Will fretless ever make a comeback?

[ead]

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1492118295' post='3278165']
There is a bluesy rock LP coming out soon on my which I play Fretless throughout. Watch this space.
[/quote]

Excellent, please keep us in the loop (well me at any rate).

[ead]

[quote name='SpondonBassed' timestamp='1492029183' post='3277378']
I didn't realise Jack Bruce was using one until I saw the clips on t'telly. It's already been said, the eighties coloured the public perception of what fretless was supposed to sound like. The great "mwah" is what does it, in my humble bumble.
[/quote]

Check JB's fretless playing at the Cream reunion gigs at the Albert Hall. Very tasteful, I partiuclarly like the lines he's playing on Stormy Monday.

Edited April 14, 2017 by ead

[SpondonBassed]

[quote name='ead' timestamp='1492161186' post='3278338']
Check JB's fretless playing at the Cream reunion gigs at the Albert Hall. Very tasteful, I partiuclarly like the lines he's playing on Stormy Monday.
[/quote]

Thanks. The "great" mwah is over-rated. A lot of bassist forum chatter suggests that it is the holy grail for bassists. Rubbish! The mwah is unique to the fretless but it is more of a characteristic than a desirable quality. If all you get from a tune's bassline is mwah it gets boring to the point of annoyance I think.

Jack is far better than Jaco for my taste. I still like Jaco though for his work with Joni and for some of the Weather Report repertoire.

[Tonteee]

Jo's playing generally on that 2005 reunion gig was really, really good. That feels like mild praise. The tone he got on his sig Warwick was superb. I too think it was some.of the best fretless playing I've heard. But then, if you on a fretless with a 40" scale...

When I grow up... Etc.

[drTStingray]

[quote name='hubrad' timestamp='1492079780' post='3277729']

I remember being told, by a non-band person, that fretless couldn't work in a rock band. Fast forward about 20 years and one band I was playing with told me not to bring a particular fretless (I have a couple!) 'cos it was 'too agressive'!
Result!
[/quote]

The non-band person had clearly overlooked Boz Burrell - playing Fretless on several classic blues rock songs of the early 70s with Bad Company - strange thing is the Fretless vibe is very much a part of some of these tracks, particularly Feel Like Making Love.

As with a lot of 'what gets played down the Dog and Duck' the role of the bass (often subtlely essential) is overlooked amidst strident vocals, guitar warbling/thrashing and drum cacophony.

Boz's playing was quite an influence on me and probably others

http://youtu.be/TeZqjZ_kvLY

Edited April 20, 2017 by drTStingray

[steantval]

Jaz Lochrie plays a lot of fretless, seen him on tour playing bass for Paul Rodgers.

[BrunoBass]

Back in my teens in the mid Eighties I was a big fan of Hull band The Red Guitars; their bass player Louise Howard used a fretless Stingray for much of their output and it sounded amazing. I suspect I'm in the minority here but I really dislike that 'mwah' thing... I've never played a fretless but I've considered buying a cheap one to see what it's all about. There'll be no 'Wherever I Lay My Hat' covers though.

[julesb]

[quote name='PaulGibsonBass' timestamp='1492710701' post='3282650']
Back in my teens in the mid Eighties I was a big fan of Hull band The Red Guitars; their bass player Louise Howard used a fretless Stingray for much of their output and it sounded amazing. I suspect I'm in the minority here but I really dislike that 'mwah' thing... I've never played a fretless but I've considered buying a cheap one to see what it's all about. There'll be no 'Wherever I Lay My Hat' covers though.
[/quote]
I once did a demo at their studio in Hull and used her fretted stingray. I haven't thought about that in ages!

[lowdowner]

It's a weird coincidence but I was at a band rehearsal last night playing drums. I've not played my bass for about 12 months and have been playing drums and really digging it. Our bass player (oh, how strange that feels to say) brought along his fretless Warwick and he was good enough to let me riff on it. Lovely... Now I'm feeling the pull of the bass again, so cool...