Any fretless players here?

[tom grossheider]

Picked up an MIJ fretless J bass a few years ago and really have loved learning to play it. Sounds really nice with the older as well as new worship tunes. Anyone else have experience with fretless in Church?
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y6/tgbluesky/MIJJfretless3.jpg

[jrc]

One of our guys has really nice Alembic fretless - very pretty guitar, sounds nice too. Works very well in worship. I'd like to see him spend a little more time with it, though.:wasntme:

[refin]

Wow Tom,that's sweet!
I've owned and played fretless a little,but not enough to call myself a player. I did play with a guy who had a fretless 5-string Steinberger,and he could make it growl on command.

[jazzrat]

Yup Tom,
I have fretless MIM Jazz in Agave Blue. What a nice little bass! I love the textures that the fretless can add to worship. A little chorus for a Jaco feel can sound great on certain tunes.

[Lefty Bass]

I own the late Dee Murray's fretless Steinberger, a very early L2, heard on the Elton John album "Too Low For Zero" and the hit "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues".
It's what I use in church for tunes where a fretless will work, gets a few comments from the older folks!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v383/iamthebassman/deebass1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v383/iamthebassman/deebasscoa.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v383/iamthebassman/deebassbatt.jpg

[SAguitar]

I play a fretless 5-string Koa Carvin (when I play bass) for any song that I don't want to do any percussive slappy thing on. I haven't figured out how to do that well on a fretless. Without frets the notes are just so much more expressive and colorful, I love it!

I originally got a fretless because I was bored on bass, and wanted a challenge. It certainly gave me that, and then I found I loved more than I thought I would. :cool:

[tom grossheider]

I own the late Dee Murray's fretless Steinberger, a very early L2, heard on the Elton John album "Too Low For Zero" and the hit "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues".
It's what I use in church for tunes where a fretless will work, gets a few comments from the older folks!

That's a very cool instrument, a lot of history with that one! How were you able to get that one, on Ebay?

[tom grossheider]

I play a fretless 5-string Koa Carvin (when I play bass) for any song that I don't want to do any percussive slappy thing on. I haven't figured out how to do that well on a fretless. Without frets the notes are just so much more expressive and colorful, I love it!

I originally got a fretless because I was bored on bass, and wanted a challenge. It certainly gave me that, and then I found I loved more than I thought I would. :cool:

I was getting kind of bored with guitar for a little while, and wanted the challenge of learning bass a few years ago. I can sight read now a bit and the fretless sure is a fun challenge. No need to get bored any more!

[SAguitar]

No doubt! Playing the fretless bass sure has opened up the door of opportunity. It is such an expressive instrument! Boredom be long gone! :yeah:

[UncleMarker]

fretless is great sometimes... and really frustrating sometimes! I have a Warwick Corvette for when the mood strikes (and a converted something that I'm always thinking about selling...)

[Zhangliqun]

I used to have a couple of Carvin fretless though not at the same time. I do have a cheap "original fretless" though, an upright. It's more physically demanding, probably partly because mine has a bit of a "ski jump" at the end of the board that prevents me from getting the action as low as I'd like, and because -- I think, check me on this, experts -- the scale on an upright is longer. (Still haven't whipped out the tape measure to verify.) It sure seems that way anyway.

The main difficulty with any kind of fretless, upright or electric, is intonation. It's not as hard as I thought it would be but it does take some serious practice.

[Zhangliqun]

Checked around the 'net, I was right. Scale on an upright is in the 42-43" range. So when you see what seem to be exaggerated motions of the "fretting" hand of an upright player whipping around the fingerboard, it is definitely out of necessity and not for show!

[scooteraz]

I like to play fretless only when there are good fret markers in the fingerboard:wasntme: Otherwise, I'm almost as likely to be on key as I am to be on the moon:yikes: That being about 12.5% off the note thing drives me (and everyone else) nuts. That being said, I love the sound. I just hve not popped for one as I don't play bass that often.

[SAguitar]

Oh yes, both of mine have fret lines on the fingerboard. I couldn't be very reliable without them!

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y50/SAguitar/CarvinKoaBasses_web.jpg

[GTR41]

I don't own a fretless...yet - but my S101 bass comes amazingly close tone-wise when I just use the bridge pickup.

[Outlaw_Twanga]

Not a bass player but the greatest bass sound I have ever heard so far came from a fretless bass... although it was a contrabass(upright)... but that still counts right? what can I say that walking and slap style is so cool. Thank you Rockabilly.

[maestrovert]

i have a Squier Vintage Modified Fretless Jazz bass, the fingerboard is Ebonol with fretlines....i can recommend 'em IF you can find one with a good neck....

the fretless is such a unique sound, so wonderfully expressive....

[Crunchyriff]

I'm also a bass player (for years) and while in HS played upright bass. Yes, the scale is longer than for electric. Electric fretless bass is a wonderful thing. That said, electric FRETTED bass is wonderful, too. I would not want to overdo the fretless thing; but in the right song they just shine.