JapanAxe Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 ... or is fretless bass addictive once you pass a certain point? I am busily practising for an upcoming dep gig, and decided to do use the opportunity to climb the learning curve on my Yamaha fretless. Now I can't put the darned thing down! Going back to frets feels all clunky. There are downsides (mainly my intonation, which is improving) but it's just so rewarding. Have others experienced this phenomenon? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloodaxe Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 Yup. They take over. I'm now 90% assimilated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iconic Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 (edited) I had great fun with mine....its one of those things thats got to be tried....sadly many dont stick with it.....you know thinking about it ive never seen anyone gig a fretless to date.....im sure many do though? Edited June 26, 2013 by iconic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuyR Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 I was going to reply to this yesterday, but I picked up my fretless jazz bass and lost track of time..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingBollock Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 I had a go when I was about 15 and seemed to take to it naturally. I would love to be able to play one again. I once saw an absolutely gorgeous piano white Cort Curbow fretless and fell in love with it. I have been unable to even find a picture of it since, but if one were to come up I'd be bloomin' tempted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazza14 Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 I'm in the same boat, i've used my fretless for my last two gigs, my band mates say they prefer my playing on it (apparently i 'do' more) it sounds better in the mix and i find it so much easier to play. I read an interview with Tony Franklin where he said "I find fretless to be unlimited, without boundaries" and i agree. I'm toying with the idea of getting a loop pedal and going busking with it to bring the fretless sound to the public! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 [quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1372174612' post='2122472'] Have others experienced this phenomenon? [/quote] No Or at least, not yet.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloodaxe Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 [quote name='dazza14' timestamp='1372232239' post='2123056']I read an interview with Tony Franklin where he said "I find fretless to be unlimited, without boundaries" and i agree. [/quote] Same here. I find it takes awhile to dumb down my technique & readjust to frets - I keep hitting the fret for a bit. [quote name='dazza14' timestamp='1372232239' post='2123056']I'm toying with the idea of getting a loop pedal and going busking with it to bring the fretless sound to the public! [/quote] Beware! There's competition! (albeit oop Nerth) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUO6kYLb6As Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pietruszka Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 Yep! I love my fretless! I play it a lot of the time now, even learnt Gas Light Abbie on it. Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarTart Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 I used my recently bought fretless for a run of CATS recently, despite only having had 2 weeks to set it up and get used to the lack of bumps. Loved it and the sound FOH was awesome. The only reason I'm not using it for West Side Story soon is that I want the double bass sound from my Variax 700. Myk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted June 26, 2013 Author Share Posted June 26, 2013 andyonbass of this forum now plays solely fretless iirc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 [quote name='Bloodaxe' timestamp='1372248966' post='2123315'] Same here. I find it takes awhile to dumb down my technique & readjust to frets - I keep hitting the fret for a bit. Beware! There's competition! (albeit oop Nerth) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUO6kYLb6As That was good [/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 You're all trying to get me in trouble!!! I had a (the only one in the UK??) Veillette Citron fretless which sat in it's case under my bed for months - gorgeous sound but I just couldn't get into it..now you guys have planted the seed again and I'll probably be GASsing for one again soon... I hate you all!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ead Posted June 27, 2013 Share Posted June 27, 2013 I find them very addictive I must say. Not fully assimilated into the collective as I also quite like the bumps occasionally. Slight divergence if the OP doesn't object, but out of interest do people prefer passive or active on a fretless bass? Personally I'm in the active camp. My ACG has an all singing all dancing filter EQ and I've just popped an Audere pre into my Letts bass and to my ears it improves the tone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom5string Posted June 27, 2013 Share Posted June 27, 2013 [quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1372174612' post='2122472'] Have others experienced this phenomenon? [/quote] Yes! I love the possibilities to sculpt a tone, to modulate, let it swell up and down ..... Took me year to come there, but now it feels like singing when playing the fretless. In one of my bands, I'm just using a Maruszczyk Elwood L5 fretless and a Clevinger EUB. Pure ebony fingerboards. And - of course - depends on the context. In my funk-band I'm still using fretted instruments - it's just a different feel, but I have not the impression to fall back to a "lower level" when slapping my Zon ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted June 27, 2013 Author Share Posted June 27, 2013 [quote name='ead' timestamp='1372332385' post='2124368'] Slight divergence if the OP doesn't object, but out of interest do people prefer passive or active on a fretless bass? Personally I'm in the active camp. My ACG has an all singing all dancing filter EQ and I've just popped an Audere pre into my Letts bass and to my ears it improves the tone. [/quote] No objections from this quarter. I have only tried passive so far. I have posted on this topic elsewhere on this forum, but the combination of a good pickup and well-tapered passive tone control is all I need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbyrne Posted June 27, 2013 Share Posted June 27, 2013 Aaahh. If only. My confession: I took my Yammy TRB1005 Fretless to the band practice and..... I didn't enjoy it at all! I was spending far too much time getting my intonation right and not enough attention on the music. Now don't get me wrong - I LOVE playing my fretless - on my own. I don't have any probs. And, I've played gigs fretless when I had a Westone Thunder IIIb (Unmarked fingerboard) so it's not like I can't do it. Just don't seem to be able to give the appropriate attention in the band. Looks like there might be a TRB1005 up for trade..... G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bh2 Posted June 27, 2013 Share Posted June 27, 2013 (edited) Freedom... I gig mine in a Drum&Bass/dance scenerio... I couldn't imagine going back to fretted, although I've just reacquired my old Silver Series P which I really want to try out. I may have to defret first though. Ed is a fine bass player too btw. Edited June 27, 2013 by bh2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnFitzgerald Posted July 15, 2013 Share Posted July 15, 2013 [quote name='geoffbyrne' timestamp='1372360053' post='2124894'] Aaahh. If only. My confession: I took my Yammy TRB1005 Fretless to the band practice and..... I didn't enjoy it at all! I was spending far too much time getting my intonation right and not enough attention on the music. Now don't get me wrong - I LOVE playing my fretless - on my own. I don't have any probs. And, I've played gigs fretless when I had a Westone Thunder IIIb (Unmarked fingerboard) so it's not like I can't do it. Just don't seem to be able to give the appropriate attention in the band. Looks like there might be a TRB1005 up for trade..... G. [/quote] Geoff You have a very much delayed pm. Nevertheless, you have a PM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted July 15, 2013 Share Posted July 15, 2013 [quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1372174612' post='2122472'] Have others experienced this phenomenon? [/quote] I experienced the exact opposite. Played fretless for years but one day just found myself hating it. Sold it & haven't missed it for a second. Can't even listen to fretless players anymore without wanting to vomit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lfalex v1.1 Posted July 15, 2013 Share Posted July 15, 2013 [quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1372174612' post='2122472'] Is fretless bass addictive once you pass a certain point? Have others experienced this phenomenon? [/quote] No. Whilst I am tempted by one of the GWB Ibanez models, I've never really got on with fretless. It's not the playing of the thing, just the tonality. I've never found one that "sings". They all seem to have this nasal squawk to the sound. So I sold my SR5 fretless, bought a different fretted 5er, and saved up and bought an NS designs CR5 upright. That [i]is[/i] addictive. From the first time you do a huge slow downward glissando that sounds like Obi Wan Kenobi shutting down the Death Star's force field onwards... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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