Fretless or Not?

[Harvey616]

Hello All.
I am new to Bass chat forums, and I would like to briefly introduce myself. I know there is a "Introductions" section, but I am mainly in need of some advice, so I decided to post here.

My name is Harvey and I have been playing bass for 2 years. I have a Yamaha RBX 180 and I am currently trying to choose a new bass. I also have a line 6 Bass Floor Pod. I am part of a deathcore band that is beggining to get big in our local area, and we have a spot on a tour in July and play regular local gigs with some rather large bands.

I've played a bass with frets the whole time I have been playing and not tried out a fretless. I was just wondering what the advantages/disadvantages are of a fretless bass, as I am very interested in one.

Thank youu in advance (:

Harvey.

[absolutpepper]

[quote name='Harvey616' post='724740' date='Jan 25 2010, 11:52 PM']Hello All.
I am new to Bass chat forums, and I would like to briefly introduce myself. I know there is a "Introductions" section, but I am mainly in need of some advice, so I decided to post here.

My name is Harvey and I have been playing bass for 2 years. I have a Yamaha RBX 180 and I am currently trying to choose a new bass. I also have a line 6 Bass Floor Pod. I am part of a deathcore band that is beggining to get big in our local area, and we have a spot on a tour in July and play regular local gigs with some rather large bands.

I've played a bass with frets the whole time I have been playing and not tried out a fretless. I was just wondering what the advantages/disadvantages are of a fretless bass, as I am very interested in one.

Thank youu in advance (:

Harvey.[/quote]

Firstly, hi Harvey, welcome to the forum.

It would be useful to know what sort of music you'd be playing the fretless with. If its the deathcore band I would say that it probably wouldnt particularly suit the music (although as with everything you could probably make it work if you are clever with it). Fretless is a totally different beast to fretted and its good to think of it in that way. If you are playing quite heavy and precise music then it would be quite hard to integrate. Generally I play a more legato style with the fretless and it has a lovely mellow, warm jazz type voicing. Its nice as a lead instrument and works well as a fingerstyle instrument.

Another thing is that although I dont know what level of skill you have developed for fretted but its worth nothing that fretless generally requires greater intonation and musicality in your playing.

Hope this helps.

Chris

[fatback]

Alas, I've found that leaping about and fretless do not mix.

if you want to move ya body, Mick Karn's sliding on rails technique is probably the one, but i haven't mastered it.

Lovely instrument to play though.


fatback

[Bloodaxe]

My 2p on this...

I've been taking a fretless to local Jam/Open Mic sessions since May/June & haven't really found many tunes that it hasn't fitted in with. No Metal mind you (& I have [i]absolutely no idea[/i] what "Deathcore" is), but plenty of Classic Rock (Zep, Lizzy etc.) - even with a pick.

The only real problem area I've found is in playing chords - that can sound godawful very easily!

To give an idea as to what "Rock Fretless" [i]can[/i] sound like, try this:



Pete.

[mybass]

[quote name='Harvey616' post='724740' date='Jan 25 2010, 11:52 PM']Hello All.
I am new to Bass chat forums, and I would like to briefly introduce myself. I know there is a "Introductions" section, but I am mainly in need of some advice, so I decided to post here.

My name is Harvey and I have been playing bass for 2 years. I have a Yamaha RBX 180 and I am currently trying to choose a new bass. I also have a line 6 Bass Floor Pod. I am part of a deathcore band that is beggining to get big in our local area, and we have a spot on a tour in July and play regular local gigs with some rather large bands.

I've played a bass with frets the whole time I have been playing and not tried out a fretless. I was just wondering what the advantages/disadvantages are of a fretless bass, as I am very interested in one.

Thank youu in advance (:

Harvey.[/quote]

There are lots of advantages but it takes time to find them. You would have to make sure that you practise intonation day in day out, probably for some considerable time, just like a double bass/cello/violin student would have to.
However, the fretted bass does have a its own values and the "clunk" of the fret against string can be the more aggressive and better sound for certain music, like metal or rock or thumb/slap bass.

[Jerry_B]

It also depends on the make of the bass, and perhaps if you're putting it through any effects. For deathcore a fretless could create some interesting possibilities. A marked fretless may be the best first step until you get used to playing one. After that, an unmarked one and jumping about in true deathcore styleee shouldn't be a problem. You can also actually get away with not being too anal about intonation, as long as you get the hang of a few tricks needed to get a good sound out of a fretless. If you play with a pick you will also get another variety of sound out of one compared to playing with your fingers.

[Jerry_B]

[quote name='mybass' post='725683' date='Jan 26 2010, 08:29 PM']However, the fretted bass does have a its own values and the "clunk" of the fret against string can be the more aggressive and better sound for certain music, like metal or rock or thumb/slap bass.[/quote]

That said, if playing with a pick and with some decent pickups and/or compression you can get a nice 'crack' type of sound out of a fretless.

[fatback]

[quote]an unmarked one and jumping about in true deathcore styleee shouldn't be a problem.[/quote]

Where do I get lessons?

Seriously, i think learning to play a fretless is a great thing to do for a whole lot of reasons, especially to train your ear.

And as jerry_b said, there's a world of amazing sounds to be had in a fretless. As they say: no frets, no limits.

[Jerry_B]

From my experience, I also think a Jazz-type bass would give you a wider range of sounds and tones (especially true if playing with a pick). I can get quite alot of different noises out of my unmarked fretless Fender Jazz. All you need is a pick, some compression, some distortion, and you're off.

[rapscallion]

ONE... wait, two words:

Sean Malone

/thread

[Bloodaxe]

[quote name='rapscallion' post='725900' date='Jan 26 2010, 11:30 PM']ONE... wait, two words:

Sean Malone

/thread[/quote]

Blimey! /thread + lots squared!

[bigsmokebass]

Hey Harvey, welcome to the forums.

Just my personal opinion: a fretless bass is a totally different instrument than to bass guitar, you basically have to work it for it to work for you or so i have been doing and its great for a play around and experiment with.

Nothing wrong with using a fretted or fretless for any genre... after all it could stick, people love it and you get famous lol but just give it a try before you buy ect ect.

If you were to ask me what fretless to try though, i'd recommend the (Fender) Squier Vintage Modern Fretless Jazz and work your way up from there depending on your budget- any other bass in that price range i wouldnt touch.

Wish you all the best and i hope i've helped ^_^

[Cat Burrito]

Welcome to the forum. My first fretless was an old Vox that had been defretted by the last owner - so it was lined, of sorts. It is a different ball game and I wouldn't immediately associate it with your chosen style of music but as the others have highlighted there are always exceptions. If it is in addition to an existing set up then yes, a serious contender but if you are looking to maybe upgrade what you have then I'd give it some real thought.

[Jerry_B]

The bass playing in the Malone clip seems a bit muted, to me anyway. You should be able to get more attack out of a fretless, which may be what you need for deathcore. Just so those damn guitars don't hog all of the sound you chuck at your audience

[fatback]

[quote name='Jerry_B' post='726112' date='Jan 27 2010, 10:30 AM']The bass playing in the Malone clip seems a bit muted, to me anyway. You should be able to get more attack out of a fretless, which may be what you need for deathcore. Just so those damn guitars don't hog all of the sound you chuck at your audience [/quote]


My one and only bass (alas) is a fretless and has to cover a lot of requirements. I found two things help a lot:

vary where you pluck between the bridge and the neck. Closer to the bridge helps you get a more attacking sound. Second, rough up the sound a bit with some distortion.

I agree with above that you probably shouldn't get rid of your fretted and then depend totally on the fretless. You need to build confidence.

fatback


fatback

Edited January 27, 2010 by fatback

[Harvey616]

Thank youu to everyone that replied. (:
Youu've been a great help, and I've decided to keep my fretted bass.
In time I may get a fretless, but at the moment, I'm going to stay how I am as I don't want to take a chance that doesn't work out.

Thank youu again (:

[thebuckets]

Harvey,
I have very recently moved to fretless having bought an early eighties yamaha 400s fretless on this very site after some sound advice from fatback and bassasassin.
I am so glad i did it sounds better through my peavey tnt amp than my stingray or p bass do and seems to fit the band sound really well playing mainly covers- doors and hendrix to stereophonics and oasis. after only a few weeks i consider it 'my sound'
I am now already gassing for another fretless (any TFs for sale?)
what im trying to say is give it a go you wont know till you go
good luck and welcome to the forum
Bri

[velvetkevorkian]

[quote name='Bloodaxe' post='725964' date='Jan 27 2010, 01:36 AM']Blimey! /thread + lots squared!

[/quote]
Steve DiGiorgio is another excellent metal fretless player, who favours the brighter Jaco-style sound. Sean Malone is The Bomb, however.
Video probably not safe for work- some language.



Fretless can work in metal- I disagree about it being a radically different instrument from fretted. It will take more practice than fretted but it opens up possibilities for you.

What kind of metal bass sound do you go for, clean and punchy or do you prefer the clanky, grinding sound?

edit- video doesn't seem to want to embed- [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZWMGIF3b-c&feature=related"]link![/url]

Edited February 2, 2010 by velvetkevorkian

[thisnameistaken]

Fretless can sound really aggressive if you want it to (and you can play). It does take discipline to play in tune, but it's not a massively different experience to playing a fretted bass. I played only fretless for a few years and never had an issue with making it fit in with the bands I was playing with. Nobody ever batted an eyelid.

Avoid if you're one of those metal bassists whose sound is mostly clang though - you'll struggle to get clang out of a fretless for obvious reasons.

[Huw Foster]

[quote name='Bloodaxe' post='725588' date='Jan 26 2010, 07:00 PM']To give an idea as to what "Rock Fretless" [i]can[/i] sound like, try this:

[/quote]
That's Jack Bruce?! Haha, wow!

I've never tried fretless in earnest, but it can suit whatever style of music you want it to. Colin Edwin (bassist for Porcupine Tree) uses a fretless Wal a fair bit.

For fretless in a metal-ish type context (albeit not deathcore!), check out Pain of Salvation. Their former bassist Kristoffer Gildenlöw plays fretless on quite a lot of their early output.

Bear in mind I am not a fretless player at all, so that's the only advice I can really give you. Better to adhere to the comments made by people who know what they're talking about.

Edited February 2, 2010 by Huwberry

[alhbass]

[quote name='Harvey616' post='727746' date='Jan 28 2010, 04:12 PM']Thank youu to everyone that replied. (:
Youu've been a great help, and I've decided to keep my fretted bass.
In time I may get a fretless, but at the moment, I'm going to stay how I am as I don't want to take a chance that doesn't work out.

Thank youu again (:[/quote]


I've only noticed this thread just now - a bit late to contribute maybe - but I believe the great Les Claypool plays fretless, and some of his stuff is very heavy. It certainly doesn't lack edge anyway!