Fretless & String question

[Bassman Ski]

For kicks and giggles, I decided to take one of my cheapo Charvels, take it's neck off and put on a fretless neck. Never played a fretless (other than a double bass like 25 years ago)... Now reading some of the threads here, I read "Roundwounds tear up the necks" and I can see how that can happen. So best is flatwounds I take it?

Thank you in advance for any input on the subject.

 

[LilRay]

Ski,

It's actually Depending on what the neck fingerboard is constructed of. Unfinished Rosewood will get eaten up but there are products out that allow you to use Rounds on a fretless. You can coat the board with epoxy etc. But there again it depends on how often you play it and if it turns out you like a fretless.

If it turns out you dig playing fretless, I'd look into a bass that's prepared for rounds.

Lotsa more experienced guys can offer more insight but yes flats will allow your board to last longer.



God Blss, Ray

 

[derJackal]

I prefer roundwounds on my fretless. There's just a metallic growl you cannot get from flatwounds.

I actually just had my neck "sealed". It's rosewood and my local luthier used superglue rather than marine epoxy becuase it lasts longer and is actually a little harder when it cures. Plus he said it's easier to spot fix when needed.

And as I use Rotosound RS66LDs they're also a little more deadly to fretless basses.

 

[bigcatJC]

This one's as old as the hills. Quick answer: Yes, roundwounds will damage your fretless fingerboard more than flats. However, there is not nearly as much damage as legends will lead you to believe.

From personal experience, I played untreated wooden fingerboard fretless from 89-93 (I've used all-graphite since then, and damage don't enter into the equation any more!) with Rotosound 66s (steel round). I gigged sporadically, practiced at home every day, and practiced with a band twice weekly. Through all that use, with strings that are generally regarded as the roughest you can use, I didn't have enough damage to harm my bass' playability or sound. I am a nut about my set-ups, but I never noticed a difference in feel, touch, or sound. This was on a Japanese Fender Jazz with a rosewood board, nothing fancy.

You will be able to see damage to the board (scratches, wear spots), but they never went deep enough to affect anything with me.

Bottom line, choose the strings based on the sound and feel you want. I bet any real damage will be years down the line. Worry about it the same way you worry about re-fretting: It'll be a long time, most likely.

 

[Bassman Ski]

"Old as the hills?" No sir.. I am old as the hills

at least on some days I feel I am. I should have stated earlier the material of the fretboard is ebony. I saw in another thread where someone asked what these markings were on the fretboard and they were identical to mine and they indeed wiped off.

This board is great... Lots of knowledge on here. I have lurked around for a while getting great answers just by reading. You guys are great... THANKS!!!

 

[JTE]

If you've read theb threads here you'd hsave seen that the wear isn't that bad. I'm a staunch proponent of "use what sounds right and deal withb the wear".

John

 

[fretlessguy]

Yes, as everyone else says, they will wear on your fingerboards over time. You can slow this down by:
1. Having the boards coated.
2. Playing with smoother nickel rounds rather than stainless steel ones. Be careful, some nickels are actually rough and some stainless strings are smooth.
3. Do your vibrato like a cellist going parallel with the strings and not pulling the strings up and down like a guitarist.
4. Go to a compressed string that can still give a a decent mwah sound like GHS Pressure Wounds or Ken Smith Compressors. They are smoother and kinder to the boards, and on fretteds they are nicer to your frets.
5. When the time comes that you do need to replace the board, replace it with ebony and not rosewood. It's tougher and longer lasting.

The "wear out your boards" thing is probably an exaggeration. I have had two Carvin and 0ne Fender fretlesses for around 12 years and have yet to have them plained due to wear (they are not coated). Of course, they have worn flatwounds, tapewounds, and compressed strings for a lot of that time, and I use light gauges and play with a lighter touch.

 

[raymondl3]

My bass is 10 years old and almost unplayable, but that's because the fret line material eroded way before the ebony. I'm considering epoxying the fretboard and replacing the markers.