Who plays fretless in a rock/pop band?

[Waddycall]

Sounds like we might be getting the old band back together. Trouble is I’ve recently decided to focus on fretless so sold both my fretted basses. I don’t really want to get any more gear especially as they’re an unreliable bunch. 
so who plays fretless in a rock/pop band and how do you find it in the mix? 

[franzbassist]

I do!  No issues whatsoever.  Punchy as you like.  Or slippy, whatever's needed.

[Beedster]

Used to (and will again soon when I start gigging again). As long as you’re in tune no-one should notice unless you want them to. I find fretless easier than fretted these days 

[hooky_lowdown]

Sting.

[franzbassist]

Jaz Lochrie

 

[White Cloud]

I used to. No problems whatsoever 

[ezbass]

I used to play both in an 80s covers band, then I just used the fretless, no problems.

[Linus27]

Yep, no problem at all, just do it.

[PaulThePlug]

Not in a band... but my Son loves the sound of his Fretless, Drive and Wah, playing more lead, melody.

 

He feels it's fretless capabilities and difference should be explored more.

 

He's trying the the Zoom B1 Synth stuff to come up with something...

 

He asked me how to get a more 'Saxophone Sound' ? Feels the expressiveness can provide an overlap...

 

Anyone?

[dmz]

Jeez, where to begin. Mick Karn (Japan), David J (Bauhaus/Love and Rockets), Tony Franklin (The Firm etc).

 

I used a fretless Shergold 6-string fretless in an Irish folky band (Think Pogues) in the early 90’s - but that’s not important right now……..☺️ Wish I had photographic evidence 🙄

[prowla]

 

[Bassassin]

Fretless in hyper-technical death metal? Think he gets away with it.

 

Cryptic Shift.

 

 

[Rumple]

I used to play a fretless Shergold Marathon in an originals pop/rock band in the late 80's without issue. I was listening to some tapes from that band decades later and heard a rare slide during a break in rehearsals up until then I had forgotten it was the fretless I used.

[police squad]

yep I've done it too. It also looks good if it's unlined

[uk_lefty]

I'll more than happily play fretless in pop/ rock. You don't have to "mwaaaah" every note, but when you do it can be special! For a long time my only bass was my first fretless and I used it for classic rock. I now play it occasionally for 2000's indie rock. Just go for it, nobody should be telling you what you can or can't play as long as you're being respectful to the song and the band.

[Linus27]

I even used to play fretless in a 50's/60's Rock n Roll band so if its good for Elvis and Chuck Berry then its good for anything

[tauzero]

I did for years, may well go back to it. I'll add Boz Burrell in Bad Company to the list.

[itu]

Giblin and Palladino are the first ones that come to my mind when I hear the word fretless. Willis and Manring, if it has to be more complicated. And John Francis.

[Grahambythesea]

Rick Danko - The Band

[Waddycall]

Thanks everyone. Sounds like my unlined Jazz should do the job ok. Might change the strings as it’s on cobalt flats at the mo. Might go back to rounds. I’ll hold fire until they actually arrange something though.

[Linus27]

Don't forget Jeff Amett from Pearl Jam but as already mentioned, Pino Palladino (Paul Young), John Giblin (Kate Bush/Simple Minds) Derek Forbes (Simple Minds), Paul Webb (Talk Talk), Mick Khan (Japan) to name a few.

[Hellzero]

And Jack Bruce (Cream), Alain Caron (Uzeb, Mike Stern, ...), Steve DiGiorgio (Death, ...), Mark Egan (Pat Metheny, Claude Nougaro's Nougayork, ...), Percy Jones (Brand X, Tunnels, Brian Eno ...), Bakithi Kumalo (Paul Simon's Graceland), Sting (The Police), Bernard Paganotti (Magma, Francis Cabrel, ...), Jaco Pastorius (Joni Mitchell, Weather Report, ...) and Bill Wyman (The Rolling Stones).

 

And many more.

[geoffbyrne]

Me.  What Beedster said....

 

[acidbass]

Yeah man just do it. I would love to see more fretless basses.

[EssentialTension]

Fretless is fine. Almost everyone won't notice, including the band.

 

As long as you're roughly in tune.