drTStingray
Well-known member
I've been using my fretless 93 Ray for about 2 years now, as my main gigging bass with a rock and roll/rockabilly band - it gets quite a bit of use.
I've owned the bass about two years and the previous owner (from new) had roundwounds on it, but to be fair it hadn't seen a lot of use. I tried various types of strings on it but for the last 18 months or so it had a set of Rotosound Solo Bass - a half way house between round and flats and it gave a good sound. My prev experience of flats was limited to Rotosounds, which have far too much tension for my liking.
I was bought a set of EB Group 3 flats at Christmas and I've just got round to fitting them, and giving the fretboard a bit of TLC and the neck some adjustment, and a big dose of lemon oil. All I can say is WOW, these strings sound great - still plenty of mwah but they are so smooth and the tension is very similar to EB stainless rounds I use on my other Rays.
However, I think my fretless Ray is singing with joy - the state of the fretboard was quite worrying
- quite a noticeable step between around 6th fret and 12th fret laterally under the G string across to the D string, and also from fret 11 to about 16 - the fret 11 to 16 is caused those lovely sounding slid 7ths and stuff, the 6th to 12th from playing standard bass parts. And there are a lot of swirls from roundwounds on the lower string areas around fret 12 - looks like someone used to bend strings like Jack Bruce. I took some photos and will post them when I get a chance.
Anyway the flats feel and the bass sounds great. I'm think these new flats will prolong having to have the board re-shot - it all plays in tune anyway and there are no playing problems. I have a gig in a couple of weeks for the first time with these strings so that will be interesting.
Anyone else use a fretless a lot?
I've owned the bass about two years and the previous owner (from new) had roundwounds on it, but to be fair it hadn't seen a lot of use. I tried various types of strings on it but for the last 18 months or so it had a set of Rotosound Solo Bass - a half way house between round and flats and it gave a good sound. My prev experience of flats was limited to Rotosounds, which have far too much tension for my liking.
I was bought a set of EB Group 3 flats at Christmas and I've just got round to fitting them, and giving the fretboard a bit of TLC and the neck some adjustment, and a big dose of lemon oil. All I can say is WOW, these strings sound great - still plenty of mwah but they are so smooth and the tension is very similar to EB stainless rounds I use on my other Rays.
However, I think my fretless Ray is singing with joy - the state of the fretboard was quite worrying
- quite a noticeable step between around 6th fret and 12th fret laterally under the G string across to the D string, and also from fret 11 to about 16 - the fret 11 to 16 is caused those lovely sounding slid 7ths and stuff, the 6th to 12th from playing standard bass parts. And there are a lot of swirls from roundwounds on the lower string areas around fret 12 - looks like someone used to bend strings like Jack Bruce. I took some photos and will post them when I get a chance.Anyway the flats feel and the bass sounds great. I'm think these new flats will prolong having to have the board re-shot - it all plays in tune anyway and there are no playing problems. I have a gig in a couple of weeks for the first time with these strings so that will be interesting.
Anyone else use a fretless a lot?
