Unlined five or four

[lownote]

Next week I am playing a new-to-me blues jam.  I have two basses and I don't know which to take. My one bass is a cheapo Harley Benton active unlined 5 string fretless. It's new to me and I'd like to get the practice in.  My other bass is a cheap 4 string unlined fretless P bass clone.  I can play them about as well as each other, which is OK but not astonishing. My concern is if I take the fiver the crowd will be, like "OK daddio, now prove you can REALLY play that thing - or we shall deem you a posey pink torpedo." They may be a bit like that with the fretless 4 too, but perhaps less so. I suppose my position should be that I don't actually care what people think.  But as a newbie at a new jam I hope to go to more often, I actually do care.  And, no I don't have a fretted bass, which would be an obvious very safe alternative.    

Edited June 7, 2023 by lownote

[Mykesbass]

If you take the fiver at least nobody will ask to borrow it!

[TheGreek]

Whichever bass you take you need to impress with how you play not what you walked through the door with. 

Take which ever you feel most comfortable with on the day and don't worry till then. 

[Graham56]

Choose now (doesn't matter which). Then practice solidly on that one so you are completely comfortable with it on the day. 

[snorkie635]

Go with the one you feel more comfortable with - deep down, you already know which that is. 🙂

[Acebassmusic]

1 minute ago, lownote said:

I suppose my position should be that I don't actually care what people think.

 

Would you just say "feck it, I'm going to do what I want and get some practice in on the 5 string"

 

Correct and Yes 😁 You'll be lucky if anyone realises you're playing bass never mind its a fiver 🤣 Have fun 👍

[Trueno]

I played almost all of my gigs with an unlined fretless. The only comments I ever got were related to the fact it was a Warwick.

 

In relation to the OP, take the fiver and go for it.

[neepheid]

No-one is going to care - take whichever one you feel most comfortable with.

[chris_b]

Really?

 

I took a very cheap 5 string Cort to a jam last night and no one commented, not the band leader, house drummer or any of the bass players. I'd have been more surprised if anyone did notice.

 

Take the bass you want to play.

[Downunderwonder]

14 hours ago, Mykesbass said:

If you take the fiver at least nobody will ask to borrow it!

True, well, almost nobody. And the few that do will generally be quite happy handing it back at 1st opportunity.

[paul_c2]

I did a gig once and a bass player in the audience came up to me and asked why I used 2 basses, since they were both Precisions. They were both Fender JAZZ basses, one was a lined fretless and the other a fretted. He said he couldn’t tell the difference, so I said I’m not sure if that’s a compliment or not!!

[TimR]

Least embarrassing option. Silent tuner pedal. It'll be bad enough with guitars widling endlessly.

[chris_b]

On 06/06/2023 at 16:29, Mykesbass said:

If you take the fiver at least nobody will ask to borrow it!

 

Never lend your bass, even the crap ones, especially at a jam.