Author Topic: Fretless Slap Idea (Read 296 times)

rogertvr · « **on:** May 24, 2003, 10:47:51 AM »

I've had this idea floating round my head for some time now. I'm not sure if it's feasible, or if it's been done or mentioned before.

I own a fretless bass, a Westone Thunder 1A. Cost me ?200 brand new in 1986. Ok, so it's not an Alembic but I don't play fretless that often. It plays well, sounds good and for the cash it was a bargain.

But an idea I've had is that maybe it would be possible to sink a plate into the fretboard of any fretless bass at the pick-up end of the neck to slap against, so that the nice ebony wood doesn't end-up getting chewed to pieces by people like me who put roundwounds on fretless basses. Ok, so you lose the use of the last couple of notes on the neck or so, but what about those percussive gains?

Technically possible? Madness? Worth a try?

Feel free to call me a madman, I promise not to take offence!!

Rog

adriaan · « **Reply #1 on:** May 24, 2003, 02:16:58 PM »

Look at this fretless graphite necked Alembic: it has a piece of brass as the end of the ebony fretboard:
http://www.bunnybass.com/museum/basses/alem_781282_graphite.shtml

basstard · « **Reply #2 on:** May 24, 2003, 02:43:30 PM »

BTW, it's one of the most beautiful basses I've ever seen. Someone who bought it is really, really lucky...

rogertvr · « **Reply #3 on:** May 25, 2003, 08:42:57 AM »

Thanks Adriaan for sharing that. Just when I thought I'd had a good idea.... :-)

I have to agree with Basstard though - that's a mighty fine instrument!

Cheers,

Rog

thebass · « **Reply #4 on:** May 28, 2003, 04:45:26 AM »

Hi Rog,

LeFay basses (a small luthier company in germany, near Hamburg) offers a fretless model with a fretboard made of 100% stainless steel, called Remington. The founder Rainer Dobratz is building anything himself and may also offer fretboard retrofits. His website is www.lefay.de

Werner

mik · « **Reply #5 on:** July 01, 2003, 08:12:16 AM »

Hmmm

I also seem to remember one of the smaller UK luthiers producing fretlesses back in the late 70s or early 80s with brass plates inlaid into the board. Can't for the life of me remember who - might have been Manson or Overwater or someone of that ilk. I vaguely seem to remember playing one in a shop somewhere...

Similar timeline to that lovely Series I on the bunnybass link listed above too.

Mik

mplsdeadhead92 · « **Reply #6 on:** August 18, 2003, 10:02:08 AM »

Alembic also produces a Continously Fretted bass (i.e. It has a steel fretboard). I'm pretty sure you can find it in the history portion of their website. I think the brass plate idea sounds OK. You know Alembic also sells pickups to fit a variety of different manufacturers basses, maybe you could drop one of those bad boys in your bass?

fretlessman123 · « **Reply #7 on:** December 02, 2003, 01:19:13 PM »

maybe you can have like little pieces of brass like installed were the frets should be but they stick out like a hair so you could still slide and stuff but the strings could hit against them. i have know idea that it would work but it was just an idea. anyways i just slap on my fretless bass all the time and it still sounds pretty cool and all. it was just an idea and if it is good thats cool.

Mike

son_of_magni · « **Reply #8 on:** January 20, 2004, 10:07:20 AM »

You can kinda see the brass plate I added to my fretless P bass in this picture...

http://www.sonofthor.com/images/basses2.gif