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

[Steadfast]

Btw, roundwounds don't really chew up modern fret boards.

 

[Artman]

My old Pedulla has lines, jj barts, and rounds. I love it! I think I want to add a fretless Fender or even a Squier P bass with no lines and flats just for a different kind of fun now.

 

[Deleted member 165050]

Lines or no lines. I've owned both and I've never thought of them as training wheels. Jaco played lined fretless. In fact, he invented it.

Actually Jaco played a de-fretted bass. He was not the first to do so as Bill Wyman de-fretted a bass guitar as early as 1961 (although I think Jaco was first to de-fret a Fender Jazz).

 

[Doctor Intrepid]

Yeah, this thread has given me GAS for a second fretless! Thanks OP!

 

[JRA]

Other than the no fret thing is there a major difference in sound?

you're kidding, right?

in advance of your fretless NBD, let me say: congrats! now be sure to let us know how the "no fret thing" goes for you! thanks.

 

[el_Bajo_Verde]

No fret buzz!

 

[Karl_V]

What Doc said but worse I have been looking at my BC Rich and my acoustic and thinking about defreting...... That's just an awful idea I know

 

[Jeff Scott]

What Doc said but worse I have been looking at my BC Rich and my acoustic and thinking about defreting...... That's just an awful idea I know

My first fretless bass was a 1973 Telecaster Bass that I defretted myself. Did it just after hearing Unorthodox Behavior for the first time in 1976.

 

[TolerancEJ]

What's wrong Colonel Sanders? Chicken?

Just Kidding! OP, I hope you get the chance to at least give fretless a shot. Get a cheap one to begin and that should help you decide it it's right for you. You need patience. As much as possible, try playing using your ears instead of watching your fingerboard. It will take time for your ears to develop.

 

[Karl_V]

My first fretless bass was a 1973 Telecaster Bass that I defretted myself. Did it just after hearing Unorthodox Behavior for the first time in 1976.

Nice, I can't justify the warlock as it is sentimental and I already have the MIJ Fender jazz to scratch the fretless itch but isn't more always better? Back to the OP jump in you won't be disappointed. The sound is worth it

 

[Deleted member 165050]

My first fretless bass was a 1973 Telecaster Bass that I defretted myself. Did it just after hearing Unorthodox Behavior for the first time in 1976.

Same album that turned me on to Percy Jones, although Masques is my favourite.

 

[wildman2]

Chomping at the bit to get one..Hopefully fairly soon.

 

[Karl_V]

Shop used, Im sure alot of guys buy them to try on but dont commit to running down the rabbit hole. Most test drive it for a few months or years aren't instantly fantastic and move on. Most importantly make YOUR own sound. Savor the learning curve!

 

[blowinblue]

The best reason to play fretless bass guitar is that it impresses folks on Talkbass. Hey, that's why I do it.

M. M.

 

[ArtechnikA]

Listen to some of those slackers too - folks like Jaco and Gary Willis and Mark Egan and Michael Manring, who play lined basses.

I'm not going to say Manring has _never_ played a lined bass, but I have never seen him play one - and I've seen a lot of Manring.
The 2 Zons he brought to this year's Bass Boot Camp were unlined, as was the one he played in concert here a couple of years ago.

 

[rutrho]

I'm going to keep looking for lined fretless basses for myself... watching my guitarist get confused when we're working out parts won't ever get old, After a few minutes he's like "($*% right you're playing fretless".

 

[eastcoasteddie]

I absolutely love the fretless. I finally got one together that plays and sounds amazing.

I have no idea why Fender doesn’t make a Fretless Jazz V...

 

[franklindayala]

Lately for some reason Ive been drawn to fretless basses.No idea why. Ive only held one a cpl of days ago for the first time..So a P a J a Squire(they seem to get some love on sweetwater). My local store has a cpl of fretless there a P and a J The Fender 1970's P is way out of my price range the Fender 1990's J is alot closer.I think the J is a little over priced but it only has two very minor blemishes on it so there's that.
Other than the no fret thing is there a major difference in sound?Since there are no frets I'd imagine a change in fingering would be in order. Intrigued by them lately for some odd reason(gas?)

 

[Gilmourisgod]

If money were not a concern, the Pedulla Buzz or Pentabuzz are the nicest fretless I’ve ever played. I had Pedulla coat the ebony lined board on my FrankenFretless Jazz years ago, I think they called it “Diamondkote” or some such. The name is apt, it’s bulletproof and shows very little wear after years of pressurewounds. The tone is very much like that in the Jeff Schmidt video above, a glassy, singing sustain. It doesn’t sound like an upright, but if you like that tone, Pedulla makes it. Any of the synthetic Ebanol boards will be a bit brighter than real wood in my experience, but they just don’t wear much, and the boards don’t react much to humidity change, though the wood neck still will.

 

[Steadfast]

If money were not a concern, the Pedulla Buzz or Pentabuzz are the nicest fretless I’ve ever played. I had Pedulla coat the ebony lined board on my FrankenFretless Jazz years ago, I think they called it “Diamondkote” or some such. The name is apt, it’s bulletproof and shows very little wear after years of pressurewounds. The tone is very much like that in the Jeff Schmidt video above, a glassy, singing sustain. It doesn’t sound like an upright, but if you like that tone, Pedulla makes it. Any of the synthetic Ebanol boards will be a bit brighter than real wood in my experience, but they just don’t wear much, and the boards don’t react much to humidity change, though the wood neck still will.

I want to try a Pedulla out in a bad way. My FrankenRay fretless I created in my evil laboratory has an ebonal board. Way brighter than my fender jazz fretless with a rosewood board.

I bet my future has a Pedulla in it.