Keep you're fretted bass and pick up a fretless too. Then you can bring both to gigs which keeps things interesting. As for lines? I've never had them. I put a Snark on the headstock at home to help play in tune which is an ongoing challenge. I don't think I could really look at the lines, but I do measure where the 12th and 24th frets would be and draw a pencil line when I set the intonation.
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Looking to go fretless...advice?
- Thread starter merkelbach
- Start date
This is good advice but it's highly personal and it may not matter...
I have a matched-pair Synapse fretted/fretless with 34" scale length. These days the fretted sits in its case and I alternate between the 34" Synapse and the 35" scale Roscoe-6.
I doubt you could find two more different basses. For me it's turned out to be no big deal, but YMMV...
While lines are a "crutch" I don't agree with this statement. I started on a lined bass and didn't get "too reliant" on them. Lines are especially useful to practice eliminating a common fretless beginner habit which is to play notes at an angle across the the neck. On a fretted bass so long as you stay between the frets it doesn't matter much, but obviously on a fretless it detunes you as you move from string to string. The angle is a kind of natural thing to do and it takes some practice to not do it.
But also let me say that after I got playing fretless i was sorry I bought a lined neck because the blank neck LOOKS so much cooler. It makes it obvious you are playing fretless. When I play my lined basses most people think it's fretted (even bass players) because of the lines. And so if you are going to spend some reasonable money I'd say it's far better to go unlined. And that is necessary at some point because you do have to learn how to estimate positions between the side markers which you don't have to with a lined neck (so they are a "crutch" in that regard as well)
So my opinon is that lined necks for the rank newbie who just wants to "try fretless" is a good thing as it really helps you get started seeing what it's all about. Especially if you are used to playing just behind the frets on a fretted bass. So I think a nice cheap SX, Squier, or Ibby with lines will work out great. But when it's time to start getting serious about fretless bass buying with serious money, I'd take a very strong look at unlined basses.
There is very little difference learning on lined and unlined so don't worry about it. If you see an unlined bargain go for it. But a lot of entry level fretless basses tend to be lined.
I do play both. I still love my original lined Carvin AC50 and my G&L L2500 fretless is lined (bought used so it was someone else's decision, not mine). But I do wish I had ordered that Carvin unlined given the amount of cash I spent on it. That's all.
Video is very funny and very well done.
Ignore all comments about lined or unlined. Do what you want.
But it must feel right to you.
Davo
Ignore all comments about lined or unlined. Do what you want.
But it must feel right to you.
Davo
I bought a 32" scale Birdsong Embrace last week and had never played a fretless before. It took no time at all to get accustomed to playing it (lined neck)
Exactly. Though I will say that it's sometimes hard to hear your intonation at a loud show, so for me personally, lines it is! (keep in mind that this reflects more on my lack of ability than any kind of facts).
For those of you that may not know this already... nearly every single unlined fretless made has side dots. It's not like you are playing upright and have to memorize a few pivot positions to work everything from.
I just posted one. Not sure what you are looking for.
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f126/fender-aerodyne-frettless-1031810/
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f126/fender-aerodyne-frettless-1031810/
One thing I will recommend is the book "Bass Player Presents The Fretless Bass" http://www.amazon.com/Bass-Player-P...&qid=1384974012&sr=1-1&keywords=fretless+bass
It's under $20 and it's basically a compilation of Bass Player Magazine interviews with players known for fretless, along with some backgrounders and an article on one technique for defretting a neck.
Lots to learn there, and one of the things you learn is that there is no one way to do anything - all the players have slightly different approaches to everything, including something as fundamental as where do you put your fingers...
I found it to be a nice resource and not expensive.
It's under $20 and it's basically a compilation of Bass Player Magazine interviews with players known for fretless, along with some backgrounders and an article on one technique for defretting a neck.
Lots to learn there, and one of the things you learn is that there is no one way to do anything - all the players have slightly different approaches to everything, including something as fundamental as where do you put your fingers...
I found it to be a nice resource and not expensive.
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I don't look at the lines on the neck when playing with other musicians or jamming to a recording. My ear takes over at those times. I do look at them when doing solo practice.
Did I miss something.. Did the OP mention what kind of Fretted bass they play? I mean if you play a fretted Fender P, find a fretless with at least the same nut width of the P (just an example) since it is more of what you are used to. Just makes sense. If you are used to playing a Jazz neck, why would you look at a wide string spacing for a fretless. Play every fretless you can get your hands on a see what you like
I'm also getting a fretless soon. A few people have told me that when playing, you have to play directly where the fret is supposed to be, not on the dot marker, in order to be in tune. (Mine is lined, so its no issue there)
It should be clear that you put your finger where the fret would have been.... on a previously fretted and now defretted bass its easy to see this when learning.
It's actually pretty much the way unlined fretless's are built...
There'd be no point to putting the dot in the general area between the stops... The dots are the fret positions. Generally. There are a few exceptions, of course...
