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Is it just me...


JapanAxe
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... or is fretless bass addictive once you pass a certain point?

I am busily practising for an upcoming dep gig, and decided to do use the opportunity to climb the learning curve on my Yamaha fretless. Now I can't put the darned thing down! Going back to frets feels all clunky. There are downsides (mainly my intonation, which is improving) but it's just so rewarding.

Have others experienced this phenomenon?

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I had great fun with mine....its one of those things thats got to be tried....sadly many dont stick with it.....you know thinking about it ive never seen anyone gig a fretless to date.....im sure many do though?

Edited by iconic
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I had a go when I was about 15 and seemed to take to it naturally. I would love to be able to play one again. I once saw an absolutely gorgeous piano white Cort Curbow fretless and fell in love with it. I have been unable to even find a picture of it since, but if one were to come up I'd be bloomin' tempted.

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I'm in the same boat, i've used my fretless for my last two gigs, my band mates say they prefer my playing on it (apparently i 'do' more) it sounds better in the mix and i find it so much easier to play.
I read an interview with Tony Franklin where he said "I find fretless to be unlimited, without boundaries" and i agree. I'm toying with the idea of getting a loop pedal and going busking with it to bring the fretless sound to the public!

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[quote name='dazza14' timestamp='1372232239' post='2123056']I read an interview with Tony Franklin where he said "I find fretless to be unlimited, without boundaries" and i agree. [/quote]

Same here. I find it takes awhile to dumb down my technique & readjust to frets - I keep hitting the fret for a bit.

[quote name='dazza14' timestamp='1372232239' post='2123056']I'm toying with the idea of getting a loop pedal and going busking with it to bring the fretless sound to the public!
[/quote]

Beware! There's competition! (albeit oop Nerth) :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUO6kYLb6As

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I used my recently bought fretless for a run of CATS recently, despite only having had 2 weeks to set it up and get used to the lack of bumps. Loved it and the sound FOH was awesome.
The only reason I'm not using it for West Side Story soon is that I want the double bass sound from my Variax 700.

Myk

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[quote name='Bloodaxe' timestamp='1372248966' post='2123315']


Same here. I find it takes awhile to dumb down my technique & readjust to frets - I keep hitting the fret for a bit.





Beware! There's competition! (albeit oop Nerth) :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUO6kYLb6As

That was good
[/quote]

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You're all trying to get me in trouble!!! I had a (the only one in the UK??) Veillette Citron fretless which sat in it's case under my bed for months - gorgeous sound but I just couldn't get into it..now you guys have planted the seed again and I'll probably be GASsing for one again soon...

I hate you all!!! :lol: :lol:

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I find them very addictive I must say. Not fully assimilated into the collective as I also quite like the bumps occasionally.

Slight divergence if the OP doesn't object, but out of interest do people prefer passive or active on a fretless bass? Personally I'm in the active camp. My ACG has an all singing all dancing filter EQ and I've just popped an Audere pre into my Letts bass and to my ears it improves the tone.

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[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1372174612' post='2122472']
Have others experienced this phenomenon?
[/quote]

Yes! I love the possibilities to sculpt a tone, to modulate, let it swell up and down .....
Took me year to come there, but now it feels like singing when playing the fretless. In one of my bands, I'm just using a Maruszczyk Elwood L5 fretless and a Clevinger EUB. Pure ebony fingerboards.

And - of course - depends on the context. In my funk-band I'm still using fretted instruments - it's just a different feel, but I have not the impression to fall back to a "lower level" when slapping my Zon ;-)

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[quote name='ead' timestamp='1372332385' post='2124368']
Slight divergence if the OP doesn't object, but out of interest do people prefer passive or active on a fretless bass? Personally I'm in the active camp. My ACG has an all singing all dancing filter EQ and I've just popped an Audere pre into my Letts bass and to my ears it improves the tone.
[/quote]
No objections from this quarter. I have only tried passive so far. I have posted on this topic elsewhere on this forum, but the combination of a good pickup and well-tapered passive tone control is all I need.

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Aaahh. If only.

My confession: I took my Yammy TRB1005 Fretless to the band practice and..... I didn't enjoy it at all! I was spending far too much time getting my intonation right and not enough attention on the music.

Now don't get me wrong - I LOVE playing my fretless - on my own. I don't have any probs. And, I've played gigs fretless when I had a Westone Thunder IIIb (Unmarked fingerboard) so it's not like I can't do it. Just don't seem to be able to give the appropriate attention in the band.

Looks like there might be a TRB1005 up for trade.....

G.

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Freedom... I gig mine in a Drum&Bass/dance scenerio... I couldn't imagine going back to fretted, although I've just reacquired my old Silver Series P which I really want to try out. I may have to defret first though.

Ed is a fine bass player too btw.

Edited by bh2
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  • 3 weeks later...

[quote name='geoffbyrne' timestamp='1372360053' post='2124894']
Aaahh. If only.

My confession: I took my Yammy TRB1005 Fretless to the band practice and..... I didn't enjoy it at all! I was spending far too much time getting my intonation right and not enough attention on the music.

Now don't get me wrong - I LOVE playing my fretless - on my own. I don't have any probs. And, I've played gigs fretless when I had a Westone Thunder IIIb (Unmarked fingerboard) so it's not like I can't do it. Just don't seem to be able to give the appropriate attention in the band.

Looks like there might be a TRB1005 up for trade.....

G.
[/quote]

Geoff
You have a very much delayed pm.
Nevertheless, you have a PM.

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[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1372174612' post='2122472']
Have others experienced this phenomenon?
[/quote]
I experienced the exact opposite.
Played fretless for years but one day just found myself hating it. Sold it & haven't missed it for a second.
Can't even listen to fretless players anymore without wanting to vomit.

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[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1372174612' post='2122472']
Is fretless bass addictive once you pass a certain point?
Have others experienced this phenomenon?
[/quote]

No.
Whilst I am tempted by one of the GWB Ibanez models, I've never really got on with fretless. It's not the playing of the thing, just the tonality. I've never found one that "sings". They all seem to have this nasal squawk to the sound.
So I sold my SR5 fretless, bought a different fretted 5er, and saved up and bought an NS designs CR5 upright.

That [i]is[/i] addictive. From the first time you do a huge slow downward glissando that sounds like Obi Wan Kenobi shutting down the Death Star's force field onwards...

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