Author Topic: My first fretless (Read 605 times)

slapbass · « **Reply #30 on:** July 09, 2005, 09:20:07 AM »

Slapping on a fretless just don't seem right. Where would the classic slight fret buzz as the undertone of the percussive sound be? Not to mention the finger board damage!! I play a LOT of slap just look at the last for frets of your bass there destroyed. I usually replace frets 21 -24 twice a year from slapping my beloved Tobias bass (with Pope preamp) I won't slap the Pedulla with the coated fingerboard at all.

Any way I finally strung up the LaBella flats. These Strings were very easy to setup and intonate!! But the sound is very interesting at first I thought the strings had been played on for at least two years. The stings were very dead sounding. But after about 30 min. of play bammm The sound totally changed. These stings are amazing playing sliding harmonics are so powerful. The classic fretless whah sound is very very minimal with really low action (which I am not use to, I like my action as most would say really high with a .015 relief neck on a fretted bass). My playing speed increased a lot just going to a fretless bass but the LaBella flats made it even faster. The string tension is higher than the TI flats which doesn't bother me.

The final answer is I stung the TI flats on B E and G and the LaBella flats on A and D. AWESOME AWESOME I could not ask for a better sound or playability. The Chromes will be saved if I ever play any more Reggae on a fretted bass.

Dale

blazer · « **Reply #31 on:** July 09, 2005, 10:37:46 AM »

That Alembic Fretless easily is one of the best looking basses I ever saw. I guess it's the plainer woods that make it look understated and I like that.

jagerphan84 · « **Reply #32 on:** July 09, 2005, 10:48:10 AM »

Dale,

The first thing that comes to my mind when thinking about slapping fretless is Les Claypool. He sure seems to pull it off with a great sound, albeit a very distinct one.
(For a good reference give a listen to 'Tommy the Cat,' or better yet, check out the video!)

Adam

bassplayer2106 · « **Reply #33 on:** July 09, 2005, 12:15:39 PM »

Pino Paladino used to do it a lot back in the 80's when he was playing with Paul Young.I think he used to use roundwound strings on his musicman,I should imagine that the neck on it looked a bit of a mess.

slapbass · « **Reply #34 on:** July 09, 2005, 01:11:31 PM »

Adam,

I have watched Les play he is good and has a great sound. But when I was playing a music festival last year and had a little chat with Les he showed me his primary bass. There was a divot across the fret board just above the end where he slaps the strings. That I would never do to a fretless. Les has his sound and it is an interesting one. I personally do not want to spend my hard earned money for that fret board repair. I would rather save for another bass.

Just my two cents.

The strings are soundings better all the time I love this mixture of strings for the harmonic very piano like qualities they are producing. Anyway to nice of a day to be inside going for a ride. Charlotte is calling me (the 1999 ultra classic Electra glide with a 130,000 miles).

Dale