Your fretless experience?

[BassChuck]

I play fretless about 98% of the time. You have to be in a good place to hear your notes and practice paying attention to intonation. I have only the side dots. 100% of the time I'm playing I am reading music, so the time spent to look at the neck is very short. Because some of the orchestra pits I play in are very dimly lit the side marks can be hard to see. So I carry a bottle of white out and when I need to I put that on over the side dot. It makes it larger, brighter and I can scrape it off with a finger nail when the gig is done.

Fretless playing will change your practice routines. You do have to spend a good bit of time getting hand position consistent, playing scales slowly and listening to the pitch, and playing octaves and fifths to hear where your fingers are. One thing to remember: you will play notes out of tune.... the goals isn't to be perfect, the goal is to make corrections as quickly as possible.

 

[Ken J]

I think you'll get used to it either way. However, the lines may be too much Crutch and your ears will take longer to develop. I am serious when I tell you to practice blindfolded.

I turn the lights way down put on a track of songs and jam along
It does not take long for your hand to find the right positions if your ear is good

 

[FretNoMore]

...
One thing to remember: you will play notes out of tune.... the goals isn't to be perfect, the goal is to make corrections as quickly as possible.

Also, don't look guilty when you go out of tune, look like you intended to do exactly that slide to the right note and people will think you are artistic rather than can't play in tune.

 

[bass_case]

Lined/unlined debate? Who cares as long as you play in tune? Either way, the ear-hand connection is more important than eye-hand.

 

[frankieC]

My "fretless" experience started back in the late 50's and early 60's when I was playing cello in school. I slowly switched to electric bass, over about a years time back around 1961-2. At some point in high school, I made the complete switch. I've played fretted basses since.

About 5 years ago, I was given a new Carvin BK50 fretless kit as a birthday gift from my wife. It took me about a week for the assembly and finish of the base (it is also an active bass).

Once finished, I started playing it,and realized that nearly 50 away from playing a cello, I was quite stale on playing fretless. I practiced with the bass for about 3 years before I felt confident enough to play it in front of anyone else (it took me about a year before I'd play it in front of even my wife!).

Now, about 5 years down the line, I can comfortably switch back and forth between fretted and fretless, with no apprehension whatsoever.

 

[Sid Fang]

Back when I was hanging out with post-Miles jazz/fusion players, a fretless was somewhat expected in a self-respecting bassist's arsenal, so I picked up a used one - a pre-EB MM Sabre fretless with an ebony board. Side markings, but no lines (lined fretless necks were rare in those days, and got no respect). A nice instrument that I've held onto, but rarely play.

I found that it was surprisingly easy, given a halfway decent ear an some practice with vibrato on a fretted bass, to play basic lines on the fretless, but that chords and reaches of 4 or more semitones were enough of a bitch to get right that the Sabre only comes out where only that stately legato mwah will do.

 

[bh2]

I find playing fretted hard work these days... I end up fretting badly and get a lot of false notes...

I guess I really need to practice more.

 

[bassbenj]

Just wondering what the majority consensus is on your own fretless experience, has it been fretless for ever, or been there, done that, and no thanks?
Thanks for any input

My first fretless bass was when I was at the local bass store and fell in love. It was an Alembic Epic 6 string. I HAD to have one, but I got the idea to order it in blank plank fretless. Being that this was all about love it really didn't matter that this was WAY too much bass for me. Not only six strings but fretless at the same time. But it was way too much money to give up on (and I was still in love) so I kept at it. Progress was SLOW. The Fretless got next to no play out.

Next I ordered a Carvin AC50 semi-hollowbody ABG. Got it with lined fretless. Lines were a crutch and helped me get started, but later after I got going I was sorry I did that because I could have got along fine without the lines and the blank neck looks so much better. Anyway, that's when I finally started getting into really playing fretless. The AC50 5 string strung with high C for solos was just THE kind of expressive instrument to play the blues. I started to dig what fretless could do for you.

And then several fretted 6 string instruments later I was starting to get to the point where my fretless Alembic was no longer playing me, but I was playing it! I became a fan of the fretted-fretless pair idea and got a fretless G&L L2500 to go with my fretted one. And THAT bass proved to really give the 5 string fretless world to me. Tone. Expression. Range. Versatility. It was all there. I do still play the fretted G&L but the ratio of fretted playing to the fretless one is about 2-1 in favor of fretless.

Finally after all that, I finally came to really dig the blank plank fretless Alembic six string and could make it speak. These days I"m not doing much that needs the upper range of 6ers, so I'm not playing it much, but you never know what tomorrow brings so it's not going to be sold.

Digging what fretless was all about was kind of a long road but I'm glad I traveled it. My latest adventure is that I bought three SX 6 string Fender clones. I converted one to fretless. I'm really getting sold on the Fender-style 6 string passive old school bass idea. It's not as nuts as you might think. Maybe one of these days when money is flowing freely I'll upgrade to a nice passive Fender-style Low End 6 string fretless bass. $$$

 

[GretschWretch]

To my mind, fretless is all about nuance, which means good ear, muscle memory, and a "mwah"-conducive set-up. Also a low- to mid-volume gig; no cranked SVTs.

On vertical basses I prefer side dots at fret positions 3, 12, and 15 and on lap 'r' strap basses an unlined fretboard with side dots. But if the bass came from the factory lined, what're you gonna do? I find the lines to be a distraction, but on a fretless ABG it's all but impossible to to see the lines anyway. Any bass I defret gets the clean unlined look.

The old Eko BA-4 ABGs have the side dots in the correct position on both fretted and fretted versions but also have the maddening ideosyncracy of putting a dot at 10 instead of 9 where it belongs.

I have fretted basses, but my playing preferences right now are all for fretless.

 

[Whit Townsend]

Hey Whit , never seen an unlined MIM Jazz . Sure that wasn't a MIJ ?

This was 1992 or so. Black, white guard, unlined rosewood board. Pretty sure the body was basswood or maybe poplar. Very lightweight as J's go. It said MIM on the headstock. Very nice warm tone w growl and bloom like an upright. I think I paid around $500 new for the bass and a Fender M80 bass combo.

 

[lokikallas]

Playing originals I opt for fretless mostly, but with covers I tend to use the same as the original, so mostly fretted. I prefer unlined with dots, but it doesn't really matter.

 

[SR300DX]

I have a Fender Pbass but have always wanted to add a J. Just over a week ago a Squire VM fret less went up for sale. After three days I called on it and no one had even called with an offer. I bought it that day. I love this bass, but it's a real challenge. Fretted basses are more forgiving, but this VM "makes" you play well. Every song or exercise I play, I play on both to verify what I'm doing.

 

[MD]

always come back to 'lined or unlined'
the die hard 'no lines guys' are ALL about the look and shouldn't bother playing music

Yes. This 100%.

And those who prefer a natural wood finish probably shouldn't bother playing.

And the guys who like the look of painted basses... might as well head on over to the classifieds and start getting rid of your gear, cause ya'll shouldn't bother either.

 

[MD]

I've been thinking about a first fretless (I've been in the planning stage of a build), but I can't help but wonder if it's not just a GAS attack, I'd hate to waste a bunch of time and money on something I might not stick with, especially with a fretless build, probably hard to get your money back on a sale.
Just wondering what the majority consensus is on your own fretless experience, has it been fretless for ever, or been there, done that, and no thanks?
Thanks for any input

Some people don't take to fretless, and the bass ends up being sold or sitting in a corner. I'd suggest not spending a lot of time/$$$ at first. Get yourself a decent entry level FL and see if it's something you want to pursue further. $.02 out of pocket.

 

[NecroticImbecil]

When I first got my unlined, I cut very thin strips (about 1/8") of black electrical tape and put them on the back of the neck and ran them from where the side dots would be, down to about the middle of the back of the neck - the tape would have ran parallel to where the frets would have been on the fingerboard.

It was easy to yank these off after a few weeks and were very visible in any lighting situation.

I used a paper hole punch on a sheet of white sticker material. A pain to peel the backing off the tiny dots, but they stayed put and came off easily enough when I removed them.

I use a fretless when it suits the song, it hasn't taken me over. It is a lot more fun to play though.

 

[FretlessMainly]

the die hard 'no lines guys' are ALL about the look and shouldn't bother playing music

I have to say that I'm pretty sick of this broad-brush attempt to refute the "no lines" preference I have. I own nine fretless basses (all unlined) and a double bass and I've made my reasoning nice and sparkling clear in several threads here (including this thread). But since it seems that most folks can't be bothered with a reasoned explanation, I'll re-iterate it:

1. In normal playing position, I can't see 90% of my fingerboard. What is the point of lines?

2. You cite points of reference: they're called side dots, and I can actually see them when holding my bass in normal playing position.

3. 99% of the time, lined boards force the placement of side dots at the "mid-fret" position as they are on fretted basses rather than the more functional position, "at pitch." I suppose some of you would rather spend time thinking about playing music rather than actually playing it. I don't like to think when I play, and if I need to locate a side dot and then figure out how far away from the side dot to play so my ear can fine tune it, I'm thinking rather than playing. This ain't rocket science folks. Side dots and muscle memory.

I realize that different folks have different preferences, but taking the hard-line stance that I'm "ALL about the look and shouldn't bother playing music" is absolute bunk. So take the broad brush over to some other topic.

 

[Passinwind]

Just wondering what the majority consensus is on your own fretless experience, has it been fretless for ever

Yep. Hate speed bumps; always have, always will.

 

[brad houser]

having done both, I prefer unlined.
Observation: I live in Austin Tx, gig all the time, and for the last 10+ years fretless bass just doesn't sit right in Any of the bands I'm in. Ironic, considering my fretless sound has been on the radio for years (Edie Brickell and New Bohemians). I could force that sound into one of my bands, but that still wouldn't make it sound right. kinda like an actor playing a role that doesn't fit. I read an interview years ago in which the famous bassist talked about "casting" a bass sound into each song , like a director casting actors into a movie. lightbulb moment. many times I've seen a roots rock/ Americana/ songwriter band with a guy on the throaty bridge PU with too much treble on a boutique bass. ends up sounding like Rodney Dangerfield trying to do comedy in a serious drama.

 

[Ric5]

I took a bass I already built from parts and put on a fretless neck. I play fretted most of the time but the fretless has its own sound. After I took this picture I then added lines and dots. That helped me play it better.

 

[Rich McCoy]

I've been thinking about a first fretless (I've been in the planning stage of a build), but I can't help but wonder if it's not just a GAS attack, I'd hate to waste a bunch of time and money on something I might not stick with, especially with a fretless build, probably hard to get your money back on a sale.
Just wondering what the majority consensus is on your own fretless experience, has it been fretless for ever, or been there, done that, and no thanks?
Thanks for any input

I had a fretless jazz for about a year. I learned some stuff and enjoyed it, but eventually it stayed in the closet.
I just sold the neck today, at a profit if that makes you feel a little more at ease.
A fretless will open up your horizons, but for me the honeymoon didn't last.