20 years ago I put a fret on the body of my fretless between the fingerboard and the body pickup, at precisely the 2-octave point, specifically for this purpose. I was inspired by the bassist on Paul Simon's Graceland, Bakithi Kumalo. It worked quite well, but I got bored of it after a while and the glue wore off... I still have the fret somewhere.
Can I ask you about your fretless lol? I’m wanting to get one but I have never tried one. Have you played a fretless prior to getting one? What is your skill level on bass? And how much was it or what brand did you buy!
adding brass "slap plates" while unconventional, have been around for a while. Google "brass slap plate fretless" and you see numerous threads on the topic, and some interesting variations. I believe the optimal place for a plate, or "slap fret" is flush with the very heel of the fingerboard where it meets the body. That way you can set the action and neck relief as low as any other fretless, but instead of the string smacking the fingerboard and eventually wearing little trenches into the end of the neck, it meets some metal. Still, this isn't a bad job. Sounds pretty good!
Thank you! BTW, I can have normal low action on the bass because I removed the 24th fret ant milled down the surface under it before I reinstalled it. That way, the top of the 24th fret is on the same level as the rest of the fingerboard👍
Being able to get the slap/pop sound but then then slide the note through all those microtones sounds amazing. Like playing a bass on a midi key board with pitch bend wheel but on a real instrument. This is a genius idea and I'm now wondering why more guitar companies don't offer necks likes this.
For decades I've imagined a fretless bass with a fingerboard entirely covered with a stainless steel sheet. It would have that percussive sound, might have more sustain and clarity, and it would look amazing.
@@keithklassen5320 Alembic built one for John McVie of Fleetwood Mac. He used it on The Chain. If I remember correctly, he described it as "continuously fretted" or something like that.
Thats a great idea. That is the one thing that makes slap sound lifeless on a fretless, unless we’re talking about Claypool, fretless just sucks for slap and that gives it the attack that is lost without frets.
This makes complete sense and adds back some of the attack lost when slapping a fretless. Awesome tone too. What pickups are they, and which ones were dialled in for this video?
at least after compression and computer speakers, I gotta say it sounds the same as my regular fretless. seems like a pointless mod that would also affect your ability to set the string height nice and low.
Not agree. Imo that thing gives you the ability to slap with something sounding like regular fret slap. And that is the main idea I guess. The other thing is -How reasonable is using fretless bass for slap? But it deserves to be as an option.
@@nickjonathan4043 matter of preference I guess? I have low action on my jazz bass and I never had issues with last frets buzzing. It happens in the beginning or middle of the neck usually. So if gentleman isn’t going a lot for solos on 18-24 I don’t see a problem
@@yurii_chynchyk the problem is that obviously the 24th fret is higher than the rest of the neck with no frets, so you must choose between losing half of your neck or set the height ridiculously high. So I guess thats fine if you only want half of a bass.
@@nickjonathan4043 "losing half of your neck" lol you do know that is entirely dependant on how tall the fret sticks out from the board right Also in another comment he says that it pretty much has no such effect
20 years ago I put a fret on the body of my fretless between the fingerboard and the body pickup, at precisely the 2-octave point, specifically for this purpose. I was inspired by the bassist on Paul Simon's Graceland, Bakithi Kumalo. It worked quite well, but I got bored of it after a while and the glue wore off... I still have the fret somewhere.
Thank you for that story. It' always interresting to try a new idea👍
Did Kumalo have a single-fret bass?
If I recall correctly he had a fret glued to one of his pickups. It would take some digging through old vids to check.@@Cybercrapper28
This is so trippy, I love it
Thank you😀
This is so cool, I’m dumb for thinking it would only play one note😂
Just recently got my first bass, and it's fretless. Harder to learn on but a hell of a lot of fun.
Have fun!😀
Can I ask you about your fretless lol? I’m wanting to get one but I have never tried one. Have you played a fretless prior to getting one? What is your skill level on bass? And how much was it or what brand did you buy!
Did you play upright or some other fretless stringed instrument before? Going right to a fretless as a beginner is quite the undertaking
@@cosmicpanda7043 I didn't 🤣, only instrument I knew was guitar lmao
@@duxoakende I guess you prolly already have a decent ear then, but you're still gonna have a hell of a time. Hope it treats ya well
adding brass "slap plates" while unconventional, have been around for a while. Google "brass slap plate fretless" and you see numerous threads on the topic, and some interesting variations. I believe the optimal place for a plate, or "slap fret" is flush with the very heel of the fingerboard where it meets the body. That way you can set the action and neck relief as low as any other fretless, but instead of the string smacking the fingerboard and eventually wearing little trenches into the end of the neck, it meets some metal. Still, this isn't a bad job. Sounds pretty good!
Thank you! BTW, I can have normal low action on the bass because I removed the 24th fret ant milled down the surface under it before I reinstalled it. That way, the top of the 24th fret is on the same level as the rest of the fingerboard👍
Being able to get the slap/pop sound but then then slide the note through all those microtones sounds amazing. Like playing a bass on a midi key board with pitch bend wheel but on a real instrument. This is a genius idea and I'm now wondering why more guitar companies don't offer necks likes this.
For decades I've imagined a fretless bass with a fingerboard entirely covered with a stainless steel sheet. It would have that percussive sound, might have more sustain and clarity, and it would look amazing.
@@keithklassen5320 Alembic built one for John McVie of Fleetwood Mac. He used it on The Chain.
If I remember correctly, he described it as "continuously fretted" or something like that.
that's such a simple but genius solution. been wondering how to get this tone myself on a fretless
That's so awesome! I'm just discovering the beauty of fretless bass, I love how fluid it sounds
woah this blew my mind... how have I never heard or thought of this concept?
I play an opposite version of that bass. it's has all but the last fret.
That is a wonderful idea. In all of the years I've been playing (a few) this is the first time I've seen it.
Thank you! I think it works very well in combination with the Musicman pickup😀
Innovative! Great tone and funky baselines that move.
Thanks for listening Chris!
Awesome man!! Love the sounds
Thank you!😀
I can’t tell if this is cursed, genius or both
This is a great idea, I wouldn't have thought of it myself! Really like the sound you got out of it
Thank you! Its going to be my main fretless bass in the future👍😀
Very cool idea! And nice playing!
Thank you!😀
It IS simply awesome. And very inspiring 🤘
That's brilliant
Thank you Curtis!
Thats a great idea. That is the one thing that makes slap sound lifeless on a fretless, unless we’re talking about Claypool, fretless just sucks for slap and that gives it the attack that is lost without frets.
Dude that's a cool idea. Is there an upper limit where you start to buzz on the fret as you slide up the strings?
No buzz before 23,5th "fret"👍
@@non-precisionbasschannel5007 That's sick. Really cool idea!
this is genius
This makes complete sense and adds back some of the attack lost when slapping a fretless. Awesome tone too. What pickups are they, and which ones were dialled in for this video?
Thank you!I used the Seymour Duncan SMB-5A alone. The Bartolini MK1 soapbar was silent. And I'm using the original Bartolini MK1 preamp in the bass👍
@@non-precisionbasschannel5007Thanks! I thought I recognised that powerful MM sound.
Les clay pool would be proud. Whatever this tone is, it’s almost spot on Over The Electric Grapevine
Thank you!
Very interesting. If I get up tomorrow I plan to take the frets off a bass I own. Might steal this
Ok! Before you starts, watch this video👍: ua-cam.com/video/nC7HaBbxhEk/v-deo.html
Damn, this is actually a great idea!
very cool & interesting, i wonder what would happen if you put a “zero fret” on the other end
I dont know, but the top of the zero fret must be in level with the finger board. I have a regular nut on my bass👍
The one fret is genius!!!!
Thank you, it gives you more fun😀👍
I wonder how some Primus songs would sound on this.. The tapping in “jerry was a race car driver” should sound interesting I think
Genius
Slappa da fretless!
Instant Tony Levin sound
nice
Thank you Arthur!
Гениально!
Les Claypool vibes 😌
I'm not sure you need a fret. A brass block at the end of the neck would do the trick
How did you learn to play like that? It reminds me so much of Primus.
Looks like I'm not the only one who had this idea!
Your luthiers were so preoccupied with whether or not they could that they didn't stop to think if they should.
The myth is real! sounds great
Thank you🙏😊
Can you make a demo and play it hard with a pick?
i wish i had a fretless
Basically primus
I was just thinking about this the other day. Why didnt anyone do this sooner?
Les Claypool and the dude who played on Graceland both did it
LesClaypool has 1 so that he can slap a fretless. it's insanely hard to play
It's good to slap
Yes, it is working good!
Tabs be like 1111111111111
how high do you have to slide until your fret fully activates.
Hi Kurt! I have "23.5 fretless frets"👍
Wouldn’t the 23rd fret have some buzz to it though?
No, but if you vibrate on the 23th fret too much, you might touch the 24th fret👍
@@non-precisionbasschannel5007 I see, really cool idea btw I love it
The beginning sounds like pork soda
Les Claypool anyone?
It’s not fretless, it has a fret.
at least after compression and computer speakers, I gotta say it sounds the same as my regular fretless. seems like a pointless mod that would also affect your ability to set the string height nice and low.
Not agree. Imo that thing gives you the ability to slap with something sounding like regular fret slap. And that is the main idea I guess.
The other thing is -How reasonable is using fretless bass for slap? But it deserves to be as an option.
@@yurii_chynchyk and as for the string action?
@@nickjonathan4043 matter of preference I guess?
I have low action on my jazz bass and I never had issues with last frets buzzing. It happens in the beginning or middle of the neck usually. So if gentleman isn’t going a lot for solos on 18-24 I don’t see a problem
@@yurii_chynchyk the problem is that obviously the 24th fret is higher than the rest of the neck with no frets, so you must choose between losing half of your neck or set the height ridiculously high. So I guess thats fine if you only want half of a bass.
@@nickjonathan4043 "losing half of your neck" lol you do know that is entirely dependant on how tall the fret sticks out from the board right
Also in another comment he says that it pretty much has no such effect