This isn't your average fretless question!!!

Ignorance. I think it depends on the Fretless, I have a Pedulla Buzz which has a real nice fretless sound but I am also able to not bring the sound out of it. Heck I played the think at about 5 practices before the guitar player found out. Only because I was choking the MWAH.

 

It's music. Art. There is no 'wrong' answer. You can play fretless if you want. It's about personal expression.

That said, when I play heavier stuff, I like to have the strings ringing off the frets. With no frets, there's no ringing.

 

I only play fretless. I play in a social distortion type punk band and I play a fretless. Sounds great to me...

 

fretless can be used for anything. period. i played upright for 7 years. bought a BG, then went fretless. it was like "going home" and i play classic rock, hard rock, funk, ska, jazz..... just not country or R&B.

 

Why do they say it? I think we know why

 

i guess they didn't read the

WHEN TO FRET/ NOT TO FRET

bible (hideous sarcasm)

 

While I agree that you can use a fretless bass for whatever you want, in my opinion, it may not be as affective in ska or punk as it might be in other genres of music.

What I think makes fretless special is when you slide from one note to another and when you sustain a note, creating that mwah effect. You can certainly incorporate some cool slides in punk/ska but, since it usually means you'll be playing some rapid fire type bass lines, you probably won't be holding a lot of notes.

I play both fretted and fretless and I've found there just isn't as much impact with the fretless on songs that a really moving. I usually opt for my fretted bass in those situations.

 

I've actually never heard anyone say that.
In my opinion it's up to the player.
Ever heard Fishbone?
Alright so not exactly ska-punk but they've got those influences.
Their bassist(Norwood Fisher) has used a fretless for Jamerson knows how long and it still sounds great.
I would advice you to buy one!
Alright it might not sound like those old ska records but you will get great sound in context where the fretless is a young instrument.
Good luck, whatever you choose to do.

 

Hey I play fretless exclusively nowadays. I've made it a point to NOT play it like fretless, so as not to sound cliched. My own band mates never noticed for weeks! I guess it's working. But when I need it I can always "slide" into mwah mode. (Pun intended) But to me, fretless is so much more ergodynamic, I get much more expression, and speed and articulation have improved for me. Frets? Ugh! I do agree that's there's a little less zing, without frets, but I don't care. The benefits far outweigh everything else IMHO. Oh, and I play mostly R&B, funk, R&R.

 

I play fretless exclusivley as well. Frets are so inhibating. I play all kinds of music, but in my band we do dark\industrial\metal type stuff. In my mind the fretless seems more logical than a fretted and allows me much more flexability.

In fact I think guitars shouldnt have frets as well

 

Check out Steve DiGiorgio, he is a fretless player that has played in many death metal bands, his mmmwha cuts through like a knife under that brutal distortion. One of my fave bassists out there.

Some listening would include: Individual Thought Patters - DEATH, Controlled Denied, Sadus, Iced Earth, and the new Testament album. His fretless tone is incredible and his playin style is awesome.

 

Remember the eq will make a big difference along with using rounds rather than flats.

 

I couldn't of said it better myself.

 

well if u use flatwounds on a fretless, yeah then its not gonna be a good idea, no one will ever hear u in a punk/metal/ska band. Jazz yes or anything very quiet/clean...

besides, flatwounds sound dead to me, u gotta use roundwounds (sacrifice quicker fretboard wear for tone!). Rotosounds do it for me...cuts through.

 

Pure and simple.

"when will they ever learn, when..."

 

The more they say I can't do it,the more I will!That also goes for slapping/popping on fretless.