Decisions, decisions

[Jimmyb]

Ok, so here's the dilema (somewhere below eventually).

Some time around June 2012, I'm (hopefully) going to graduate from University with a dergree in Electronic and Electrical Engineering. Yes, I know, I'm 37, I should have done all of this already etc etc. Anyway, as it happened, I was made redundant in 2009 and given the state of the construction industry at the time, nothing was forthcoming, so I decided to grasp the opportunity to study.

So, less digression and more relevance now.

The quandry is this, if I manage to scrape a first, I'm proposing to treat myself to a Big AL, 5 string (hey, I'll already have 25k of debt!!) BUT and it's a big but...

Do I go fretless or not?

I've got a Bongo 5HSP, which is fretted, so I was thinking of something that would compliment it.

I'm probably veering towards fretless, but am not sure if it will just be a novelty or not, so do I keep with the cheap 4 string fretless that I have, an get the fretted Big Al?

In an ideal world I'd have one of each, but it's not, so that's out of the window. Anyway, it could all be academic, as I could fail miserably.

So, what do you reckon, fretless or not?

 

[jlepre]

If you are COMFORTABLE playing fretless, then you have your answer. If not then you have your answer...

 

[Holdsg]

what, no option for carrots? oh, that's the other place.

I like what John said. If it fits the style of music you play, go for it. Can't go wrong with either way with the Big Al 5.

 

[JayDawg]

How often do you see yourself playing a fretless? If it isn't a lot, I would buy another fretted bass and then maybe use an effects system for a fretless sound on the few songs you need it on.

 

[Freddels]

A fretless Bongo would compliment it. A fretted Big Al would be a little different flavor.

 

[bassmonkeee]

Never apologize for getting education, Dude. Good luck!

I love my fretless Bongo, and the fretless Big Al I had for a while was an amazing bass. I can't recommend either enough, really.

I do very little "fretless" playing, but I use the bass for 1-2 full sets of 3-4 hour gigs, if that makes sense. I play fretless and fretted basses the same way with very few long slides or big exaggerated fretless vibratos. But, I do appreciate the different tone you get from simply not having frets and love it as a texture.

Both the fretless Bongo and the Big Al Bongo have their own character to them. If you are going single H, I'd say go with a Big Al fretless H. There are a LOT of tones in there. And, it's a great cross between familiar and unique to the Bongo you already have.

If you are going to get a fretless and only use it on two songs a gig, I'd say get another fretted bass that has its own character that will see more use.

I just got a Big Al 5SSS, but I don't have enough time on it to give an informed decision yet, I'm afraid. But, so far, it's a winner.


Really, you can't go wrong either way. But, I'd hate to see you spend that much on a bass that's not going to get much use. Spend as much time as you can playing your cheap fretless as you can. Are there things that you simply can't/won't play on the fretless simply because it's fretless? That should help you make up your mind.

 

[Smallmouth_Bass]

If you are going to get a fretless and only use it on two songs a gig, I'd say get another fretted bass that has its own character that will see more use.

I agree. If you want to get a fretless just to have a fretless, I'd go for the fretted.

 

[Golem]

If you are COMFORTABLE playing fretless, then you
have your answer. If not then you have your answer...

I tend to agree, and here's a related [possibly even
a relevant] thought:

If it was me, who happens to luuuurrrrv FL, here's
what I'd do. I'd get a Bongo 5HP FL and swap the
necks. With Boingos that means you gotta get the
same color ... OR a color that results in a boootiful
subtle 2-tone, a 'yin-yang' pair, 2-tone-colorwise,
of opposite colors between the 2 basses [neck &
head color vs body color].

Of my own experience, I have a fretted HH and
an FL HP. The single H is further from the bridge
than the bridge PU of an HH. It's perfect FL tone.

Acoarst YMMV but thaz my 3 cents.

OK, I have a 4th cent to throw in. Do get a
Boingo FL, not a Big Al etc. If you will have
just the two basses, the exact match in the
feel of both the fretted and the FL is verrry
helpful. It enlarges your FL comfort zone.

Again, YMMV. Whatevvvverrrr ... ENJOY !


`

`

 

[cellkirk74]

I know this won't help much, but I really love my Bongo fretless 4 HP. I see some truth in Golem's idea of the neck swap

If you want a Big Al, get it fretted because you will benefit more from the different sound possibilities on both the H or SSS model.

I had the chance to play the maybe only living roasted fretless reflex HSS recently (formerly Manfloozy's, now at MadMatt) and it sound killer, but compared directly, the fretted version is more versatile.

 

[Jimmyb]

I'm definitely thinking of going for the SSS, I love the idea of having the versatility of the active and passive switching, plus I think it will be a good compliment to the Bongo to cover some of the more 'traditional' sounds.

I could always get busy with the pliers!!!

Ok, back to the books, got to pass first, otherwise it's all academic (ho ho ho).

 

[drTStingray]

You should get a fretless - it's good fun once you've got used to it.

FWIW I have a 3 band Stingray fretless and it sounds absolutely killer with EB group 3 flats. Good as the Bongo and Big Al are, I would recommend the H Ray to anyone looking to play fretless. It will add another dimension to your playing.

 

[MadMatt]

I would say go fretless!!!

I got into fretless because I simply fell in love with Pino's sound (funny though, I can play any of his songs )

I initially de-fretted a cheap Korean I had in the basement. I was surprised that is was not quite as difficult as I though it would be. Ok, I am definitely nowhere near the level of Pino and Co. (as CellKirk can attest too ) but none my band mates complains of bad intonation and they even prefer the sound of the fretless Reflex over all of my other basses.

There is a lot of wisdom in Golom's advice to get a Bongo since that is what your hands are used too. After getting the fretless Reflex I realized that switching between my fretted Stingray and the Reflex was not that easy (I actually stopped liking the Stingray... yea, I know, thats blasphemy)... I got a good deal 25th and now the differences in feel are small enough that my hands kinda know where to go regardless of which bass I have in my hand.

I play in a Pop/Rock cover band and actually use the fretless for all but about 3 of our songs. I have it set up for medium "mhawness" with Slinkies and I (and the Band) think it works great for almost everything (slow ballads like Let it Be, rock classics like You Shook Me all Night Long or pop icons like Hold the Line)

The songs that I dont use it on are either where I need the B of my Sterling 5 or where I use hammer on's/off's. (I simply can only get those to sound right on frets).

Lastly, I would recommend going unlined... with the top dots you really dont need the lines. At least for me, after a few weeks I started use my ears instead of your eyes to check intonation... and... I cant see the lines anyways with the bass on a strap so it was a no brainer for me.

If you you love the sound of fretless enough to dedicate yourself to it then "Just Do It!"

 

[Spudmurphy]

get a fretted bass - our Bass player has played fretless since the 80's (and he still plays at times like he's still in the 80's! - what with all the slide harmonics, you get all kinds of noises coming from him)
He sounds MUCH better on a fretted (please fretless players don't hang me )

So my 2d worth = fretted not fretless.

TOTALY off topic Jimmy, my son being Welsh, and in a Welsh Uni and with the Welsh student loan company - we were able to pay a one off payment of £50 and wiped £1500 off the capital balance outstanding on his student loan. Maybe worthwile you look into whether the "English" system is as "advanced" as the Welsh one?

 

[Jimmyb]

Right, I'm going to patent the idea of a fretless/fretted device that you can have built into your bass. Some sort of cam device at the headstock will enable the frets to be raised or lowered on the neck. Could be onto a winner here....

O/T right back at ya Spud, not heard about that, but I'll look into it. Mind you, the way the Scottish and Welsh system works compared to ours, paying anything off early will probably result in a £2000 surcharge!!

 

[adouglas]

Something like that has been done, but simpler. Swappable fretboards, held on with small magnets IIRC.

I've also seen half-fretted half fretless, where it's smooth above the 12th fret.

I note that neither of these ideas took the market by storm.

 

[Jimmyb]

Yeah, but I'd put in a wireless connector with presets, making it automatically switch to fretless every time a guitar player tried to pick it up and slap on it. This will make me millions!