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Lined fretless: Make me feel better please!

#142
Fletz said:
I have in my lifetime owned two tony Franklin fretlesses and loved them both ... Before GAS forced me to sell them. I got the fretless jones again and saw a bass deal here on TalkBass that I couldn't beat on a Music Man Stingray fretless. I did research and decided that the Pino fretless sound is what I want for my current situation, the color was beautiful on the one I saw here and the age/condition/price were excellent. So I bought it. I'll have it in a few days but I'm already feeling like I wimped out by getting this LINED fretless. My franklins of course we're unlined. I played them just fine.

Talk me off the ledge! Tell me it doesn't matter. Tell me I'm being too harsh on myself and that tone and playability far outweigh the ego of no lines.

Or call me out. I can take it. :)
Click to expand...

Don't worry about it.
Jaco had lines on his fret less- who cares why
 
#143
This is a common misconception. Unlined fingerboards were available when Jaco was alive. Jaco could have played anything he wanted, but he stuck with the lined board. Wal, don't get defensive. It's not becoming. I'm not here to argue the merits of either; I'm just stating facts. Regarding reading the entirety of an 8 page thread, I ain't got time for that mess.
 
#144
My personal preference is for unlined, simply because I'm shallow and I love the way it looks :p
It is much harder to play in tune and I struggle with the higher register... truth is I struggle on the higher register also on upright bass! Lines would mak it easier, but then you can't really trust them 100% in my experience.

Jaco has been mentioned a a lot, which also happen on the inevitable 4 vs. 5 diatribe. A little know fact is that Jaco had an acoustic bass custom built: it had 5 strings, with a high C IIRC and lines.
So yes, he chose to have lines on his fretless bass, that argument can pretty much be closed ;)
There are pictures and a recording if you search around.

I've had the pleasure of speaking with Edgar Meyer once and he told me personally that the dots were there when he got the bass, but he was thankful for them: "it's hard to play in tune, I'll take all the help I can get!"
 
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#147
I'm not seeing why lined or unlined would have any influence on one's ego to begin with. If you're looking at the fingerboard, there's visual reference whether there are lines or not - at the extreme ends you're able to see where you are in relation to the nut or the end of the fingerboard. That's visual whether there is a special marking or not.

It isn't like lines have some gravitational pull that force you to stare into them, I can look straight ahead and struggle with my intonation on my lined fretless and self-flagellate just as much as someone with an unlined board.
 
#148
Like me Jaco played a Fender Jazz bass. All you losers who don't play a Fender Jazz bass should sell your worthless gear and get on board with Jaco and me! Of course who am I to talk, I guess I need to find a '62 Jazz Bass, rip out the frets, apply some marine epoxy, and then I will play just like Jaco, eh?

Some players find lines to be helpful or nearly essential. All players could make use of them on occasion if they had them. But basses tend to be so much prettier without them. That pretty much sums it up, there is no deep underlying principle here that should be considered before you buy a fretless. I was going to buy an unlined Warmoth neck for one of my basses for around $300 plus shipping but then what turned out to be quite a nice lined fretless turned up on TB for $225, shipped. That is really all the thought you need to put into this decision. I have never tried to play an unlined fretless so I don't know if I could although I would not be afraid to try. That Ibanez Portamento looks pretty nice....

If, however, you want to try to play an unlined fretless and you fear that the lack of positional references will prevent you from doing what all the little Suzuki children do, could you not put something on the back of the neck here and there to give yourself the positional references you need?
 
#149
While P refer unlined (all the lines are just too much to look at when I need a quick reference) I had a line Jaco relic that was super fine and I got used to them.
So: whichever.
 
#150
Ukiah Bass said:
It's hard to imagine anyone playing with an amp that has lines, numbers, indents -- heck, anything that might tell a player where the control knobs are pointed. Clipping indicator lights? Meh. It's particularly disappointing when an amp's volume and EQ knobs include a hard stop turning to the left or right ... such an artificial way of knowing the range of motion. Bassists should know better than that. "Use your ears" will always be the correct mantra!
Click to expand...

Speaking of fretless, your new avatar photo: You kind of look like Bunny Brunel. Who by the way plays a lined fretless and insists that his students do. :D
 
#151
Jonithen said:
I'm not seeing why lined or unlined would have any influence on one's ego to begin with. If you're looking at the fingerboard, there's visual reference whether there are lines or not - at the extreme ends you're able to see where you are in relation to the nut or the end of the fingerboard. That's visual whether there is a special marking or not.

It isn't like lines have some gravitational pull that force you to stare into them, I can look straight ahead and struggle with my intonation on my lined fretless and self-flagellate just as much as someone with an unlined board.
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I can look at the chart and conductor and struggle with my intonation.
 
#152
Walfretless5 said:
True if it sounds good , however Jaco didn't necessarily USE lines , he had them because he converted his Jazz Bass of Doom to fretless. He also had an old stand up bass that was unlined. I imagine he used them for reference because they were there but I'm sure the player that he was , an unlined Bass wouldn't present an problem for him.
Click to expand...

Bill Clinton didn't inhale.
 
#153
khutch said:
Like me Jaco played a Fender Jazz bass. All you losers who don't play a Fender Jazz bass should sell your worthless gear and get on board with Jaco and me! Of course who am I to talk, I guess I need to find a '62 Jazz Bass, rip out the frets, apply some marine epoxy, and then I will play just like Jaco, eh?

Some players find lines to be helpful or nearly essential. All players could make use of them on occasion if they had them. But basses tend to be so much prettier without them. That pretty much sums it up, there is no deep underlying principle here that should be considered before you buy a fretless. I was going to buy an unlined Warmoth neck for one of my basses for around $300 plus shipping but then what turned out to be quite a nice lined fretless turned up on TB for $225, shipped. That is really all the thought you need to put into this decision. I have never tried to play an unlined fretless so I don't know if I could although I would not be afraid to try. That Ibanez Portamento looks pretty nice....

If, however, you want to try to play an unlined fretless and you fear that the lack of positional references will prevent you from doing what all the little Suzuki children do, could you not put something on the back of the neck here and there to give yourself the positional references you need?
Click to expand...

Exactly--- and if you want to play double bass like Edgar Meyer--- put dots on the side of the neck.
 
#155
I have replied before that after learning fretless on an unlined board I prefer lines-particularly for upper register work. With regards
to the issue of appearance, I am now of the mind that the benefit
s of a lined board that serves to fake out the "traditionalist" types with fixed ideas about what bassists plays (P, J, or PJ) outweighs the cool look of unlined board
 
#158
bassplayer1960 said:
I have replied before that after learning fretless on an unlined board I prefer lines-particularly for upper register work. With regards
to the issue of appearance, I am now of the mind that the benefits of a lined board that serves to fake out the "traditionalist" types with fixed ideas about what bassists plays (P, J, or PJ) outweighs the cool look of unlined board
Click to expand...

Trust me, it's more about what someone learned on vs. strict traditionalism. In some ways, I wish I would have started on lined since they're more common and something like a Dingwall would be an option, where an unlined fanned fret is something I'd fear playing.

The idea that lines will save you if you can't hear your bass is an exaggeration. Playing fretless without ears just doesn't work. I have seen sunken lines and expanded lines sticking out of fingerboards over the years. Guitar players are also more intimidated by unlined fretli, especially if there are 5-6 strings. ;)
 

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