Fretless Bass FRETLINES VS PLAINBOARD differences & finger positioning

This is obviously aimed at someone very new to fretless bass. Or who was perhaps wondering ... My feeble attempt at explaining the differences between two styles of fretless bass. Yes, the dots along the side of the neck are in a DIFFERENT place on a fretlined fretless compared to a plain fretboard fretless. On a plainboard, you play centered exactly over the dot to get a true note. If you play over the dot on a fretlined fretless, you will be totally out of tune ... DUH! :) Not WINNING!

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[SWFanZocker]

Hi here i am ...again. Just one question: How s the name of the Plainboard bass? You get him by ebay right? ice clip i love this simple riff you played on 0:39. Its easy but its awesome!!!

[Pudsy440]

@SWFanZocker hehe ... glad ya like it, thanks. the plain board bass is "fender jazz bass special" made in japan in the mid 80's.

[dooltp]

Thx. I'm building a fretless bass and I've had people tell me that the dots "always" go "on the note". But that didn't quite make sense since I'm using a pre-slotted ebony fingerboard. I'm planning to use white filler for the lines, but I was conflicted about where to put the side dots. I think I'll stick with putting them "between the lines" now.

[Pudsy440]

@dooltp Cool that you're building a fretless with an ebony board ... you'll be able to put roundwounds on that if you so wish, without worries about wearing the board down. Well I suppose you could put the dots right on the line for quick reference, it's your bass after all and it would make it unique.

[scarred2112]

I think the easiest explanation is the Scale of Construction when it comes to companies like Fender & Ibanez, who are two of the largest MI corporations. Their "Fretted to (Lined) Fretless" numbers are something like "97% to 3%", and so it's far cheaper to used a fretted neck before frets are installed and inlay lines which would have the dots in their fretted position. Compare that to unlined boards which build "fretless necks" & eliminate dots from the start.

[Pudsy440]

@scarred2112 Ahhh... I see, thanks very much for that explanation. Makes sense. :)

[MITCHWILD]

@w00tf00d Me too, good luck.

[w00tf00d]

Thanks man I'm looking to buy an ibanez fretless bass

[RaguelAngelofBalance]

The ebony fretboard sounds so much sweeter.

[Pudsy440]

@Synequanon Not so strange, I adjusted the intonation (up at the bridge) using my tuner ... (it takes a little while) so that the exact note is centered right on the dot or in the case of my lined, finger centered on the line. You can adjust it any way you like but I find this makes the most sense.