Unlined fretless fingerboard position of side dots

[petergales]

Does anyone know of a manufacturer who makes a fretless where the side dot markers are in the same position as they would be on a fretted bass?

I get a bit confused when I try lined boards but side dots on an unlined board seem more natural to me.

I don't want to go to the expense of a custom job, just want to play for fun really.

Thanks

Pete

 

[Hellzero]

Almost all luthiers are doing this, but official brands do it on their unlined fretless basses.

It's only on lined ones that the side dots are too often at the fretted positions.

Edited July 20, 2020 by Hellzero

[Stub Mandrel]

1 hour ago, petergales said:

Does anyone know of a manufacturer who makes a fretless where the side dot markers are in the same position as they would be on a fretted bass?

There was a whole thread on this a while back.

I have a dot at fret one, and find dot between the fret ones really horrible to play, but most people like whatever they learnt on.

It must be cheaper to make fretless necks by just leaving the frets off without having to set up for dots in different places.

 

[petergales]

3 hours ago, Hellzero said:

Almost all luthiers are doing this, but official brands do it on their unlined fretless basses.

It's only on lined ones that the side dots are too often at the fretted positions.

Thanks. I'll try to follow that up.

[petergales]

2 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said:

There was a whole thread on this a while back.

I have a dot at fret one, and find dot between the fret ones really horrible to play, but most people like whatever they learnt on.

It must be cheaper to make fretless necks by just leaving the frets off without having to set up for dots in different places.

 

Thanks. That's a fair point.

[Beedster]

3 hours ago, petergales said:

Does anyone know of a manufacturer who makes a fretless where the side dot markers are in the same position as they would be on a fretted bass?

I get a bit confused when I try lined boards but side dots on an unlined board seem more natural to me.

I don't want to go to the expense of a custom job, just want to play for fun really.

Thanks

Pete

 

So do you want an unlined board with fret markers between the notes as is the case with fretted boards, I'm a bit unclear? 

Either way, I use a combination of black marker pen and chalk or Typpex when I find a neck whose markings disagree with my preferences 

[petergales]

10 hours ago, Beedster said:

So do you want an unlined board with fret markers between the notes as is the case with fretted boards, I'm a bit unclear? 

Either way, I use a combination of black marker pen and chalk or Typpex when I find a neck whose markings disagree with my preferences 

Thanks Beedster. You got it correct. I'm looking for an unlined board with side markers in the same location as they would be if the board was fretted. Good tip about the marker pen and Tippex - thanks.

[BigRedX]

Yes there are some basses made like that. Normally the cheaper models/brands where it is easier not to have to reposition the side dots for the fretless versions. Personally I can't get on with this method. The only bass I have with an unlined board but dots between the frets I found almost impossible to play in tune and moved it on fairly quickly, but in the end it's down to what you are used to.

[Stub Mandrel]

I found it easier to play in tune with my eyes closed than with in-between dots, because I keep 'correcting' my fingering into the wrong place.

 

[petergales]

51 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

Yes there are some basses made like that. Normally the cheaper models/brands where it is easier not to have to reposition the side dots for the fretless versions. Personally I can't get on with this method. The only bass I have with an unlined board but dots between the frets I found almost impossible to play in tune and moved it on fairly quickly, but in the end it's down to what you are used to.

Thanks BigRedX. What brand was the bass you mention in your post?

[petergales]

34 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

I found it easier to play in tune with my eyes closed than with in-between dots, because I keep 'correcting' my fingering into the wrong place.

 

I find this problem with lined boards as I tend to go the 'wrong' side of the line. With a plain board I can adjust my finger position more-or-less in the way I used to do with my double bass. 

[BigRedX]

8 minutes ago, petergales said:

Thanks BigRedX. What brand was the bass you mention in your post?

It was a Lace Helix. Mine was an ex-NAMM pre-production model so it may not have been like that on all of them.

[petergales]

1 hour ago, BigRedX said:

It was a Lace Helix. Mine was an ex-NAMM pre-production model so it may not have been like that on all of them.

Thanks, but that sounds like it would be expensive?

[BigRedX]

40 minutes ago, petergales said:

Thanks, but that sounds like it would be expensive?

No, It was about £350 including shipping, VAT and import duty. Cheap because it was an ex-demo instrument from a music show, that had been bought by a dealer and then languished unsold until they stuck it on eBay.

[petergales]

6 hours ago, BigRedX said:

No, It was about £350 including shipping, VAT and import duty. Cheap because it was an ex-demo instrument from a music show, that had been bought by a dealer and then languished unsold until they stuck it on eBay.

That sounds like it was a good deal!

[three]

I think Beedster’s idea is a really good one, though as many have suggested in other threads, it may just be easier to listen and try to ignore the dots/markers/lines. They just tend to throw me out, though in noisy conditions with poor monitoring, dots can be useful

[petergales]

15 hours ago, three said:

I think Beedster’s idea is a really good one, though as many have suggested in other threads, it may just be easier to listen and try to ignore the dots/markers/lines. They just tend to throw me out, though in noisy conditions with poor monitoring, dots can be useful

Thanks Three. I think you have a good point there Maybe I'll just have  to go down the Beedster's route.

[three]

12 minutes ago, petergales said:

Thanks Three. I think you have a good point there Maybe I'll just have  to go down the Beedster's route.

I realised that I should have qualified my post by saying that when I used lines and dots, I sounded like a demented clanger.  Now I just listen, my intonation and touch has improved to the point that I sound like a squiffy clanger with a cough 

[petergales]

4 minutes ago, three said:

I realised that I should have qualified my post by saying that when I used lines and dots, I sounded like a demented clanger.  Now I just listen, my intonation and touch has improved to the point that I sound like a squiffy clanger with a cough 

Haha! Nice one three!

[Hanz]

On 20/07/2020 at 19:21, petergales said:

Does anyone know of a manufacturer who makes a fretless where the side dot markers are in the same position as they would be on a fretted bass?

I get a bit confused when I try lined boards but side dots on an unlined board seem more natural to me.

I don't want to go to the expense of a custom job, just want to play for fun really.

Thanks

Pete

 

Didn’t really see this mentioned, but Sire - at least my P7 fretless - has the side  dot marks at the same position as fretted. I find it confusing, but given its lined fretboard, it’s OK I guess...

Edited August 24, 2020 by Hanz