I made up my mind: I prefer lined fretless.

[Dr. Cheese]

Sandberg has a Half lined option i really dig. I've seen Warwick custom shops with the same only LED. I cant tell you how much I want one.

GAS is a universal language.

 

[Danny O Danny]

I've had both lined and unlined over the years. My favorite lined fretless had subtle dark lines, rather than bright white ones (though I could certainly see the advantage of white lines on a dark stage). I eventually settled in on unlined though, for no other reason than it felt right for me. I am really intrigued by the idea of unlined up to the 12th fret and then lined from there on up. My NS Design upright has dot markers on the neck that really help in the upper regions of the fretboard.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I've had both lined and unlined over the years. My favorite lined fretless had subtle dark lines, rather than bright white ones (though I could certainly see the advantage of white lines on a dark stage). I eventually settled in on unlined though, for no other reason than it felt right for me. I am really intrigued by the idea of unlined up to the 12th fret and then lined from there on up. My NS Design upright has dot markers on the neck that really help in the upper regions of the fretboard.

View attachment 3945769

Nice!

 

[smart51]

I went for a fretless with dark lines on a dark fingerboard. I thought I was being clever. The lines were there so I could see them, but dark enough that no one else could. As the fretboard darkened, I can only see the lines in daylight. I'll go for properly lined next time.

 

[MichaelOz]

I like a clean board on a fretless so this is what I do:

Have lines in the neck.

Or, alternatively:

Have lines just on the edge.

Keeps the board clean, and avoids any issues with uneven wear and/or expansion/contraction of materials.

Regards,
Michael

 

[Joshua Pickenpaugh]

Wait a minute, don't you have a Pedulla Pentabuzz? What's this this talk of a Glary? Did you sell your Pedulla? Why is the sky blue?

 

[nilorius]

Me, too. The lines on fretless are meant to give You the opportunity to stay in tune all the time or quickly get back in game if there are problems.

 

[Kirk Bryant]

I’m fine with either, although I don’t own a lined bass currently. It is in high volume situations where I can’t hear myself well, that I can occasionally have problems with intonation. So it would be nice to have lines if playing loud. However most of the jazzy things I do are usually low to medium volume. So generally not needed.

 

[Watchootognbout]

I have unlined.
All well and fine.

But some times I wish that the area above the twelfth had lines.
That's like flying in outer space with no stars for navigation!

 

[Koshchei]

When I got my first unlined ESP fretless neck in the late 80's, it was unfinished.

The first thing I did was go to Radio Shack and bought some of those dry transfer rub-off letter packs that were used to label electronic equipment. They had little 1/8" long lines in those packs you could rub onto anything you wanted.

I used a fretted neck as a template, and rubbed off lines on the side of the neck where frets would be. I then rubbed off dots between the frets, where they would normally go on a fretted bass.

So, from the side, it is lined, and looks like a regular bass. I never understood an unlined fretless having fret dots at the actual fret positions, it's not standard and it threw me off. Seemed stupid and non-intuitive.

I then sent the neck off to Pat Wilkins to clearcoat the entire thing. It came back perfect, but the fretboard was so flawless I never wanted to scratch it with strings. It looked like fine furniture.

To me, that's how an unlined fretless should be, and I'm surprised no one makes them like that. Lines only on the side of the neck indicating where frets would be, and dots in the normal places on the side of the neck. The fretboard itself can remain blank.

If someone else makes them like this, I am unaware of it.

Godin makes them this way on their A4/5 fretless basses.

 

[SteveCS]

I am so glad I bought the Glarry instead going in the deep end with a Tony Franklin. I can play unlined fretless and I can stay in tune, but frankly, I don’t need the challenge of an unlined fingerboard. Lined or not, it is very easy to go out of tune playing fretless. The lines make it much easier for me to self correct. Your mileage may vary, but I have no shame in my game:we get no bonus points for difficulty of execution, so I am happy to have the help of lines.

@Dr. Cheese You don't need to justify your decisions or preferences to anyone. You have documented all aspects of your fretless journey over the last three or so years in full public gaze. Most of us wouldn't have the guts to do that, and for that you have my utmost respect. It is evident from your regular video updates that you have put some good work in, IMHO. It is also my humble opinion that musicians play better when they have a connection or affinity with their own personal instruments. If having a particular style of fingerboard (or colour, wood, pickup, preamp, bridge, tuners etc...) helps deepen that connection - and I believe it can - then that can only make the music better.

YMMV

 

[albertus]

dots or lines are helpful. even in the world of double bass. necessary? maybe not, but helpful in a lot of situations.
see Edgar Meyer with his dotted double bass here
my fretless are both lined and I wouldn't want them another way. put yourself in a bad illuminated stage where you start the tune with a melody on fretless by yourself with no sound reference.
a small tip: as I am no professional double bass player, I have mine marked with pencil in some places, so I still look "pro" and play in tune

 

[Stewie]

I could agree with you Doc, but then we'd both be wrong.

 

[JoeWPgh]

For me the biggest advantage of lines is to hit the first note spot on.

 

[Fun Size Nick]

I had a bad experience with a (cheap) ebonol lined fretless where you could hear where the lines were (they were mostly lower than the fingerboard), and I couldn’t seem to sand that characteristic out of it. I have to believe that most lines fretlesses aren’t like this or no-one would play them, but it does make me inclined to want unlined if I get back into fretless. I loved playing it but I felt like I was always working against the mwah and wanting it to sound thumpy.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Wait a minute, don't you have a Pedulla Pentabuzz? What's this this talk of a Glary? Did you sell your Pedulla? Why is the sky blue?

I wanted to check out unlined fretless.

 

[john_g]

Said it before...love the look of unlined but own a lined.

 

[EchoEcho]

I have unlined.
All well and fine.

But some times I wish that the area above the twelfth had lines.
That's like flying in outer space with no stars for navigation!
View attachment 3945823

Like the pic. If it were creative photography it could be entitled Fretboard to nowhere or Infinite fret fretless. Or something.

 

[EchoEcho]

It's unlined for me and this is what I currently have. I bought the unlined to better learn the 'aural map' of the fretboard well. The slides'n'stuff and meh is not something that interests me just yet because I play it like a fretted. Maybe if I ever become good, then it's playtime.

Some people say "don't worry if you're out of tune, just slide your finger along until you are", but this sounds like encouraging sloppy technique to me.
I also play scales in the dark on my fretted to further the cause.

Changing to lined would be like riding a ghost train - having adjusted to the darkness, visions of ghostly lines popping up to scare me every time I use my eyes.

 

[micguy]

I like a clean board on a fretless so this is what I do:

View attachment 3945807
Have lines in the neck.

I completely agree. I have lots of position markers on the side of the neck of my fretless. The thing I don't like about lines on the fingerboard is they're in the wrong place - if you can see your fingerboard, you're hunched over - well out of position. None of my basses (fretted or fretless) have position markers on the fingerboard/fretboard.