Fretless thought

myfretless · Post by **myfretless** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 2:29 pm

I don't mean to add any complications here. I am suggesting this as it might make things a little less complicated.

I very much enjoy the look of a fretless bass with no marks on the fretboard. No dots. Nothing. I think it looks very smooth and cool.

If there was an option to not have dots on the fretboard (they are ok on the side binding facing the player for tuning purposes) then for fretless basses without dots the actual production time might be shortened for not having to drill the holes or fill them.

Has that ever been attempted?

What are people's thoughts on that?

lyle_from_minneapolis · Thu Sep 27, 2007 2:37 pm

I saw a fretless Rick at Willie's awhile ago that had thin white lines, possibly inlaid, on the fretboard. When I played it I was surprised at how accurately I could hit the notes...made me want one for the first time.

zoomduck · Post by **zoomduck** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 2:40 pm

I like my basses without dots on the fingerboard . I had a Dingwall like that and still own Zon and Warmoth fretless basses without dots . I dont know if it saves any time or cost . Sure looks good to me .

jps · Post by **jps** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 2:50 pm

I like mine nekked!

fran4001 · Post by **fran4001** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 4:55 pm

I too like them "naked". My '75 Precision is balder than a baby's butt, and maple besides. It's been one of my go-to's for years.

teb · Post by **teb** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 6:39 pm

Play Naked! (and use stealth strings so that nobody can see what you're actually doing)

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 8:52 pm

I have a 72 P bass fretless with nothing on the fretboard, lines are pretty much a new thing, I can't stand them. Rics were always made with S necks. I have a 72 with an S neck with dots. I don't even look at them, I do look at the side dots though. No Ric was ever made with lines.

ilan · Post by **ilan** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 11:10 pm

I don't like fretlines, they make me look at the board, and they make the bass look modded. My first fretless was a blank plank ('80 P black on black) and so is my current fretless ('75 P).

But Rics are unique and the bound/dot neck is a unique feature to Rics, so I'd leave it like that.

myfretless · Post by **myfretless** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 6:34 am

Todd, are those black flats? If so, where did you get them? I've been looking for some good black flatwounds for years.

mikes123 · Post by **mikes123** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 6:55 am

I agree with Ilan, thats what make fretless ricks so cool. They don't have fret lines but hey have position dots. The only thing that I kind of dislike about the fretless rick is the side position dots for every line! But I got used to it and it dosen't bother me any more

teb · Post by **teb** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 7:58 am

The strings on the Pedulla are GHS tape-wounds which are quite smooth and which seem to be pretty even-sounding across the set.

http://www.juststrings.com/ghs-3060.html

They are very similar to the strings on the Gibson, which are Guild short-scale tape-wounds - the same strings that were on the bass the last time I played a concert, which was 30 years ago! I plan to change them as soon as I find some reason to do so, but I have recorded proof that they sound just about the same today as they did back then. I don't know who made them for Guild, but they no longer offer them.

Labella also makes some nice tape-wounds. They're about $10 more than the GHS and I'm not sure they sound much different. I had Fender tape-wounds on my previous Pedulla. They were OK, but they have more obvious little ridges up and down them from the winding and the coating feels almost like the strings have been greased, which is a bit strange at first.

johnallg · Post by **johnallg** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 11:11 am

Todd, I still have the black tape wound Black Diamond strings I played 35+ years ago and after I cleaned them up with some soap and water, they still sound responsive and good. A decent set of tape wound strings are probably the best bargain in strings when you consider what you pay vs. how long they last.

edski · Post by **edski** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 1:43 pm

Unlined boards are for real fretless players!

Just being "controversial"!

To each his own.

Personally I don't like the normal Ric fretless having all those side dots. 3, 5, 7, 9 & 12 is enough for me.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 3:06 pm

I like 3,5,7, etc. also, I've only had trouble somewhere between the 12th and 8th frets usually going up there quickly, woops! I'm going to have Dale make my Blue Boy FL that configuration (if I ever get it to him that is).

teb · Post by **teb** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 5:00 pm

On my Gibson, I had little side dots at 3,5,7,9 a double one at 12, then 15 and 17. I eventually added on at the tenth fret. A lot of the stuff we did had a lot of dynamics with soft sections, loud sections and parts where you were out for a while and then came back in. The tenth dot made going up to hit that high C or F at the tenth on the fly or coming in cold and nailing it easier. The dots also make switching back and forth between a 30" scale bass and a 34" scale bass easier.