Tobacco Toothless Alien Response Vehicle

[bovinehost]

So I was in sort of a rut. I needed something to motivate me. Every five years or so, I think, "Fretless - there's a good idea." It usually isn't. In 1999 or so, my main bass was actually an unlined Stingray 5, and what I discovered then was if you're going to play toothless, you have to just dedicate yourself to it, and I did do that with the SR5 for a couple of years. I felt like I made progress, but then I'd play Heinz The Wonder Bass, and kind of knew I wasn't cut out for unlined fretless. (My pal Kennan likes to point out that the world is full of 5 year old violin players - and the unlined board doesn't scare THEM.)

So I finally ditched the unlined SR5 and, over the years, acquired a couple of decent fretless lined basses. The Vampire Ray, which was at one time on eBay, covered in fake blood from some whacko band - thus the name. The Small EQ Bongo, perhaps the finest fretless Bongo EVER. (Should have kept that one, how many times have I said that?) I gave it up. I was not a FL player.

I've killed a number of birds with one trade. I haven't had a Stingray 4 in a long time, which bothers me. I should have a Stingray 4! How can I - of all people - not have a Stingray?

So now I have one. And it's a lined fretless, and I'm really enjoying it. I'm motivated again to just pick up a bass and play it because playing bass is FUN, not because I have a gig next week or need to fill in for someone, etc etc. I'm playing again because playing is fun.

Pretty, isn't it?

Jack

 

[SugarMaple]

It is pretty, very nice grain on that one!

You are braver than I am, I've never tried fretless. Maybe someday...

 

[danny-79]

Not having a SR4 is a crime in its self!
The grain pattern in that one is beautiful !
Its nice to own a bass that inspires you to not only play but play better !
nice score

 

[Tollywood]

Congrats - I love the tobacco finish. Are you using flatwound strings? They make playing a fretless super fun...

 

[mmbassplayer]

The Small EQ Bongo, perhaps the finest fretless Bongo EVER. (Should have kept that one, how many times have I said that?) I gave it up. I was not a FL player.
Jack

Jack... I was going through old bass pictures and was thinking the same thing just yesterday. Should have kept the Small EQ, but i'm not a fretless player. JOSH

 

[Oldtoe]

They do make a pretty sound.

 

[lefenton]

Hot!
Love the wood grain.

 

[xjbebop]

Great looking bass!
Back in my bass playing days, I learned that I got along with some fretless better than others...and some not at all. Like you said, it took a lot of dedication for me to get even a little proficient at it. Even then I never got close to really being any good, but when things went well it sure was fun!

 

[nurnay]

Tobacco burst is so classy, love it. I'm still working on my fretless skillz. They're not great. :/

 

[drTStingray]

I

View attachment 28926

So I was in sort of a rut. I needed something to motivate me. Every five years or so, I think, "Fretless - there's a good idea." It usually isn't. In 1999 or so, my main bass was actually an unlined Stingray 5, and what I discovered then was if you're going to play toothless, you have to just dedicate yourself to it, and I did do that with the SR5 for a couple of years. I felt like I made progress, but then I'd play Heinz The Wonder Bass, and kind of knew I wasn't cut out for unlined fretless. (My pal Kennan likes to point out that the world is full of 5 year old violin players - and the unlined board doesn't scare THEM.)

So I finally ditched the unlined SR5 and, over the years, acquired a couple of decent fretless lined basses. The Vampire Ray, which was at one time on eBay, covered in fake blood from some whacko band - thus the name. The Small EQ Bongo, perhaps the finest fretless Bongo EVER. (Should have kept that one, how many times have I said that?) I gave it up. I was not a FL player.

I've killed a number of birds with one trade. I haven't had a Stingray 4 in a long time, which bothers me. I should have a Stingray 4! How can I - of all people - not have a Stingray?

So now I have one. And it's a lined fretless, and I'm really enjoying it. I'm motivated again to just pick up a bass and play it because playing bass is FUN, not because I have a gig next week or need to fill in for someone, etc etc. I'm playing again because playing is fun.

Pretty, isn't it?

Jack

Fabulous - well done. Sunburst fretless Ray's are marvellous.

Do you still have that sparkly green Bongo?

 

[bovinehost]

I

Fabulous - well done. Sunburst fretless Ray's are marvellous.

Do you still have that sparkly green Bongo?

Oh my yes. Some things - most things I play now - are non-negotiable. The Emerald Sparkle Bongo falls easily into that category. I have two 5H Bongos and that's just about right, I think. The Candy Red Bongo is THE BASS; I bring it everywhere even if I don't play it because....well, what if I need it? My security blanket. But it's got all these crazy signatures on the back in Sharpie and I'm trying my best to keep them as intact as can be (Dargin, BP, Luke, Chuck Rainey, Dudley, John Ferraro, amongst others).

Anyway, the flats (EB Group III, for the record) really brought this thing to life. At first, I laughed at my intonation but after a few hours I wasn't laughing. I was all WTF? Then I decided to check the intonation and WHOA, hold on, you have to intonate even a fretless bass and this one, after the string change, was about +3 all up and down the neck. Magic Yellow Screwdriver and a bit of patience got that under control and then POW, hey, my intonation was way better. Who knew? (Probably everyone but me but at least I finally remembered.)

I'm working, when time allows, on some basic but (for me) challenging stuff - Lyle Lovett because he's really a gift to bassists and loves to write stuff that allows you to get it right away but then the walking lines can challenge you, so that's good exercise. I'll need to work on my own band's stuff because all that is now muscle memory for me but it's memory of a fiver so I know better than to just think, "Well, I got that." It doesn't work that way for me, anyway. And that will be the real challenge. I can sit here in my cave and play along with Lyle and maybe some mellower stuff like Shawn Colvin (also a gift to bassists) but taking it out to a gig is the scary bit, isn't it?

It sure keeps me down where I belong, where the money is!

 

[Psycho Ward]

I like lines, tan lines, those lines in the middle of the road and the lines on that bass guitar. Yes, it IS pretty!

 

[bovinehost]

Thanks, Chuck! You should bring a lefty to the next gig so I can go do nothing!

 

[Psycho Ward]

I'll bring the red Bongo5, mirror image trickery could be had.