What To Do

[lowstrung]

Well Folks here's the deal.
I'm having so much fun with this bass I wanted to get a little more structured about my playing. So I went to an old friend of mine that is playing in a jazz band. He laid out my responsibilities of bass. "Tight rythem first then its all about feel". He took me though cowboy stuff then some rock, swing into jazz. He showed me slap and tap and even some of the old Disco groove. Now he did this all on my SR5 and on his frettless 4. So here is my delima.
I really thought that frettless 4 was nice and I would kinda like to have a 4 banger. The music store I go to has both a fretted and a frettless 4 banger. Should I get a frettless so early in this stage or stay with fretted. can I play both and learn both or is that expecting to much from a rooky. For sure it will be a Sting Ray. I dont mind spending the money becouse these guitars seam to hold thier value. So what do you think?

 

[shaver]

i sugest buying a cheap fretless...who wants to be stuck with a 1200 dolar bass that your dont like, and can hardly play...spend the money on a freted music man, since freted basses more of an all around intrument, fretless is more ment for certin styles.

i mean you see serious jazz players play freted bass guitars,
but how many funk bass players do u see with fretless.

buy a music man freted, and in time get a cheap fretless, maybe a mexican fender jazz...?

 

[midopa]

Shaver's right. You don't wanna get stuck with an expensive fretless that you end up not liking. So shop around! Try all the fretless at your local guitar shoppé! But you must get lined or dotted fretless, else playing in tune will be the hardest thing to do (frets spoil us bassists ).

 

[jubjub721]

you could also get a cheap bass, like 300 from a pawn shop then u can either take the frets out ur self, or u can have them ground off

 

[shaver]

or u can skip getten a whole new bass, and do what jaco did...have 2 different necks for one bass,..just switch them when u want... one freted, and one fretless..that solves alot

 

[midopa]

Wouldn't that degrade the overall quality of the bass over time? If not, then I'm all for it! Then I must buy the next fretless neck I see on eBay!

 

[shaver]

i dont see why it would degrade anything, u just to be carful to get the right size, legnth and width, cause it might throw off your set up alot if one neck is longer then the other or thicker..also be carful not to strip any screws.

try to look for the same brand neck as the bass, then your garentied for a perfect fit and what not.

 

[xbass]

The fretless bass is a great bass for study, even if you don't use it live. It will make you stronger hands, great feel. I agree with the others, buy a really cheap one I saw once a rock band (well, could be dio, I don't remember) and the bassist had only a fretless. Tony Levin - THE GOD - plays fretless on many songs, including Sledge Hammer. So, the fretless can really rock

 

[jubjub721]

hey
if jaco freakin pastorious dose it i say that sounds liek a great idea

 

[jubjub721]

I MADE IT TO SENIOR MEMEBER

 

[jongitarz]

As my hero Homer would say...WOOHOO! Congrats!

 

[Aussie Mark]

I saw once a rock band (well, could be dio, I don't remember) and the bassist had only a fretless.

I often play my fretless Stingray in my rock cover band ....

 

[midopa]

Ho-Ho!!! I really like that shirt!!!

 

[Psychicpet]

back in the day Tony Franklin played fretless with The Firm as well as Jeff Ament with Pearl Jam. But I would warn against getting a "cheap" fretless, make sure it's a decent bass. Spend a few bucks and even get a luthier to take the frets out of an active SUB . Fretless rocks and is totally versatile so make sure the one you get is good, good enough to be a #2 bass in emergencies.... then you won't have to save even more money when you want a "real" fretless