Fretless Bass Question

[idsnowdog]

I got a cheap fretless bass today and I was planning on getting a set of tapewound nylon strings. With tapewound strings is it worthwhile epoxy coating the fretboard?

[ICTGoober]

IMO, no. Roundwounds, yes.

[uOpt]

Is that a maple fretboard?

What about flatwounds?

[idsnowdog]

It has a rosewood fretboard that could stand being sanded smoother and stained. I am finding the lack of fret markers more difficult than I imagined so if it becomes an issue I may try adding fret markers and then epoxying the fretboard.

[threechordcharlie]

I bought one on the cheap a while back. We spent many years playing between the fret wires didn't we? I marked the frets and then sealed the marks with epoxy. I used flatwounds because the tapewounds were dead sounding to me.

[Blille]

I use GHS groundwounds with my fretless, quite happy.

MIne has lines. I think what it most useful is the mark on the side of the fretboard. I do look at the lines particularly higher up when I play fast but they are not really visible when you play standing up and the marks are the key reference IMHO.

[eclecticsynergy]

Tapewounds didn't slide well when I tried them years ago.
Unless modern tapewounds are made with Teflon or somthing slippery, I'd probably choose flatwounds.

[eclecticsynergy]

I use GHS groundwounds with my fretless, quite happy.

MIne has lines. I think what it most useful is the mark on the side of the fretboard. I do look at the lines particularly higher up when I play fast but they are not really visible when you play standing up and the marks are the key reference IMHO.

Do fretless necks have their edge markers at the location of the note itself, or in between as on fretted ones?

[Blille]

Do fretless necks have their edge markers at the location of the note itself, or in between as on fretted ones?

It depends on the bass. The vast majority of fretless that don’t have lines have the edge markers at the location of the note itself. If they have lines or markers for every fret then they have the regular dots in the normal positions between “frets”.

[eclecticsynergy]

It depends on the bass. The vast majority of fretless that don’t have lines have the edge markers at the location of the note itself. If they have lines or markers for every fret then they have the regular dots in the normal positions between “frets”.

That makes sense. I've occasionally been tempted to do a Jaco and pull the frets off one of my fretted basses.
I've even considered doing trying it on a cheapo nylon-string, maybe with strings in pairs for a pseudo-oud tone.

[idsnowdog]

I bought one on the cheap a while back. We spent many years playing between the fret wires didn't we? I marked the frets and then sealed the marks with epoxy. I used flatwounds because the tapewounds were dead sounding to me.

What did you use to mark the frets?

[Blille]

That makes sense. I've occasionally been tempted to do a Jaco and pull the frets off one of my fretted basses.
I've even considered doing trying it on a cheapo nylon-string, maybe with strings in pairs for a pseudo-oud tone.

You can get a cheapo one for 30 days in GC to see if you like it

I was surprised by how fast I adapted to playing without frets and I think it’s very fun.

[eclecticsynergy]

You can get a cheapo one for 30 days in GC to see if you like it

I was surprised by how fast I adapted to playing without frets and I think it’s very fun.

Yah, I've played fretless before, even some standup bass back in the day. But I haven't owned a fretless in decades and I've been feeling the urge to get one. I don't need five basses and two of mine are not-too-expensive ones that could be good candidates for a major mod like this.

Then again, simply buying a cheap fretless would be easier, and preferable I guess.
I get pretty attached to my instruments, even the lesser ones.

[threechordcharlie]

What did you use to mark the frets?

I used neon acrylic paint

[threechordcharlie]

Also, when removing frets remember the dots are not aligned the same.