fretless with lines face dots or clean??

[mp40smg]

All,
need opinons on this. Doing a build. It will be a rosewood lined fretless neck (mahog body).

the question...
Shell dots on the fretless face or no fretboard inlay?

 

[bmc]

Side dots, but only if they line up with the fret line. Not in the middle of a fret as in a de-fretted bass.

No lines is easier to play than it first appears. Keep in mind that 5 and 6 year olds learn the violin.

Plus, the satisfaction of learning that level of prcesion is rewarding.

 

[spade2you]

Are you talking about putting inlays on the fingerboard? Been there done that, not a good idea. I have my name inlaid near the 24th position and even under epoxy, it's not perfectly level with the fingerboard. You can't feel the difference, but hear it when playing up there.

 

[gleneg61]

With BMC, nothing looks sweeter than an unlined, undotted fretless, but just for safety, get the side dots as lines for where the fret would be. Have the dots put in at 3,5,7 etc on the side if you need, noone will notice! Do it!

 

[Arranger]

A poll would have helped here, but no problem responding:

No fret lines, no inlays, just side dots at the fret line like the other poster suggested.

I always admired the precision of a player who didn't need the crib lines on a fretless. A fretless without lines also appears to me as more classical like its great-great-grandfather the upright. I even go so far as to prefer 2+2 headstock over others like 4 on a side. The symmetry is zen holisic/good karma/feng shui harmonious somehow

 

[mp40smg]

I need the lines as training wheels..

In this case, I am referring only to the position dots on the face.

 

[Matthijs]

+1 for only side dots. Trust us: they're all the training wheels you need. Most of the time you don't have a good view of the front of your fretboard anyway. You might even go for small side dots at every fret position and larger ones at the usual places.

 

[Arranger]

The other nice thing about no lines is that it keeps me from looking at the fretboard. Facing the crowd improves the player's appearance during performances.

 

[smperry]

Side dots only. I like smallish dots at 3, 5, 7, etc. and tiny dots at 1, 2, 4, etc.

 

[spade2you]

I need the lines as training wheels..

In this case, I am referring only to the position dots on the face.

Lines aren't training wheels. You learn lined or unlined. Fretless is challenging enough that most of us don't have the patience to learn the other after we get the first one down.

 

[Chef]

My personal pref is no lines on the board, no dots on the board, and dots where the frets would be, 3/5/7/9/12 only.
You shouldn't be looking at the board while playing, you should be listening, and gathering muscle memory of where you need to be.

Anything else is a crutch you'll carry with you forever.

IMO, IME; having been a fretless pleyer since 1974 or so.

 

[spade2you]

The problem with the theory of muscle memory on an electric bass vs upright is that the neck is virtually featureless and most of us can't honestly tell the 5th position from the 6th position blindfolded.

 

[Chef]

If you can't tell the diff b/t 5th position and 6th position, your ear has some growth potential left.
Muscle memory totally applies to electric as well as DB.

I certainly won't say "my way is the only way," but, I've been playing and teaching for quite a while now...

 

[spade2you]

If you can't tell the diff b/t 5th position and 6th position, your ear has some growth potential left.
Muscle memory totally applies to electric as well as DB.

I certainly won't say "my way is the only way," but, I've been playing and teaching for quite a while now...

Blindfolded, you have to nail the 5th position with perfect from scrach 50 times in a row without sliding into the note. Can ya do it? Of course this is the internet and everyone thinks they can do it.

 

[mcnach]

Side dots, but only if they line up with the fret line. Not in the middle of a fret as in a de-fretted bass.

No lines is easier to play than it first appears. Keep in mind that 5 and 6 year olds learn the violin.

Plus, the satisfaction of learning that level of prcesion is rewarding.

This.
Side dots at the fret position are very useful, lines less so.

 

[Chef]

quote spade:
Blindfolded, you have to nail the 5th position with perfect from scrach 50 times in a row without sliding into the note. Can ya do it? Of course this is the internet and everyone thinks they can do it.


Again, not to say my way is the only way.
Last job I had in the studio was to go lay a fretless track for a friends upcoming album.
I hit it in one take, having nothing but a chart in front of me; so, it sure can be done.
I don't feel I'm a particularly good fretless player either, having heard others here do it lots better.


YMMV, of course.

 

[Dave W]

The problem with the theory of muscle memory on an electric bass vs upright is that the neck is virtually featureless and most of us can't honestly tell the 5th position from the 6th position blindfolded.

Whether it's muscle memory or not, with practice you can certainly hit the correct notes without looking.

 

[spade2you]

Whether it's muscle memory or not, with practice you can certainly hit the correct notes without looking.

If this were truly the case, all serious fretless players wouldn't even have side dots.

 

[Chef]

Also: DB and electric are more different than just fretless or not.
My electrics are 34" scale, my DB is 42.5" scale.

I do somehow manage to play them both decently, and even move between them on the same job.

Practice, practice, practice!

 

[Chef]

Double basses don't have side dots, and, some electrics don't, especially if you order them that way.

You can have yours any way that suits you.

If this were truly the case, all serious fretless players wouldn't even have side dots.