Wood for fretless

[Medicine Man]

The one in my pic has a walnut neck with purpleheart stringers, ebony board, and an ash body with purpleheart top and back. It sounds plenty dark and deep with super 55s. The purpleheart stringers stabilize the walnut.

 

[BassDissonance]

Thank you everyone for your thoughts and advise. It helps a lot. Much appreciated

 

[Brad Johnson]

it's harder than rosewood, but as so many TB threads and discussions note: any string on any wood will, over time, wear at the wood, but: who cares? the wear is so slow you may never have to deal with it, or, rarely.

my 20 year old ebony neck has never been addressed (sanded) and i doubt that it will need it before i can't play anymore. but even if it did need attention: it would be good for another 20 years!

Wear is not inevitable. It has been discussed many times and most people ignore details. I only use rounds on all of my fretless and the only board I've ever had to level was my brand new Carvin LB75.

Players cause wear. It's avoidable.

 

[lug]

Have an all Koa (old setneck LB40, even the neck is Koa) Carvin that sounds great to my ears.

 

[Brad Johnson]

Don't play the instrument and it will look like new forever (do dust it, occasionally, though).

That's an option for some.


I GIG my fretlesses just like my fretted basses. I have finished and unfinished boards in excellent condition.

If you play in a manner that causes wear, you'll probably get wear. That's not the bass' fault.

 

[JRA]

Players cause wear. It's avoidable.

yes: players cause wear. but so does playing. it's unavoidable. i do get your point, however. my point: who cares?

If you play in a manner that causes wear, you'll probably get wear. That's not the bass' fault.

there is no technique that "eliminates" wear. some playing styles will reduce the rate of wear. all boards wear. it's unavoidable.

 

[Brad Johnson]

yes: players cause wear. but so does playing. it's unavoidable. i do get your point, however. my point: who cares?


there is no technique that "eliminates" wear. some playing styles will reduce the rate of wear. all boards wear. it's unavoidable.

Who cares? Apparently you do. You cared enough to respond, like others who are participating in this tangent.

This is clearly what you need to believe. For those of us who've found the inevitabilty claims to be false, it's just one more thing that some people refuse to get. And that's cool... and kind of funny how adamant they are about it.

I have no reason not to believe that FOR YOU your stance is 100% accurate. You can't avoid it. The converse is my reality. Kumbaya.

 

[JRA]

Who cares? Apparently you do. You cared enough to respond, like others who are participating in this tangent.

This is clearly what you need to believe. For those of us who've found the inevitabilty claims to be false, it's just one more thing that some people refuse to get. And that's cool... and kind of funny how adamant they are about it.

I have no reason not to believe that FOR YOU your stance is 100% accurate. You can't avoid it. The converse is my reality. Kumbaya.

indeed! and i believe you! what you're saying seems honest and earnest, and equally 'on tangent'! so it's fun, and at the same time, funny! IMO. so let me take leave of this by sending out a special kumbaya to you ---

thanks, jim

 

[Brad Johnson]

I think that everyone has their own truth.

 

[JRA]

I think that everyone has their own truth.

(you're right, and we share that thought.)
thanks, again!

Thank you everyone for your thoughts and advise. It helps a lot. Much appreciated

and let me thank the OP for his patience, as i had no intention of 'diverting'. good luck to you as you start to think about all the great choices in woods for your build. i hope your bass turns out to be a fine instrument. please keep us posted, and remember to entertain us with pics when the time comes!

 

[Bob_Ross]

Im interested in koa but thats just an interest. I want a nice tone.

I had an all Koa Carvin LB75. It was okay, I wouldn't bc do it again.

I had an all koa fretless too: mid-80s Peavey Unity, with koa body wings on a koa neck-thru with purpleheart stringers and a rosewood fingerboard that had been wonderfully defretted my Mas Hino or one of his minions. Thing felt luscious and looked absolutely stellar

...and sounded bland as all get-out. Not terrible, just kinda boring and characterless.

Now...do I attribute its characterless sound to the koa construction? No, that would be foolhardy. Electronics might've sucked. Bridge might've sucked. And it was a Peavey after all. In any case, were I ever to desire a koa-looking bass again I would almost certainly spec the instrument out of woods that I know tend to sound good (maple neck, ebony fingerboard, swamp ash or alder body) and then do a pretty koa top laminate.

 

[Brad Johnson]

I had an all koa fretless too: mid-80s Peavey Unity, with koa body wings on a koa neck-thru with purpleheart stringers and a rosewood fingerboard that had been wonderfully defretted my Mas Hino or one of his minions. Thing felt luscious and looked absolutely stellar

...and sounded bland as all get-out. Not terrible, just kinda boring and characterless.

Now...do I attribute its characterless sound to the koa construction? No, that would be foolhardy. Electronics might've sucked. Bridge might've sucked. And it was a Peavey after all. In any case, were I ever to desire a koa-looking bass again I would almost certainly spec the instrument out of woods that I know tend to sound good (maple neck, ebony fingerboard, swamp ash or alder body) and then do a pretty koa top laminate.

Exactly. Mine wasn't bad, it was adequate. My next fretless was my green Zon Legacy Standard fretless 5. I gigged that bass for around ten years, it was frickin' amazing. Then I got my Brubaker and it blew my mind.

I did swap out the Carvin electronics for a full Bartolini package and while there was an improvement, it was nowhere near the next basses. I recorded and gigged with it and it sounded fine.

Understanding that frickin' amazing and mindblowing basses are out there, I can't be bothered with adequate. You only go around once.