I made up my mind: I prefer lined fretless.

[Eilif]

... because intonation is very important! More important than the looks.

Blasphemy!

 

[CatchaCuda]

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

View attachment 3945807
Have lines in the neck.

Or, alternatively:
View attachment 3945808

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

That second picture, I really like that.

 

[Brother Goose]

 

[Claymore]

I heard that the Mothman bass sheds its frets and regrows new ones once a year. For a brief period of a few days in between, it is basically a lined fretless. But you can't look directly at it without getting pink eye, so that complicates things.

 

[mjmeche]

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.

Do what's best for you. I miss my lined fretless, but when I started singing the whole night I couldn't do it.

 

[mjmeche]

I heard that the Mothman bass sheds its frets and regrows new ones once a year. For a brief period of a few days in between, it is basically a lined fretless. But you can't look directly at it without getting pink eye, so that complicates things. View attachment 3946051

is it possessed lol

 

[B-Mac]

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.

You can always score your own lines in that Glarry!

 

[Altitude]

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.

Sting and Gary Willis have both said the same thing.

 

[gumbynotpokey]

No sweat either way. As long as it's a P with a tort PG and flats, and is the best carrots for metal. Glad you made up your mind if that's good for you.

Meanwhile....

 

[B-Mac]

No sweat either way. As long as it's a P with a tort PG and flats, and is the best carrots for metal. Glad you made up your mind if that's good for you.

Meanwhile....

View attachment 3946130

View attachment 3946137

View attachment 3946135

View attachment 3946139

OMG!

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Sting and Gary Willis have both said the same thing.

That’s good company.

 

[EatS1stBassist]

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.

I absolutely agree with this!

 

[40Hz]

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.

Good man.

“To thine own self be true.”

The ancients knew it to be true. And it’s still true today. Use what works for you.

 

[Treebeard]

Heck I prefer lined and dotted. And that's coming from a cello-player.

 

[zubrycky]

An instrument is a tool. If a specific modification is required to make it more usable so be it. A lot of musicians modify their axes to make them more suitable to their needs, anyway.


BTW, my fretless is unlined.

 

[B-Mac]

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.

For someone with your caliber of playing skill you are quite admirable with coming to this conclusion/decision.
I suck at fretless. I am only able to play one of my unlined fretless basses somewhat well, because I first learn certain songs on the same version of that bass that has frets, so it's a muscle memory thing. However, I just thought that the unlined fretboard just looked so cool and elegant and classy. More so than a lined fretless, though I had absolutely no right to be snobby about it considering my lack of skill.
Then one day I bought a lined fretless and thought to myself, Geeze I am such an 'A' hole to think like this! I'm simply short changing myself from trying out other basses that I might otherwise like. Good for you @Dr. Cheese ! Bravo! I say Bravo to you!
My unlined and same model fretted that I referred to above

My unlined

5 string unlined

fretless lined...the one that changed my mind and unexplained pretentious snobbery

Yes, I like Dean basses

 

[gumbynotpokey]

OMG!

Kind sir, and fellow TB peep, you just made my day. I saw your reply and I was literally smiling all over before I even knew what had hit me. (in this crazy world of mass #&@&#%$! you have brought me joy).

Gosh, TB really CAN be fun.

And hey, for a reaction like that, here's the back side of the Carvin and a close up of the front of that Clement.

Peace, kind sir.

 

[B-Mac]

Kind sir, and fellow TB peep, you just made my day. I saw your reply and I was literally smiling all over before I even knew what had hit me. (in this crazy world of mass #&@&#%$! you have brought me joy).

Gosh, TB really CAN be fun.

And hey, for a reaction like that, here's the back side of the Carvin and a close up of the front of that Clement.

Peace, kind sir.

View attachment 3946219

View attachment 3946220

Excuse me, but I must go and change my shorts now....

 

[mtdkingstonheir]

I’ve got one of each and like them both. I find it easier to play in tune and not get lost above the 12th non-fret with the lines.View attachment 3945574
View attachment 3945583

That's a nice looking Godin.

 

[bass12]

No sweat either way. As long as it's a P with a tort PG and flats, and is the best carrots for metal. Glad you made up your mind if that's good for you.

Meanwhile....

View attachment 3946130

View attachment 3946137

View attachment 3946135

View attachment 3946139

That’s some nice wood. What’s the wood combo of the P?