A non-Alembic fretless bass question...

[811952]

Lines?
 
No lines?
 
I'm probably getting a fretless neck for my Lakland Skyline bass after the new year.  I've never played a lined-fretless before, except for a few short minutes with Dadabass' lovely example in Chicago a few years back.  Last night I played fretless a bit and my pitch absolutely sucked (I'm also getting over a head cold and that could be part of it).  I'm wondering if I should tough it out and go no-lines, or if I should just accept that my ears aren't as good as they used to be and go with lines if they're available.  Thoughts?
 
John

[gtrguy]

I have to have the lines and the brighter white color the better. But then I never took a bass lesson in my life! I think there are combinations of visual players and audio players.

[hb3]

If you're not sure I'd go w/ the lines. If you're worried about the lines messing up the tone then maybe you can just get them on the side?

[811952]

The thing is, for years I played almost exclusively fretless, with no lines.  I'm wondering if it's like riding a bike, in that it will come back if I just do it regularly (my hope is to play fretless as much as possible) or if I really need the lines.  In the past my intonation has been very good without the lines.  I don't think the lines will mess up my tone either.  I guess maybe the question to ask is whether or not you guys even need to look at the fretting hand when you play fretless?
 
Also, I'll admit there's an elephant in the room.  Inside my tortured mind there is a little voice that says lines are cheating (since I've never needed them before and might not *need* them now).  There.  I said it.
 
I also recognize that Jaco played with lines.
 
Fretless players, what's the consensus?
 
John

[811952]

Ah.  All is for naught.  It turns out that Lakland only makes a lined-fretless for my bass, so the decision is not mine to make after all.
 
I'm still interested in what say ye.
 
Thanks,
John

[afrobeat_fool]

No lines! Use tape till you are confident then remove the tape. Or do what my college prof did to us. Wine corks between all fingers supported by rubber bands till your hand widens for perfect intonation. And nerve damage! Ha! Good Luck!
 
 
Nick

[chuckc]

Well, besides the visually pleasing look of the no lines fretless I started off with the unlined neck on my FrankenBass. This is a Jazz Bass body with a fretless Precision neck. I have to admit it took a bit of getting used to but I almost prefer it over any of my other 4 and 5 string fretted models. As far as not playing it for a while then going back to it, it does take some readjustment in my finger positions but I usually can fall back in fairly quickly. Never thought of the bike analogy but it seems appropriate, you really never forget, just forget to remember.

[pauldo]

John -
My own version of a Frankenbass has lines (it was the bass that caused the rumble at BagEnd through the 4x21's).  
 
Whilst on the upright my left hand does rather well unattended, but for some reason with electric fretless I feel a need to look at my left hand during position shifts - must be insecurity.  
 
It will be like a bike, you'll have the training wheels for awhile and then you will achieve balance and will no longer need them . . .

[jacko]

I went with fully lined on my rogue and found it very useful for the first few months but after 6 years of constant gigging with it I find I rarely look at my hands unless I have to suddenly shoot off to a totally different part of the neck. If I was doing it again I'd probably just go with the edge markers even though the fretlines haven't lifted and don't affect the tone at all.
 
Graeme

[eligilam]

I split the difference:  on my fretless Wal, lines are present (over the ebony fretboard), but they are a very subtle brown (not certain what wood type, but they are definitely wood strips) and are only visible to me...they disappear from about five feet away.  So it doesn't look like I'm cheating, even though I am.

[dadabass2001]

I learned (and I'm still learning) on my lined Epic. I've only had one chance to play an unlined jazz bass (this summer at a benefit), and I thought I did terribly on it, but I didn't hear any tonal variation due to the ghost frets on my Epic.
Insecurity rules! (or maybe not)
Thanks for the kind words, John
Mike

[JimmyJ]

Inlaid lines here, plus LEDs.  HA!  I probably play 10% on fretless and I've had the bass since 1980 so I know it pretty well.  However I am a stickler about pitch so not only do I run a giant tuner while I'm playing it, I still take a peak at the fingerboard now and again.  I don't think of the lines as cheating but rather; why make it harder than it already is?
Jimmy J

[crobbins]

Jimmy, is your fretless 4 or 5 string?
I've been thinking about getting a fretless as well.

[811952]

I like the way you turned that around.  Why do I have to make myself miserable indeed.  I guess I should lighten up and quit worrying over something that isn't worth fretting about..  
 
Last night I played at another big jam sort of thing and pitch was easier to match.  I do think I just need to play more.  I'm really looking forward to getting the fretless neck for the Lakland, since that wonderful Rogue hanging on Mica's wall (the bass that begat this whole re-infatuation) isn't moving to Indiana anytime soon..  
 
Thanks!
 
John
 
(Message edited by 811952 on December 14, 2011)

[JimmyJ]

Craig,
It's a 5-string graphite-neck Series-I oddball which makes a sound I still love...  Fretless can be a really expressive in the right situations but it does take some extra concentration.
 
John,  
You know who Edgar Meyer is?  He has some marks on his upright fingerboard!  The orchestral guys all shake their heads about it ... until they hear him play.  
 
Jimmy J