No Fret Location Markers

Yep as you know, I finally buckled under the GAS this week, so sitting here right now with the TF on the bed. So far, I love mine and it sounds simply amazing. As you can tell in your vid lol...

Definitely do some more playing of it with the bridge PU soloed next you're in the store; pluck right over the PU jaco-style. That'll just put your GAS through the roof. Be sure and take the CC next you go..

As for the side dots, they're in the normal position for unlined. All my other unlined basses had the dots where these are, including the double dot at the 12th "fret" position, so it's not a wierdo that won't transfer over to other unlined basses....

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That's the normal position for side dots on an unlined fretless.

 

Ok I missed this, I think... . The side dots on the TF are located where the "frets" should be, 1st, 3rd, 5th and so on. Not where they are on a fretted bass or a lined + dots bass (i.e fingerboard looks just like a dotted fretted fingerboard).

That's how it normally is on unlined basses in general. I dont think I've seen an unlined with the dots anywhere else, i.e. centered between two "frets" like on a fretted/lined bass....

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Speaking of which, here's audio of mine, doing non-musical noodling. I cycle through all 3 switch settings (bridge PU only, both, neck PU only). It's just the iPhone leaning against the grill of my GK. I'm also using my Cali76 compressor. The volume is really low so I don't disturb my neighbors. So the phone is also picking up some of the noise of the bass itself with the strings slapping against the board, etc.

I'm playing like s*** today, so bad I keep rushing notes and flubbing up even on simple things. So this is no music, just kind of dumb scales, etc. just to exhibit the tone. But this starts with just the bridge PU. Does a very good 70's jazz bass imitation, if you ask me .



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was only a matter of time doc, TF flu has bitten, lol
I almost jumped on one back when you first started talking about them a while back, i wish i would have then, the 12 month financing deal that fender had is no longer going at zz

 

yep, I think you should buy it, doc....

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I thought the side dots on my old Jazz Bass Special were off for the first few years I played it. Then I intonated it and found they were spot on. Didn't change my playing much, since you really have to intonate by ear as you play anyway.

I interpreted your title like it had no side markers, like an upright.

In that were the case, you could always get these:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ETJPELI

I put a couple of them on the side of the fingerboard on my Kay, but they're only good for ballpark reference, of course. When I restrung recently and moved my bridge a tad, they ended up being off a little.

I'm surprised how little I look at them when I play, which is the result of 2-octave arpeggios in 12 keys every day for months on end. If I'm doing big position shifts, it's helpful to have even a rough point of reference, and that's what side dots are for.

 

My Fender P fretless the dots are in the fretted dot position, not where the frets or lines would be so the dots are always flat to any tuned note. From a player perspective that seems nutty but from a manufacturer's perspective it makes sense that they wouldn't spend on extra tooling for what is a low run specialty product.
The weirdest of all time award goes to the 12 position double dot marker that is parallel to the strings. There's 2 dots and if you have a ruler handy, they are more than a centimeter apart.

 

I hate it when fretless basses have the markers at the actual 'fret' positions, it makes me have to be way more conscious of what I'm doing and trips me up. I get why they do it and why it would be a boon to some players, but to me it SUUUUCKS.

 

I owned a TF fretless. Definitely the best 4 string fretless I've ever owned. Love the unlined board. The side dots are more than adequate to find your way around. Consider upright basses have no dots at all. Anyway, my TF was back from when they first came out. It seems like they're potentially even better now (bridge pickup no longer hums when soloed). If I could justify having a 4 string fretless, I get one like the one you're playing. The backbreaker for me is that I pretty much need a 5 string before anything would become actionable.

 

God bless you, Doc, whenever I feel guilty about giving in to my irrational buying impulses, you come to the rescue and remind me I’m in good company!

 

For me, unlined fretless was too hard to get right. If I didn’t have a day job, I could probably spend the time on it. For now, my purchases are geared towards making my life easier. Getting a lined fretless may make your life easier. I do miss the Warwick. It was beautiful. It was nice to have a pitch-black unlined fretboard in my living room.

 

Unless it is like my fretless Thunderbird. Dots are where they were, but the frets are now veneers that nearly disappear. I have not got around to making the dots on the fingerboard disappear yet, so it is quite weird looking. Aside from being a Thunderbird with Lace Alumitone pickups.

 

Nice video, Doc. Having recently acquired an unlined fretless, I have to ignore the dots. They actually throw me off. I think it has something to do with both the angle I'm viewing the fretboard from, and the fact that I'm used to the dots being in between frets. I'm going with my ears (which has been a fun challenge).