fretless!

[HaVIC5]

I'm not extremely proficient with a pick, so I wouldn't say I'm the greatest authority on the matter, but I've never been able to get a sound I like when playing my fretless with a pick. It seems like the percussive attack is ill-conducive to creating that sexy fretless "mwah" that everybody loves. You can certainly play a fretless with a pick, but I think a lot of what makes a fretless "sing" comes from the fingers.

 

[KwinS]

You can absolutely use a pick if you want! Any technique, actually. And roundwounds, too.

 

[WalterBush]

My two cents...

1. Don't pick with a fretless (i'm pretty sure everyone here knows that)
2. DON'T USE ROUNDWOUND STRINGS UNLESS YOU WANT TO KILL YOUR FINGERBOARD!!!

Here's a counter- .02 cents.

A) I sometimes use a pick with a fretless. It puts a sharper attack on the note. It doesn't sound like a fretted bass, but it works a lot better for heavier rock tunes, IMO. I don't have time to switch basses during church services, so if I bring my fretless, I'm probably using a pick for half the worship set.

B) Epoxy, cyanoacrylate (superglue), or even spar varnish can protect your fingerboard for quite some time from the ravages of roundwounds. I have no intention of ever putting flats on my fretless. It's much easier to sand down and/or replace epoxy, etc than to pay for fingerboard repair, and I don't have to worry about what strings I'm using in the meantime. Check with your luthier, or search the forums here for more info.

 

[Bottoms_Up!]

I'm not extremely proficient with a pick, so I wouldn't say I'm the greatest authority on the matter, but I've never been able to get a sound I like when playing my fretless with a pick. It seems like the percussive attack is ill-conducive to creating that sexy fretless "mwah" that everybody loves. You can certainly play a fretless with a pick, but I think a lot of what makes a fretless "sing" comes from the fingers.

I see. Thanks for the input! Well, all the more reason for me to learn fingerstyle as I really dig that "sexy fretless "mwah" that everybody loves!"

 

[cavemanbass0805]

David J Haskins (Bauhaus) uses a pick with a fretless and his tone is awesome.

 

[Erick Lam]

what the limites of fretless bass?

You are.

It's funny people rarely wonder about the limits of fretted basses.

 

[the low one]

David J Haskins (Bauhaus) uses a pick with a fretless and his tone is awesome.

+1
And Chrome flats too. I think he uses fingers mostly but does use a pick for some songs and has a great tone.

 

[SMILEYSIXX]

I tries a fretless once...

The problem is:
A. Since it's your finger holding the string, it's a softer sound and you need to work your hand muscles more.

B. You need to get your finger right on the fret marker, otherwise you'll get a note that's just off-sounding.

If you're doing stuff made on a fretted, use a fretted. If you're soloing and want that control and feel of a fretless, feel free.

Just my opinion, but fretless weren't made to do the same thing as a fretted.

Look up Jaco pastorious's music. He has that soloing capability with a fretless, but he probably couldn't play basslines because he didn't have control of keeping the notes straight.

 

[Erick Lam]

I tries a fretless once...

The problem is:
A. Since it's your finger holding the string, it's a softer sound and you need to work your hand muscles more.

Look up Jaco pastorious's music. He has that soloing capability with a fretless, but he probably couldn't play basslines because he didn't have control of keeping the notes straight.

I think you should try it a couple hundred times more and listen to more of Jaco's before making such statements.

Fretless and fretted don't sound the same saying one can't do this or that on a fretless is narrow-minded and ridiculous. It's not because many people only use fretless on porn ballads with over-the-top mwah that you can't do different. When I played fretted, I was often asked if I played fretless. Now I only play fretless and I never get fretless comments unless they see the bass. One guy even asked me what kind of overdrive I used when I don't use any. That's the 'soft' sound of metal strings on wood for ya. On a fretted, it just sounds like fret buzz and clanking.

 

[REAPER52]

Fretless is awesome and to me it has no limites ,it will do any thing a fretted will do and more.as for strings i had DR high beams for a day and then went back to TI flatts .HG THOR has a epoxy service that is just awesome.google them and you will be impressed. I bought a Fender STD jazz4 Fretless and dont see myself ever going back.The epoxy has a waiting list of a year or more but when you see his work youll understand why. Also i play blues to zep to souther rock i havent got good enoughfor jazz yet but i will .i have heard that its not good witha pick-but i dont use one so i dont care.and it has made my ear better just from the nature of the beast. OH and if you get a lined one yoyu will notice that you are not always exactly on the line.a fretted bass doesnt have perfect intonation either.the lines will get you so close that most people wont know but not perfect.just the slightest movement of you finger will flat or sharp a note - but man if your ears are that good you wont be worring about the lines anyway.