Fretless 'meow's

[danonearth]

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Hi all,[/size][/font][/color]
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I am relatively new to fretless elec bass (I played upright for a while) and now that I have a couple (actually 3 of them I am noticing a kind of 'meow' sound sometimes... I think it is mostly in the mid-upper register (just below the octave) on the D and G strings[/size][/font][/color]
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I am assuming it is my technique (or lack there-of) and was just wondering what causes this 'unique' sound to the fretless? I have never heard it on a fretted bass[/size][/font][/color]
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Thanks![/size][/font][/color]

[franzbassist]

I find this normally happens when there isn't enough relief in the neck, which means more of the string comes into contact with the fingerboard than you want. A tiny bit more relief should sort it.

[danonearth]

Ah, ok... I normally just fiddle with the bridge to adjust string height - will have to tackle the neck relief now! Thanks, Walbassist

[franzbassist]

My pleasure. If you hold down the G string at the first fret and again at the end of the neck (or where the neck joins the body) you create a straight line, which you can then sight down to see if there's any relief.

[gary mac]

Agree with Walbassist, my fretless is in need of exactly the same tweak, which I'll probably do later today

Good luck.