Why do you see more LINED fretless?

[jlepre]

I am considering my next bass to be a fretless. I really love the look of the unlined neck, but I see many more LINED? Why is that? I mean you can't feel the lines when you play, and in a live situation, you can't really SEE them either. I mean aren't you supposed to go on feel and your ear when playing fretless? Please advise as I am not an experienced fretless player.

Thanks!

 

[AnthonyD]

It's really just personal preference - and lines provide a bit of a "safety net", if not at least mentally.

I was not - and am not - an experienced fretless player. I went unlined, primarily for the reason you described - you cannot see the lines when playing live (it's not polite to stare), although I imagine you'd see the edges along the side of the fretboard.

On an unlined board, the side-marker dots are where the fret positions would be, and that works for me.

And besides, a naked board is so cool!

 

[Duarte]

My first fretless was lined (fender jazz), and it really helped me practice and learn how to use it. In a live situation you can't really see them, but I think it is more of a 'learning tool'. After that I bought the unlined Stingray and could play perfectly. The lines arehelpful when playing the higher strings, as (you may be different) but my fingers used to automatically go a little higher up the fingerboard, so the lines just help youcorrect that problem with practice and adjustment of technique.

The unlined fingerboards look very, very good - I just love them. I think the dot positions on the unlined basses make more sense, actually where the fret should be.

Oh, Anthony beat me to it.

 

[rhythmCity944]

I like my unlined fretless a ton...it really only took an hour to get use to it and be right on pitch for the most part...if you have played bass for a while, your hands are pretty adjusted already and will have no problem hitting the notes, at least for me and once you know where those notes are, you know them forever by feel

i think lined fretless look tacky...naked finger boards are sexy especially after an epoxy job giving the wood a 3D glassy look

 

[AnthonyD]

I am considering my next bass to be a fretless...D

John - you're probably 30 minutes from me. No problem if you want to hook-up and check out my fretless. One string short of your world, but you can at least get a sense of the feel and see how the markers come into play. Not likely you'll come across one just hanging in a store.

PM me contact info if you're interested.

 

[syciprider]

I am fine with unlined until it's time to play past where the 12th fret would be so I have both lined and unlined

 

[adouglas]

in a live situation, you can't really SEE them either.

Yes you can.

In my experience.

Then again, I've never played a gig where it's pitch dark. Don't think I'd want to, either.

 

[maddog]

Yes you can.

In my experience.

Then again, I've never played a gig where it's pitch dark. Don't think I'd want to, either.

Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder did it all the time.

 

[Bass Control]

When I get a fretless, I'll be getting it lined. As Anthony said, it's good as a safety net, but for me it's also so my basses at a gig look uniform. As cool as a bare plank is (I would love to have it, my old violin days beckon it!), I would only do that if all my basses were fretless. I can do both world's comfortably.

 

[Aussie Mark]

I am fine with unlined until it's time to play past where the 12th fret would be

I don't go past the 5th fret without a GPS.

 

[Aussie Mark]

I like my unlined fretless a ton...it really only took an hour to get use to it and be right on pitch for the most part...if you have played bass for a while, your hands are pretty adjusted already and will have no problem hitting the notes

+1

Flipping from my fretted Stingray to fretless Stingray is seamless, as my hand knows where to go. It might be a little more difficult switching between say, a Ashbory and a fretless Bongo 6, but all it would take is practice.

 

[AnthonyD]

I don't go past the 5th fret without a GPS.

Made me laugh out loud!

 

[Zippydog]

Even with lines, I couldn't get used to my MM SR5 fretless. The bass sounded incredible and I loved playing it, but just couldn't get accurate enough to keep it.
I have perfect pitch and the slightest miss (especially on the higher notes) was frustrating enougn that I couldn't stay with it.

Lines or no lines, be ready for what fretless really means...perfect position every time on every note. If you can't do that...either have a tin ear or a forgiving audience.

 

[Aussie Mark]

either have a tin ear or a forgiving audience.

Beer creates perfect pitch, both for the performer and the audience. And, if the band is loud enough, nobody can tell anyway.

 

[bob atherton]

FWIW I used to play an unlined Rickenbacker 4001 from about 1976. The neck was unlined but the edge of the fingerboard had a small dot at each fret point, slightly larger dots at the 3rd, 5th 7th etc and a double verticle dots at the 12th! Worked a treat for me. Just the odd glance down and no problems. If I got another fretless it would be unlined and I'p put all the dots on myself. Best of both worlds.

 

[oli@bass]

I have perfect pitch and the slightest miss (especially on the higher notes) was frustrating enougn that I couldn't stay with it.

And I thought it would be less frustrating to learn fretless with perfect pitch...

 

[Petersonic]

Nah, perfect pitch is by no means an advantage. It can turn playing a piano that's 1/4 step down into a terrible terrible experience, for example.

 

[jlepre]

+1

Flipping from my fretted Stingray to fretless Stingray is seamless, as my hand knows where to go. It might be a little more difficult switching between say, a Ashbory and a fretless Bongo 6, but all it would take is practice.

That's the way I feel. I've been playing for over 30 years, and feel that I know my way around the fretboard. Plus I feel so comfortable with my Rays, I am having problems playing my Fender Pbass Deluxe 5. The neck just feels so wide and uncomfortable. When I play the SR5 and now Sterling 5 they just feel like home.

Anyone want a nice fender?

 

[mathewsanchez]

Why hasn't anyone bought this yet:

The Perfect Bass - bass guitars, amps and accessories for every player!

The LE inlay looks super sweet on unlined fretless.

 

[rhythmCity944]

That's the way I feel. I've been playing for over 30 years, and feel that I know my way around the fretboard. Plus I feel so comfortable with my Rays, I am having problems playing my Fender Pbass Deluxe 5. The neck just feels so wide and uncomfortable. When I play the SR5 and now Sterling 5 they just feel like home.

Anyone want a nice fender?

I rarely look at the neck on my fretless anymore because I know where to hit the notes. In a fast or complex run I'll pay more attention to my left hand. It's all about confidence in the end when playing the fretless live because you don't have that handicap of frets...