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I picked up a Cort Curbow fretless to scratch my Richard Sinclair wannabe itch. Great fun.
I happen to have a Dean Edge Fretless that I could spare...
Seriously, go for it. I had an unmarked Warwich Thumb for about 6 years. I only sold it when I had a midlife meltdown and sold all my bass gear. Then I got the NXT...
Cut out the half measures and go for a double. Lots of fun. or get a double as well as a fretless.
Studio: https://www.voltperoctave.com
Music: https://www.euclideancircuits.com
Me: https://www.jamesrichmond.com
I have a Yamaha RBX200F that looks terrible but sounds glorious. I also have a certain 1978/79 factory fretless Fender Precision. The Yamaha fingerboard is lined. The Fender is not. I navigate by the bumps and troughs in the poly finish.
I'm not locked in here with you, you are locked in here with me.
If you play pretty much as you do on the fretted instrument then it sounds a bit different because pitching it usually less perfect.
You rely on your ear more than you do on a fretted bass, so results can be variable.
If you take advantage of the lack of frets then playing with glissando (slides) affords a very different sound to the fretted instrument.
Check out Jaco for the best of fretless playing.
Studio: https://www.voltperoctave.com
Music: https://www.euclideancircuits.com
Me: https://www.jamesrichmond.com
You don't need custom built, exotic woods and all that malarkey, what you actually need is a Fender Jazz Special in burgundy mist. And funnily enough I know where you can get one!
Seriously though, if you just want to borrow it to see how you get on with no frets, you're more than welcome mate, it's only gathering dust.
Thanks for the kind offer - I will see where I am at!
The obvious question is context. What music style(s) are you playing that could benefit from fretless bass? For relatively easy listening, singer/songwriter, Folk, Country and other non-deafening genres, the answer might be another semi-hollow Ibanez.
I don’t need another bass. I certainly don’t need another fretted bass.
I see plenty I would like to have.
However, the conversation started by me saying I wanted to challenge my musical development and push it forward. We saw fretless as an opportunity to try something new, something to learn and something to challenge me.
Let’s hope @HarrySeven never gets asked the musical context for his purchases - I suspect the internet would self combust..!
I think..
Like a museum of dead technology.
HarrySeven - Intangible Asset Appraiser & Wrecker of Civilisation. Searching for weird guitars - so you don't have to.
Forum feedback thread. | G&B interview #1 & #2 | https://www.instagram.com/_harry_seven_/