TO GO FRETLESS OR NOT?

[Jjacks651]

I am in a project band that has a couple of songs that the bassline was definitely recorded on a fretless bass. I don't have one in my collection of 3 electric basses. Is there a decent, under $500.00 fretless bass out there? Or should I take one of my current basses and buy a fretless neck for a conversion?

What I have right now are: Fender American Vintage reissue "75 Jazz Bass: New(ish) MIJ Fender Aerodyne Jazz Bass; and a New Fender Vintera Precision Bass.

Personally, I don't want to change any of them, each has it's own feel, and sound. The only neck I am not in love with is the Vintera, it's finish on the edges is a little rough? I'd like to round the fret edges and even possibly the fingerboard top a little. Both my Jazz Basses have beautiful slim necks that play like butter. The Aerodyne with the P-J pups is killer punchy and rings with pure intonation and clarity in the higher registers. The Vintage reissue is just amazingly Jazz Bass perfect in every way. I guess I am convincing myself to not change any but to find a fretless to add to the collection.

Any suggestions around the size of the stimulus check?

Thanks,

John

 

[Thomas998]

I don't get the sense that you want to really get into playing a fretless, so I wouldn't suggest you spend good money for what sounds like a limited need. Just look your local pawn shops and craigslist. If they don't have a reasonable fretless then get one with frets and remove the frets. In fact removing the frets and filling in the groves with a contrasting colored material will probably be your best place to start since you aren't going to go hardcore fretless. The filled in fret marks will give you a good indication of where to put your fingers when playing.

 

[Mastodon2]

If you don't want or need to play fretless then don't, just put your own bassline together for whatever song was previously done with a fretless. I doubt the rest of the band will notice or care.

Playing fretless can be amazing but most would agree its a discipline that needs a bit of time and effort invested into it. If you buy a fretless bass and only play it for one song at rehearsal every now and then, you might not sound great on it. If your heart isn't it, just stick to fretted for now.

 

[Thomas998]

If you don't want or need to play fretless then don't, just put your own bassline together for whatever song was previously done with a fretless. I doubt the rest of the band will notice or care.

Playing fretless can be amazing but most would agree its a discipline that needs a bit of time and effort invested into it. If you buy a fretless bass and only play it for one sing at rehearsal every now and then, you might not sound great on it. If your heart isn't it, just stick to fretted for now.

Good advice. It doesn't sound like the OP has the desire to be the next Jaco and playing in tune takes more practice than most realize.

 

[SteveC]

I love having a fretless in my "collection" of basses. It's a different animal for sure. I sometimes take it, just because it's a great playing and sounding bass. You don't have to have it "sound fretless" all the time. I sometimes think I could make it my only bass. That said, I tend to use my fretted basses more often, but a fretless is a great instrument to learn and work to master.

 

[4stringfarley]

My $300 MiM fretless jazz is my go to. Upgraded a few parts for approx. another $150. Happier with it than I ever was with my MiA fretless I owned. I was never happy with the Squire offerings personally but YMMV.

 

[Mastodon2]

You don't have to have it "sound fretless" all the time.

As an aside, I think it's great practice to play fretless bass with a goal of not sounding obviously fretless. It stops you from relying on little micro-adjustments or sliding into every note instead of learning to hit it right first time, without any minute pitch adjustments.

Solid, right-on-the-note intonation is the foundation of good fretless playing imo. All the glissando and vibrato you can do is just the icing on the cake.

 

[Jjacks651]

I don't get the sense that you want to really get into playing a fretless, so I wouldn't suggest you spend good money for what sounds like a limited need. Just look your local pawn shops and craigslist. If they don't have a reasonable fretless then get one with frets and remove the frets. In fact removing the frets and filling in the groves with a contrasting colored material will probably be your best place to start since you aren't going to go hardcore fretless. The filled in fret marks will give you a good indication of where to put your fingers when playing.

I do want to go fretless but can's afford to spend over $500.00

John

 

[SteveC]

As an aside, I think it's great practice to play fretless bass with a goal of not sounding obviously fretless. It stops you from relying on little micro-adjustments or sliding into every note instead of learning to hit it right first time, without any minute pitch adjustments.

Solid, right-on-the-note intonation is the foundation of good fretless playing imo. All the glissando and vibrato you can do is just the icing on the cake.

Right. That's why I play it in "non-fretless" situations. And it's a great sounding bass. Looks nice, too.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

There are a lot of good budget fretless options. If you are in a place with a lot shops, get out and look. If not, look online. I recommend getting a lined bass since you are not a dedicated fretless player. Even with lines, intonation is not automatic. You need to gets a few hours in a weed to keep your chops up.

 

[Stewie]

I only played fretless from 1976 to 2015? I like it a lot, but, my suggestion is to buy a cheap Chinese neck from Ebay and try it for a while. If you love it, go nuts and buy something special. If not, sell it here and let someone else try. Good luck on your trial.

EDit: Not to argue with the Big Cheese, but, I'd advise against a lined fretboard. You don't actually look at the frets if you are standing, and an unlined board will have the marker dots where the frets would be, so when you look down, you can see them. Your choice.

 

[Dr. Keebs]

A fretless 5 is in my "must have" category, along with a fretted 5. So, those are the two that I roll with at the moment. Fretless is a part of my sound, when it needs to be, and I have spent the time to develop intonation, technique, and style with it. If you aren't invested in those ways, I'd say develop your own thing with those tunes on a fretted.

 

[SteveC]

A fretless 5 is in my "must have" category, along with a fretted 5. So, those are the two that I roll with at the moment. Fretless is a part of my sound, when it needs to be, and I have spent the time to develop intonation, technique, and style with it. If you aren't invested in those ways, I'd say develop your own thing with those tunes on a fretted.

Yep, I can do any gig with my pair of fretted/fretless 5 strings. I have a 4 string P with flats just because it's nice for some things, but my gigging usually happens with one - or both - of the 5er's.

 

[Dr. Keebs]

Yep, I can do any gig with my pair of fretted/fretless 5 strings. I have a 4 string P with flats just because it's nice for some things, but my gigging usually happens with one - or both - of the 5er's.

P with flats or dead rounds would be my next go-to.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I only played fretless from 1976 to 2015? I like it a lot, but, my suggestion is to buy a cheap Chinese neck from Ebay and try it for a while. If you love it, go nuts and buy something special. If not, sell it here and let someone else try. Good luck on your trial.

EDit: Not to argue with the Big Cheese, but, I'd advise against a lined fretboard. You don't actually look at the frets if you are standing, and an unlined board will have the marker dots where the frets would be, so when you look down, you can see them. Your choice.

I was making a recommendation to someone who does not play fretless regularly. Fretless has a way of making us think we are more in tune than we are. Recording in the studio is bad time to find out your intonation is lacking.

 

[GretschWretch]

Cheap fretless? Glarry.
Fretless that punches above its weight? Glarry.

But unlined 'boards only, and the side dots are in the wrong place. That latter will have to be corrected.

 

[Phlipper]

The Squier fretless Jazz and the Ibanez SR370 are the only fretless I'm aware of, new, for less than $500. Both are fours, of course. Be advised Ibanez no longer makes the SR375 (which is what I tried to buy for weeks and weeks). You might find a used LTD or Fender MIM fretless around that. Glarry makes a cheap one but it's a one-trick pony, P-bass tone.

Do what I did (twice) ... buy a bass you like the sound and feel of and yank the frets yourself.

Oh, and don't buy anything with fretlines. You won't need them. They just look unsightly.

 

[g-dude]

Squier fretless jazz. Get some TI jazz flats, give it a nice setup, and it’ll play lovely. It punches WAY above its price point.

 

[coyote1]

I do want to go fretless but can's afford to spend over $500.00

John

There are plenty of quality fretless basses out there in your price range. Some new, some used, but certainly they exist - and you need not go to the effort (and likely damage) of de-fretting an existing instrument.

2004 Ibanez SR300 DXF SoundGear Fretless - 4 String Bass Guitar 2004 Candy Apple Red | Sonic Vibrations | Reverb

 

[JRA]

I do want to go fretless but can's afford to spend over $500.00

Any suggestions around the size of the stimulus check?

as suggested above: put a fretless neck on your least favored ax and try it, temporarily.
- if you like it that way = cool beans, matter closed.
- if you like fretless, but not that arrangement = keep or sell the neck to accommodate a 'custom fretless, parts build'.
- if you don't like fretless = sell the neck. now you know.

most folks here see fretless as something uber-special. it's not. it's just another way to play some bass notes. good luck!

 

[N4860]

If you're just getting into fretless for the first time, I'd look at a Squier or MIM Fender simply because they are usually more common to find in stores. So I'd try to find one that you try in store and really enjoy the feel of. As long as you like the feel, you can eventually upgrade electronics and/or hardware if you ever needed to.

In terms of the lines vs unlined, I'd go unlined. My experience with lines is they're a bit of a crutch and you can spend too much time looking at them rather than learning to use your ears. They're good for the first couple of weeks when you are getting your muscle memory developed for your fretting hand to learn the fretless positions, but after that, I'd say you are better off watching a tuner while you practice and not your fretboard. Recording yourself and listening back is also very good practice.