Fretless Bass Question
- Thread starter idsnowdog
- Start date
threechordcharlie
RedTruckologist
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
New member
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.
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
New member
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.
Unless modern tapewounds are made with Teflon or somthing slippery, I'd probably choose flatwounds.
eclecticsynergy
New member
Do fretless necks have their edge markers at the location of the note itself, or in between as on fretted ones?
Blille
New member
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
New member
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
Imperator of Indignation
What did you use to mark the frets?
Blille
New member
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
New member
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
RedTruckologist
I used neon acrylic paint
threechordcharlie
RedTruckologist
Also, when removing frets remember the dots are not aligned the same.
Great_Kazoo
New member
+1
I used groundwounds (aka "halfrounds") with a maple neck/fingerboard fretless ibanez P bass and and really liked the smoother feel under my fingers. Plus the inner part around the core was still round and allows more brightness, which I prefer, and without digging grooves into the fingerboard.
idsnowdog
Imperator of Indignation
I bought a package of 1mm adhesive backed pinstripes. Manicurists use them on women's nails. I think I will use the silver colored ones and then epoxy the fretboard. It should look like frets.
https://www.amazon.com/NICEMOVIC-Co...ocphy=9019625&hvtargid=pla-1160826783259&th=1
