Kubickiboy Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 Anyone got one? If so what are they like? Or any info/views on 'em? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oscar South Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 I've got an old P-Bass copy with a maple fingerboard, never played any other fretless to compare it with but I really like it and its a lot more durable than people make out, though a previous owner has had roundwounds on it at some point and they've marked it a little. Its a beautiful instrument though, much better looking imo than if it had an ebony or other harder wood fingerboard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kubickiboy Posted April 26, 2008 Author Share Posted April 26, 2008 You're right - they do look great. Especially unlined with a lighter coloured body. That was my main concern - the durability. But apparently, like fretted Fender maple necks, you can lacquer them and they play just as good. Any noticable difference in tone from, say, an ebony board? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oscar South Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 (edited) Yeah its unlined, not a fan of lined fretlesses. I've got it strung with tapewounds for an upright bass sound at the moment and it does a pretty good job of it, I used to have halfrounds on and it was surprisingly punchy (I might have an old loop of my playing with those on actually, if I can find it I'll upload it). I'd say maple fretless boards would generally probably be better for more mellow sounds though as you wouldn't really want to use roundwounds and I'd assume the softer wood will respond to the vibrating strings differently. I can't really speak objectively about it though as I've got no experiance to compare it with. Edit: found the recording, though you'll have to excuse the cheesiness of it, specifically the midi overdub heh. I recorded it years ago when I was just getting into all the keyboard stuff and it sounded cool to me back then. [url="http://media.putfile.com/GHS-Brite-Flats"]http://media.putfile.com/GHS-Brite-Flats[/url] Edited April 26, 2008 by Oscar South Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 Don't know if it's maple but it's a similar light wood on my Lightwave Sabre A I haven't tried rounds on it but it had half rounds on it when I got it second hand and although they hadn't made physical marks on the board, they had left a lot of dirt on it. Luckily that cleaned off and now I've got a set of TI Jazz flats o there. As for difference in sound I couldn't reallt comment as the lightwave system is so different to a conventional pickup. However I currently have 3 main fretless basses all with different boards (maple, ebony and coated ebony), and IMO the pickups, electronics and strings used (in that order) have far more effect on the tone than the fingerboard material. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 I've got three fretless Precisions, maple, rosewood and ebony. To mirror the above, the maple - currently strung with TI Jazz Flats - does a fantastic jazzy upright tone compared to either of the others (I suppose the nearest I can hear in my head to it is the intro to 'Walk on the Wild Side' by Lou Reed). Mine is a '79 and doesn't have a mark on it, which suggests either that it hasn't been played much or that maple is more enduring than is popularly believed. Personally I play the ebony the most (it produces more nasal and powerful fretless tones) and the rosewood least (in fact I'm going to sell it). The maple is my favourite for playing for pleasure Pic below (not very good quality I'm afraid but you get the idea). [attachment=8165:PIC_0043.jpg] Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Burpster Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 Morning Chris, didnt think you'd be able to resist this thread....! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 [quote name='The Burpster' post='185717' date='Apr 26 2008, 07:58 AM']Morning Chris, didnt think you'd be able to resist this thread....! [/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tait Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 i've not got or played one, but i saw a cool looking fretless guitar (not bass) at the london guitar show with a maple fretboard last year. the only fretless guitar ive ever seen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon1964 Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 [quote name='BigRedX' post='185714' date='Apr 26 2008, 07:43 AM']Don't know if it's maple but it's a similar light wood on my Lightwave Sabre A I haven't tried rounds on it but it had half rounds on it when I got it second hand and although they hadn't made physical marks on the board, they had left a lot of dirt on it. Luckily that cleaned off and now I've got a set of TI Jazz flats o there. As for difference in sound I couldn't reallt comment as the lightwave system is so different to a conventional pickup. However I currently have 3 main fretless basses all with different boards (maple, ebony and coated ebony), and IMO the pickups, electronics and strings used (in that order) have far more effect on the tone than the fingerboard material.[/quote] That looks awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parker_muse Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 Chris. When you die. I'm having that fretless. And there is nothing, NOTHING, That can stop me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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