Standard or fretless?

[Rufes]

What do you prefere and why?

 

[Deacon_Blues]

Both.

 

[chaosMK]

Standard brings it way more for aggressive music. But... use the right tool for the right job.

 

[bassteban]

What is 'standard'? If you mean fretted or fretless, I think there's a place for either/both, sometimes in the same song.

 

[MarkMyWordsXx]

exactly, tools. most of the time i play fretted though

btw this should be in the bass section, since it has nothing at all to do with technique

 

[PaleMelanesian]

Standard for me IS fretless. I do have a fretted bass, but I haven't picked it up in months.

 

[Rodr-Evil]

Standard brings it way more for aggressive music. But... use the right tool for the right job.

Yes, but Steve DiGiorgio plays metal with fretless and sounds very cool!

 

[funkydanbass]

Both. Depends on the song. Always the song!

 

[DanielleMuscato]

+1... tools. So are pianos, violins, clarinets, synths, djembes... even guitars

Use your ears, not your fingers/eyes/bass collection. Sometimes a bass-range singer is the right move, you know?

 

[GlassJaw]

If I had to pick just one - fretted. I play both but I grab the fretted a lot more often. Just more versatile, at least for the music I play.

 

[deckard]

Fretless is all I've played for approx. 30 years, incl. a self-imposed 7 year lay-off from music altogether... started playing again 2 years ago.

Just for me personally, it's the sound I hear in my head, my voice on the instrument... it expresses what I have to say on bass.

JMHO

 

[BassWarrior]

I use both fretted and fretless basses, depending upon the type and style of music.

 

[rutty24]

i have a fretless jazz bass..........and haven't picked up a fretted bass for ages. i prefer fretless much more.

 

[acleex38]

Fretless is all I've played for approx. 30 years, incl. a self-imposed 7 year lay-off from music altogether... started playing again 2 years ago.

Just for me personally, it's the sound I hear in my head, my voice on the instrument... it expresses what I have to say on bass.

JMHO

30 years on nothing but fretless? You are someone I want to take at least a lesson or two from.

If forced to pick, I'm leaning more and more towards fretless. I'm glad I don't have to pick - but it really is closer to being "my voice" (I'm still not sure if/when I'll be sure what "my voice" really is).

 

[doctorjazz]

Definitely fretless. I like how it can be made to sound a lot more lyrical.

 

[Phalex]

Fretless is preferred for speed, but frets are nice for grabbing chords.

 

[stedtale]

both

 

[tplyons]

Fretless. I don't play a Standard bass. I play fretted though.