Fretless newbie

[Jerry_B]

Are ebanol boards not much good then? They look a bit glassy. I wonder whether they can be softened up a bit with fine grit sandpaper or something similar?

[dannybuoy]

I think they are the marmite of the fretboard world. Some like a really bright tone so epoxy over their rosewood boards for isntance. Ebanol achieves pretty much the same effect, but to me it feels hard, cold and plasticy with the 'mwah' more of a 'rattle' when you have a low action. I prefer the warmer sound of rosewood, the softer surface just produces a nicer sound to my ears. I was interested in that fretless P with a maple board on here though, but I'm not sure I'd like it without trying it first!

[Jerry_B]

Maybe steel flatwounds would temper that a bit, I wonder....

[mart]

[quote name='blackmn90' post='1157510' date='Mar 11 2011, 12:20 AM']unfortunately when i started looking at for my first fretless i had a go on several rockbass' and they all had the same major problem. The ebonised finsh on the fingerboard doesnt give a realistic fretless tone. So you wont ever get the "fretless tone" you would hear on a record without putting an ebony or decent rosewood board on there.

I was lucky and managed to get a fairly cheap German Warwick with an ebony board, so i recommend you try out a few fretless basses and once you know whats good look in the for sale section here.
...[/quote]

Actually this is wrong: fretless Rockbasses have always had ebony fingerboards, just like German Warwicks. It may be poorer quality ebony (so more light brown streaks rather than pure black), but it's still ebony. It's one reason why Rockbasses are very good value for fretless players. (Unfortunately they are let down by poor body and neck woods, but that's just my personal opinion).