Should I have my main de-fretted?

[roccobass]

It's your main ax? Sounds like you're experimenting. Get another low risk lower priced fretted bass for this. You're later self may just thank your now self most greatly.

 

[Chris Wilke]

You sound unsure of switching to fretless, so my advice is: No. Don't convert. Unless you want to, then do it!

I have had two basses converted to fretless, with excellent results. But, while I have been exclusively fretless in several bands over the years, I have also found needs change over time, and you may regret not having your number one any more. So, I would either find another one like it and have it converted, or find another bass for your fretless entirely. Maybe give yourself a different sound or vibe you don't currently have (like a P a J) etc?

Also be aware the margin for error on a short scale fretless is greater, so even greater fingering precision is needed. In my experience intonation falls in line pretty quickly though, especially as you begin playing it with a band. You'll naturally find your pitch and technique. Upper registers are hardest and I imagine especially so on a short scale.

 

[GIBrat51]

So should I?

Just to get the out of the way my main is a just 28.6" scale, 5 string, lowly Ibanez GSRM25 Mikro Bass, tuned in tenor bass, A standard, tuning.


Pros:

- There are more things you can do on a fretless that you can't do on a fretted bass, than there are things you can do on a fretted that you can't do on a fretless

- This bass got a Jatoba fretboard, which is nearly as stiff and hard as Ebony

- I do already naturally fret just behind the frets, and can almost do so with closed eyes, unless I do far stretches

- Believe me, I am convinced this bass would sound absolutely beautiful as fretless

- I love the sound of fretless bass


Cons:

- There are still some things you can do on a fretted bass that you can't really do on a fretless

- Long stretches as just one example I wouldn't be able to do in tune on a fretless

- It will still take a lot of practice to get intonation just right

- And I would basically have to revisit the whole playing style I developed

- While I am pretty certain this would make a beautiful sounding fretless bass, I don't actually 100% know for absolutely certain

- I also love the sound of fretted bass, and I don't actually have any experience with playing a fretless bass


Now I could also just get another bass of the same model, and have that converted to fretless, or let that stay fretted, and have my current one de-fretted, but as this is a cheap budget instrument there is pretty far from any kind of reasonable guarantee that the next one will be as great instrument as this one genuinely is.

For one this was made on the Cort factory in Indonesia, and they since moved the production to China.


For reference this is the beast, I precent you "Mr. Growly - The Noodlemancer":
View attachment 7357646

Well...
As a rule, I try really hard never to tell people what to do. So... all I'll say is - please yourself. I'll leave it to others to offer advice and... "guidance"...

 

[Watchootognbout]

Do what I did.
Buy a second bass and defret it.

 

[Gino t]

Updated, the idea being to try fretless fast / cheap as possible, try different strings/pickups and then sell it for same price if it doesn't agree with you.

- TB classifieds/reverb (maybe fleabay ...) search "Yamaha Fretless", also Ibanez, Samick... looking for 90's production from Samick factory, pointy upper horn
- tick "Used only"
- sort low to high price

- decide if you want lines or nto on fingerboard, if you change mind later, not hard to have side dots moved and cover up lines, buit if you don't have lines and want them, that's more involved

- ask the seller lots of questions: low action w/o buzz, electronics sound ok, trussrod works, fingerboard not gouged up

- seller does some kind of return/refunds but consider that eating shipping 2 ways is going to be $$.

 

[lug]

Defrett your main?!?!?!? I have a very hard time even trying different strings on my mains!

 

[IronLung1986]

- There are more things you can do on a fretless that you can't do on a fretted bass, than there are things you can do on a fretted that you can't do on a fretless

That's not really true though. Fretless is a more intimate playing experience. It draws more attention to itself as an instrument, as an object in itself that you are coaxing and working with to produce this beautiful sound. You're not just playing bass, you're "playing fretless". Fretted is comparatively low maintenance. It vanishes. It frees up your attention to be thinking about the song and the part, rather than the instrument itself.

It's not a trivial distinction because the parts you write will be informed by it. The enjoyment you draw from playing a fretless will be a little more invested in the instrument, and on fretted it's more weighted toward the song and overall band performance. To me this is a much more significant difference than any mechanical or tonal difference. I started playing bass on fretless and it's second nature for me to play it, but I rarely do anymore. I find that it becomes too much about the instrument. It's a turning inward that I prefer to avoid. And, you can't just blast away on it. You lose some of the immediate, percussive, rhythmic capabilities of a fretted which limits you quite a bit at times.

Maybe put more simply, playing 8th notes on a fretless is boring. Playing 8th notes on a fretted is rewarding and fun.

Also, that bass is $279. I would just buy another one and defret it if it were me.

 

[Liam Wald]

Pretty much absolutely zero 28.6" scale fretless basses on the market, so that what are the odds I'll find a used 28.6" scale fretless custom made bass, and if that even ever happen, what are the odds it'll be cheap, let alone 5 strin

Just get a 30" scale fretless.
I play short scale bass exclusively. I have both 30" and 28.6" scale. The difference is so minimal I can switch between the two without a second thought.
.

 

[R Dufayel]

Ritter667,

You’ve got solid reasons for wanting to de-fret your Mikro — I’d say just go for it. De-fretting is one of those things that, once done, you’ll be glad you did and probably wish you’d done sooner.

I had mine done by an experienced luthier in London, but 4fun did an excellent DIY job — check it out:
https://www.talkbass.com/threads/official-mikro-bass-club-part-3.1070840/page-511#post-28981283

I actually posted a photo of my fretless Mikro earlier today if you’re curious. I bought this one specifically to de-fret and install a dual low-pass filter preamp — very much in the spirit of a Wal:
https://www.talkbass.com/threads/official-mikro-bass-club-part-3.1070840/page-516#post-29324029

 

[woodyng2]

If it’s your favorite bass to play as is, I would say don’t do it!
My biggest regret was when I had my favorite Rick Cheyenne ii converted to fretless, because I loved the neck, feel, and sound of it in its original form.
I tried 6-7 different type sets of strings on it after the conversion, and while it did sound pretty good to me, it just didn’t have the type of fretless sound I wanted.
So, basically I lost what was one of my top 3 favorite Rickenbacker basses I’ve owned over the years.
I probably could’ve had it refretted, but just opted to trade it for another newer Cii that didn’t have the same feel or sound.