck. Then you're wrong.

How 'bout no lines but dots?

 

[ReiPsaeg]

Fretless J! How can you call a bass a Precision Bass without frets?

 

[InhumanResource]

How 'bout no lines but dots?

Ooh, like inlay dots on the board itself? I can't think of setting too many like that. Unmarked is still my personal favorite though