Lined fretless: Make me feel better please!

[Lownote38]

It's all just a matter of preference. My fretless doesn't have lines, but has side dot markers. That's just how I like it. I certainly wouldn't turn my nose up at someone who DOES have lines on their fretless. It's more important to play well and sound good than to worry about whether a fretless has lines on it or not.

 

[MDBass]

Unlined fretless = approximate intonation
Lined fretless = accurate intonation

Feel good

Not really, often times accurate intonation means playing marginally flat or sharp of the line.

The only real tools for accurate intonation on a fretless instrument are a well trained ear and practice

 

[Tecate]

It doesn't matter - lines or not.

Yes

 

[nostatic]

just my opinion, but lines are bad. They mess me up. Playing fretless well DOES take work. Time. Effort. It isn't easy because it isn't supposed to be easy... so you play well, you don't need lines - period.

That said, if you like everything about this bass except the lines, just learn to ignore them. I don't know if I could do that, but it seems like the best approach.

I find lines distracting and have a tougher time playing in tune on a lined board. With unlined I'm relying on a rough visual marker (side dots, located on the "fret" position), muscle memory, and my ears. Works for me - may not work for other. Ymmv.

Play whatever you like - what is important or "better" to someone else really doesn't make any difference. In the end, you have to play your own bass...

 

[Brett Zeppelin]

The fretless bass I'm building will have fret lines and inlays. It will look like a fretted bass from afar, but hopefully sound rad from anywhere.

I've heard enough "yeah but"s about this project to make me nauseous, but I know what I like visually and this thing is going to look really good when done.

 

[Lo-E]

The only real tools for accurate intonation on a fretless instrument are a well trained ear and practice

Truth!

 

[Jay Mastro]

I have an unlined fretless Stingray and I play it fine, I was at my uncles and tried to play his lines fretless jazz and I couldn't! Literally, I sounded atrocious, but I can play the crap out of my Stingray, I will never ever purchase a lined fretless

 

[Zoot H Rollo]

more importantly:

 

[Baird6869]

I have owned a few lined as well as a few unlined. Both work for me.

I picked up a FBass BN5 fretless a couple of months ago from another local TBer and I really like the approach George took with this bass. Very cool IMO. Partial lines on the side, dots in normal fretted position and VERY faint lines on the diamondwood board. The lines can't be seen by anyone but the player basically.

I don't care if anyone sees if I have lines or not, but I really like this option....

 

[MD]

Many of us have a much different experience. The biggest difference I see is that no one is telling people who play an unlined fretless that they are wrong. It's always the other way around.

Interesting that the unlined fretless players who slag other fretless players who use lines never say anything disparaging about fretted players. Somehow, in their mind, using frets is okay, but using lines is not.

Interesting.
I've often felt, from past threads, the opposite to be more the norm. Those who prefer unlined, for the most part, state their preference in a polite, respectful and nonjudgemental fashion. In return, terms like egotistic, macho, superior, vain etc start getting thrown around.

Aesthetically speaking, I prefer a clean, unmarked board. As for playing, I'm almost always reading, so when I need/want a reference, I use side dot position markers. The dots on almost all lined boards are in the wrong spot, which for me, is a deal breaker.

Bottom line... play what ever speaks to you.

 

[joe vegas]

jaco.
gary willis.

 

[nostatic]

Aesthetically speaking, I prefer a clean, unmarked board. As for playing, I'm almost always reading, so when I need/want a reference, I use side dot position markers. The dots on almost all lined boards are in the wrong spot, which for me, is a deal breaker.

Bottom line... play what ever speaks to you.

^^^ this (especially about side dots not lining up with the "fret" position)

Sorry, but lines would mess this up

 

[spade2you]

So as I stated---- Jaco had lines.

Could his defret have been unlined?

 

[SteveC]

^^^ this (especially about side dots not lining up with the "fret" position)

Sorry, but lines would mess this up

No doubt. I think there is a certain look where lines work or don't, too. I wouldn't line a board on a bass like this with a board like this. I didn't line my G&L ebony board, either.

However, my new Roscoe fretless (quilt maple instead of flame but the rest is the same) will have a lined board, but it is a "diamondwood" board which has a lot of swirls and stuff already, kind of like this...

In this case I think the lines look ok, but I wouldn't line the Rob Allen above.

 

[spade2you]

jaco.
gary willis.

Manring (once taught by Jaco) and Tony Franklin ain't too shabby.

 

[Walfretless5]

It's a matter of preference. Not trying to offend any lined people but they remind me of when I learned how to play violin, they used tape on the fingerboard so I knew where 3rd position was. It really is a comfort zone thing but I would rather practice proper playing technique and positioning to keep my intonation in check.

 

[spade2you]

It's a matter of preference. Not trying to offend any lined people but they remind me of when I learned how to play violin, they used tape on the fingerboard so I knew where 3rd position was. It really is a comfort zone thing but I would rather practice proper playing technique and positioning to keep my intonation in check.

The bowed instrument family is a little different. The headstock and body heels allow for much better muscle memory. Compared to these, guitar and bass necks are virtually featureless. Even unlined basses have side dots. I don't personally know any bassists that play their fretli while wearing a blindfold.

 

[staccatogrowl]

An electric bass != violin, cello, upright, etc. See my previous post for why the comparison is fallacious.

Yet millions of little children learn to play violin via Suzuki method without visual intonation references. Poor deprived little children!

And what about the blind musicians that must only play by ear. No sight reading or hand watching! Poor George Shearing, Ray Charles, and Stevie Wonder!

There is strong musical precedent to play by feel and listening. Close your eyes to enhance that. If you play well enough, your listeners might close their eyes, as they enjoy your art.

Fretlines are visual references. They are well and good for people that want or need them. Celebrate their availability. Some guitarists and pianists write note names on necks, fretboards, or piano keys. I don't care if anyone does this.

Aimez les différences!

 

[Zoot H Rollo]

from the Rob Allen site:

Q. Should I order a lined or unlined fingerboard?
A. Most players prefer the lines, especially if you sing and play bass, or play sessions and/or new material often that you are not familiar with. For this the lines can be really helpful. The one advantage to the unlined fingerboard (besides the super clean elegant look) is that since the wood grain running along the length of the fingerboard has no saw cuts through it, the tone is ever slightly more resonant. We're splitting hairs here, but people do ask about this and I've noticed over the years that some of the most exceptional basses I've made have indeed been with unlined fingerboards. I don't think most people would even notice the difference between lined or unlined, but for the ultra-purist it is something to consider.

 

[lfmn16]

Interesting.
I've often felt, from past threads, the opposite to be more the norm. Those who prefer unlined, for the most part, state their preference in a polite, respectful and nonjudgemental fashion. In return, terms like egotistic, macho, superior, vain etc start getting thrown around.

Read them again ... carefully.