Fretless players: When do you play your fretted?

[basspraiser]

..a.s stated a few times, I let the song dictate...spend MOST of my time on a fretted ...maybe it is a "confidence" thing....I have played complete sets on a fretless but that is the exception more than the rule...usually use the fretless on mellower stuff or where I want the specific fretless sound (mwah, slide etc).....

 

[basspraiser]

I don't know how these folks with 10 basses function!

..well I have 7 electric and 1 acoustic with a fretless Turner (used) and another electric fretless soon to be here (for a total of 10)....

I function just fine...thank you....

seriously...I get bored fast and like to have several different sounds at my disposal...so basses get picked based on the song list for that week (I play in Church)....sometimes a P (55-64) fits the bill...sometimes a J (55-60)...sometimes a more modern sound (55-07 or 55-94 etc)...maybe the acoustic....it all depends on my mood and the mix of songs....

I end up with 2 basses more often than not on a sunday morning (elec/acoustic or fretted/fretless)...

 

[basspraiser]

nice...I have the same amp set up....GREAT for smaller venues!

I have a 2-10 cab to add to it for outside stuff...it handles every situation I need very well...and it is light as well..a winning combo!

I love playing fretless, but when I'm playing rock I use a fretted - just seems to fit the music better, plus as someone else mentioned, if you're singing (which I do a fair amount of), it's harder to pay attention to the pitch of the fretless.

However, I have a once-per-month jazz gig, and for that I always use this baby:

 

[Slammin]

I defretted a bass about 35 years ago. I only had it a couple of years but it was pretty cool for a junker. I just aquired a Jaco J yesterday and haven't put it down since!

I think the reason I feel so at home on fretless is because I was never taught how to play bass and have always played almost right on top of the frets. That is the first thing other musicians would notice when I play. That bad technique is probably what makes fretless so easy for me to play.

 

[henry2513]

I play my fretted when the song demands it, if I'm playing a beatles tune on a gig or a random tune someone requests, I'm probably switching to my fretted and go back to fretless for the jazz tunes and originals.

 

[Matthew_84]

I play my fretted when the song demands it, if I'm playing a beatles tune on a gig or a random tune someone requests, I'm probably switching to my fretted and go back to fretless for the jazz tunes and originals.

Have you ever played "Come Together" on the fretless? With all the slides and bends in the track, a fretless kills it.

 

[SLaPiNFuNK]

Have you ever played "Come Together" on the fretless? With all the slides and bends in the track, a fretless kills it.

One of the groups I play with this is one of the covers... Fretless of choose kills it!

 

[Stilettoprefer]

If upright counts as fretless, then I only use it on swing tunes. Otherwise I either use my Schecter (which is my go to) or my P.

The fretless electric that I have is a POS ibanez gio that I modded. It only comes out on those outdoor gig that have questionable weather reports.

 

[1954bassman]

I play mainly fretless. I switch to fretted at church where we play Praise and Worship, when I am in a situation where I am going to have to push (drive) the band, and I almost always take a fretted bass to a gig where I am not familiar with the songs.

 

[tjclem]

I play mainly fretless. I switch to fretted at church where we play Praise and Worship, when I am in a situation where I am going to have to push (drive) the band, and I almost always take a fretted bass to a gig where I am not familiar with the songs.

Interesting I know a lot of my fretless basses are used mostly in churches.

 

[bootsox]

I rarely touch my fretless, my Peaveys are usually closer to where I sit

 

[mtb777]

Ummmmmmmm.... I don't have a fretted bass anymore. I do have 4 basses though.