Fretless what can you tell me about them to persude me to get one.

[theSea]

"Fretless what can you tell me about them to persude me to get one."
Two words: Pino Palladino.

The Squier VM Jazz is a really nice bass for the price.. but you may find it needs to be properly set up for best results. Some of them are fine, many of them have the nut cut like a fretted bass (too high). Great starter fretless for testing the waters. Careful - it *is* a virus.

 

[rashrader]

Oh yeah.... And Mick Karn. One of my favorites.

 

[nilorius]

I can't recommend you any fretless bass brand or model, but as an instrument = yes. When i took first time a fretless bass, i felt a kind of a different, when i played it. It has so more options to play and give the sound different and more interesting, to fretted ones. So keep it digging it deeper and you won't regret it.

 

[Groove Doctor]

I find Lined boards visually distracting, so mine are all unlined. Other people love lined boards. Try both and see what you prefer.

Side markers on every fret is a nice inbetween lined and unlined.

 

[rashrader]

I find Lined boards visually distracting, so mine are all unlined. Other people love lined boards. Try both and see what you prefer.

Side markers on every fret is a nice inbetween lined and unlined.

I endorse and exercise

this option.

 

[Jeff Scott]

Fretless what can you tell me about them to persude [sic] me to get one.

It's not about persuading someone, either you get it or you don't. That's all. Got it?

 

[Dr. Love]

The best thing about fretless is you can compensate for guitarists who can't tune or put on a capo on and everything is now 1/4 step sharp...

If you can, find a fretless version of whatever your main bass is. It makes the switch easier. Lined/unlined is personal preference and won't make any tonal difference. I have lines on my fretless because I bought it used and that's what it had. I prefer an unlined board, but have also have had gigs where I was basically playing by sense of smell because I couldn't hear ANYTHING...l was glad my bass had lines then.

 

[micguy]

Fretless adds a couple more variables - pitch and left hand touch, that are not present in a fetted instrument. Properly played, it’s fundamentally a more expressive instrument. Poorly played, it’s a painful experience for all involved. It’s sometimes just the thing fir a gig. It can also be the wrong choice - Flea without fret clank would not be Flea.

You need to put in the hours if you want to be good. Those hours will help you play fretted more consistently, though, as you’ll be more “on the frets” in terms of positioning.

It’s not for everyone, but it is another painbrush in the right artist’s hands.

 

[wildman2]

Lots of good stuff here ..I only play by ear and Im not looking at the fingerboard most of the time.Did look at and finger that fender J it was unlined felt pretty good in my hands except the sticky neck on the back.Also I probably do an excessive amount of slides but I like them so there's that.Slide into and out of strings.

 

[TN WOODMAN]

Oddly my 1st bass was a lined jazz after playing guitar for many years. Of my current 15 basses , 4 are Fretless. 2 lined and 2 unlined. (Also an active and passive with each type fingerboard. ) I love playing Fretless bass.

 

[AndyPanda]

Most people think fretless bass is all about sliding around and mwah -- and of course those are great things you can do with a fretless. But you don't have to always be sliding and mwah'ing just because it's a fretless. Most of the time I play fretless exactly like I play a fretted bass and it has some advantages and disadvantages besides the obvious ability to slide and the challenge of playing in tune.

Advantages:
No fret clank (this can be a disadvantage if you want the clank)
Vibrato - you can get a wider vibrato more easily and smoothly if you do it right (if you are used to pulling the strings sideways across the frets - that will trash your fingerboard in a hurry)

Disadvantages:
Sometimes I prefer the sound of sliding up/down the neck with frets. The smooth gliss of the fretless slide doesn't work for every song. Sometimes I want to hear all those frets as I slide.
Trills sound more legato and I cannot get the same defined sound when fingering or sliding a fast trill between two notes that is so easy on a fretted bass.
Hammer-ons don't work as well as they do on a fretted (at least not for me)

 

[Chad Michael]

Playing fretted is like being married.

Playing fretless is like dating your dream girl.

 

[interp]

I played both lined and unlined electric basses for about six years—loved it. A few years ago I took a couple of lessons on upright from my son, who was teaching professionally at the time. He was watching me looking down at the fingerboard as I was playing and said “Why are you looking there, Dad? There’s no information there.”

Point well taken. It’s all in the hands and ears.

 

[Doctor Intrepid]

I play fretless exclusively now, and in a band that does covers. I love it and wouldn't go back unless I had too (which won't happen). With most things bass, I think preference plays a strong role. Do what works for you.

In regard to the lined and unlined, my fretless is lined. I'm ear trained, so the lines don't really matter for me. They help the guitarists, though, when we're learning songs on the fly. An unlined backup, though, would fit nicely with my GAS. . .

 

[Jeff Scott]

...my fretless is lined.....They help the guitarists ..... when we're learning songs..

Ah, nice to see someone have some compassion for their guitarist.

 

[Element Zero]

I strongly suggest going unlined. You play fretless with your ears, not your eyes...

To add to that thought, I think lines on the fretboard can be like training wheels, actually retarding the development of "ears rather than eyes" technique...

So I guess all the players that play fretless with lines are somehow... less... in your eyes. Noted.

@wildman2 I suggest going with whatever you want. I played fretted for 22 years before getting my first fretless and I went all out with a Pedulla. I played only that bass for a little over a year straight and I can tell you that fretless isn’t for everyone. You have to really enjoy that level of expressiveness and effort required to play in tune (which I do). It doesn’t hurt though to dip your toes into the water. It’s quite fun IF you put forth a bit of effort.

 

[Thumpin6string]

Mwaaa, need I say more?

 

[rashrader]

This Line/Unlined debate is really difficult. I started playing fretless about 15 years ago. During that time I’ve owned both lined and unlined fretless basses. My thoughts on it after all of these years?

We should all learn to play in the dark. When the lights go out, it won’t matter.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

The vast majority of guitars and basses have position markers on the fingerboard as a quick visual orientation, but for some reason people think this is a “crutch” of some sort on a fretless, which is utter nonsense. Having fret lines is zero impediment to sliding between notes, and a huge aid in accurate intonation, particularly above the 12th fret, where the difference between in and out of tune gets progressively more incremental. The Precision Bass was named that by Leo Fender because the notes could be fretted with “Precision”, while any fretless instrument is always at best a close approximation of perfect intonation. The better the player, the better the intonation, but everyone has had the experience of hearing upright bassists who are slightly out of tune, and it’s accepted as normal. With years of practice, the same level of rigor required to achieve the “muscle memory” classical stringed players achieve is fully possible, but if fretless isn’t your primary instrument, and you prefer playing in tune, get a lined FB, like those notable crappy lined fretless slackers, Jaco Pastorius and Mark Egan, to name two.

 

[onamission]

Playing Fretless is Freedom, like going from a tiny swimming pool to a large pool. No lines is like swimming in the ocean, no constraints, no barriers. Tonal control is in your fingertips. It is a playing experience like no other. As inexpensive as good basses are you won't go wrong.