blueman335
Mojo's Minions
I'm thinking about getting a fretless jazz bass. What kind of strings do most players use (round, flat, or semi-wound), and are vintage-wound or hotter PU's preferred?
Frettless Jazz Bass
- Thread starter blueman335
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Falloffthebonetone
New member
Re: Frettless Jazz Bass
Well Jaco is going to be mentioned sooner or later so it might as well be sooner. He used Rotosound swing 66 steel coarse roundwound strings and lightly potted slightly overwound jazz pickups. I know many fretless basses that come prestrung with flats too, many of which are active. So really It's up to preference. Deep upright thud from flats, but if you want that horn-like harmonic snarl then stick with rounds. Les Claypool used nickel wound and active stuff on songs like Jerry was a racecar driver so that's awesome too. Since the tone will be less sustaining and bright without frets I guess hotter pickups would be the way to go, but rougher strings will eat up your neck and require thicker finshes on it and more maintenance. Active jazzes aren't really my thing though.
Well Jaco is going to be mentioned sooner or later so it might as well be sooner. He used Rotosound swing 66 steel coarse roundwound strings and lightly potted slightly overwound jazz pickups. I know many fretless basses that come prestrung with flats too, many of which are active. So really It's up to preference. Deep upright thud from flats, but if you want that horn-like harmonic snarl then stick with rounds. Les Claypool used nickel wound and active stuff on songs like Jerry was a racecar driver so that's awesome too. Since the tone will be less sustaining and bright without frets I guess hotter pickups would be the way to go, but rougher strings will eat up your neck and require thicker finshes on it and more maintenance. Active jazzes aren't really my thing though.
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koshikas
New member
Re: Frettless Jazz Bass
i have/play a fretless jazz bass copy with passive pickups. i have settled into fender stainless steel flat wounds. they last quiet a long time too. the stainless-steel strings seem to give a bit of that top end zing back, that goes missing when goin from round-wounds to flatwounds. the flatwounds save the fingerboard (in my case rosewood) from being eaten out. i have also massively benefited from replacement brass saddles in the sustain department. i will not mind a slightly overwound pickups because to me hearing the characteristic blooming sustain notes of the fretless is very important (which i think will be lost in compression if the pickup is grossly overwound). i cannot comment on active pickups, but i ve seen/heard some fretless bass players wielding actives having no compromises in the said fretless bass sound.
i ve done my share of homework on jaco, bcos like most he was my inspiration to take up fretless bass. he indeed used roundwounds, but had heavy epoxy finishes on the fingerboards, to protect it from the round-wounds digging it out. jaco, also has said that the epoxy helped with the sustain too. but even with the heavy finish, it required frequent refinishing to cope up with the wear. he might have used, slightly overwound pickups for that well pronounced midrange he used to get.
i have/play a fretless jazz bass copy with passive pickups. i have settled into fender stainless steel flat wounds. they last quiet a long time too. the stainless-steel strings seem to give a bit of that top end zing back, that goes missing when goin from round-wounds to flatwounds. the flatwounds save the fingerboard (in my case rosewood) from being eaten out. i have also massively benefited from replacement brass saddles in the sustain department. i will not mind a slightly overwound pickups because to me hearing the characteristic blooming sustain notes of the fretless is very important (which i think will be lost in compression if the pickup is grossly overwound). i cannot comment on active pickups, but i ve seen/heard some fretless bass players wielding actives having no compromises in the said fretless bass sound.
i ve done my share of homework on jaco, bcos like most he was my inspiration to take up fretless bass. he indeed used roundwounds, but had heavy epoxy finishes on the fingerboards, to protect it from the round-wounds digging it out. jaco, also has said that the epoxy helped with the sustain too. but even with the heavy finish, it required frequent refinishing to cope up with the wear. he might have used, slightly overwound pickups for that well pronounced midrange he used to get.
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: Frettless Jazz Bass
I definitely don't want the fretboard getting chewed up. What type of strings do manufacturers put on them?
I definitely don't want the fretboard getting chewed up. What type of strings do manufacturers put on them?
One Bad Monkey
New member
Re: Frettless Jazz Bass
Manufacturers put on whatever they can get the cheapest, because they know the first thing that will be changed on an instrument is the strings.
You really will be fine. I've had a number of fretless basses over the years with various fingerboards, and used rounds on all of them (and one has stainless steel rounds on a rosewood board). The marks on the fingerboard are aesthetic at best; proper technique is going to be your biggest ally in ensuring the fingerboard remains nice. EVERY string at some point will mar a fingerboard (because after all, it's still a piece of vibrating metal against a piece of wood, and in another industry that's called a saw), but a more classical approach to your left hand technique will make sure you never have any issues.
Manufacturers put on whatever they can get the cheapest, because they know the first thing that will be changed on an instrument is the strings.
You really will be fine. I've had a number of fretless basses over the years with various fingerboards, and used rounds on all of them (and one has stainless steel rounds on a rosewood board). The marks on the fingerboard are aesthetic at best; proper technique is going to be your biggest ally in ensuring the fingerboard remains nice. EVERY string at some point will mar a fingerboard (because after all, it's still a piece of vibrating metal against a piece of wood, and in another industry that's called a saw), but a more classical approach to your left hand technique will make sure you never have any issues.
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: Frettless Jazz Bass
What do you mean by 'classical approach'? I'm certainly not a slap bass kind of player.
I'm assuming fretless players prefer low actions, correct?
What do you mean by 'classical approach'? I'm certainly not a slap bass kind of player.
I'm assuming fretless players prefer low actions, correct?
One Bad Monkey
New member
Re: Frettless Jazz Bass
Classical approach means more how a classical musician would play on a fretless instrument, as opposed to someone that's used to playing on a fretted and then trying to use the same technique. It's similar to be sure, but different as well.
Most electric players will bend a string back and forth to create a vibrato effect (ex. if you're holding a D on the A string, many will bend that string to/from the D and E strings), and that causes havoc on the fingerboard. Classical musicians, to create the same effect, rotate the finger(s) holding the note. It's easier to do, and puts less strain on the fingerboard/neck. Also, I've seen many electric players manhandle a fretless neck because they don't know how hard/easy they need to push down to get the note to speak. It's usually a lot less than someone thinks, and that is going to have an affect on the longevity of the fingerboard as well.
I've had my main electric fretless for about four years now; it's an uncoated board that has always had rounds on it. Got superficial marks on it within a couple of weeks, and that hasn't changed/gotten any worse since. But then again, I'm a classically trained string bassist who moved to electric, so playing a fretless is a lot more "normal" for me than most.
That all depends on the player, honestly. My Warwick Alien acoustic/electric fretless has pretty high action compared to my electrics (one elec fretless is pretty low, the other is fair), but I like having to "dig in" a bit to get the nuances out of that instrument.
Classical approach means more how a classical musician would play on a fretless instrument, as opposed to someone that's used to playing on a fretted and then trying to use the same technique. It's similar to be sure, but different as well.
Most electric players will bend a string back and forth to create a vibrato effect (ex. if you're holding a D on the A string, many will bend that string to/from the D and E strings), and that causes havoc on the fingerboard. Classical musicians, to create the same effect, rotate the finger(s) holding the note. It's easier to do, and puts less strain on the fingerboard/neck. Also, I've seen many electric players manhandle a fretless neck because they don't know how hard/easy they need to push down to get the note to speak. It's usually a lot less than someone thinks, and that is going to have an affect on the longevity of the fingerboard as well.
I've had my main electric fretless for about four years now; it's an uncoated board that has always had rounds on it. Got superficial marks on it within a couple of weeks, and that hasn't changed/gotten any worse since. But then again, I'm a classically trained string bassist who moved to electric, so playing a fretless is a lot more "normal" for me than most.
That all depends on the player, honestly. My Warwick Alien acoustic/electric fretless has pretty high action compared to my electrics (one elec fretless is pretty low, the other is fair), but I like having to "dig in" a bit to get the nuances out of that instrument.
jtougas
New member
Re: Frettless Jazz Bass
My fretless Ibanez came with roundwound Elixirs on it... I immediately ditched 'em, and put on flatwound chromes (as it's my first fretless, I'll be trying stainless next). It's a 505, so has the Bartolini (imports) in it - I find the active preamp useful.
My fretless Ibanez came with roundwound Elixirs on it... I immediately ditched 'em, and put on flatwound chromes (as it's my first fretless, I'll be trying stainless next). It's a 505, so has the Bartolini (imports) in it - I find the active preamp useful.
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: Frettless Jazz Bass
While I bend like a madman on electric guitar (ala Peter Green and Jimmy Page), I don't bend at all on bass. That'll help out the fretboard.
Do you prefer round wound or flats for fretless?
While I bend like a madman on electric guitar (ala Peter Green and Jimmy Page), I don't bend at all on bass. That'll help out the fretboard.
Do you prefer round wound or flats for fretless?
F
Funkfingers
Guest
Re: Frettless Jazz Bass
Rotosound BS66 .043-110 roundwounds on my Precision. D'Addario .040-100 roundwounds on my Stingray. D'Addario .040-095 stainless steel roundwounds on my Yamaha RBX200F.
Rotosound BS66 .043-110 roundwounds on my Precision. D'Addario .040-100 roundwounds on my Stingray. D'Addario .040-095 stainless steel roundwounds on my Yamaha RBX200F.
One Bad Monkey
New member
Re: Frettless Jazz Bass
Given that fretless is usually a "darker sounding" instrument (mainly because of no frets), I opt for rounds on all of them except in those rare occasions where flats on it would be a better tonal choice (like, if I'm playing with a string quartet).
Warwick $$ 6-String Fretless - GHS Boomers, .020-.100 (tuned high F-E)
Warwick Alien Acoustic 6-String Fretless - GHS Pressurewounds .018-.102 (tuned high F-E)
No name PJ 4-String Fretless - GHS Super Steels .040-.102 (tuned G-E)
Given that fretless is usually a "darker sounding" instrument (mainly because of no frets), I opt for rounds on all of them except in those rare occasions where flats on it would be a better tonal choice (like, if I'm playing with a string quartet).
Warwick $$ 6-String Fretless - GHS Boomers, .020-.100 (tuned high F-E)
Warwick Alien Acoustic 6-String Fretless - GHS Pressurewounds .018-.102 (tuned high F-E)
No name PJ 4-String Fretless - GHS Super Steels .040-.102 (tuned G-E)
BlueTalon
New member
Re: Frettless Jazz Bass
If you get a bass with an ebony fingerboard, you could put any strings you want on it and it will last forever. I'm planning to put together a fretless (not with an ebony fingerboard), and I have a set of Thomastik-Infeld silk-wound flats ready to go on it. I run rounds on everything else.
If you get a bass with an ebony fingerboard, you could put any strings you want on it and it will last forever. I'm planning to put together a fretless (not with an ebony fingerboard), and I have a set of Thomastik-Infeld silk-wound flats ready to go on it. I run rounds on everything else.
ItsaBass
New member
Re: Frettless Jazz Bass
You're over-thinking this; it is not as complicated as you are making it. The difference between flats and rounds is kind of a universal bass issue. You can use either kind on fretted bass or on fretless bass. Flats sound a certain way, and so do rounds. Use the ones that you think are best. Pickup considerations aren't any different than with a fretted bass either (and the tonal difference between fretted and fretless is not huge anyhow). Use the ones that you think sound best. String height too. If you want the feel and the tone of high strings, then set them high, fretless or fretted. All of my basses, fretted or fretless, have heavy-gauge flats set high. Some off my basses have higher strings than others, but all are "high," relative to what is "normal" for a bass. On the super high ones, it forces a certain attack with both hands that better emulates an uprite bass attack, which I like. On the only-somewhat-high ones, it makes for a nice, clear note, and reduces fret rattle from hitting the strings very hard. It's all about getting what you want from the bass that pleases your own ear and your own hands, not following formulas and generalizations.
Honestly, I would think hard about buying one in the first place, and really play a lot of them before deciding. Personally, I think the differences between the two are overblown, and mostly come down to feel...as long as you stick to playing traditional bass parts, and not some showoff fusion bull ****. There are certainly differences in the inherent "shapes" of the notes and the attack...but nothing that can't be compensated for very well using technique (either making a fretless sound fretted or vice versa). I learned on fretless, and played almost nothing but for 19 years before I ever owned a fretted bass, and for 20 before I ever played one with any regularity. I thought of fretless as being normal, simply because it's what was there, and it seemed to do everything just fine. When my dad died in 2007, I inherited his two fretted basses, and began monkeying around with them. I discovered that I really liked playing on frets. I joined a band on bass the next year, and went with fretted bass and never looked back. It's just the feel of frets that I loved. It isn't as if I would ever need one or the other. I just prefer the feel of frets, and the "**** it" attitude regarding intonation that I can use when playing them.
You're over-thinking this; it is not as complicated as you are making it. The difference between flats and rounds is kind of a universal bass issue. You can use either kind on fretted bass or on fretless bass. Flats sound a certain way, and so do rounds. Use the ones that you think are best. Pickup considerations aren't any different than with a fretted bass either (and the tonal difference between fretted and fretless is not huge anyhow). Use the ones that you think sound best. String height too. If you want the feel and the tone of high strings, then set them high, fretless or fretted. All of my basses, fretted or fretless, have heavy-gauge flats set high. Some off my basses have higher strings than others, but all are "high," relative to what is "normal" for a bass. On the super high ones, it forces a certain attack with both hands that better emulates an uprite bass attack, which I like. On the only-somewhat-high ones, it makes for a nice, clear note, and reduces fret rattle from hitting the strings very hard. It's all about getting what you want from the bass that pleases your own ear and your own hands, not following formulas and generalizations.
Honestly, I would think hard about buying one in the first place, and really play a lot of them before deciding. Personally, I think the differences between the two are overblown, and mostly come down to feel...as long as you stick to playing traditional bass parts, and not some showoff fusion bull ****. There are certainly differences in the inherent "shapes" of the notes and the attack...but nothing that can't be compensated for very well using technique (either making a fretless sound fretted or vice versa). I learned on fretless, and played almost nothing but for 19 years before I ever owned a fretted bass, and for 20 before I ever played one with any regularity. I thought of fretless as being normal, simply because it's what was there, and it seemed to do everything just fine. When my dad died in 2007, I inherited his two fretted basses, and began monkeying around with them. I discovered that I really liked playing on frets. I joined a band on bass the next year, and went with fretted bass and never looked back. It's just the feel of frets that I loved. It isn't as if I would ever need one or the other. I just prefer the feel of frets, and the "**** it" attitude regarding intonation that I can use when playing them.
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blueman335
Mojo's Minions
CTN
The Drama Dude
Re: Frettless Jazz Bass
I cannot permit this.
It will be too fenderiffic for your tastes.
I cannot permit this.
It will be too fenderiffic for your tastes.
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
One Bad Monkey
New member
Re: Frettless Jazz Bass
I will admit in my "advanced" age that, while I still prefer my Warwicks for the bulk of my gigs and studio hits, I do appreciate a good P and J bass when needed.
I will admit in my "advanced" age that, while I still prefer my Warwicks for the bulk of my gigs and studio hits, I do appreciate a good P and J bass when needed.