Fretless Precision

[Tim Skaggs]

I have said it before, but this bass would be a great candidate for conversion to a maple fingerboard fretless P-bass. It already has Cobalt Flats which I would keep.

Get out the fret pulling pliers and go to work....

 

[Arthur U. Poon]

The fretless P-Bass that I own is a mutt. It’s a late 80’s MIJ body, with an EMG P-style pickup and a Badass-II bridge. I swapped out it’s stock fretted neck with a lined Warmoth neck with an ebony fingerboard. I then had the fingerboard coated with Fuller-Plast to protect it from wear.

When it was completed, it sounded even better than I’d hoped.

 

[Arthur U. Poon]

I’d like to see Fender make a Stanley Sheldon model fretless P-Bass. I’ve always loved the look of an unlined maple fingerboard.

 

[jerry]

I’d like to see Fender make a Stanley Sheldon model fretless P-Bass. I’ve always loved the look of an unlined maple fingerboard.View attachment 3738461

Isn't Frampton Comes Alive all fretless P-bass?

 

[Arthur U. Poon]

Isn't Frampton Comes Alive all fretless P-bass?

It sure is!
I had that album when I bought my first bass. I had no idea there was such a thing as a fretless electric bass, and the photo of Stanley Sheldon playing his on the “Frampton Comes Alive” album boggled my mind.

 

[Arthur U. Poon]

when I saw this one, money started flying outta my pockets!
View attachment 3737415

Absolutely beautiful! Killer amp setup too!

 

[DJ Bebop]

View attachment 3738347
Boz Burrell

 

[dabbler]

I agree with Dr. Cheese. There isn't one standard fretless tone. Like Inara and others, I also don't prefer the bridge pickup jazz bass tone. It sounds nice at home and with a flanger or chorus, but doesn't work in my rock band at all. I prefer a thicker sound that offers more support. I always use nickel round wounds, DR Sunbeams are my current favorite. Flats just don't give me enough of that singing quality that I like and I don't like the way that they feel when I glissando from note to note. When my fingerboard gets worn, I have it dressed. It just goes with the territory.

Different strokes for different folks, and great musicians have made great music by breaking with tradition! Isn't that how we got Rock?

Anyways, MY favorite fretless tone is a P with flats with the pup halves wired in parallel! For Jazzy tones, that one does it for me! So I have a couple of my P basses wired with a series/parallel mod.

 

[zontar]

Ah yes, the fretless Precision--or as I call them-the Oxymoron bass
(Not an insult--a reference to the name "Precision")

 

[red7flag]

Put flats on my new TF. Love the tone. Rock solid deep and rich. The feel of the sleekly strings without frets makes sliding just heavenly. I have to make a real effort not to overuse the slide. Can become annoying when over done.

 

[rockinrayduke]

I’d like to see Fender make a Stanley Sheldon model fretless P-Bass. I’ve always loved the look of an unlined maple fingerboard.View attachment 3738461

Had one exactly like this in the mid 70s, great bass!

 

[Arthur U. Poon]

Had one exactly like this in the mid 70s, great bass!

 

[dabbler]

I’d like to see Fender make a Stanley Sheldon model fretless P-Bass. I’ve always loved the look of an unlined maple fingerboard.View attachment 3738461

Me too!

And yeah, the neck is misaligned. It is better now, still not perfect, but much better playing than when this pic was taken.