Need some advice for Fretless Bass

[brianm]

I just purchased my first Alembic and WOW what a sound and feel!!! It's the best fretless I've ever owned bar none, I'm hooked.  
 
 The bass I purchased is a used fretless Epic (unlined).  I find I'm constantly second guessing my accuracy in the second octave (because I'm usually off). I'm used to lined fretless basses.  
 
I'm thinking of having a local luthier add ghost lines to the finger board.  I am worried about screwing up the sound of the ebony finger board though. Can any one tell me their experience with adding ghost lines? Also, what material would you recommend to be used for the ghost lines?

[jetbass79]

I would just say to turn your ears to the on position and play it unlined.  Practice makes better.
 
  But if you want to make it a lined fretless you would probably want to use some kind of wood as opposed to plastic since wood expands and contracts and plastic does not.  So you would be left with funky fret-like ridges.  But I would just learn to play an unlined fretless.

[bob]

Welcome, Brian.
 
We recently had a lengthy discussion on this subject, and you'll probably find a lot of good info there. There's another older discussion here. You might find a few other comments by searching, but these are the most complete discussions I can recall.
 
If you're used to lines and convinced you prefer them, all I'll do is suggest that you reconsider that choice one more time. But if you do want them, then you'll find a number of useful suggestions.
 
-Bob

[brianm]

I'm primarily a fretted player but I do love the sound and feel of playing fretless also. With my new/used Alembic fretless I'd like to get in to playing fretless a lot more. The main reason I was thinking of adding ghost frets is that I can hear that my intonation is off in the second octave, I'm fine in the first octave of the bass. Since I'm woodsheding for the next 12 months this will be the perfect time to see if I can adjust to unlined and get accurate in the second octave. I think I'm going to try using side markers and see how that goes.  
 
Has any one seen FretFx formerly known as HotDotz? http://www.fretfx.com/  
 
Bob, thank you, I found the older posts quite help full.

[David Houck]

Brian; there are a few guys in the forum that use HotDotz.  If you run a search for hotdotz you'll find several threads.

[alembic76407]

Brian, I have HotDotz on my Epic and I LOVE THEM!!!  I keep asking myself, how did I ever play without them, if your Alembic didn't come with L.E.D.s, this is the anwser!!!.
the last two Saturdays we were on dark stages and my guitar player were having trouble seeing but not me  
 
David T

[bob]

Brian - you're welcome. Not to beat the subject to death, but if you can hear that you're off, and you've got the time to practice, then I think you are on the right track with side markers. They'll help you with the big jumps, but your eyes will never be as good as your ears for getting it perfect.
 
The second octave always takes a little longer, but every once in a while (when you're really into the music, rather than the technique) you'll find that you're nailing it. And over time, that will happen more often.
 
Enjoy.

[flaxattack]

hot dotz on an alembic?
oye vey is mir..... like putting a dog with a buncing head inside a rolls royce....
imho-lol

[alembic76407]

I'll take the buncing head out of my Rolls Royce but the hotdotz are staying!!!!
 
the eyes are the second thing that goes
 
David T

[son_of_magni]

Brian, my less expensive advice is to just spend 5 minutes a day playing scales and arpeggios up there and after a week you'll have no worries :-)