• 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 free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Help with a fretless fretboard please

Cullen G

Cullen G

Acoustilover
Commercial User
Feb 14, 2019
1,697
2,817
Mountains and streams
Disclosures
NONE
#1
It was suggested I move this here from another part of the Forum oh, so that's what I'm doing. Thank you for any help.
I need fretless fretboard help and info. I am having a new fretless 32 inch scale bass designed. This will be a first for me. It will be and Ebony Jazz neck, and I have chosen to have purple heart lines across it. Here is my question, there seems to be a plethora of information on the internet, and probably just as much misinformation, about the famous "MAWH" sound so desirable on a fretless bass, and tips to achieve this sound better. The one I'm interested in is, that a glossy as possible epoxy fretboard will help get you there? I need to know just how important this is. Because I do not want a glossy fretboard if possible. My question is this, if you made a hard epoxy or super glue fretboard but sanded it back to Satin, would it still be considered better for achieving this? Please educate me as much as you are willing to about this. This bass is going to be satin finished. I really can't imagine a high gloss neck working very well with that. Thank you so much for any advice.
 
#3
I’ve never epoxied a fretless but I do have 2 that have CA finishes, one still pretty glossy and the other is more of a matte or satin at this point. If I do my part in playing they both have what, to me, is that sound when I want it.

There’s some discussion here. Probably a few other threads as well if you use the search. Try CA instead of superglue as a search term.

Cyano vs marine epoxy for fretless mwah?
 
#4
mwah: like fretbuzz without the frets. easy to achieve --- it's a no-brainer! ;)

"mwah," all by itself, is a function of setup, not the fingerboard surface. the tonal quality of the "mwah" might be influenced by the fingerboard surface on some instruments. satin vs. glossy (e.g., epoxy/CA) = no difference.

you can make a glossy surface into satin, easily, and you can make a satin surface into a glossy one. i'd advise that you think about feel (neck/balance) first and consider the looks as secondary....we don't play the looks! good luck with your first fretless! :thumbsup:
 
#6
I have a sealed fretless, not sure what with, and a regular old fretless board. They both mwah and resonate in similar fashion. There is some technique you can develop to bring the sound out, but either will do it. My advice is gonwith what you prefer. Note, I'm a Methodist, not a Luthierian so I may not know as much as I Inpretend
 
#7
Yes, Mwah can be created on any fretless bass by:
  1. Making sure the fingerboard is trued up: no lumps or dips
  2. Lowering the action to the point where there's light buzz with moderate plucking. The perfect action height will depend on the players' plucking technique.
  3. Learning how to work and control the buzz with your left hand fingers.
The tone of the Mwah will be determined by the strings and the hardness of the fingerboard surface. Roundwounds will make the Mwah brighter, more high end. Flatwounds or tapewounds will make the Mwah deeper, more bottom end.

A hard, coated fingerboard surface will make the Mwah brighter. It doesn't really matter whether the coating is buffed up to a high gloss or left satin; it's the hardness of the coating that makes the Mwah buzz brighter. A plain polished ebony fingerboard will make the Mwah deeper.

Roundwounds on a hard coated surface make a Jaco-style Mwah; almost like a slide guitar. Flatwounds on a bare ebony fingerboard make a Mwah like an upright bass.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rôckhewer, BritFunk, Joshua and 2 others
#8
THIS.

Bruce Johnson said:
The tone of the Mwah will be determined by the strings and the hardness of the fingerboard surface. Roundwounds will make the Mwah brighter, more high end. Flatwounds or tapewounds will make the Mwah deeper, more bottom end.

A hard, coated fingerboard surface will make the Mwah brighter. It doesn't really matter whether the coating is buffed up to a high gloss or left satin; it's the hardness of the coating that makes the Mwah buzz brighter. A plain polished ebony fingerboard will make the Mwah deeper.

Roundwounds on a hard coated surface make a Jaco-style Mwah; almost like a slide guitar. Flatwounds on a bare ebony fingerboard make a Mwah like an upright bass.
Click to expand...
 
#11
20201213_151925.jpg
@Bruce Johnson , Thank you so much for this amazing reply. And thank everyone who replied to this thread. I hope I don't turn a lot of people off with this, but here is the fretless fretboard being made for my new custom acoustic bass. I've decided it will be a satin to semi finish. Probably closer to satin.
P1080119.JPG
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: cheapbasslovin
#12
cheapbasslovin said:
As a goodly number of my basses have pretty janky looks, my anecdotal evidence suggests otherwise. I'm gonna need more evidence.

OP, outside of my smarta$$ery, listen to the thread. There's good advice.
Click to expand...
I think I may want to use "Janky Stankeye" as a band name! :woot::roflmao::smug:
 
  • Like
Reactions: cheapbasslovin
#13
Cullen G said:
Thank you so much for this amazing reply. And thank everyone who replied to this thread. I hope I don't turn a lot of people off with this, but here is the fretless fretboard being made for my new custom acoustic bass. I've decided it will be a satin to semi finish. Probably closer to satin.
Click to expand...
Oooh, that's pretty! Definitely does not get the janky stankeye! hehe
 
#14
Also to increase mwah, you want to pluck more "up and down", so the string vibration is more vertical / perpendicular to the fingerboard. Side to side plucking gives a more subtle effect.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Beej
#15
Cullen G said:
View attachment 4091858 @Bruce Johnson , Thank you so much for this amazing reply. And thank everyone who replied to this thread. I hope I don't turn a lot of people off with this, but here is the fretless fretboard being made for my new custom acoustic bass. I've decided it will be a satin to semi finish. Probably closer to satin.
View attachment 4091861
Click to expand...
That looks amazing.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back