Fretless:: Lined or Naked?

[Jus Lukin]

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Edited February 28, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[Bassassin]

Lines all the way for me. I don't play enough fretless to have a sufficiently developed technique to play unlined cleanly, and tbh I like the look of a lined board - particularly a very dark board with just lines, no dots.

And IMO looks are important - I'd get less enjoyment from playing a bass I disliked the appearance of, and that would probably affect my playing.

[Saved]

Naked.Even in my freted basses,i dont like the dots/squares/anything in my fretboard.
Every one can learn to find the right spots without looking at the fretboard.
C'mon..its not so hard..

[Yank]

I started on a lined Jazz. Now have unlined and the lined is my spare. With both you need to use your ears, more so with unlined.

[Sambrook]

I started unlined (just dots) and was all at sea. Changed to lined and VERY slowly improved. After a good while, I found I was spending way too much time visually checking my intonation, not trusting my ears. Unlined a la Portamento ended up being a great compromise.
Scott Devine made the point somewhere that if you have good hand position, your intonation will be good also. I've found that to be true.

[fretlessguy]

I own both lined and unlined (naked, did you call it?). It really doesn't make me too much difference, but I do prefer unlined. However, when a lined one comes along that has a great tone, then I will buy it and enjoy playing it.

Play whichever you prefer. If you are more comfortable playing a naked one, by all means use it. If you are more comfortable with a lined one, then I am for it if it makes you want to pay fretless.

[bassmonk]

Mine was originally fretted when it was in the shop. I was looking for a fretless, but loved this bass, so I had it defretted by the guitar tech at the shop. He did a great job. You can see the lines where he inlaid wood in place of the frets but you have to look closely. It's the best of both worlds: I get the benefit of lines when I need them but it looks unlined and cool to everyone else!

Funnily enough, I check visually more than I used to (I've been playing for over 20 years).. In the early days I used to be really confident and just go for it - till I saw a video of me playing and cringed at the intonation of some of the notes. I got more careful!

Not sure whether I'd get lined or unlined if buying a new fretless. I too listened to Scott's video with interest; I take his point. But the unlined somehow seems more "right"... Glad I'm not in this dilemma (at the moment! )

[IainS]

I've been playing unlined for about six months and it's been pretty tricky, but the sense of achievement when I recently nailed a song I've been struggling with was immense. Well worth the effort.

[project_c]

Lined for me, but only because I play a lot of stuff in the high register where intonation becomes really tricky. It's tough even with the lines. Up to the 12th fret i'd be ok with unlined.

[Tradfusion]

[quote name='project_c' timestamp='1493164616' post='3286220']
Lined for me, but only because I play a lot of stuff in the high register where intonation becomes really tricky. It's tough even with the lines. Up to the 12th fret i'd be ok with unlined.
[/quote]

I agree that above the 12th lines make it a bit easier... its a pity more bass manufacturers dont use the small dot system you get on the NS electric uprights.. far more discreet than full lines on a plain board and definitely helps with dodgy intonation when playing up the dusty end... I've noticed a few of the more expensive fretless basses using this method of marking the notes lately and it looks alot cooler than full lines... in fact from a distance it hard to tell that the board isn't plain...

[Conan]

Lines. Raised, metal ones.

[Woodinblack]

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1493198566' post='3286352']
Lines. Raised, metal ones.
[/quote]

Well, that is never going to catch on!

[Dapper Bandit]

I have a lined fretless that I had converted from a fretted originally. Went for maple lines against a rosewood board because it looks nice and I know I most likely wouldn't put the time in to really get to grips with unlined.

With that said it is now my most played bass so who knows, maybe I was foolish? If lines are good enough for Bill Laswell, Jaco and Juan Alderete then I daresay they're good enough for me.

[merlin]

Hi got one of each a home made bitsa bass,with an unlined neck,and a Squire fretless "P" both superb,never really look at the neck when playing,just trust my ears,hehe and that look from the drummer

[CamdenRob]

I'm having quarter lines on my incoming Wal. A previous bass had them and they were barely visible from the front but from the playing position looked like full lines

[Grangur]

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1493442213' post='3288310']
I'm having quarter lines on my incoming Wal. A previous bass had them and they were barely visible from the front but from the playing position looked like full lines
[/quote]
Have to say, I like that.

[aguacollas]

Nice solution. I'd probably go for that too.

[aguacollas]

I've been playing fretless for the last 3 months, unlined with side dots on the fretboard.

After some weeks struggling with intonation it is somehow happening, it seems like my fingertips find the right spot more easily these days, but still there are days I can't play a note right.

I'll just continue on playing it and I know my intonation will improve slowly. It has been very helpful to use a clip tuner in the process of playing it and learning how to intonate properly. But it is a long journey, I guess.
Fretless is a different instrument altogether for me, I had to change and improve my technique to play it, well at least I am trying 😊.

I will have my first gig with a new band playing fretless on june 30th. Old time Rock'n'roll, swing...

Right now I am worried about not being able to see the side dots in my fretboard if the stage is too dark. These are abalone dots, not really white dots.

Any cheap trick to make your dots shine a bit more in the dark that doesn't involve getting leds installed?
Not looking for miracles, but I know a bass player who used nail polish to make the dots shine on stage a bit more.

[prowla]

[quote name='Woodinblack' timestamp='1493223233' post='3286702']
Well, that is never going to catch on!
[/quote]
Nothing to fret about, though.

[prowla]

[quote name='aguacollas' timestamp='1493452298' post='3288374']
I've been playing fretless for the last 3 months, unlined with side dots on the fretboard.

After some weeks struggling with intonation it is somehow happening, it seems like my fingertips find the right spot more easily these days, but still there are days I can't play a note right.

I'll just continue on playing it and I know my intonation will improve slowly. It has been very helpful to use a clip tuner in the process of playing it and learning how to intonate properly. But it is a long journey, I guess.
Fretless is a different instrument altogether for me, I had to change and improve my technique to play it, well at least I am trying .

I will have my first gig with a new band playing fretless on june 30th. Old time Rock'n'roll, swing...

Right now I am worried about not being able to see the side dots in my fretboard if the stage is too dark. These are abalone dots, not really white dots.

Any cheap trick to make your dots shine a bit more in the dark that doesn't involve getting leds installed?
Not looking for miracles, but I know a bass player who used nail polish to make the dots shine on stage a bit more.
[/quote]
I've sometimes thought about putting little raised dots (like Braille) on the neck, so that you can feel where you are with your thumb.

[Jus Lukin]

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Edited February 28, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[CamdenRob]

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1493446404' post='3288319']
Have to say, I like that.
[/quote]

It's the best compromise I've seen.

Looks like this from the top.



and like this from the front.



Not the best pictures to illustrate the point to be honest but i don't have the bass anymore so that's the best i can do!

[Jus Lukin]

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Edited February 28, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[Sibob]

Fundamentally it comes down to aesthetics and ego, simple as that . Ego because there is a "I DON'T NEED LINES" mentality with some players . If something helps you (lines), it can't be a bad thing. That said, if you're coming exclusively from upright bass, then lines/frets are likely to be a bit confusing.

Like a lot of people, I prefer a naked board aesthetically, and my first ever fretless was indeed a plain board replacing the original fretted board on that bass, all I had was dots in the original placement (in-between frets), so that was a steep learning curve. Got there though.
Both 'off the shelf' fretless basses I had after that were lined, because it was easier to deal with on a gig, had no problem with having the lines there to help. That said, as has been pointed out, you can rarely see lines further than maybe your lowest string, so quarter lines make a lot of sense.
If I were to buy another fretless, I'd either go for quarter lines or just lines on the side.

Si

[NickA]

Naked, definitely naked. Looks much better .. and also it means the whole finger board is the same material, less likely to wear unevenly and start to buzz. My first fretless was a rosewood fretted one with the frets pulled out and some epoxy stuff stuffed in the fret slots - it buzzed from the outset and got worse as time went on.

Why would we be looking at our fingerboards anyway (ahem!) after all when reading music (as is usually the case) on my double bass or 'cello there is no way to see the strings at all and we've all been taught to play looking straight ahead. THIS is the aim in e-bass playing too as we can then see music, other band members! and (heaven forbid) maybe an audience too ... so yes, I admit to ego as well as aesthetic bias.

On the other hand, on a db and cello there is this useful heel where the neck ends and the body starts: when your thumb hits that you are in "4th position" and your first finger is a 5th higher than the open string. The octave above the open string is an extended third finger. Helps keep track of things.

On the electric bass there is an AWFUL long way up the fret board to go without any reference beyond sound as to where you actually are (especially on the one with 26 frets) so it's easy to get lost without a few dots at least, especially during position changes of more than a whole hand (ie when finger substitution no longer applies). So I think we can allow the odd glance.

I do love that (zebrano?) Wal with the little lines along the edge .. THAT I think is the ultimate solution, and come the day that I can justify a new Wal from Electric Wood, [b]that[/b] is what I'm having :¬)