My Blue Bass

GAD

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Got this delivered and snapped a pic before I had to catch a flight.

GuildBlueFretless.jpg



I am fascinated by the fretlessness of it as in all my years I don't think I've ever played a fretless bass. What's so cool is the fact that I can!

I'm no bass player, but the muscle memory of guitar kicks in and my brain somehow compensates for the longer scale and I can play it. In tune! I was giggling like an idiot the whole time.

My daughter, who really likes it, is a bit less enthusiastic because she has not played for as long as me and therefore cannot play it in tune. If I know her, though, she'll lock herself in her room with it for a day and come out just ripping out some funky... bass things.

I love the sound it produces when sliding on the strings and it gives a very upright bass sort of vibe that I didn't expect. Again, I'm not a bass player so I can't really do it justice, but it's pretty darn cool nonetheless.

Any idea what the strings might be? They're black, smooth, and sound more like an upright than round-wounds do.

I dig it!
 

krysh

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black nylon tapewound, maybe labella or rotosound. if they are labellas, they should sound great, have them on my acoustic fretless.
 

fronobulax

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Nice. I've only spent a few minutes with a fretless but the experience was frustrating enough that I have not tried again. On the other hand, switching from short scale to long scale used to always be a disaster, but the last time I grabbed the Pilot it was a smooth transition. Maybe I am developing muscle memory?

As Krysh said, probably nylon tapewound strings. Generally folks who want the upright acoustic bass sound gravitate to tapewounds. Everybody else starts debates about flats vs. rounds.
 

twocorgis

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I have D'Addario Chromes on mine, and love the tone. I only use it for a few songs in the band I'm in now, but it's pretty much essential for them. Love the neck on Pilot basses, too!
 

GAD

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Cool thnks! It definitely doesn't get that sort of spanky sound that round-wounds get when I abuse the strings.
 

twocorgis

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Cool thnks! It definitely doesn't get that sort of spanky sound that round-wounds get when I abuse the strings.

In general, it's not a good idea to use round wounds on a fretless. In addition to chewing up the fingerboard, you lose a lot of the "mwah" sound that makes fretless basses so cool.
 

mgod

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Except for Jaco Pastorius, of course. And dozens of others.
 

Happy Face

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Except for Jaco Pastorius, of course. And dozens of others.

And just how much good did it do for Jaco? Where is he now? DEAD! That's where.

I'm not sure it's worth the risk.
 
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