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Post by Gert on May 8, 2019 12:11:51 GMT
Hi folks! First post here... I'm a relatively experienced amateur-musician (48) who recently rediscovered the bass as being my favorite instrument. Being on a budget I bought a PB-50 SB and was very happy with it! The fretwork and the pup are great! The day before yesterday I made it a fretless since I tend only to do rather "intimate" projects. This is the third time I removed the frets on a bass an I always liked the almost organic feel and sound. I use Fender black nylon strings and this combined with the fretless neck makes it possible to use my little Fender Rumble 14 (V3) with the B/M/T flat; the bass/strings already give me the sound I want. No more mid-scoop and boosting the bass necessary to make it sound "grown-up" ... which makes it immediately a lot louder and more "hearable". Happy lefty HB fretless-player here, just wanted to share it with y'all!
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1,481 posts
Disclosures: Everything I don't like I can modify.
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Post by blablas on May 8, 2019 12:46:31 GMT
Pictures or it didn't happen. I know you have them.
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Post by Gert on May 8, 2019 13:29:44 GMT
Pictures or it didn't happen. I know you have them. Haha, I know you know... I tried but only got a "url"-option which I am not used to...
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Post by Gert on May 8, 2019 13:34:04 GMT
Interesting tone observation Gert . Which do you think is the main factor in getting that tone you want, the strings or the fretlessness? Presumably you used this amp before going fretless but you also changed to nylon strings at the same time? I already had the nylon strings and still scooped the mids so the fretlessness must be more important for the tone imho. The more "wooden" tone is a lot mid-friendlier and doesn't make the combo sound "boxy", if you know what I mean... A lot is still possible on a fretless but tonewise it's another universe.
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Post by Gert on May 9, 2019 10:13:10 GMT
Yesterday I did another little turn on the trussrod; the neck is now veeeery straight with also a beautiful "mwaah" on the E-string as a result. The setup of the bass is in my opinion more important than the wood of the neck or the strings used which are only determinating the sound and the intensity of the "mwaah". The fretwork was already very good (had a very low "slap"-action) but the removing of the frets shows the quality of the neck itself... impressive, certainly for 119 euros . It plays and sings like a dream now...
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3,457 posts
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Post by LeoThunder on May 9, 2019 12:43:49 GMT
Yesterday I did another little turn on the trussrod; the neck is now veeeery straight with also a beautiful "mwaah" on the E-string as a result. The setup of the bass is in my opinion more important than the wood of the neck or the strings used which are only determinating the sound and the intensity of the "mwaah". That's interesting. I noticed a strong difference between roundwound and flatwound on that aspect and thought it was the strings. But if flatwound strings have higher tension, and I didn't correct the neck relief when I compared, then it could have played that role too. I think I'm going to tighten the thing now and see what happens…
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Post by Gert on May 9, 2019 12:48:11 GMT
Indeed, each change of strings requires a check-up of the setup . On an fretted bass it's only about ease of playing and less about the sound but on a fretless it kills or makes the "mwaah". Keep us informed please, just curious... And don't forget to adapt the nut so the strings start off on the fingerboard so the sound of an open string already has some "mwaah"... sounds more balanced!
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3,457 posts
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Post by LeoThunder on May 9, 2019 12:56:02 GMT
Yes, that does it. A flatter neck makes a real difference in sound. The thing is meowing all over. You'll be surprised but I do not want the "mwah", which was one of the reasons I kept the flatwound on that bass. So I actually ended up loosening the neck a little more instead. It must have moved since I last did it last Autumn.
I didn't understand why the string type made such a difference, now it makes sense. Flatwound have more tension.
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Post by Gert on May 9, 2019 13:08:32 GMT
"Meowing all over" Love that expression! Thx for the confirmation!
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3,457 posts
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Post by LeoThunder on May 9, 2019 13:26:57 GMT
I learned something again today It's funny because I have seen videos of bass players explaining how to get some "mwah" using a compressor and particular EQ settings. Then I touch the neck relief and it all happens unplugged…
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Post by Gert on May 9, 2019 13:35:59 GMT
Glad to read that!
It all begins with the unplugged sound...
And I agree with you; I also read al that "crap" about the right wood, epoxy, roundwounds,... but it's al about the setup indeed! It's just the (unplugged) sound of it that changes...
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