I'll add my own Jaco
photo I made at a gig we did together in the mid '00s (Rare Blend and Tunnels).
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Why play a fretless bass?
- Thread starter Jackcrow
- Start date
photo I made at a gig we did together in the mid '00s (Rare Blend and Tunnels).
Jeff,
Percy Jones is a phenomenal fretless bassist. BrandX is a band that seriously made me dive into being a musician. Phil Collins is a monster on drums (everyone thinks he is known for soft rock crap singer) Ive been a huge BrandX fan for about 40 years. If u wanna hear some killer fretless with some members of BrandX, Check out Gary Boyle - The Dancer. One of my favorite fusion albums of all time.
Percy Jones is a phenomenal fretless bassist. BrandX is a band that seriously made me dive into being a musician. Phil Collins is a monster on drums (everyone thinks he is known for soft rock crap singer) Ive been a huge BrandX fan for about 40 years. If u wanna hear some killer fretless with some members of BrandX, Check out Gary Boyle - The Dancer. One of my favorite fusion albums of all time.
I (almost) literally ripped the frets out of my '73 Telecaster Bass right after hearing Unorthodox Behaviour in 1976 when it was released to market, and got to see them twice in the mid '70s, then again when they did their first reunion tour in October '16. In between those times I've seen Percy many times with various iterations of Tunnels. Before all that, I have seen Genesis a bunch of times, beginning in April 1973 (their first US tour, as an opening act for It's A Beautiful Day)) up through the summer of '77 WAW tour. I could tell you some fun stories about times I've spent with some of them.
Here's a couple of photos I made at that October 2016 show at the Bop Stop.
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You are one heck of a lucky man. I would have died at the chance to see them back then. I was born in the wrong generation. Being born in 72, I was introduced to real music by the time I was about 5 years old by my uncle. Since, I had and have great appreciation for fusion musicians.
As for my bass playing, my first bass is a fretless fender p bass. All I could afford at the time. I was given a next to new fretless fender J bass about 15 years ago.
I learned and played fretless bass exclusively until I bought my new fender p bass steve harris signature. So I have only been playing a fretted bass since about 5 months ago. What a total learning curve. It's like the total reverse of 99% bassists.
As for my bass playing, my first bass is a fretless fender p bass. All I could afford at the time. I was given a next to new fretless fender J bass about 15 years ago.
I learned and played fretless bass exclusively until I bought my new fender p bass steve harris signature. So I have only been playing a fretted bass since about 5 months ago. What a total learning curve. It's like the total reverse of 99% bassists.
It's much easier to play (physiologically speaking, less muscle stress and tension (for ME at least), assuming you get a low action on it), although a very low action fretted bass can be similarly effortless. There's no chance of fret noise. It's more expressive for certain types of music. They take a certain amount of reliability in your left hand playing skill and musicianship (although honestly not all that much to be passable on one), which gives you a good feeling of accomplishment and pride. Seriously, it is true, I fully admit it. I like appeasing my ego by playing my unlined fretless. And unliked ones look super cool, although I do prefer lined fretless due to the physics of finger tuning placement and lack of feel for your hand location on a 34" scale bass guitar.
Oh, and because Jaco.
Oh, and because Jaco.
D
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I (almost) literally ripped the frets out of my '73 Telecaster Bass right after hearing Unorthodox Behaviour in 1976 when it was released to market, and got to see them twice in the mid '70s, then again when they did their first reunion tour in October '16. In between those times I've seen Percy many times with various iterations of Tunnels. Before all that, I have seen Genesis a bunch of times, beginning in April 1973 (their first US tour, as an opening act for It's A Beautiful Day)) up through the summer of '77 WAW tour. I could tell you some fun stories about times I've spent with some of them.
It was Unorthodox Behaviour and Hejira that made me go out and buy a fretless bass... Percy Jones and Jaco plus the seriously-underrated fretless playing of Boz Burrell were huge influences, not to forget John Giblin's playing for Kate Bush. Such a great era
I am really happy that you are into the music you are.
I never got to see Phil with Brand X, only Ken.
Some more photos for you of that Bop Stop gig.
IIRC, Percy started out on a P-Bass.
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Utterly fantastic! Thanks! Here are my Axes. The Red fender fretless P Bass is my very first bass. The dark blue fender fretless J bass was gifted to me by a close friend. The middle fender SH signature P bass is about 5 months old and my first fretted!
I have to say that you have a gorgeous fretless bass, who makes it?
I have to say that you have a gorgeous fretless bass, who makes it?
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Once I got used to playing fretless I was hooked. True expressive freedom for me like singing without autotune.
- Apr 18, 2008
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- I'm highly opinionated and extremely self-assured
The one with the spruce top? Martin Keith. I bought it at the 2010 NAMM Show from him.
The one with the spruce top? Martin Keith. I bought it at the 2010 NAMM Show from him.
Wow!!! Very nice!!!
I love the experience of playing one, there's nothing like it, but have never bonded with the sound of fretless. It's a shame.
I think the song that got me interested in Fretless was “Feel Like Makin’ Love” by Bad Company. Boz Burrell’s tone, groove and melody on that bass was something that I had never heard before; I didn’t know a bass could make that sound.
I’ve been playing Fretless about 99% of the time for the past two years and I would say I have a love-hate relationship with it. I’ve got a Squier VM Fretless Jazz with TIJFs and it sounds and feels incredible. Sometimes I get lazy and wish for frets. Then I play it through the PA at church and feel how fat and smooth the combination is and I forget all about wanting frets.
I’ve been playing Fretless about 99% of the time for the past two years and I would say I have a love-hate relationship with it. I’ve got a Squier VM Fretless Jazz with TIJFs and it sounds and feels incredible. Sometimes I get lazy and wish for frets. Then I play it through the PA at church and feel how fat and smooth the combination is and I forget all about wanting frets.
Anyone have any experience with the Fender Custom Shop Jaco Bass. It looks great but 5K is steep.
Destiny.
I started on upright when I was 12. When I was 16, I got recruited into a working "bar" band, even though
I hadn’t played, nor did i even own an electric bass!
I was actually kind of intimidated by the (fretted) electric bass.
I was also working at a local Record Store, so I got to know a lot of the local (older) musicians.
The bass player who I had been in awe of, took me under his wing, and we’d hang out at his place.
(still good friends to this day)
He says "I’ve got the bass for you", and points to the fretless P in the corner.
Even though I was aware of Jaco at the time - I don't know if I realized there was such a thing as a fretless electric bass. (there was a LOT I didn't know at that point)
But I picked it up and just started playing it. Wasn’t intimidating at all – just felt natural.
Incidentally, I still have that '78 P, and just restored it to "stock" for the 1st time since it was new, earlier this year.
I started on upright when I was 12. When I was 16, I got recruited into a working "bar" band, even though
I hadn’t played, nor did i even own an electric bass!
I was actually kind of intimidated by the (fretted) electric bass.
I was also working at a local Record Store, so I got to know a lot of the local (older) musicians.
The bass player who I had been in awe of, took me under his wing, and we’d hang out at his place.
(still good friends to this day)
He says "I’ve got the bass for you", and points to the fretless P in the corner.
Even though I was aware of Jaco at the time - I don't know if I realized there was such a thing as a fretless electric bass. (there was a LOT I didn't know at that point
)But I picked it up and just started playing it. Wasn’t intimidating at all – just felt natural.
Incidentally, I still have that '78 P, and just restored it to "stock" for the 1st time since it was new, earlier this year.
Actually first heard John Giblin on Jon Anderson’s solo albums Song of Seven & Animation.It was Unorthodox Behaviour and Hejira that made me go out and buy a fretless bass... Percy Jones and Jaco plus the seriously-underrated fretless playing of Boz Burrell were huge influences, not to forget John Giblin's playing for Kate Bush. Such a great era
Another early fretless favorite player is Mick Karn.
