Unlined or Lined: Irrelevant?

[Stewie]

Might be a good point about playing up near the pickups,, I never wander above where the 9th fret would be. That is how far I can get on my upright, and it has never bothered me. It would be nice if the manufacturers (Fender) would put the dots at the fret position on the lined basses, but they enjoy making one neck and filling the slots with something other than frets as a cheap way out.
I even cheated and added the dots to my upright (it's handy)

 

[buldog5151bass]

The more you play it, the less you need it. I only play fretless once or twice a week, so it's a nice crutch.

 

[ChrisBowsman]

I can’t see the board sitting or standing. For me it’s a non-issue. A friend of mine who’s not an avid fretless player was playing my Warwick and said he’d prefer lines. Apparently he can see the board.

Juan Alderete is my favorite bass player, and he had lines painted on his. Different strokes.

 

[mmon77]

I'm waiting for someone to come up with a reason why it would be an advantage to play an unlined fretless. What possible benefit would removing a visual aid to intonation provide?

The advantage, for those of us that feel this way, is that we think they look better. We don't need the lines, because if we need a visual reference, we can look much more easily at the side dots.

 

[Neil Folkard]

Ryan Martinue has a lined Warwick that, as he explained to me, he uses for 'performance reasons'. He also owns an unlined Pedula, so perhaps one does not have to choose.

 

[Neil Folkard]

You know why that is Cheese. It's the scary end of a fretless. I'm waiting for someone to come up with a reason why it would be an advantage to play an unlined fretless. What possible benefit would removing a visual aid to intonation provide?

I'm sure that you're quite right, I just really like the look of my un-lined Franklin Fender fretless. Is it harder to play than my lined music man? I suppose so, but I'm pretty comfortable with my unlined at this point, and I do play some parts in the upper register. Also, as stated above, many find it just as easy, to look at the side dots.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

The benefit of unlined is: it LOOKS cool, no argument there. If that’s your primary consideration, get an unlined.

 

[JRA]

I love how many fretless snobs hate the idea of lines, yet most of them love a bassist who used a lined fretless.

i hadn't noticed any "hate" for lines. in all the years of discussion on TB (that i've seen): i've only heard of preferences.

Play what you want, be happy.

If any of the unlined snobs would care to demonstrate....

snobs? again: "preferences." some cats prefer lined, some prefer unlined.

For fretless conversions (removing frets from fretted basses), is it possible to go unlined by covering up the old lines?

tinted/dyed coating (e.g., epoxy) will cover the lines and make for a neat feeling/sounding fingerboard!

What possible benefit would removing a visual aid to intonation provide?

hearing the note is superior to seeing what you 'think' is the note.

edit: clarity

 

[Lagado]

Hearing the note is superior to seeing the note.

How much time do you have to correct intonation if you're only hearing it in a playing situation? If you have lines, you're going to be close to begin with. The best guys for intonation, use everything. Why wouldn't you? Unless you'd rather style over substance. I'll take the guys with lines any day.

 

[JRA]

How much time do you have to correct intonation if you're only hearing it in a playing situation? If you have lines, you're going to be close to begin with. The best guys for intonation, use everything. Why wouldn't you? Unless you'd rather style over substance. I'll take the guys with lines any day.

i'm doing my damned-ness to play in tune everywhere i go with any instrument. i rely on my ears...it's what i thought everyone else was doing, too! don't tell me the rules have changed!?

 

[Neil Folkard]

One thing that has puzzled me, not that I'm denying it's a nice skill to have, is the crucial importance of developing your ear playing on fretless. I would say that I'm not a great ear player, but I don't suck, either. But the point is, I'm not exactly playing that many whole or half-notes, or endless eighth notes on the same note. I don't have time to hear the note and adjust it on the fly with my ears, I have to hit that sucker pretty close right away, and then it's on to the next note.

 

[Lagado]

i'm doing my damned-ness to play in tune everywhere i go with any instrument. i rely on my ears...it's what i thought everyone else was doing, too! don't tell me the rules have changed!?

Consistent intonation all over the board is a tall order. If you have the means to make it easier, you should use them. The unlined purists can do what, they do...

 

[Tom Baker]

Had several of both and find it irrelevant after you get a little experience. I started with a lined fretless but I don't think you should be deterred from an unlined one at all.

 

[JRA]

Consistent intonation all over the board is a tall order.

If you have the means to make it easier, you should use them.

you should use whatever makes you better at your task! for several reasons: unlined is easier for me.

The unlined purists can do what, they do...

i happen to prefer unlined --- that makes me a "purist?"

edited

 

[JRA]

wow, Dr. Cheese , i swooped in for some entertainment --- didn't expect all of this shade from the 'liners'.

 

[Lagado]

you should use whatever makes you better at your task!

i happen to prefer unlined --- that makes me a "purist?"

Don't worry. You look simply fabulous.

 

[Stewie]

I'm truly sorry to be "Purist snob". When I bought my fretless neck (1976) Fender hadn't yet thought of a "lined" fretless. Now I'm so ashamed of myself and will go cry in my basement.

 

[JRA]

Don't worry. You look simply fabulous.

thanks!

 

[Stewie]

We get a similar argument on a striped bass forum I spend time on. " Why are so many reels made with the handle on the right when I want to use my left?".

 

[Lagado]

I'm truly sorry to be "Purist snob". When I bought my fretless neck (1976) Fender hadn't yet thought of a "lined" fretless. Now I'm so ashamed of myself and will go cry in my basement.

And you never tried lines? You can lead a horse to water...