fretless Inspiration Thread

[jacko]

Rick Danko. First fretless I ever heard.

[Bottle]

[quote name='Jerry_B' post='1302549' date='Jul 13 2011, 04:16 PM']Yep, very nice. But very expensive! I bloody wish Fender would re-release (or 're-imagine', as they seem wont to do) the '70s unlined fretless Precision. Or just a cheaper unlined fretless P/J... It would save me having to build one, for a start [/quote]
Well, I've taken the plunge and I'm now stripping down my Squier Precision Special and defretting it for exactly this purpose. I'll update my build / gear thread with piccies.

HTH,
Ian

[Jerry_B]

I'm thinking of bunging a Mighty Mite unlined neck onto a LTD Vintage-204 I have. That said, doing all of the drilling doesn't fill me with hope

[Bottle]

[quote name='Jerry_B' post='1318270' date='Jul 27 2011, 02:12 PM']I'm thinking of bunging a Mighty Mite unlined neck onto a LTD Vintage-204 I have. That said, doing all of the drilling doesn't fill me with hope [/quote]
Sweet!

Let us know how you get on, dude

HTH,
Ian

[akabane]

I second Michael Manring.
A seriously great musician, abusing his fretless.

Especially like his song "Selena" but he composed a few really good ones imho.

Enjoy
[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eTBc7aWBGw"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eTBc7aWBGw[/url]

Emanuele

Edited July 28, 2011 by akabane

[wez]

James Eller on and off used it quite a lot live with The The, and hasn't Sting also used fretless in the past?

[Chris2112]

[quote name='akabane' post='1319521' date='Jul 28 2011, 05:11 PM']I second Michael Manring.
A seriously great musician, abusing his fretless.[/quote]


Manring has always been one of my favourite fretless players. Today I was finally able to download his [i]Equilibre[/i] album with David Cullen. It's such a simple concept; Cullen plays a classical guitar and Manring accompanies with great fretless playing. He's left the weird tunings and tricks to one side (as great as they are) and just plays fretless bass like an absolute master. His tone, feel and phrasing is just incredible. The track below is the opener of the album, seriously cool with a great laid back vibe. The bass is really what ties it all together in the most amazing way. The bloke doing the bass cover isn't bad either. When I get my next fretless I'll be spending a lot of time on this album.

[lowdown]

[quote name='Chris2112' post='1319986' date='Jul 29 2011, 03:35 AM']Today I was finally able to download his [i]Equilibre[/i] album with David Cullen. It's such a simple concept; Cullen all together in the most amazing way.[/quote]


I love this Album - Cool playing from both, i also like the way the that there is so much groove going on....
with no Drums or Percussion involved.
Top stuff.




Garry

[Chris2112]

The album is from the 'Groovemasters' series, which is typically just two acoustic guitarists playing off each other so an album of fretless bass and acoustic guitar is a bit of a break for the Groovemasters idea. The rest of the albums aren't so great but the Cullen/Manring one really is awesome. When Michael was actively using Talkbass I used to tell him all the time about how awesome it was!

[lowdown]

[quote name='Chris2112' post='1320373' date='Jul 29 2011, 12:57 PM']The album is from the 'Groovemasters' series, which is typically just two acoustic guitarists playing off each other so an album of fretless bass and acoustic guitar is a bit of a break for the Groovemasters idea. The rest of the albums aren't so great but the Cullen/Manring one really is awesome. When Michael was actively using Talkbass I used to tell him all the time about how awesome it was![/quote]


I never bothered with the rest of that series - more to do with all the arseing about trying to get that one from the states a few years ago...
But worth it in the end



Garry

[Panamonte]

+1 for Mo Foster - particularly enjoy his playing on Scott Walker's songs on Nite Flights.

Also Alan Spenner with Roxy Music - at his best on Manifesto IMO

[Count Bassy]

Pete Stroud

And I'm surprised that no-one has mentioned Boz Burrel. Possibly not the best technically, but very inspirational in showing that fretless bass can be used in rock songs without a load of fret(less) w***ery bollocks.

Off topic edit : I still think it great that I can't say the W word above, but I can say 'Twat'.

Edited July 29, 2011 by Count Bassy

[steve-bbb]

this is making me feel extremley old - owing to the fact that i saw them at Hull Uni in 1980 and jolly good they were too

[url="http://youtu.be/EOQOa37iGLE"]SECTOR 27 - (Jo Burt on fretless)[/url]

[xilddx]

[quote name='Low End Bee' post='1303461' date='Jul 14 2011, 12:52 PM']Alain Caron - Humble genius.[/quote]
Stop it!

[Panamonte]

[quote name='steve-bbb' post='1320487' date='Jul 29 2011, 02:39 PM']this is making me feel extremley old - owing to the fact that i saw them at Hull Uni in 1980 and jolly good they were too

[url="http://youtu.be/EOQOa37iGLE"]SECTOR 27 - (Jo Burt on fretless)[/url][/quote]

Saw them at Milton Keynes Bowl in 1980 supporting The Police. Can't remember what they sounded like, but they were all wearing long white lab coats which made them look like a small convention of New Wave dentists.

[Rich]

+1 from me for Gary Willis, John Giblin, Manring (utter genius) and, yes, Alain Caron. I saw him with Mike Stern a couple of years back and he was [i]astonishing[/i].