Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

But it takes a real man to play a keyless, stringless, nutless, guardless, pickup-less, knobless, bridgeless, jackless bass.

Sigh, I just couldn't resist it at the price. Luckily, there's lots of parts on evilbay right now.....

Re: title

Anyone CAN play a fretless! In fact it's much easier IMO.

I don't know why more bassists don't try a fretless.

rickenbrother wrote:I don't know why more bassists don't try a fretless.

I have and I love 'em. Just never got around to buying one though......

rickenbrother wrote:I don't know why more bassists don't try a fretless.

I'm happy more of them don't

cassius987 wrote:Re: title

Anyone CAN play a fretless! In fact it's much easier IMO.

Anyone can play a fretless - badly. Playing a fretless well takes a(n un)reasonable amount of practice!

Oh, you guys. It really doesn't take that much more practice time. That YT video is hilarious though. That guy is more tone deaf than anyone I've ever heard... it could also be that he isn't comfortable physically which impairs your ability to do anything else right when playing fretless.

Just get comfortable with the instrument you are going to be playing. This takes ca. 2 weeks to 1 month of serious, 3 hour a night practices (for me it was probably 3.5 weeks until I hit "the comfort zone"). FROM THEN ONWARD it is a cakewalk if not much, much easier, because your ears do the work for you. Well, for everyone except the guy on that YT vid. Obviously you should start out with a tuner and good amplification--for me this was a good headphone-type practice amp called a Bass Ace.

Also I'd recommend playing fretted and fretless on the same scale to get the most benefit out of your muscle memory. And working through a workbook such as "Fretless Bass" by Chris Kringel. (Has a Spector on the cover, only the body is shown.) Lots of great examples from pop and jazz artists, as well as some blues and funk.

Seriously though... to me, now, fretted is much harder because those darn metal things interrupt my train of thought if I land just a 1,000th of a millimeter off the mark and don't fret perfectly (leaving behind an icky-sounding artifact). On the other hand if I do this on the fretless, guess what? I get to slide into the correct note and people hear this transition and really like it. Victor Wooten has demonstrated this technique in clinics countless times--it works! Check it out on his DVD, Groove Workshop.

...BACK ON TOPIC: CONGRATS GARETH!!

I've seen that done a lot but the resin used in the inlays isn't really tough enough to take regular direct string contact. It will rut over time. This is especially true if you use rounds. That is why factory fretless models have dot necks.

Anyone can play fretless, but not many do it well....

I'm always trying to improve, practice, practice, practice,


and even when a stingray has decided you will not give him a headache again

wints wrote:Anyone can play fretless, but not many do it well....

I'm always trying to improve, practice, practice, practice,


and even when a stingray has decided you will not give him a headache again

Actually, this looks like someone is trying to make you pee.

Or is that the hand you dip ? I forget.

cassius987 wrote:Oh, you guys. It really doesn't take that much more practice time. That YT video is hilarious though. That guy is more tone deaf than anyone I've ever heard..

I agree. The issue for me with fretless is just switching back and forth live between them and fretted basses. They can be a pain to use under lights, especially when the foldback is sub par. Also, I'm so used to roundwounds that I simply can't stand the feel of flatwounds. I'd be replacing fretboards on a fairly regular basis I'm sure.

You don't see a lot of them in the punk and metal genres really, but that didn't stop me from coming really close to getting one a month ago. I'm still really tempted.....

See, I dragged it back off topic again. I know, with my new bass, frets are the only thing it does have.

tennis_nick wrote:

rickenbrother wrote:I don't know why more bassists don't try a fretless.

I'm happy more of them don't

Oh man, that is too funny!

I have had a lot of fretless basses over the years and am down to just two at the moment. I am so glad I don't sound like that dude!

wints wrote:Anyone can play fretless, but not many do it well....

You are right on the money! I also play trombone, and the same can be said for playing one of those. As I've noted before, there aren't just 7 slide positions, but it is almost as if each note has its own position to get proper intonation. When you hop up an octave, the slide usually should not be in the same place.

Maybe someday I will get a fretless, but I've heard enough out of tune fretless playing in various groups to stick with my fretted Rics and other basses. I have enough "fun" playing my various trombones.

...someday I'll have a fretless again...

s4001 wrote:...someday I'll have a fretless again...

Scott, I hope you make it happen soon!