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Fretless Sound


bass_in_ya_face
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I've just recieved my new Harley Benton fretless.

Having never tried a fretless before, I can only get that that trademark "mwah" sound on the D & G strings. E & A don't really sound any different than a normal fretted bass.

Is that correct or shoud I be getting a fretless sound across all 4 strings?

Would a change from the roundwound strings improve the sound?

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What he said - if the action is too high you dont get the Mwah. It cound also be the strings or the bass itself. So first get it set up and if that does not work change the strings - there is a big thread pinned about strings for fretless.

The only way I dont get mwah on my GB is playing open strings - but it did cost rather more than yours.

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[quote name='GreeneKing' post='56388' date='Sep 6 2007, 10:17 AM']I find that lowering the action produces the Mwaah but too much and it 'chokes' the string.

Even with the above I've found that every fretless I've owned has more Mwaah on the lighter gauge strings and that the B on a 5 is pretty much Mwaahless :)[/quote]


well i once heard that lowering/raising your action is the key for getting more/less mwah, so mabey yours is too low?

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Well i've never adjusted the action before but one of my best mates is a life long guitarist and has loads of experience messing around with string heights and truss rods etc so i am going to run it by him.

Maybe I'm expecting too much from an entry level fretless, especially as i've gown up listening to Mick Karn and Percy Jones on their WAL's!

I just wasn't sure weather the E & A should be sounding like they do...ie like a fretted?

Edited by bass_in_ya_face
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[quote]well i once heard that lowering/raising your action is the key for getting more/less mwah, so mabey yours is too low?[/quote]

I suspect that given my post I mighta noticed :)

I also know of a luthier who's not keen to make fretless 5 stringers for this same reason.

Which is why my fretless is a 4.

Edited by GreeneKing
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[quote name='bass_in_ya_face' post='56421' date='Sep 6 2007, 12:26 PM']Well i've never adjusted the action before but one of my best mates is a life long guitarist and has loads of experience messing around with string heights and truss rods etc so i am going to run it by him.[/quote]

Do yourself a favour and teach yourself how to set up your gear yourself.

It´s not rocket science and will come in handy in the future.

Here´s the Willis link BTW:

[url="http://garywillis.com/pages/bass/bassmanual/setupmanual.html"]http://garywillis.com/pages/bass/bassmanual/setupmanual.html[/url]

[quote name='bass_in_ya_face' post='56421' date='Sep 6 2007, 12:26 PM']I just wasn't sure weather the E & A should be sounding like they do...ie like a fretted?[/quote]

You should get "mwaah" on all strings (unless played open as mentioned before). Before you start tinkering with the setup, I´d recommend you put a set of quality strings on your bass - good strings can make a lot of difference. I personally like nickel-plated roundwounds like Fender 7250s and D´Addario XLs for fretless.

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[quote name='Soulfinger' post='56539' date='Sep 6 2007, 02:40 PM']You should get "mwaah" on all strings (unless played open as mentioned before).[/quote]

If your nut's cut right (ie with the strings sitting on the end of the fingerboard) you should be able to get the 'mwah' on open strings too.

Andy

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