I thought playing fretless was easy!

[Emanuel Apascaritei]

But I´m getting better day by day.

The challange started when I wrote a lullaby and was asking for a fretless bass tone. A fellow bassist laned me one (to whom I thank him a lot) and thought that in mostly one week I´d record with it.....yeah right. I´m on my third day with it and still have staying in tune issues. But I´m getting better day by day and I really like the approach, the tone...I WANT A FRETLESS!!!!!!!!! This is fretless addiction I say.

The bass is a MIM fretless, I can say I really don´t like fretlines but at this first stage they come really handy, though sometimes they confuse me....

Did I say I want an unlined fretless????

 

[bholder]

 

[Clef_de_fa]

Well with lines it helps to stay in tune, on an unlined fingerboard I always second guess if I'm ok especially if I have more than one note at the same time. With music playing, I think it is easier to stay in tune but of course there is always something not 100% in tune.

 

[Bassic Playing]

What makes the lines confusing?

 

[west al]

With my Fretless, I really don't look a the lines. At times I may glance at the side makers just a reference. And while you're playing with other instruments, if you're bit off on you note placement on the board, you won't be busted on it. If it's close enough, no one will notice. And if you're playing a fast paced song, no one will hear it either. Relax playing with you're Fretless, and "let the sounds take you away".
Oh yeah, by the way, Restring that Fretless with ETB92 Nylon Tapewounds.

 

[Emanuel Apascaritei]

With my Fretless, I really don't look a the lines. At times I may glance at the side makers just a reference. And while you're playing with other instruments, if you're bit off on you note placement on the board, you won't be busted on it. If it's close enough, no one will notice. And if you're playing a fast paced song, no one will hear it either. Relax playing with you're Fretless, and "let the sounds take you away".
Oh yeah, by the way, Restring that Fretless with ETB92 Nylon Tapewounds.

Thanks for the tip. I would restring it in a moment if it was mine. Now it´s strung with D`addario nickels....dead D´addario nickels.

 

[Emanuel Apascaritei]

What makes the lines confusing?

By not knowing on what fret I´m on....I know, it´s wierd.

 

[AltGrendel]

What makes the lines confusing?

A bad setup (intonation at the bridge).

 

[fretlessguy]

I have both lined an unlined. It really doesn't make me too much difference. Once you start depending on your ears more you won't do near as much looking at the neck anyway. When using lines remember that is where the tonal center for the note is and not where the frets are, which can be confusing at first.

Welcome to the world of fretlessing.

 

[bholder]

By not knowing on what fret I´m on....I know, it´s wierd.

You mean which fret you're not on, no?

 

[Emanuel Apascaritei]

A bad setup (intonation at the bridge).

Can be, I have to check out for it.

 

[Emanuel Apascaritei]

You mean which fret you're not on, no?

LOL, right!

 

[AltGrendel]

Can be, I have to check out for it.

IMHO:
You'll get people saying that the bridge intonation doesn't matter on a fretless. I've found that while you may not get it 100% on the money, having it as close as possible is a huge help.

 

[Shardik]

When using lines remember that is where the tonal center for the note is and not where the frets are, which can be confusing at first.

What?! I have a defretted bass as my fretless and while it has no frets, the lines obviously are where the frets would be if it was fretted. Are the lines in another position on an original lined fretless?

It shows the point from where the string length should start, and to be in tune I find you should not place your finger dead on the line (as you wouldn't on a fretted bass either), but slightly behind that line so the edge of your finger is on the line, so the string can vibrate freely between the fretline and the bridge. Does that make sense?

 

[Emanuel Apascaritei]

IMHO:
You'll get people saying that the bridge intonation doesn't matter on a fretless. I've found that while you may not get it 100% on the money, having it as close as possible is a huge help.

It´s a fretless after all right? Kidding a side, it´s really important to be well intonated and setted up. But it´s not my bass and I don´t want to fiddle with it.

If it was mine I would have changed the strings and shim it. The action is really high for me. On my fretted basses I have the action at arround 1.5 mm for the low b at last fret, on this one I think it is arround 2 mm min on the E string.

 

[Emanuel Apascaritei]

and to be in tune I find you should not place your finger dead on the line (as you wouldn't on a fretted bass either), but slightly behind that line so the edge of your finger is on the line, so the string can vibrate freely between the fretline and the bridge. Does that make sense?

I´ve noticed this myself too. You have to be just a hair behind the line in order to be in tune. Man this is hard.

 

[bobpond]

I used to play fretted pretty much in the middle between frets, I would guess a lot of people do. That makes lined fretless feel/look like you're playing a fret high because now you're playing on the lines not in the gaps. Even muscle memory of the position on the same scale is off. I moved my positioning on fretted to almost on the fret and it makes going back and forth easier. Jaco's played a fretted in his video series exactly ON the frets.

 

[Emanuel Apascaritei]

I used to play fretted pretty much in the middle between frets, I would guess a lot of people do. That makes lined fretless feel/look like you're playing a fret high because now you're playing on the lines not in the gaps. Even muscle memory of the position on the same scale is off. I moved my positioning on fretted to almost on the fret and it makes going back and forth easier. Jaco's played a fretted in his video series exactly ON the frets.

I really don´t think you can make a diference (visually) if he was dead on the fret line or just a hair behind....

 

[Emanuel Apascaritei]

Man, I want to master the fretless. It is such a pleasing sounding beast. All that diferent than a fretted. A whole new world for me to discover.

 

[bobpond]

I really don´t think you can make a diference (visually) if he was dead on the fret line or just a hair behind....

No really, playing a fretted he talks about playing on the fret. He is playing a fretted precision neck and says how he plays fretted exactly on the frets.