Slap bass on fretless?

[Jeff Scott]

Flats = ...I feel flats are harder to play with. (require more finger strength)...

Matt

Perhaps you have been playing the wrong strings, then.

 

[Eschaton]

 

[brianrost]

I used rounds on a fretless BC Rich Eagle for over a decade and never needed to have the rosewood fingerboard dressed.

 

[nostatic]

IMO the best fretless bass slap tone in the history of bassdom. Be sure to watch the entire clip

this is awesome

 

[PJ Muzikmansky]

Man, that was great !

 

[Christian12]

So guys, I got the bass today! It's awesome, im in love with it! The slapping is still doable but it has a unique slap sound which i still like :] but theres a problem, when i turn the tone knob up theres static, then when i turn the bridge pickup, up, theres feedback, similar to woooooooo sound. HELP!

 

[Watchootognbout]

See!THAT'S a good example of what I mean.Slap on a fretless goes "Pawp" instead of "Ping"

This is the "Ping"I like.

 

[GuyMcee]

I've had a fretless bass for a few years, and it was my primary bass so it got lots of use, including slap.
My bass does have some wear on the fretboard, because I used roundwounds but it has really no impact besides it's appearance.
Obviously over a long period of time, the fretboard will probably get damaged but it's really natural for a fretless bass unless you get it finished.

 

[CrashClint]

Yeah, Alain Caron is awesome and is very tasteful on his slap playing.

 

[TMARK]

I think fingerboard wear is an over blown concern. I had a Pedulla Buzz back in the late 80's, played it with Roto 66s. The board was marked but never needed to be plained. Sold it (I still miss that bass) and played a MM Sterling (with the Piezo) for eight years, with steels mostly. I had the board plained due to some ruts at G/C/D. It was minor but affected tone. It wasn't much money to have repaired. That was a Pao Ferro board. No signs of damage from slapping. Now I have a Tony Franklin. I use TI flats. It is my main bass, has been for two years. No signs of damage at all.

I suspect it depends on how you play. I have a light touch, which helps.

 

[Fresh Eddie]

...and even if you do eventually damage a rosewood board, you could have it planed down or replaced.

 

[Lo-E]

So guys, I got the bass today! It's awesome, im in love with it! The slapping is still doable but it has a unique slap sound which i still like :] but theres a problem, when i turn the tone knob up theres static, then when i turn the bridge pickup, up, theres feedback, similar to woooooooo sound. HELP!

We'd need to know a lot more to be able to make a diagnosis.

First place to start: find a Jazz Bass wiring diagram on the net and see if the wiring in yours matches the diagram. That may tell you a lot. You don't even need to know about electronics; just compare what you see to the picture.

From there, we might be able to offer some advice.

 

[Eschaton]

See!THAT'S a good example of what I mean.Slap on a fretless goes "Pawp" instead of "Ping"

This is the "Ping"I like.

That's exactly what I thought when I posted it. You read my mind.