Damonjames Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 Hey guys, while in my local shop I have fallen for another temptress... All the hype about pino playing with NIN got me thinking about getting a fretless, and as fate being as cruel as she is, has placed a fretless stingray 5 in my local. Now I don't sway easy in shops, most of the stuff I can take or leave, but this had me showing the physical symptoms of full blown GAS like never before. So before I put this beauty on finance, I thought I'd ask, how much use do you get out of your fretless? I know I will use it at home for some stuff, and possible one or two songs in my current band, but is it really worth having one? Or should I let her slip away? Any advice would be great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmmettC Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 I've been thinking about the same thing a lot recently. I used to use my Ibanez fretless 4 fairly regularly, but I've only really being playing my fivers recently so I was wondering about getting a fretless 5, and how much to spend versus how much I'll use it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsgbass Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 I don't play five stringers so that's not a problem for me. I do like playing the Jazz Fretless when I want to just let go, and play no real set songs. Try different things, etc. I can play that way for quite some time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 Surely there are cheaper tryouts than a stingray ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 Depends entirely on the music you play. When I joined a previous band I could hear a need for fretless on a couple of songs so I went out and bought a cheap one to give it a go. With the space of a couple of months I went from playing it on one song to using it for the majority of our set. As a result I now own some very nice and expensive fretless basses. However since then, in my current band there is no place for a fretless bass so they haven't been touched apart from some home playing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 I'm in two bands. In one I never play fretless, while in the other I almost always play upright or fretless. You'll have to decide what suits you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hubrad Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 As Steve Bailey said, you don't have to wobble and slide on EVERY note! Take only the fretless on a gig, in the style of Sting, and see what happens. . I said nothing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ikay Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 As BRX and ET say, how much live use it will get depends on the musical situation and the bands you play in. I play fretted in a party/function band but exclusively fretless in two other jazzier bands. Having said that there's nothing wrong with using it for only a couple of songs or just playing it for pleasure. Fretless opens up a whole new dimension of sound and expressiveness, Who knows, it may take you in a whole new musical direction. If it takes hold you won't look back and you'll wonder why you didn't do it before! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 I would say that I am a predominantly fretted player. I do occasionally played fretless when I feel it's required, just on a couple of songs in the current set. That's just to suit my current project though, who knows what I'll be doing in the future.... I think it's good to have fretless as another trick to bring to the party as a bass player. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Cloud Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 (edited) [quote name='Damonjames' timestamp='1397159389' post='2421373'] Hey guys, while in my local shop I have fallen for another temptress... All the hype about pino playing with NIN got me thinking about getting a fretless, and as fate being as cruel as she is, has placed a fretless stingray 5 in my local. Now I don't sway easy in shops, most of the stuff I can take or leave, but this had me showing the physical symptoms of full blown GAS like never before. So before I put this beauty on finance, I thought I'd ask, how much use do you get out of your fretless? I know I will use it at home for some stuff, and possible one or two songs in my current band, but is it really worth having one? Or should I let her slip away? Any advice would be great! [/quote] Okay then, here is some wisdom..... Don't buy it (if you are taking finance you CANT afford it)...it is a passing fad.....you have enough basses already...focus on your playing instead and become a better player...it's all any non bass player will care about anyway. You're welcome. Edited April 11, 2014 by White Cloud Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danj Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 If you think it will expand you as a player, you like the sound, it plays well, and you can afford to feed you and yours... why the hell not? Life is not a re-run etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 [quote name='hubrad' timestamp='1397200854' post='2421650'] As Steve Bailey said, you don't have to wobble and slide on EVERY note!.... [/quote] Correct, in fact you don't have to wobble and slide on any notes until you can commonly hit the intonation or at least be very close. Then put the occasional wobble or slide in place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 Get a fretless, it's a no brainer (IMO of course). I play my fretted and fretless Ibbys about the same at home and about 70/30 live. If I had to jump one way or the other and only have just one I'd go with the fretless because, as has been said above, you can play a fretless very 'straight' but you can't slip 'n slide on a fretted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bh2 Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 Go for it! I play 100% fretless now... I play in a dance/drum&bass outfit and it's a perfect fit... also great for some more groove style chill/ambient. If that makes any sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Sharman Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 Definitely go for it IF you think the sound will fit with what you are doing. I have a fretless as I bought one purely as it would fit with one of the tracks we wrote. I now use it for about 1/3 of our stuff.....because it fits those particular tracks (the more chilled out and Jazzier tracks we do) rather than my fender. Enjoy! Q. to bh2 - what is the name of your outfit? I like the sound of what you do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damonjames Posted April 11, 2014 Author Share Posted April 11, 2014 Our band is called smells like Seattle, we do a grunge tribute, and I know some of the tracks would sound pretty nice on fretless, like black by pearl jam and interstate love song by stone temple pilots. We are also talking about putting an "unplugged" version of our set together for more chilled out clubs etc as some of the most iconic mtv unplugged records were by those artists. I figure a fretless would fit the acoustic side also really well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bh2 Posted April 12, 2014 Share Posted April 12, 2014 [quote name='Chris Sharman' timestamp='1397223573' post='2421968'] Q. to bh2 - what is the name of your outfit? I like the sound of what you do. [/quote] Yes... We're warming up for The Egg at a party next w/e... should be a blast! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damonjames Posted April 12, 2014 Author Share Posted April 12, 2014 Sorry Chris, thought q was directed at me 😳 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted April 12, 2014 Share Posted April 12, 2014 This has just appeared in the for sale section http://basschat.co.uk/topic/234458-fretless-surplus/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 I've fallen for fretless basses on two occasions - both great instruments but both times I realised that I'm not a fretless player and I really didn't need one. This shouldn't stop you though if you're absolutely certain you need one.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Fretbuzz Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 I've just bought a cheap Ibanez for mucking about on at home. Bought a couple of fretless books and I pick it up every now and again just for something different. All good practice I guess. PS I sound nothing like Pino though :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebuckets Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 I started on a cheap bb400 fl lined fretless then got an unlined fretless ray. Used that exclusively for about 2 years. Felt like I had speed bumps on the neck when I went back to a fretted! I enjoyed it and felt it made me a better player. Back on a fretted now but really enjoyed my fretless flirtation. Try it you might like it but id start with a cheaper SH bass first Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonybassplayer Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 Never had a need or a desire for a fretless until a recent change in musical direction ( stopped being in a covers band and met a singer/guitarist wanting to do some original acoustic style songs ) prompted me to have a re think and just bought a cheap Cort four string fretless and I am loving it totally. Thought it would be a nightmare to play but it's so smooth and easy to play and I can see me using this a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsgbass Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 (edited) Get a fretless, and string it with Nylons. The sounds are great. It has a nice flat string sound, and depending on the settings, and the fretless, you can get a smooth upright sound. [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/uJH9AWM.jpg[/IMG] Edited April 18, 2014 by gsgbass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Fretbuzz Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 I've bought some nylons but I haven't made my mind up to change as I like the bright sounds with the nickels it came with a few weeks back. I do love an upright sound though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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