Only fretless

[werdna1999]

Mainly a bedroom player/noodler. I'm a high school student and any money I don't save goes into funding my music hobby, so my funds are limited. Anyway, I've got a fretless G&L American semi hollow asat that is my main bass. Also have a jazz bass, more of a frankenbass that I'm really tempted to put a fretless neck on as well. This would leave me with no fretted bass, which could be a problem for playing in lowkey Classic Rock band that I have with some friends

So I guess my question is, do I really need a fretted bass? Anybody gone all fretless?

 

[MMiller28]

Stop!

 

[Rabidhamster]

Just don't sell the fretted neck and put it on if you need it.

 

[tangentmusic]

Gotta have (at least) one of each..

 

[John Conte]

It's a good idea to keep the original fretted neck and get a spare fretless neck. Test it for awhile and decide which way you want to go.

 

[FNHScar17s]

The only bass I own that is fretted is my vintage early 70s jazz bass for fear of altering the mojo. Pretty much exclusively play fretless to the point where fretted bass is almost a foreign thing to me it feels weird. Also if you do go fretless only save your money and buy a super high end fretless it will blow your mind how much more awesome your playing will sound. With that said figure which route you want to go and don't regret the decision.

 

[Wisebass]

Hi Werdna,

switching necks might be a good (for your budget!) solution for the moment,

as long as you are undecided whether to go fretless only or not.

a problem for playing in lowkey Classic Rock band

than give your frankenfretless the chance to rock!

I played in a classic 2 git, dr and bass rockshow having a fretless as my mainplayer, it worked!!!

There are a lot of bassplayers who did/do so: the late Jack Bruce and Pino are just two of them.

Rocking the house is not a fretted/ fretless question (IMHO)

keep on rocking

may the bass be with you

Wise(b)ass

(still have my 73 fretted J which I kept for my Jazzband sideproject!)

 

[Hotblack]

My preference is fretless. That said, there are gigs in which the bandleader would give me the stinkeye no matter how good my intonation. It's good business to keep at least one fretted in the stable.

 

[buldog5151bass]

A fretless can sound like a fretted (All uprights are fretless). Only issue is people's perceptions.