Babycat Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 (edited) This one's dedicated to both Presto-digitation and Ancient Ways for their combo poll suggestions! All welcome to cast their votes, though..! Edited July 11, 2011 by Babycat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Whompus Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 Fretted, only because I'm not good enough to play frettless yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Presto-digitation Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 Fretted I'm not nearly good enough otherwise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rushman14 Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 Ive played both but fretted is easier, especially with dark stage lighting etc.. I like the sound of fretless though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treeduck Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 What about fretless guitar!!?? Bumblefoot is the master of that! Also this guy: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fledgehog Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 why aren't acoustic and upright options on this poll? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babycat Posted July 12, 2011 Author Share Posted July 12, 2011 As far as I can tell, these guys used fretless basses: Jaco Pastorius Pino Palladino Tony Levin - a fretless Steinberger on 'Sledgehammer' by Peter Gabriel Mick Karn Jeff Ament from Pearl Jam and Jack Bruce. The guy who really made me sit up and take notice was Bakithi Kumalo, a South African bassist who used a fretless on Paul Simon's 'You Can Call Me Al' (or was it just called 'Call Me Al'?) - the bass part on that song was absolutely incredible! - played one part forward, then somehow reversed it... Man, that was something... My impression of fretless playing is that it's probably far harder than fretted - I think, as far as I can tell, it's a whole different style of playing. Also, as a side interest, who's Bumblefoot? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babycat Posted July 12, 2011 Author Share Posted July 12, 2011 Here is a list of fretless basses: Tanglewood Peavey Foundation Rickenbacker 4001 Fender Precision Warwick Triumph 5 string Steinberger Music Man Fender Jazz. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Whompus Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 QUOTE (fledgehog @ Jul 11 2011, 07:45 PM) why aren't acoustic and upright options on this poll? I need an acoustic bass. They have some at guitar center and they are nice! As for upright, maybe later, but they would be fun to play! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Big Money Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 QUOTE (Babycat @ Jul 12 2011, 06:34 AM) Also, as a side interest, who's Bumblefoot? One of the guitarists in Guns N Roses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozzy85 Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 Fretless sounds cool, but is limited in sound by being fretless. Only seems to work for a relatively narrow style of music. Fretted for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treeduck Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 QUOTE (bigmoney2112 @ Jul 12 2011, 10:37 PM) QUOTE (Babycat @ Jul 12 2011, 06:34 AM) Also, as a side interest, who's Bumblefoot? One of the guitarists in Guns N Roses. He's a very advanced guitar player with an under the radar solo career. Oh and he joined Guns n Roses for some extra cash... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick N. Backer Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 QUOTE (Babycat @ Jul 12 2011, 06:34 AM)As far as I can tell, these guys used fretless basses: Jaco Pastorius Pino Palladino Tony Levin - a fretless Steinberger on 'Sledgehammer' by Peter Gabriel Mick Karn Jeff Ament from Pearl Jam and Jack Bruce. The guy who really made me sit up and take notice was Bakithi Kumalo, a South African bassist who used a fretless on Paul Simon's 'You Can Call Me Al' (or was it just called 'Call Me Al'?) - the bass part on that song was absolutely incredible! - played one part forward, then somehow reversed it... Man, that was something... My impression of fretless playing is that it's probably far harder than fretted - I think, as far as I can tell, it's a whole different style of playing. Also, as a side interest, who's Bumblefoot? Sting is another fretless player. It is like playing another instrument altogether, since you're playing "positions" as opposed to notes on a fretboard. Kudos to the guys who pull it off, particularly in rock where it seems particularly unusual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micgtr71 Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 I played a fretless Music Man Stingray as my main bass back in the 90s. With that pickup, I could even slap and get a good pop out of it. Loved that bass. Unfortunately, each musicman bass I owned had terrible necks that would go out of whack at the slightest temperature. I sold them and maintain my Fender J. If I were gigging regularly, I would pick up another fretless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babycat Posted July 15, 2011 Author Share Posted July 15, 2011 Mark King from Level 42 used fretted basses. Nick Beggs, a session bassist, used fretless, and played a Chapman stick, Tanglewood acoustic, Rickenbacker 4003 and a Music Man Stingray. The only other thing I seem to remember reading about is that he's a patron of the London Guitar and Bass school. If I recall, Rickenbackers have two truss rods because their necks were likely to warp due to temperature and storage. One thing that always confused me was the Rickenbacker double-neck - how the heck are you able to know which neck was needed for which part of the music? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micgtr71 Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 QUOTE (Babycat @ Jul 15 2011, 03:41 PM) Mark King from Level 42 used fretted basses. Nick Beggs, a session bassist, used fretless, and played a Chapman stick, Tanglewood acoustic, Rickenbacker 4003 and a Music Man Stingray. The only other thing I seem to remember reading about is that he's a patron of the London Guitar and Bass school. If I recall, Rickenbackers have two truss rods because their necks were likely to warp due to temperature and storage. One thing that always confused me was the Rickenbacker double-neck - how the heck are you able to know which neck was needed for which part of the music? Rickenbackers have very thin necks and the double truss was supposed to be able to work like a double action truss. I never got it myself...You would use the neck that you wanted to for whatever part called for it. If you had a Fretted Fretless bass, you would switch to the fretless for the parts that called for sinewy lines. If you were the composer of the song, it would be easier to determine what to use for what. I remember Chris Squire using a triple neck Wal bass that was a doubled three string, Fretless and a Fretted for the song Awaken about 20 years ago. Search for it on youtube. It is something else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babycat Posted July 16, 2011 Author Share Posted July 16, 2011 QUOTE (micgtr71 @ Jul 16 2011, 02:59 AM) QUOTE (Babycat @ Jul 15 2011, 03:41 PM) Mark King from Level 42 used fretted basses. Nick Beggs, a session bassist, used fretless, and played a Chapman stick, Tanglewood acoustic, Rickenbacker 4003 and a Music Man Stingray. The only other thing I seem to remember reading about is that he's a patron of the London Guitar and Bass school. If I recall, Rickenbackers have two truss rods because their necks were likely to warp due to temperature and storage. One thing that always confused me was the Rickenbacker double-neck - how the heck are you able to know which neck was needed for which part of the music? Rickenbackers have very thin necks and the double truss was supposed to be able to work like a double action truss. I never got it myself...You would use the neck that you wanted to for whatever part called for it. If you had a Fretted Fretless bass, you would switch to the fretless for the parts that called for sinewy lines. If you were the composer of the song, it would be easier to determine what to use for what. I remember Chris Squire using a triple neck Wal bass that was a doubled three string, Fretless and a Fretted for the song Awaken about 20 years ago. Search for it on youtube. It is something else. Triple neck?! Crikey! Isn't there a guitar that's got about 5 necks..? Or am I thinking of Gene Simmons for some strange reason? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micgtr71 Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 Rick Neilsen from Cheap Trick had a five neck guitar built by Hamer. Not sure how playable the guitar is but it should be easy to Google. Check it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micgtr71 Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 Babycat, Check it out here: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babycat Posted July 16, 2011 Author Share Posted July 16, 2011 QUOTE (micgtr71 @ Jul 16 2011, 11:03 AM)Babycat, Check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4YcVMNhVCQ&feature=fvwrel Jesus Christ! That's absolutely incredible!!! My jaw completely dropped when I saw that beast! I bet that was really heavy! Man, that's some impressive looking ax! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micgtr71 Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 Actually, I didn't get that far off topic...that bottom guitar is a fretless. Can't imagine how he reaches it though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babycat Posted July 17, 2011 Author Share Posted July 17, 2011 (edited) QUOTE (micgtr71 @ Jul 17 2011, 01:51 AM)Actually, I didn't get that far off topic...that bottom guitar is a fretless. Can't imagine how he reaches it though. Thinking about it, unless I'm really, really imagining it, but I always thought I saw a guitar that had eight necks on it, 4 necks shooting off on the left and 4 on the right. Custom-built, obviously. (Didn't Stevie Vai have one which was hinged in the middle so that it folded up?) And Gene Simmons used pyrotechnics on his basses. How did he trigger them without coming to harm? Edited July 17, 2011 by Babycat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micgtr71 Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 (edited) There's this guy who actually came to my town to do a clinic, but he has four necks. I never saw 8, but I'm sure someone did it. My friend met this guy and was told that the four neck was stolen...how do you sell something like that on the black market? This guitar apparently folds in half to go in the case. He now uses double guitars with necks going in opposite directions. Here is the four neck: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogmVmRkgURA&feature=related Here is Steve Vai with one of his triple necks which I believe folds as well. I will stick with one neck for that keeps me busy enough. Also, like you said, its got to weigh a ton. Edited July 17, 2011 by micgtr71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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