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Fretless Bass...I don't get it


Coytee

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On 5/8/2020 at 2:59 PM, codewritinfool said:

Check out Michael Manring and his Zon Hyperbass on YouTube.

He’s a great fretless player and the Hyperbass lets him change tunings with the flip of a switch near each tuning peg and also a switch at the bridge to simultaneous change overall tuning.

This can be done with a fretted bass as well.

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On 5/10/2020 at 7:20 AM, Marvel said:

Leo Fender created the "PRECISON" bass, named that because of the frets, so there could, indeed be an in pitch bass.

 

And so what do you call a Fender Precision Bass that is fretless? All of the "precision" is gone. LOL

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As far as "fretless" bass guitar goes, there is only one name that reigns supreme - JACO PASTORIUS

 

Everyone since him has been playing catch up. He redefined the instrument -  what it can do and how it's used

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On 5/7/2020 at 2:48 PM, Coytee said:

What's the big deal of a fretless bass?

 

(perhaps it's nothing and I misread comments)

 

Had a local pal who died.  (10 years ago).  I bought his stereo stuff and other odds/ends.  One of it was a fretless bass.  He played an upright bass professionally.

 

If a bass is a bass is a bass.....  then who cares if it's fretted of fretless....?  What's the big deal?  Why would someone care knowing the difference?

 

Disclosure, I don't play any strings, never have so I'm 100% ignorant of these things.

What's the big deal of a fretless bass?

From my point of view, I don't have to worry about the other band members, especially guitarists, wanting to show everyone how they can play bass too. 😉

But seriously, it IS a different instrument. The notes tend to "sing" creating a much different sound quality. Players of fretless stringed instruments in general also tend to use fingered vibrato more. This helps "cover up" slight discrepancies in intonation and can add to that "singing" quality.

 

A fretted bass tends to have a more "solid" tone and attack. There are lots of "modern" sounds that you can produce on a fretted bass because the transient attack is much more pronounced. Two handed tapping for instance, or slapping, tend to be "softer" and less explicit on a fretless bass.

 

Players of fretless bass instruments tend to use flatwound strings which tend to have a warmer, smoother, softer sound. Flat wounds are also easier on the fingerboard. Round wound strings can be like files on the fingerboard surface, eventually requiring plaining.

 

There's a huge difference in sound. Once you know it, the difference is easily recognizable.

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I played with a group in Memphis in the early '70s. The bass player had one of the original Hofner violin basses. He had pulled all the frets out, run through one of the small Ampeg bass amps that you flipped the amp over to the inside to move it around. He got some amazing tone out of it. Even with the fret lines still there, he almost never looked at the neck.

 

And, yes, Leo put frets on the bass so us knumbskull guitarists could play it and halfway be in tune. You should see someone pick up my lap steel and go "Now what?"

 

The Precision was also a LOT easier to get into a car to move around.

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And back to Leo Fender creating the (fretted) Precision Bass so that guitarists could get more work by doubling on bass........................

 

Personally, I think, for the most part. Guitar players are guitar players. And bass players are bass players. What does that mean? The way I see it, while guitar players certainly can play "bass", they approach the music, the bass line, much differently than a "bass player". They tend to focus on the root note of the chord, and quite frankly, don't seem to have the same "feel" with the drummer. Their approach to the almighty groove is very different. Of course there are exceptions. But those are exceptional multi-talented musicians (of which I am not one).

 

However, ironically, I think it's extremely important and beneficial for bass players to start out on guitar. You really need to know the chord structures and modes, not just scales. Or worse yet (like a lot more recent modern music) just hanging on the root note of the chord pounding away on quarter or eighth notes.

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1 hour ago, Marvel said:

I played with a group in Memphis in the early '70s. The bass player had one of the original Hofner violin basses. He had pulled all the frets out, run through one of the small Ampeg bass amps that you flipped the amp over to the inside to move it around. He got some amazing tone out of it. Even with the fret lines still there, he almost never looked at the neck.

 

And, yes, Leo put frets on the bass so us knumbskull guitarists could play it and halfway be in tune. You should see someone pick up my lap steel and go "Now what?"

 

The Precision was also a LOT easier to get into a car to move around.

That too.

I forgot about that. But most of those old large bass amps to go with the electric bass guitar were not fun to haul around either.

 

Speaking of Hofner, I never owned one - until recently.530819857_Hofner5000-1Deluxe_7.thumb.jpg.9e48bf4eca76980219093b9e69b93777.jpg

 

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2 minutes ago, Marvel said:

NICE! Bet it cost more that the original before Sir Paul made them famous. That is beautiful!

Thank You

 

Yes, Sir! (pun intended). Set me back a few bucks. But at this point in my life I figure I probably have more money than I do time so what the hell. 😎

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39 minutes ago, artto said:

That too.

I forgot about that. But most of those old large bass amps to go with the electric bass guitar were not fun to haul around either.

 

Speaking Hofner, I never owned one - until recently.530819857_Hofner5000-1Deluxe_7.thumb.jpg.9e48bf4eca76980219093b9e69b93777.jpg

 

That's a beauty.

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