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The Fretless Club (Part 2!)
- Thread starter Mark Wilson
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Virgin post from a still quite virgin bass player. Started about four months ago after nearly 15 years of not making music (former sax dilletante). Went for fretless to avoid fret noise while practicing in the first place, but really like the freedom it gives me compared to being tied to the 'perfect' intonation of fretted bass.
Like my Squier Vintage Fretless JB a lot, though the Fretless==Jaco equation tends to put me off a bit. Anyway, after getting on quite slowly learning my ways around the fingerboard I found that, to me, the fretlines seem to do more harm than good -- keep trying to count the buggers while playing, which my brain is far to slow for. Now there's duct tape on the side of the neck to hide the lines, with dot marks painted professionally with a sharpie. And yours truly GASsing badly for an unlined fingerboard. I'd never thought that it would be actually easier to play unlined.
I'll see if can make picture sometime soon. If I could get a number ... it would be my first
Yeah, fretless is so freeing. I too was taken aback by the Jaco legacy when I first got into bass playing, and felt it was a cliche thing that people over-associate with fretless. Over time though, I realized I had been familiar with Jaco much of my life and never knew it, from his work on the Joni Mitchell albums. Lately I have been listening to Jaco and finding that I have more in common with him than most bassists. So, full circle, who would have thunk.
Sorry for quality & size, but everybody here should know how this thing looks, anyway. Behold the fancy fret line cover!
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Ah... the fretlines don't bother me at all, although I tend to panic if I can't see the side dots... was going to get some inlayed but I'm using nail varnish for now.
I'd very much like to join. Sorry 'bout the poor quality. I think we all know what it is.
A heavily modded Jack Casady refinished in sunburst?
Or the bass that Jaco threw in the ocean???A heavily modded Jack Casady refinished in sunburst?Systolic said:
You'll have to wear a helmet when riding that neckAnother peak at my epoxy project. The fifth/final coat has cured. Yes, this neck is not wet!
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