Suggestions on new Musicman Purchase!

[Mantaray]

Hi guys!

I really want to buy a good fretless(unlined of course). The one I have REALLY sucks. Initialy I was considering a sterling(sterlings make me play almost 2,5 times faster than any other bass), but after seeing the SUB sterling having a fretless version(with pau ferro not some rosewood like fender) I thought that I will save a good amount of money and still get a quality instrument. Any suggestions? Is there anybody that would insist that I'd still go for the original Sterling? Note that I plan to buy a original fretted Sterling anyway after October(I changed my mind over Bongo).

 

[spectorbassguy]

Hi guys!

I really want to buy a good fretless(unlined of course). The one I have REALLY sucks. Initialy I was considering a sterling(sterlings make me play almost 2,5 times faster than any other bass), but after seeing the SUB sterling having a fretless version(with pau ferro not some rosewood like fender) I thought that I will save a good amount of money and still get a quality instrument. Any suggestions? Is there anybody that would insist that I'd still go for the original Sterling? Note that I plan to buy a original fretted Sterling anyway after October(I changed my mind over Bongo).

Although I am not of the "unlined" persuasion, I would recommend you try a fretless StingRay. I haven't tried a Sterling or a Sub but I know that my lined fretless (Cheater Lines, as my wife calls it) SR5 is Sa-weet and worth a tryout for you IMO!

 

[TSanders]

I would go with the Sterling. Bass Central in Florida is the number 1 EBMM dealer in the country. They have like 70 or more EBMM basses at a time. I'd contact them first. www.basscentral.com

All of the prices they have ever given me have been great and include shipping and two sets of strings.

 

[Mantaray]

Although I am not of the "unlined" persuasion, I would recommend you try a fretless StingRay. I haven't tried a Sterling or a Sub but I know that my lined fretless (Cheater Lines, as my wife calls it) SR5 is Sa-weet and worth a tryout for you IMO!

I have tried a Fretless SR and yes, it is cute. I think though that the Sterling produces a more intense sound. And as I already mentioned, Sterlings make me play much faster than SRs. In other words, their necks fit me like a glove.

As for the 'cheater lines' I will definitely agree with your wife. Actually, this is a common problem with people playing fretless. When you take the 'big'decision to play fretless, you first of all need to understand that you will play an ENTIRELY different musical instrument than the one you did until now(fretted bass that is). This also means that you should have a totally different approach to the new instrument. Before buying my first one I really wanted to play fretless and the unlined fingerboard magnetized me. I never felt any fear. Not because I am some kind of talent but because I imagined the infinite possibilities that a wood board without any fretwire would give me. I imagined the black fingerboard as a 'liquid material' that I could shape as I wanted. I know my explanation might seem weird but try it and you will see a great difference. I will post in the future some fretless mp3s of mine in the future.
With lines, you don't help your fretless playing. They always limit your expression. This is a reason I'm confused with lines. Each line looks like a limit to me. I can play unlined fretless literally with my eyes CLOSED.


Back to the subject now. What is you opinion on the fretless SUB sterling? Should I go for it?

 

[Mobay45]

I say go for it. I don't think you will be disappointed with anything you get from EB. I don't play fretless, but I would with you about the lines. When you think of all of the violinists, cellists and other string players that play without any markings on the neck, you realize how common it is. I very seldom look at the neck on my fretted bass when I'm playing so I don't think it would bother me to play with a plain fretless neck.

 

[TSanders]

I would pass on the SUB Sterling for one reason. It does have active electronics, but no 3-way coil switch that makes me love the Sterling.

 

[bovinehost]

One of the best fretless players I know says, "If the lines bother you, DON'T FREAKING LOOK AT THEM."

I think he's got a point.

 

[Mobay45]

One of the best fretless players I know says, "If the lines bother you, DON'T FREAKING LOOK AT THEM."

I think he's got a point.

You're right, he has a very good point. But there's just something about those smooth, plain fretless necks just looks so good.

 

[midopa]

Heheh. I tried a fretless. There weren't any unlined so I picked up a lined one. I don't mind 'em (the lines). They didn't stop me from, as Mantaray said, exploring the possibilities of the fretless bass. I found myself pulling little stunts and such on the fretless that I normally wouldn't and couldn't do on a fretted bass. They're just a cosmetic thing. If you don't dig 'em and don't need 'em, why bother? Go fer th' lovely nekkid pau ferro.

 

[MrDigory]

I would pass on the SUB Sterling for one reason. It does have active electronics, but no 3-way coil switch that makes me love the Sterling.

So the SUB Sterling is just a smaller and lighter bass than the regular SUB? Seems sort of hard to call it a Sterling if it doesn't have the Sterling pickup. Odd

 

[TheAntMan]

I'm having the same inner struggle. Lined/unlined. I like the look and tradition of unlined fretless (ebony would be cool...hint..hint...). And lines make me feel like I am cheating. My current fretless is an unlined ebonol. Then I think, lines didn't seem to hinder Jaco or Mark Egan from being musically expressive. But, oh, that clean smooth looking fingerboard! Oh, the struggle!!

Also, do you get a H, HH, HP, or HHP. The H is a 3EQ. The HH, HP, and HHP are 4EQ. I am leaning toward the HP or HHP. Any opinions? Gee, I must have forgotten where I was with that last question

 

[bassmonkeee]

What are frets if not "cheater lines?"

Heh--In my experience, I refer to "infinie possibilities" as "mostly out of tune." I mean, with a 12 tone scale, and allowing for different intonation schemes, you still only have 21-24 points on the neck where you are in tune...

That said, I prefer unlined necks. My main issue with lined necks at this point is that most of them have the dots in the normal fretted bass positions as opposed to unlined necks having the dots where the fretlines would be. The result is that after 3 hours of a gig where I don't normally look at my hands, if I glance at the side of the neck, I'll pull myself 1/4 step flat or sharp by adjusting to where the dots are.

I guess I'm just used to unlined necks. I simply think they look cleaner, and I don't have any glaring intonation issues, so I use 'em. If I did, I'd get a lined neck. After all--the audience doesn't care (no, really--most of them think you are just playing a big guitar, anyway), and all basses look alike coming out the speakers. Any air of supposed superiority from playing an unlined neck is ridiculous, IMNSHO.


As for what bass you should consider, I say you give a fretless Bongo a try before you decide against one. The one I played at NAMM was incredible. I'll be posting sound clips of my fretless Bongo that I am picking up today eary next week, if I don't get anything recorded tonight. This weekend is my 5 year anniversary with my girlfriend, so I won't have time for any recordings.

 

[spectorbassguy]

I agree that the unlined would be the way to go if that was my main axe. I use it as an addition for our slower, more "worshippy" stuff. I probably play 75% fretted Bongo 5 and 25% Fretless SR5. Yes I need to look at my hands for now and maybe that will change in time. I used to think that they were cheat lines until I realized guys like Jaco used one - hello! I am 100% concerned about the sound and 0% concerned about the fretless "look". I've owned 3 or 4 unlined fretlesses over the years and my intonation was never good enough to keep them.
Now it's a wonderful thing to check myself occasionally by looking at my Korg DTR-2 tuner to find that I am usually right on.

 

[Mantaray]

I used to think that they were cheat lines until I realized guys like Jaco used one - hello!

Actually Jaco's bass was a lined fretless for a well known reason. This bass was initially a fretted one and HE converted it to fretless. Also bear one thing in mind:
If you reach a level of dexterity on an instrument and you become famous globally for that, it is very unlikely that you will use a different one. Your hands are used to the one you played to reach this level. Your hands 'know' and 'feel' the instrument as an extension. When it comes to Jaco or Willis etc, I think that because they reached a specific level of dexterity, they are not interested in 'learning' a 'new' instrument(unlined fl bass in this case) and thus lowering their level a bit. Think about it.

Satch plays the same Ibanez for years
Vai the same

I never said that they cannot literally 'bite heads off' in another guitar, but they play MUCH better in those instruments.

 

[bassmonkeee]

Actually Jaco's bass was a lined fretless for a well known reason. This bass was initially a fretted one and HE converted it to fretless. Also bear one thing in mind:
If you reach a level of dexterity on an instrument and you become famous globally for that, it is very unlikely that you will use a different one. Your hands are used to the one you played to reach this level. Your hands 'know' and 'feel' the instrument as an extension. When it comes to Jaco or Willis etc, I think that because they reached a specific level of dexterity, they are not interested in 'learning' a 'new' instrument(unlined fl bass in this case) and thus lowering their level a bit. Think about it.

Satch plays the same Ibanez for years
Vai the same

I never said that they cannot literally 'bite heads off' in another guitar, but they play MUCH better in those instruments.

You certainly are making a lot of assumptions, aren't you?

Jaco practiced on a fretted PBass neck, and switched out to fretless Jazz neck when he played gigs. The Rotos chewed up the fretboard so he only played it at shows. It had nothing to do with not wanting to learn a new instrument.

Your logic is unsound. Vai and Satriani playing Ibanez has nothing to do with not wanting to learn a new neck, either. They are endorsers who work hand in hand with the design team. I'm willing to bet that both have changed neck profiles over the years--I know they certainly haven't been playing the exact same guitars. And, just how, exactly, are you quantifying them playing "MUCH better" on those Ibanez guitars? The stuff Vai played with Zappa in the early days was as complicated and advanced as anything he's played since, and it certainly wasn't played on an Ibanez.

Think about it.

 

[Mantaray]

You certainly are making a lot of assumptions, aren't you?

Jaco practiced on a fretted PBass neck, and switched out to fretless Jazz neck when he played gigs. The Rotos chewed up the fretboard so he only played it at shows. It had nothing to do with not wanting to learn a new instrument.

Your logic is unsound. Vai and Satriani playing Ibanez has nothing to do with not wanting to learn a new neck, either. They are endorsers who work hand in hand with the design team. I'm willing to bet that both have changed neck profiles over the years--I know they certainly haven't been playing the exact same guitars. And, just how, exactly, are you quantifying them playing "MUCH better" on those Ibanez guitars? The stuff Vai played with Zappa in the early days was as complicated and advanced as anything he's played since, and it certainly wasn't played on an Ibanez.

Think about it.

I don't know if it's only me, but actually I can play MUCH better on my main instrument(ie the instrument I use for practice, for gigs etc), which is a StingRay, than any other instrument. My hands feel a bit 'out of place' when playing another bass. I always need some time to get used to it. I can still play very good on any other bass BUT not as good as on my main bass. When I touch my SR, I feel it as an extension of my hands.

 

[spectorbassguy]

I don't know if it's only me, but actually I can play MUCH better on my main instrument(ie the instrument I use for practice, for gigs etc), which is a StingRay, than any other instrument. My hands feel a bit 'out of place' when playing another bass. I always need some time to get used to it. I can still play very good on any other bass BUT not as good as on my main bass. When I touch my SR, I feel it as an extension of my hands.

Your main bass is a StingRay, and you think a StingRay fretless sounds "cute"?