knirirr

That's all I've ever done on unlined fretless basses and it's worked well enough. If there's a better technique I'd be interested to hear it.

Encore E83 unlined fretless, c. 1994. I don't have any pictures from the time, but here's a similar one: https://www.adverts.ie/electric-basses/encore-e83-fretless-bass/10664187

Yes; I've only ever bought a single bass with frets and it has lasted less than a year before being offered for sale, soon after I got a decent fretless.

I've got a 15w one which is pretty good for practice and was wondering about upgrading to one which would be loud enough to play jazz gigs/jams, e.g. in pubs. Any idea what size would be sufficient? The weight of the 100 looks good but some of the reviewers on Thomann complain of the low volume. I used to use a Trace Elliot BLX130SM, which was fine by itself even in loud pubs, but the ~25kg weight is a bit too much these days.

Also, from what I can tell the Eastwood one has a solid body and the Ampegs were hollow or semi-hollow (someone please correct me if I'm mistaken). I asked Eastwood a couple of times for some more information on this bass, esp. details of what markers are on the neck, but they never got back to me so I bought something else.

A tasteful and reserved album cover from 1971:

I started on fretless (unlined) and played either that or EUB for my entire gigging "career", though I played guitar first (and violin at school) so that probably doesn't count. I've tried fretted basses and even own one now (hardly ever played) but never liked them. As far as I can tell (unless I'm deluded) fretless playing is easy enough. My intonation was sufficient to not draw complaints, even from proper musicians, and I can play and read charts; I look at the neck fairly often, though. Recently, I found a recording from my first bass gig, which must have been after 6-8 months of starting IIRC. It's not great but there weren't any complaints at the time and I seem to be close enough to the correct pitch. In the unlikely event that anyone is actually interested I could link to an example.

Funnily enough, the first I'd heard of him was on this forum: I have since bought some "Back Door" albums - good stuff.

So do I. But, for a delivery yesterday the driver, after looking around in confusion, hid the parcel out of sight of the camera.

Indeed; if they still made them I would have simply bought a new one ages ago, saving me an enormous amount of bother.

I've got an unlined fretless (ebony board) Jazz for sale here. Still not a Fender, though the neck is a licensed Fender one. Probably not what you want either, but just in case: https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/335813-unlined-fretless-jazz-bitsa Agreed about the lines - I could never get on with them either, and have only ever played unlined.

Years ago, an ex-colleague was in the habit of taking a swig from the lab ethanol bottle. One afternoon he mixed it up with the meths - a mistake he never repeated, because it was fatal.

I'd been after one of these since approx. 1995 and had pretty much given up hope, buying other fretless basses instead which didn't look quite right or feel comfortable to play, when one fell into my lap very recently. It would appear to date from 1990.

If I may be allowed a singer anecdote: Approx. 1994, charity gig in a chaplaincy, various bands with a short slot each, no smoking indoors, cheese and wine served (exciting stuff). We arrived, checked in with the MC and were given a slot roughly half-way through. Later, when the MC approached us to tell us to get ready to go on next we realised that none of us had seen the singer for some time. None of her friends we could find knew where she was or had seen where she went either. We searched the building, including both bogs but there was no sign, and she wasn't outside smoking - very mysterious, and concerning. We were told that the next band could go on instead and if she reappeared in time then we could be slotted in a bit later. As we were at the back of the audience watching the next band she appeared and a loud conversation along these lines (assuming my memory is accurate after so long) ensued: Singer: What are you all doing standing around at the back? Why aren't you on stage? Why are they up there, in our timeslot? Me: We couldn't find you and the MC had to move us to a later slot - we should be on in about half an hour. Singer: How dare he! That was our slot, and I told all my friends I'd be on then. You should find him now, and get us up on stage at once. Me: It's too late now. Perhaps you should have been here on time. Singer: I had to go out for a smoke. Me: We looked outside but couldn't find you. Singer: You can't expect me to smoke outside - it's too cold. I went to the pub down the road with a few friends. Me: Not much I can do then, we'll have to wait our turn. Singer: Outrageous! You couldn't organise a fosters up in a brewery! That's it, we're not playing, I'm going home. As the rest didn't want to perform without her and I wouldn't grovel, someone else had to volunteer to run down the road after her and beg her to perform, which she graciously consented to do. Edit: Nice profanity filter correction!

Strangely, I'd not heard of him until yesterday, when my father mentioned that they were neighbours back in the 60s (and apparently still encounters him locally from time to time).

Generally, private rehearsals/jams seem to have been the most fun for me; all the enjoyment of playing with other musicians, but without any travel difficulties or hassle from the audience or venue staff.