Fretless basses

[nofi]

in rock music at least. i often wonder what's the point. most R&R tunes played with a fretless sound like a fretted to my ears. players tend not to use the 'fretlessness' to any affect. of course there are exceptions but by and large no. i hear these guys and wonder why a fretless was used at all. boredom, show off a new bass or some other reason. opinions?

[jmcgliss]

I LUV using my fretless for rock and blues, even without the mwah. Why? The strings seem to have more amplitude and transfer vibrations into the neck differently.  More soul and more expression.
One night I brought my Pedulla Buzz to rehearsal where they call my P-Bass with Dark Star "Big Wood".  The fretless blew their minds. Different overtones or something.  From 1986-2002 that's the only bass I owned and it covered more styles than you'd believe. Plus, it feels good.

[Highlander]

I love it, although I'm not sure others would agree; a very versatile instrument and it does give people a surprise if it's a "stealth" bass (my RD looks like she's fretted)

[rahock]

I never owned a fretless but I got a little playing time on a few and I don't get it either
Of course never owning one makes my opinion kind of halfassed, but I don't get it .
Rick

[Highlander]

Go for it and live with one for a while, Rick... just slide around on stuff you know, then you'll get the idea; if necessary (and if handy with the tools) take an old, but not overtly loved one with a non lacquered neck, whip the frets out, fill with a contrasting colour, and voila - "stealth" fretless... if you hate it, send me the bill and I'll put it through our shredder for you...  (didn't say I'd pay it )

[rahock]

Go for it and live with one for a while, Rick... just slide around on stuff you know, then you'll get the idea; if necessary (and if handy with the tools) take an old, but not overtly loved one with a non lacquered neck, whip the frets out, fill with a contrasting colour, and voila - "stealth" fretless... if you hate it, send me the bill and I'll put it through our shredder for you...  (didn't say I'd pay it )

Boy am I ever lucky to have a pal like you
Rick

[Dave W]

Bill Wyman was the first (AFAIK) to use fretless in r & r, in his case it was because the frets rattled so he pulled them. But he used it to good effect. Sure, you can get his sound on Paint It Black, Mother's Little Helper etc. with a fretted bass, but he might not have come up with those slides and runs otherwise.

To my simple mind, if it sounds good, it is good, whatever it was played on.

[Hornisse]

The late Boz Burrell played some tasty lines on "Can't Get Enough" where you can tell it is fretless.  Not hard to do with a fretted but not the same effect either.  Or that little slide he does on the next LP's "Feel Like Makin' Love" is wonderful.  His little mwah bits on "Electricland" from the original bands swansong (a bit of a pun...) Rough Diamonds was nice.  I could not pull that off without a fretless bass.  I love his playing with Bad Co.

[nofi]

intersting but not surprisning responses. these sudelties mentioned would be gobbled up at a  loud rock show. maybe that's how i should has phrased my original remark. still it got a conversation started which is partly why i posted it. the other part is bacause of all the bass forums with frantic people screaming for a fretless for their garage bands. i just wonder why.

[Pilgrim]

I have a nice fretless but almost never play it.

[Hornisse]

these sudelties mentioned would be gobbled up at a  loud rock show.

I beg to differ.  Boz is playing a maple neck blank plank P bass on this.  It helps having several SVT's in the backline.

[Hornisse]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfHDJYvZPwg&feature=related

Ampeg scroll bass.  Not the best quality video though.

[Highlander]

Robert... many thanks for those Bad Co's kinda says it all really... I had the pleasure of seeing Boz Burrell in a West London pub gig in a pick-up band couple of hundred people, also say Bad Co at Earls Court in '75 (iirc) - when they played "Shooting Star" the whole place just shook when thousands of feet stamped along in time with the beat... awesome... truly awesome...

... and Rick, what are friends for... 

[jmcgliss]

I guess my first post wasn't clear.  A fretless can have a huge sound that absolutely kills on rock and blues tunes. I have more control and amplitude for swelling notes on a fretless that you will feel in the gut. That my bandmates noticed a fretless Pedulla of all things whomping a Dark Star P-bass says cohones, guys, not subtlety.  Get out there and move some air!

[godofthunder]

 That was just awesome! Forgive me but back in the day I Slagged off Boz, I didn't get it then. I do now he has been my model for playing the fretlesss. We do a number of Bad Co.songs and let me tell you his lines are a lot harder than you might think. Sorry no Bad Co. tunes on vid. But there is this.