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Would a fretless be good for...
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Author:  pcb444 [ February 11th, 2014, 10:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Would a fretless be good for...

Now, this is probably a really dumb question, but what are the differences in technique and what you can play, between fretless and fretted basses?

I just really like the idea of fretless basses >.<

I mostly entertain myself with classical on bass, and other melodic type things.

Would a fretless be great or terrible for that?


Any answers would be great :)

Author:  Frenchy-Lefty [ February 11th, 2014, 11:52 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Would a fretless be good for...

I played tons of fretless for years and got a little sick of it, so here is my totally biased assessment:
Fretless is great for melodic stuff, ethnic music (listen to this great bassist who played with Paco Delucia), jazz (Jaco!), slower tunes, very expressive solos, impressing kids who have never heard a fretless, emulating the sound of whales mating when you plug it into a delay pedal...It easily get lost in a dense mix as well.

In my opinion it is useless in most rock contexts unless your name is Jack Bruce/Tony Franklin and overall pretty bad when playing a solid groove with a big punchy bass sound locked with the drum kick. Most drummers hate it because of the undefined and un-punchy attack.

Some may differ but in my opinion there are few situations where it is the right instrument. I remember playing with two different bands who both told me their previous bass player insisted on only playing fretless and they hated it

I still have a nice Frankenfender which actually sound really nice but it is collecting the dust and I may want to sell it if anyone is interested.

Author:  bobjones2260 [ February 12th, 2014, 5:22 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Would a fretless be good for...

I agree Fretless basses are awesome in the right situation (Jaco) and in most cases not good for a rock situation. One word of advise, my daughter has perfect pitch and nothing drives here more crazy they when people do not play in pitch. So if you are going fretless cool, find the right spot but make sure you are dead on. It is it slightly off pitch you may not hear it but others may.

Author:  jersey bluesdude [ February 12th, 2014, 5:43 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Would a fretless be good for...

Frenchy, I might be interested in your frankenfender fretless. Details?

Author:  pcb444 [ February 12th, 2014, 6:52 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Would a fretless be good for...

Hmmmm despite the negatives, man it sounds so tempting.


Now I just need to sell my hagstrom hj600 guitar and find a nice fretless bass :P

Author:  pjmuck [ February 12th, 2014, 7:28 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Would a fretless be good for...

I agree with Frenchy's assessment (and hysterical). For the most part, he's spot on.

Fretted and fretless are 2 different animals as far as I'm concerned, and do require a different approach and technique. Bad intonation is like nails on a chalkboard for me. But good intonation is only one part of the equation to playing a fretless.

Years ago when I first took up fretless, I prided myself on making sure I played in tune. I had a lined fretless neck on my '77 J, so that helped. I used the bass on a recording session for a song I thought would sound perfect with that sound. So I do the session and I nailed it...or so I thought. Producer, bandmates, engineer, etc. are all paying me compliments on my playing. The producer says, "You played that bass so well, I can't even tell it's a fretless in the mix." It was then I knew I had a lot to learn about playing fretless.

It's SO much more than just playing in tune. At least I had that part down. What I didn't have was the development of my own voice/style or an understanding of how to conjure up those gorgeous fretless tones we commonly associate with the instrument. I played it like a fretted bass - pluck a note, move on to the next one - and the result was a fretted bass sound, albeit with less immediate attack. You can't be too "linear" in your thinking on a fretless. You've got to think "looser" and relaxed, but not so much so that you're overshooting notes. The beauty of a fretless lies in it's expressiveness and how you manipulate notes via tremolo, glissando, etc., as is the case with any fretless stringed instrument from violin, cello, etc. Notes slowly blossom and can drastically change in attack and tone depending on where you play along the plucking field; A good setup is essential. If theres even a minute variance in my fussy Wal's setup, the ability to conjure up those tones with ease and comfort is lost. Also, not all fretless basses are created equal, and depending on the sound(s) or style you're going for can vary as much as fretted basses. My Wal will "mwah" if you so much as look at it; Likewise, I also own a fretless P strung with tape wounds, which I use when I want more of an upright tone with less note blossom/more thump. Playing-wise, Jaco played very hard and back near the bridge for the most part, giving his sound better perceived intonation and a tight focused attack on those quick pizzicato-style runs he's famous for. Jaco, I guess you could say, was all about precision. He was an early influence on me (and still is); Mick Karn, another bass hero who influenced me later, you might consider the antithesis of Jaco. His style was based more on a looser, free flowing "rubbery" approach that focused on emphasizing the deeper mwah swell more by plucking closer to the neck, with more emphasis on those "exaggerated" glissandos and slides that bring forth the voice of a fretless.

Whatever you decide to do, good luck! It's challenging but for me, arguably the most fun I have playing bass and certainly the instrument I feel most expressive on.

Author:  pcb444 [ February 12th, 2014, 8:04 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Would a fretless be good for...

Wow, thanks for the amazing, comprehensive answers guys!

It sounds like such a thing might be too early to attempt, I only just got a bass late last year (played guitar previously though). But I feel like the expressiveness and free flowing aspects of the instrument might be what I need to get thee ol' creativity juices flowing. Hmmm. Plus, they are just so nice.

Author:  Addison [ February 12th, 2014, 11:48 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Would a fretless be good for...

Not good for rock?

Don't forget about Pino...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfk6sCzRTbM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZC-K8MS6Io

Or Jeff Ahment...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxKWTzr-k6s

Or Les CLaypool...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4OhIU-PmB8

Or Roger Waters...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEs_IYF7x58

Or Jonas Hellborg...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eN7oj7ejlow

Or Mick Karn...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZV3jxM4Ug8

Or Steve DiGiorgio...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6glYZvLe2vo

Or Jeroen Paul Thesseling...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VjyeSX6ehg

I dunno... I think fretless is a perfectly valid instrument for ANY style... but the problem is that it takes the right player and the right tone to pull it off.

Author:  jersey bluesdude [ February 12th, 2014, 11:52 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Would a fretless be good for...

Rick Danko and Boz Burrell.

Author:  Matt R. [ February 12th, 2014, 11:53 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Would a fretless be good for...

Addison wrote:
Not good for rock?

Don't forget about Pino...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfk6sCzRTbM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZC-K8MS6Io

Or Jeff Ahment...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxKWTzr-k6s

Or Les CLaypool...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4OhIU-PmB8

Or Roger Waters...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEs_IYF7x58

Or Jonas Hellborg...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eN7oj7ejlow

Or Mick Karn...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZV3jxM4Ug8

Or Steve DiGiorgio...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6glYZvLe2vo

Or Jeroen Paul Thesseling...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VjyeSX6ehg

I dunno... I think fretless is a perfectly valid instrument for ANY style... but the problem is that it takes the right player and the right tone to pull it off.



What my esteemed colleague here said^^. Beat me to it.

Author:  Matt R. [ February 12th, 2014, 11:58 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Would a fretless be good for...

Sting

Author:  Sec-Def [ February 12th, 2014, 2:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Would a fretless be good for...

Frenchy-Lefty wrote:
I played tons of fretless for years and got a little sick of it, so here is my totally biased assessment:
emulating the sound of whales mating when you plug it into a delay pedal...

I need a fretless bass and delay pedal.

Author:  pjmuck [ February 12th, 2014, 2:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Would a fretless be good for...

Addison wrote:
Not good for rock?

Don't forget about Pino...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfk6sCzRTbM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZC-K8MS6Io

Or Jeff Ahment...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxKWTzr-k6s

Or Les CLaypool...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4OhIU-PmB8

Or Roger Waters...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEs_IYF7x58

Or Jonas Hellborg...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eN7oj7ejlow

Or Mick Karn...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZV3jxM4Ug8

Or Steve DiGiorgio...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6glYZvLe2vo

Or Jeroen Paul Thesseling...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VjyeSX6ehg

I dunno... I think fretless is a perfectly valid instrument for ANY style... but the problem is that it takes the right player and the right tone to pull it off.


You left out Colin Moulding. Shame on you!:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvOgX5ip738

Author:  gravesbass [ February 12th, 2014, 2:49 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Would a fretless be good for...

Fretless' are great for rock and metal. It's all in the hands, near perfect pitch and tone.

Listen to Spiral Architect - A Sceptics Universe. Lars Norberg is a fretless player. Steve DiGeorgio is the pioneer of metal fretless bass. So much great new music with creative fretless chops. Its out there.

Author:  Matt R. [ February 12th, 2014, 2:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Would a fretless be good for...

In my time of dying by Zeppelin. All (I think, if not most) of Frampton Comes Alive.

Author:  Sec-Def [ February 12th, 2014, 4:52 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Would a fretless be good for...

I will point out that all of the aforementioned musicians are exceptionally talented.
it's (almost, not quite) like saying that playing an inverted righty strung lefty guitar is great because the velvet bulldozer owned that shit.
I never played on a fret-less for more then 5 minutes or so. but I kinda like how expressive it is, and kinda hate not being able to play a chord on it.
but maybe that's just practice.

Author:  Frenchy-Lefty [ February 12th, 2014, 7:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Would a fretless be good for...

As I said "it is a totally biased opinion". I recently read an interview of Pino (by far my favorite fretless player) who also said the same thing about using a fretless.

Author:  Addison [ February 12th, 2014, 8:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Would a fretless be good for...

I think I remember Tony Franklin saying in an interview that he lost the Mick Jagger solo gig, even with a Jimmy Page referral, because he showed up to the audition with his fretless.

Author:  Agent00Soul [ February 13th, 2014, 2:25 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Would a fretless be good for...

XTC's Colin Moulding often used a fretless Wal. This video is even flipped around so you can see what it looks like lefty!

http://youtu.be/07Fp-omNXCw

Author:  pjmuck [ February 13th, 2014, 3:58 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Would a fretless be good for...

Agent00Soul wrote:
XTC's Colin Moulding often used a fretless Wal. This video is even flipped around so you can see what it looks like lefty!

http://youtu.be/07Fp-omNXCw


That's actually a fretless Ibanez Musician (same kind Sting played). But you're right, he did own a Wal too. I don't believe the Wal was fretless though. (He played it on Letterman for their King for a Day performance). Also had an Epiphone Newport that sounded like a fretless (but wasn't) that he used to sound like an upright.

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