Why would a guitar player hack bassist play an unlined board?

soulman

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About 7 or 8 years ago a bunch of us were getting together to jam at one guys house. He said he had a bass amp and a Jazz Bass so I didn't bother to bring any of my gear. When I get there he says "oh I forgot to tell you, it's a fretless can you play one". I had before but not for a very long time. But that's what was available so I just played it for the entire jam. After all my years of playing Fender style basses as long as it's a 34" scale it's almost like my fingers automatically know where to go.
 

ponchonlefty

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About 7 or 8 years ago a bunch of us were getting together to jam at one guys house. He said he had a bass amp and a Jazz Bass so I didn't bother to bring any of my gear. When I get there he says "oh I forgot to tell you, it's a fretless can you play one". I had before but not for a very long time. But that's what was available so I just played it for the entire jam. After all my years of playing Fender style basses as long as it's a 34" scale it's almost like my fingers automatically know where to go.
muscle memory.
 

ponchonlefty

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I suppose. That's probably why I don't have any issues with singing while I play either. I never look at the neck. But it's also why I had more issues doing with a 35" scale bass. Everything seemed slightly off.
yeah i could see that happening. i didn't really notice when switching from bass to guitar. but i didn't play bass long.
 
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While I wouldn't gig on it, I would definitely consider taking it to a jam, with a backup in case the level of suckage exceeded my expectations.

I play a lot of melody when i practice fretless. Not because i want to be a soloist but because the ear is hyper tuned to melody. The deeper the grooves in the brain the better. Happy birthday (maybe a bad example because of how badly it is sung). Children's songs, stuff not just from church but the stuff from when I was 5-6. The kinda stuff that Alzheimer's patients still recall... that's what I play to work on intonation.
 

ponchonlefty

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The L1K is pretty much my fave and I far prefer my unlined boards. I have two lined fretless but what throws me off after playing mostly unlined is having the dots between the lines. I wouldn't play those two on a gig but they're difficult to find used lined or unlined.

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you guys really like the natural finish.
 
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