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What dots on the side for fretless ?

pabloramone

pabloramone

May 20, 2024
107
164
France
#1
Hello, since a very long time I play with fretless bass. But it was always some fretted bass I ask my luthier to unfret. Hence the lines are still visible on the fingerboard.

This time I ask an unlined fretless bass. What is your advice regarding the dots on the side of the neck.

- dots exactly like an usual fretted bass
- dots at the same place as the notes (aka at the same place of the frets), (but only 3, 5, 7 12? ? )
- I saw : dots exactly like an usual fretted bass plus a sign for every frets (only on the side) : too much info btw
- something else ?

What is your reco ? Why ?
txs
 
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#2
I have side dots right on the fret line: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 12, 15, 17, 19, 21, 24.

1000004583.jpg
 
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#7
pabloramone said:
- dots at the same place as the notes (aka at the same place of the frets), (but only 3, 5, 7 12? ? )
Click to expand...
This is what I recommend, even though it’s based upon my own personal preference.

I find additional markings to be confusing so I really only want the side dots. These locations (at the notes) is fairly standard for unlined fretless basses so if you get used to this it will apply to most other unlined fretless basses.
 
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#9
Yes, dots as shown on the bass above are all you need. I like 1,3,5,7,9,12,15,17,19,21, and 24. 12 and 24 should be double dots, stacked one on top of the other. Many people skip the dot at 1 but I find it's helpful. You don't want anything on the surface, only on the side of the board at the stated fret line positions. Good idea to have them be Luminay (luminescent), for visibility in low light situations.

Any more than that, just gets confusing. Too much information. You only need them visible at quick glance, for making major shifts or adjusting position if you hear your intonation is drifting, or while playing fast passages.
 
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#10
tubedude said:
Dots at the intonation points. Useless otherwise. I had to re-do a Carvin LB76F for this reason. While i was at it i used luminlay rod.
Click to expand...
Not useless, just not as helpful. If you have a lined fretless it's Ok to have them at the regular fretted locations. I don't find it affects me at all on my SR370EF. I know how to interpret them.

I do however prefer them at the fret line position, like on my Sadowsky ME. Essential if no lines. Here are pics of both, side by side, Sadowsky first. Judge for yourself.
 

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#12
Either on the notes, or no dots at all. No dots at all is better than dots in the fretted bass dot positions. That's just aggravating for me.

I can barely play a de-fretted bass, until I tape over the side dots, which are 1/4 stop behind the proper note. I have only a few de-fretted bases, just because they have come my way for the right price. I find them difficult to play. The rest of my fretlesses are natural fretlesses, and I have no problems with them.

FWIW, I learned on a natural fretless (and upright), and didn't play on frets 'til I had already been playing for 20 years.
 
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#14
pabloramone said:
Hello, since a very long time I play with fretless bass. But it was always some fretted bass I ask my luthier to unfret. Hence the lines are still visible on the fingerboard.

This time I ask an unlined fretless bass. What is your advice regarding the dots on the side of the neck.

- dots exactly like an usual fretted bass
- dots at the same place as the notes (aka at the same place of the frets), (but only 3, 5, 7 12? ? )
- I saw : dots exactly like an usual fretted bass plus a sign for every frets (only on the side) : too much info btw
- something else ?

What is your reco ? Why ?
txs
Click to expand...
I learned on an unlined fretless Jazz Bass. The dots were EXACTLY where the lines would have been on the 3, 5, 7, 12, etc... frets and to have them anywhere else as a fretted bass places them, would have meant to put your finger halfway between two notes, and never having played any of them in-tune on a visual basis. So... Fender was smart on my unlined Fretless Jazz Bass and put them where there is NO disconnect between our visually dominant human nature, and our aural goal to play in tune or at least to have visual reference points to play in tune, if that is the intention.

It's why I don't play Fender's lined fretless basses (which have the dots at the usual fretted bass positions). Nor do I play any fretless that has been converted because those dots are never moved to the right places. And YES, I have played many, many places where the light would be just enough to see (incorrectly placed) side dots, but not enough light to see the lined fretless markers. With my fretless Jazz Bass, that issue was NEVER a problem. Also, long-term borrowing a friend's fretless Warwick Standard Corvette. That bass is like my fretless Jazz in the dot placement, except for the dot that is placed where one would play an in-tune low F on the E string, B flat on the A string, etc...

I don't know if what I'm saying is advice, but it certainly what I prefer and believe is crucial at least for me. I chose fretless instruments on the basis of where the side dots are placed. If they're not where I want them, I move on. But everyone has different opinions. My approach works for me, and one of my greatest compliments goes like this: "Hey great gig, and... wait, that was a fretless bass? I couldn't tell. Your intonation was great." I cherish that feedback and have worked hard over 30+ years of fretless bass playing to keep my fretless playing a POSITIVE discovery rather than a NEGATIVE distraction.

Good luck with it.
 
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#18
pabloramone said:
Hello, since a very long time I play with fretless bass. But it was always some fretted bass I ask my luthier to unfret. Hence the lines are still visible on the fingerboard.

This time I ask an unlined fretless bass. What is your advice regarding the dots on the side of the neck.

- dots exactly like an usual fretted bass
- dots at the same place as the notes (aka at the same place of the frets), (but only 3, 5, 7 12? ? )
- I saw : dots exactly like an usual fretted bass plus a sign for every frets (only on the side) : too much info btw
- something else ?

What is your reco ? Why ?
txs
Click to expand...
"dots exactly like an usual fretted bass plus a sign for every frets (only on the side)"

To me, this is best.
You don't have to look if you don't want to, but if you need a little help, there they are.
 
#20
pabloramone said:
Hello, since a very long time I play with fretless bass. But it was always some fretted bass I ask my luthier to unfret. Hence the lines are still visible on the fingerboard.

This time I ask an unlined fretless bass. What is your advice regarding the dots on the side of the neck.

- dots exactly like an usual fretted bass
- dots at the same place as the notes (aka at the same place of the frets), (but only 3, 5, 7 12? ? )
- I saw : dots exactly like an usual fretted bass plus a sign for every frets (only on the side) : too much info btw
- something else ?

What is your reco ? Why ?
txs
Click to expand...
My favorite approach is an unlined fingerboard with dots on the side in the same location as they would be on a fretted bass, but also lines on the side where the actual notes are (where the frets would be). This is what Ibanez does on their SRF700 fretless (which is what I currently play). I used to have a Sandberg fretless where I had them do it this way on the neck also.

feat_2005.jpg
Sandberg-Neck-Angle.jpg
 
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