• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join freeLog in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Fretless With Roundwonds

I own a fretless lightwave Bass as well and even tho I use only roundwounds on all my fretlesses I chose to put Thomastik-Infeld acousticore strings on it(if the fingerboard is Gaboon Ebony there would be no serious problem if you chose to use roundwounds)because they sound so nice on this perticular fretless Bass.
 
It is okay - but keep in mind that you will wear the board dramatically, once again depending on the material the string is made out of (stainless steel, so forth...)

I had DR Fatbeams on a fretless for about six months with ample play and it actually wore on the ebony quite a bit. So much so, that I'm having the board refinished.
 
It's fine unless you've got a balsa wood fingerboard or something. ;) That's an exaggeration, but most woods won't get much wear. I use round wounds on my fretless (with rosewood fingerboard) and don't get any damage. It wouldn't have come with them if they weren't okay, right?
 
James Hart said:
I've found how you finger the notes is more important than string type for board health.

I agree and I have never had to have a Gaboon Ebony Fb replaced and I only use roundwound strings(except for my Lightwave,but I'm sure at some point I will put rondwounds on it)when I hear people say that their Gaboon Ebony FB has been replaced I wonder what were they doing for it to be replaced.
 
I use round wounds on my fretless as well, mainly because I want to retain some growl to the sound. There is some wear on the fretboard but not a great deal considering the bass has been played flat out for 5 years.
Not too sure what the fingerboard material is (damn memory...) but the luthier informed me that it is denser than ebony and infact sinks in water.