Introduction to Fretless

[SteveCS]

View attachment 4707511

The ebony fingerboard sold me. To be honest, lines are fine with me, but my Glarry has shown me I can play accurately on an unlined bass. I may add on some cheat lines on the side of the fingerboard like I have done with a Sharpie on my Glarry. I will pick it up around July 1.

Well I guess I was half-right on the Warwick thing! I must say that looks really nice, and props to Sadowsky for bucking the trend and doing an unlined model at a reasonable price. I imagine the side dots will be in the right place compared to the Glarry(?) so the Sharpie won't be needed. I'm sure you will love the sound and feel of the Ebony.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Well I guess I was half-right on the Warwick thing! I must say that looks really nice, and props to Sadowsky for bucking the trend and doing an unlined model at a reasonable price. I imagine the side dots will be in the right place compared to the Glarry(?) so the Sharpie won't be needed. I'm sure you will love the sound and feel of the Ebony.

I am looking forward to it.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Well I guess I was half-right on the Warwick thing! I must say that looks really nice, and props to Sadowsky for bucking the trend and doing an unlined model at a reasonable price. I imagine the side dots will be in the right place compared to the Glarry(?) so the Sharpie won't be needed. I'm sure you will love the sound and feel of the Ebony.

I was slow this morning; you were indeed right about the Warwick connection.

 

[5andFretless]

You might have to elaborate on this a little. It feels like the mainstream brands (and many quality builders) have been partaking of a little too much "Y'all Need Lines, Because We Says So" Kool-Aid. From what I can see the options for 'quality off-the-peg' models with unlined fingerboards are limited to Warwick or the Fender Tony Franklin Precision. So what are you in for?

Lined vs Unlined Fretless has been debated on this board so many times that I hesitate to even address this question, here it goes:

Guitar makers try to figure out what the public will want (buy). The general bass playing public (TB is not the general public in this reference) has got it in their head that lines on a fretless bass makes it easier to play in tune.

If you listen closely to what Jim says early in this video, you do not use sight to play in tune, and only your ear partially. You have to develop muscle memory - consistently come down in tune every time. That statement right there should settle all debate on lined vs unlined.

I've been playing fretless for 30 years, currently a TF. I listen very closely to what I'm playing, that is engrained in my brain, but I rarely correct because I'm simply not on the note long enough. If I hold a long sustained note I might correct if I'm way off, but that is not often.

My guess is Jim was using a lined fretless in that video because that is the bass he had available, or the bass he was most comfortable playing. If you watch his eye movement vs finger movement he is not using the lines as makers, and he doesn't even come down in the same place relative to the lines every time.

 

[Les Fret]

If you listen closely to what Jim says early in this video, you do not use sight to play in tune, and only your ear partially. .

Yes the lined vs unlined debate has been beaten to death here, so I also don't want to go in that rabit hole again. Whatever works for you and helps you play in tune as said before. I disagree that you don't use sight to play in tune. First hand shape, then ear and then sight. Try playing Teentown or Blackbird on fretless for example without looking, or any other fast song with lots of shifting and jumping. I bet that 90% of the fretless players (including pros) can't play that in tune blindfolded.

 

[SteveCS]

...
If you listen closely to what Jim says early in this video, you do not use sight to play in tune, and only your ear partially. You have to develop muscle memory - consistently come down in tune every time. That statement right there should settle all debate on lined vs unlined.
...

I've been saying the same since I started posting here a few years ago, and have been playing that way for almost 40 years, almost all of which has been unlined fretless (my second bass from '86 to '88 was lined but that was it). But it won't settle the debate...

 

[drumvsbass]

I agree. But your hand shape changes slightly in every position. When going higher the hand shape slightly contracts because of the smaller distances. And that is when the eye plays a role. Also when doing many shifts you have to adjust the hand shape slightly. And more with big shifts or large position jumps. In fast passages that include those shifts the eye really helps and sometimes it is impossible to play in tune without looking. Everything that helps you play in tune is welcome. Hand shape is really important but not the only thing.

The more you practice the hand shapes in every position, the more it becomes about the shape and less about the ear and eye. I don't play fretless better with lines.

 

[drumvsbass]

I bet that 90% of the fretless players (including pros) can't play that in tune blindfolded.

Because you can't?

 

[salmon256]

What a truly awesome and nice guy. I really love the bass community on all platforms name it, reddit, Talkbass, insta etc. because truly most bassist I meet are down to earth people. Jim was one of them. A nice humble guy who's kindness made me want to play bass. That fretless video makes me wanna buy a fretless now. RIP, he will live on through his videos, lessons and methods to many players to come. Thanks Jim!

 

[Les Fret]

Because you can't?

Have you tried it?

 

[Les Fret]

The more you practice the hand shapes in every position, the more it becomes about the shape and less about the ear and eye.

Of course. But that doesn’t mean you don’t use your eye anymore. Even Jaco and Gary Willis look at their neck. Almost every pro fretless player does.