Question How much play time on your fretless?

[Holdsg]

Every so often, I get the itch, thinking that I should have a fretless in the arsenal. Then when i start looking for them used, and I see a lot of dudes that are selling are doing so because they don't play them very much. Don't want to get a bass just to "have" it, it needs to earn its own keep.

So my question is this, which of you are using your fretless on a regular basis versus your fretted, and is it more a function of the style of music you play, or you just prefer the tone of the fretless over the fretted? Got that?

 

[bassmonkeee]

At any given 4 hour gig, I usually use the fretless for two of the four sets. At the last gig, I actually used it for three of the four sets because the bass just plays so effortlessly.

There is no rhyme or reason for which sets I use it.

 

[Hellboy]

About 75 % fretted, 25 % fretless. Love fretless.

//J

 

[adouglas]

I play mine for all of our acoustic/ballad stuff (e.g., At Last, Natural Woman, Killing Me Softly). Whenever the other guys put down the Str*ts and pick up their acoustics, I switch to my fretless.

Varies by gig... at most it'll be five or six songs out of 50 or so.

I love playing it when I'm alone, though, because it sounds so beautiful.

 

[bassmonkeee]

Why not perhaps give the fretless a go on some of the songs you usually play with your fretted, too? I love playing "Killing Floor" with my fretted Bongo with flats and a pick and my fretless basses equally. I approach the song different with each bass. I mix it up on our originals, too.

I don't really think of fretless basses as specialty basses for certain numbers. Not live, anyway. Each instrument just has it's own sound. No need to go all big "mwah and slide-y" just because there aren't any frets, either.


Hell, at the very least, it keeps it interesting.

 

[ErlendDL]

Why not perhaps give the fretless a go on some of the songs you usually play with your fretted, too?

This ^

I find playing fretless makes my playing more Motown-ish.

Some days when playing at home, I only use the fretless. Some days I don't touch it. It's an "eeny, meeny" kind of situation. The only stuff I won't consider playing on fretless is faster songs, or songs where I have to stretch. I'm not that precise yet, but it's fun anyway.

At gigs, maybe 20% overall?

I played a bunch of ABBA songs with a brass band a few months ago, and used my fretless Ray on 3/10 songs.

It's absolutely worth having one in your arsenal.

 

[adouglas]

I don't think my ear and intonation is good enough to play the faster stuff, even with lines.

 

[Holdsg]

I love playing "Killing Floor" with my fretted Bongo with flats and a pick and my fretless basses equally.

I love playing "Killing Floor" period.

Such a classic line.

 

[TheAntMan]

It varies based on what I want to express and what the song, setting, or style may call for. I let it be one of my musical voices. I have played entire gigs with my Non-EBMM fretless - been a little over protective with my Bongo -- due to personal circumstances (Non-EBMM is gone) that is now changing and for the better .

Anyway, I used it for a Christmas gig because of the expressiveness I wanted to give to that particular style of music. I had one young lady I worked with come up to me and tell me I was a "real bass player". She had seen me play fretted a couple of times before but that was the first time she saw me play with the fretless. I asked her why she was saying that but she couldn't explain other than that the way I played that time made her feel that way.

It is all personal choice and what you are looking for musically. Bass players, of all levels, either play only fretless, only fretted or both.

It sounds like you are curious about it but maybe not really feeling the "need" for it. You will know when to get one once you start feeling the need.

Good luck on your quest

--Ant

 

[five7]

Only playing fretted these days, so 0 %.

 

[adouglas]

No plan of battle ever survives first contact with the enemy.

 

[OldManMusic]

I'm using my fretless more but that's based on the type of music the bands playing. If it's rockin, I'm usually on the fretted bass. If it's slower or jazzier, I'm using the fretless. I'd suggest looking for a lined neck to help ease into the fretless world. After so many years of playing fretted basses, it's been helpful to have a lined fretless for my intonation.

I will say that having the option to go fretless at a gig is a powerful option for us bass players. You can make a fretless sound like a fretted, but you cannot make a fretted sound like a fretless.

 

[bassmonkeee]

I don't think my ear and intonation is good enough to play the faster stuff, even with lines.

That's why you need to do it more often. I recommend the last set of the evening when everyone in the crowd is already hammered and dancing to start working in more fretless.

 

[T Alan]

So my question is this, which of you are using your fretless on a regular basis versus your fretted, and is it more a function of the style of music you play, or you just prefer the tone of the fretless over the fretted? Got that?

I use my fretless on a regular basis. In fact, I use my fretless about 90% of the time. I do improvised chillout, which lends itself perfectly to fretless.
It's not a question of what I prefer. It seems most people would rather hear me on my fretless.

 

[Low End Lover]

Oh, here comes the fretless G.A.S! I've been toying with the idea, but now it is full on gotta have!

 

[Holdsg]

imacatwarrior has a Sterling fretless for sale in the For Sale thread.

 

[Smallmouth_Bass]

Funny you should bring this subject up because I am trying to sell one locally (SR5). I love the sound of fretless, just not when I am playing it! I've never really needed one, I just wanted one. If it doesn't sell, I won't be heart broken, but I rarely play it.

 

[oli@bass]

So my question is this, which of you are using your fretless on a regular basis versus your fretted, and is it more a function of the style of music you play, or you just prefer the tone of the fretless over the fretted? Got that?

With the band, I play only 2-3 songs on the fretless, if I have the luxury to bring two basses at all. At rehearsals, I sometimes play other songs with the fretless as well, just for fun.

Practicing at home, I grab a fretless about 60% of the time. I just like the feel, the sound, the expressivity and the fact that I don't have to retune every other song when playing along to radio or an iTunes mix.

What I found for myself on the fretless is: Even more so than the fretted basses, each instrument has its distinct voice and character, and makes me play and feel differently. Which is a very creative aspect.

Try it!

 

[drTStingray]

I use my SR4 fretless as my main bass in the rock and roll band I play in. We play quite a lot of 50s stuff and the fretless is great for that. I play a slap line on about half a dozen songs on it - tweaking the sound and my playing style to be more of an upright slap sound than the typical MM slap sound (I get one or two 4 bar solos and the sound is so lively in those!). I also use my Classic Ray on a handful of songs (usually Little Sister, Move It, Looking for Someone to Love etc) where a thumpy electric bass sound is good - I use it with the mutes on (but not on the fretless - it's useful to have the ability to create nice vibrato on ballads or solo bits). So fretless = 80 to 90% in that band - I use only the fretless for rehearsals with them also.

I also play in a band which plays psychadelic rock/funk/jazz and even a bit of punk rock - I use the fretless on Sign Of the Times (Prince) which has a bass part which suits it well, and Miles Davis if we play it - so probably less than 5% in that.

At home I used to play fretless almost all the time but now play the Classic Ray a lot - with the occassional couple of days stint on the fretless - usually playing melodic parts. The obligatory bits of Pino and Jaco inevitably creep in (IMO the SR4 fretless is ideal to get either of those sounds).

The fretless has been a great purchase for me (I got in on Ebay) - it has improved the accuracy and range of my playing a lot, and proved to be the perfect tool for the main band I play in - highly recommended IMHO - fretless is great fun.

 

[Holdsg]

Thanks to all the forumites for responding to the question. I seriously considered acquiring a fretless EBMM, but in the end went a different direction (still fretless, but acoustic/electric, and no, its not an Earthwood) because of the type of music I am playing currently (one band does a half acoustic, half electric Classic Rock show, the other iteration of this band does americana/roots music which is all acoustic). I have not given up my quest for new experiences on the bass, so maybe one-day I will own an EBMM fretless.