New to Fretless - lined or unlined?

[LewisK1975]

As the title says, I’m looking to buy my first fretless, just to have one in the armoury as it were.  

It seems to me that having a lined neck would make it easier for someone who’s never played fretless before...

What’s the general consensus on this? 

Edited February 22, 2018 by LewisK1975

[neilp]

To be honest, it doesn't really make much difference. I would go with unlined and trust your ears. It will take you less time to really nail the intonation if you do without the "crutch" of lines, which dont help much anyway. Even unlined basses usually have dots on the side of the board to help you navigate, and I think that's all you need. Have fun!

[Cato]

I bought myself a fretless about 3 months ago.

Although the unlined ones are doubtless more aethetically pleasing I went with lined because I thought it would be easier to get to grips with. 

And judging by  my fumblings with the lined fretless, I'd have no chance with an unlined. At least when my fingers slip up the neck and knacker my intonation I have a clear reference to get back to.

 

Edited February 22, 2018 by Cato

[Sibob]

Basically, how big is your ego?

Si

[GuyR]

Handbags ready!!!😀

[T-Bay]

2 hours ago, Cato said:

I bought myself a fretless about 3 months ago.

Although the unlined ones are doubtless more aethetically pleasing I went with lined because I thought it would be easier to get to grips with. 

And judging by  my fumblings with the lined fretless, I'd have no chance with an unlined. At least when my fingers slip up the neck and knacker my intonation I have a clear reference to get back to.

 

This ^^^^^, I got one at Christmas and this sums up my experiences as well.

[EssentialTension]

Having played both, I much prefer unlined.

Either way you will still need to use your ears and if you are going to use the lines then you'll be staring at the fingerboard.

A quality unlined should have side dots probably at the 'fret positions' 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 12 etc. and, if you need to look, they are easier to see than the fingerboard lines would be.

Worse still is when a lined fretless has side dots in between the 'fret positions' - that is really very stupid in my view and is worse than no help.

[matski]

14 hours ago, EssentialTension said:

Having played both, I much prefer unlined.

Either way you will still need to use your ears and if you are going to use the lines then you'll be staring at the fingerboard.

A quality unlined should have side dots probably at the 'fret positions' 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 12 etc. and, if you need to look, they are easier to see than the fingerboard lines would be.

Worse still is when a lined fretless has side dots in between the 'fret positions' - that is really very stupid in my view and is worse than no help.

I agree with this. I'm definitely no fretless virtuoso, but somehow it does seem easier on an unlined neck as, like ET says, with a lined neck I seemed to be focusing on where exactly I was fret(less)ing far too much.

[Bass Culture]

I play lined.  If it was good enough for Jaco it's good enough for me!  Actually I did start playing fretless when the aforesaid My Pastorius was still with us and as it was he who was responsible and played a lined bass himself it really never occurred to me that such a thing as an unlined fretless might exist.  I like lines and I've tried a few unlined over the years anbd didn;t 'click' with them.  Guess I'm too set in my ways now to change, even though the lines themselves are usually in the fret positions and therefore slightly 'out' the higher you go up the fret board.

[BassBus]

Gary Willis

Scott Devine

Mark Egan

Steve Lawson

Juan Alderete

Marcus Miller (when he plays fretless)

and some guy by the name of Jaco 

They all have one thing in common. Who am I to disagree with them?

Edited February 23, 2018 by BassBus

[BassBus]

 

[police squad]

try both and see how you get on. I mainly use unlined but I bought a US '62 reissue P bass in 1990 and defretted it and filled the gaps with filler. I didn't notice it was any better or worse than unlined.

[EssentialTension]

3 hours ago, BassBus said:

Who am I to disagree with them?

I don’t disagree with them, I just have a different experience.

I have played lined fretless more than unlined but I still feel happier, more in control and better intonated on unlined.

The OP will have to decide for himself.

[LewisK1975]

12 minutes ago, EssentialTension said:

The OP will have to decide for himself.

Indeed, this seems to be the case, it's proper 50/50 so far.  Maybe I'll pickup one of the Thomann HB jaco-alikes and see what I think..

My only dilemma is I've seen an unlined ESP/LTD fretless PJ on Gumtree nearby which I think is a bit of a steal.  Plus it's got a proper precision sized neck/nut and a PJ layout on a rather nice looking body.  One of these:

Can only really afford to get one or the other right now, hmmmmm...

Edited February 23, 2018 by LewisK1975

[Frank Blank]

Here's mine, still for sale for silly money, lined and lovely...

Edited February 23, 2018 by Frank Blank

[Paul S]

I've owned both and find I'm equally bad at both.  I rarely look at the front of the fretboard when playing so it doesn't make much difference to me.  Currently own an unlined, mainly because it is a fine instrument and looks really nice with an unlined board.

[Rumple]

I've had both and prefer unlined mostly but I do get a bit lost above the 9th fret   I like this idea

[krismpos]

I would go with unlined with side dots. 

[LewisK1975]

Ah ha!  Eureka moment!  It seems lined Basses (granted I only did a quick google images search) also have dots in the position where you'd find them on a fretted Bass.  To me having both seems confusing, I think I'd be going for the dots and therefore be out of tune.

Whereas Unlined just have the side dots in the fret line position. Seems to make more sense, to me anyway, I think I can see which way this is now going.....

[EssentialTension]

11 minutes ago, LewisK1975 said:

Ah ha!  Eureka moment!  It seems lined Basses (granted I only did a quick google images search) also have dots in the position where you'd find them on a fretted Bass.  To me having both seems confusing, I think I'd be going for the dots and therefore be out of tune.

Whereas Unlined just have the side dots in the fret line position. Seems to make more sense, to me anyway, I think I can see which way this is now going.....

That's exactly what I was trying to say.

[Frank Blank]

11 minutes ago, LewisK1975 said:

Ah ha!  Eureka moment!  It seems lined Basses (granted I only did a quick google images search) also have dots in the position where you'd find them on a fretted Bass.  To me having both seems confusing, I think I'd be going for the dots and therefore be out of tune.

Whereas Unlined just have the side dots in the fret line position. Seems to make more sense, to me anyway, I think I can see which way this is now going.....

Can I just share that eureka moment, I thought the dots on an unlined were in the same place as a fretted!

[kodiakblair]

Mine are unlined as when I've tried lined boards I found myself looking at the neck.

This was a pain in the neck, both meanings of the phrase 

[Happy Jack]

2 hours ago, Rumple said:

I've had both and prefer unlined mostly but I do get a bit lost above the 9th fret   I like this idea

If you're buying your first fretless, then I definitely recommend this approach. It's been used reasonably widely over the years - 70s and 80s Ibanez basses spring to mind - so there's a fair number out there.

Alternatively, any decent luthier will be able to do this as a mod for very little dosh.

 

[neilp]

There is no such thing as a lined violin, viola, cello or double bass, and there's a reason for that. The lines actually make it more difficult to play in tune... counterintuitive, but its true

[BassBus]

21 minutes ago, neilp said:

There is no such thing as a lined violin, viola, cello or double bass, and there's a reason for that. The lines actually make it more difficult to play in tune... counterintuitive, but its true

A fretless bass is not a violin, viola, cello or double bass. Completely different instrument and setup.