Unlined or Lined: Irrelevant?

[Lagado]

Yes I got an unlined fretless guitar, a lined bass, two uprights and a sitar that I play on a daily bases.

Rubbishing the context of an argument because you've nowhere left to go. That's what I meant.

 

[gigetto]

Lined if i'll try a FL

 

[equill]

He didn't feel he had anything to prove.

He didn't feel the need to woof off...

So why do you?
We get it: yours is bigger than everybody else's put together, you know better than everybody else here, and why don't we just accept it and bow down before your eminent superiority.

And if I ever start playing above the 12th fret on a fretless, what you've been droning endlessly on about might actually become relevant.

 

[Lagado]

So why do you?
We get it: yours is bigger than everybody else's put together, you know better than everybody else here, and why don't we just accept it and bow down before your eminent superiority.

And if I ever start playing above the 12th fret on a fretless, what you've been droning endlessly on about might actually become relevant.

Not one single reply has stated the benefits of removing a visual aid to better intonation. Maybe you can help... Rather than running to the ad homs.

 

[Bone]

How do you know there's an unlined fretless at the door?

By the sound of the woodpecker building a home above the 12th fret.



Change my mind, the burden of proof is on you. Got anything you can link me to?

Anything intonated in the upper range you've played? It would be nice to hear it.

How is the burden of proof on him? By your own admission you can’t tell if you’re intonated without looking at the lines. How. An he prove to you something that you can’t hear?

 

[Lagado]

Not one single reply has stated the benefits of removing a visual aid to better intonation. Maybe you can help...

How is the burden of proof on him? By your own admission you can’t tell if you’re intonated without looking at the lines. How. An he prove to you something that you can’t hear?

What on earth are you talking about? The unlined have made great claims as to their intonation here, I just wondered if they would like to back it up. "Effortless" "never out of tune", "I am one of the top guys..." Well I would be interested in hearing it, who wouldn't be. I'm here to be educated myself.

 

[Bone]

Some people are just slow learners.

 

[Lagado]

Some people are just slow learners.

Some people can't be helped at all...

 

[SteveCS]

Some people can't be helped at all...

I'm not sure what help you are offering...

 

[Passinwind]

Who ever cared if Jaco had lines on his bass but Alphonso Johnson or Percy Jones did not?

Those of us who prefer listening to the latter two players? Sorry, but that's all I've got for this religious discussion.

 

[luciens]

I like unlined for two reasons;

1. you can't really rely on those lines to help your pitch, you need to develop your ears.
2. They are usually made of contrasting wood and can cause buzzing when the board shrinks in dry climates.

So after only a short while you get used to the unlined and you kind of use positions and 'muscle memory' to get you to the right spot and your ears to fine tune.

#2 is the main practical reason I've also always preferred unlined fingerboards. I've had lined basses in the past (without a sealing finish, just bare wood) where the inserts finally started popping up as the wood shrunk and expanded over time. Nasty mess that's a major repair to fix.

The other is cosmetic, I just like how an unlined board looks.

Other than that, I'm agnostic about it as long as the lined board has a finish to seal the wood and help keep the little inserts glued in their slots.

I just ordered a fender jaco pastorious after many years of playing unlined and that was my driving choice for accepting the lines on it. I'll find out soon enough I guess as it's supposed to arrive monday.

L

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Those of us who prefer listening to the latter two players? Sorry, but that all I've got for this religious discussion. View attachment 3742428

My point is that if you like a player, it is not because of the lines or lack thereof. You like how they play most likely.

I agree that this discussion has begun to sound like an argument over religion.

 

[Passinwind]

My point is that if you like a player, it is not because of the lines or lack thereof. You like how they play most likely.

Most likely, but look at the flip side: how many people play Rics, Jazz Basses, Ampeg B-15s, etc. because one or more of their favorite players do or did so? IMHO that's just human nature.

I agree that this discussion has begun to sound like an argument over religion.

Yep, but that's just human nature as well.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Most likely, but look at the flip side: how many people play Rics, Jazz Basses, Ampeg B-15s, etc. because one or more of their favorite players do or did so? IMHO that's just human nature.



Yep, but that's just human nature as well. View attachment 3742458

You are right. I wanted an Alembic for years because Stanley Clarke uses one.

 

[bobyoung53]

Sure.
Of two or three of the same brands that everyone else plays.

Nothing wrong with those.
But what if you don't want those?

What if you wantcertain six which is not available as fretless?
Then you defret.

Defretted six with styrene inlays.
2010
View attachment 3742110

And then,years later you have the fingerboard replaced with an unlined one.
2017
View attachment 3742116

Nice. I wasn't bashing lined or converted fretlesses. just I have never owned a converted fretless or seen one in person that I can remember although of course I have seen plenty of pictures of them. I have a factory Rickenbacker 4003 fretless which is pretty rare, it's got inlays like the 4003S does but it's got dots for every note on the side, actually gets confusing as you go up the neck so I put some big side dots at the 3rd, 5th, 7th, etc. like the Fenders have.

 

[luciens]

I've done a couple conversions and I'll just say it's a lot harder to do than it looks. And you'd be amazed at how many expensive tools you end up having to buy or borrow to finish the job right....

I'm sufficiently motivated by that experience to never do it again and just get basses that are already fretless...

L

 

[fiveoffour]

My fretless has dots on the side, and I wish it didn't have those. I play upright...looking isn't even an option as there is nothing to look at. Not to say that when I play electric I don't look, but I can't even tell where the "line" would be by looking at the dots. All that to say, I trust my ears over my eyes every day and twice on Sunday.

 

[amper]

Mine.

I find the lines ugly, distracting, and unnecessary. In fact, I think they can actually be detrimental, since one of the main benefits of fretless is not being restricted to the inevitable intonation compromises of frets, and the lines make you reach for them instead of trusting your own feel and ear.

 

[Benny Bennett]

A double bass doesn't have lines.

I saw a guy with one, and it just made me sad. If you're going to spend the time, money, and effort, learn it right!

 

[gtrbasser]

I have 2 Rickenbacker 4003 FL. A 1978 fireglo and a 1985 jetglo.
No lines on those...... I love em and never looking back.
Got rid of pedulla buzz bass because mike pedulla wouldn’t get rid of the lines for me.
Loved the bass. Hated the lines.
If you have the ear for it then I say run with it!