...I don't have enough time to learn how to play it,
is possibly the most frequently typed statement on a 'bass for sale' ad.
I almost started on a lined fretless, because the frets were in a mess and I had them removed; however, the above confuses me because it's all muscle memory, whether you play fretted or not.
I'd get it if you solo a lot, as at that point I do find myself looking down, where I occasionally can't see the side markings.
Just seems a shame that people ditch the fretless so soon, because I feel a lot more depth to the notes (neck/both pickups) and find the singing quality (bridge pickup) keeps things fresh - If I'm in a rut, I'll go get my Carvin and I'll start coming up with ideas again.
https://i.imgur.com/GGlM80C.jpg
Comments
I vividly recall an open mic night where a young group - who had performed earlier in the evening - were encouraged to return to the stage to close the session. By then, their own gear was packed away. The only bass guitar waiting on a stand was my fretless Stingray. The young bassist froze in his tracks when he clocked its fingerboard.
Rightly or wrongly they're very much a niche.
Slightly separate, but I'd encourage everyone to listen to Aquamarine by Santana. That's a lovely fretless track.
My main electric fretless is unlined but has side dots - I don't look at them all the time, but they're useful when making big movements. My little rubber-band acoustic/'bass uke' one has lines, but you *have* to play it by ear anyway since the intonation is so inaccurate otherwise! (I suspect this is why most of these are fretless, since if it was fretted it would be near enough un-intonatable.)
Personally, I would not use roundwounds on a fretless - they not only chew the fingerboard up, they have that irritating clichéd buzzy tone I can't stand (sorry Jaco fans).
It has to be said it doesn't really suit a garage-punk band though, so I still use my fretted Rick bass for that...
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
There's not a lot of call for fretless playing for anyone in a covers band but I wouldn't be without one, nevertheless.
[This space for rent]
Around the time I sold it I got a 6 string fretless Thumb and it was magic. I think it was just the muscle memory. My fingers just knew where to go on the Thumb. I have used it quite a bit over the years in different projects and played if live few times but last few years its not come out much and I am hoping to change that. I took it to a band practice (cover band) the other day and it sounded great. I am also now starting to be involved with a country type project and I am hoping to use it there a bit.
It is my best sounding bass and there is just something magical about a fretless sound.
I'm stil struggling to parse this. I assume it's not meant to be come across as a smug, superior, gatekeeping post, but ... it doesn't seem entirely unreasonable for a young bassist to be a little freaked out at being asked to play, and then presented with a fretless bass. If I'm performing in public I'm not massively keen on getting up and just blagging someone else's guitar that I've never played before, purely because you don't know what you're getting into regarding action, neck. tone etc. so being presented with a fretless if I'd only ever played fretted and I was wanting to make a good impression would be naturally concerning.
Likewise its along the same lines as the pick no pick bollocks that some smug wankers seem to think denotes a 'good' bass player or not.
I do know a fair few folks who don't get on with fretless but are killer players in their own rights. I also know a guy who hates playing fretted. TBH, my exposure has been purely studio based - I've never tried playing fretless live, but I guess I'd give it a go. I'd love a decent fretless (I used to 'look after' a gorgeous Stingray that the owner couldn't take home for wife reasons) but I never seem to have the funds...