It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 4:19 pm

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 30 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Go to page 1, 2  Next
Author Message
Post subject: New American Standard Jazz Fretless (I`m kinda Lost)
Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2012 7:19 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Tue Dec 25, 2012 10:51 pm
Posts: 13
Hi all!!! My wife, God bless her soul, has surprised me with a new American Standard Jazz Fretless for Christmas. I have always been a Rickenbacker guy. I had recently expressed my interest in looking for a fretless, and her being thoughtful, suprised me with, what I think is the best on the market today. As a fretless and Fender novice, i`m looking for some tips to get the most out of my new guitar, i.e. what`s the best amp to play through( I currently use a GK for my Ric), best set up for the guitar, strings and any other tips.

Cheers,

Vance


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: New American Standard Jazz Fretless (I`m kinda Lost)
Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2012 8:15 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Sun Jul 22, 2007 6:33 am
Posts: 4583
Location: North of Pittsburgh
First of all, does she have a sister? :D

That's one sweet bass she got you, in my opinion, one of the very best. Your GK should do you well, take your time and play around for a couple weeks to get the "feel".

These are favorites among a lot of people here, and the price is right.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/accessor ... ngs-medium

Good luck and enjoy. Post some pics of your rigs.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: New American Standard Jazz Fretless (I`m kinda Lost)
Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2012 9:45 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Tue Dec 25, 2012 10:51 pm
Posts: 13
Thanks. Any tips to get that classic "mwahhhhhh" sound? Especially in the higher ranges.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: New American Standard Jazz Fretless (I`m kinda Lost)
Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2012 10:22 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2011 8:01 am
Posts: 2842
Most people wouldn't do this but I wood-- put Rotosounds on it-- AND nice gift!!!


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: New American Standard Jazz Fretless (I`m kinda Lost)
Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 5:15 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Thu Dec 31, 2009 10:34 pm
Posts: 10760
Location: Athens, Greece
Congratulations dude and enjoy your new baby.

Oh, and don't forget to post a couple of photos! :)


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: New American Standard Jazz Fretless (I`m kinda Lost)
Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 6:35 am
Offline
Amateur
Amateur
User avatar

Joined: Tue Oct 09, 2012 1:53 pm
Posts: 126
This: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmKP6AiT9UI may help for a start.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: New American Standard Jazz Fretless (I`m kinda Lost)
Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 6:43 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Sun Jul 22, 2007 6:33 am
Posts: 4583
Location: North of Pittsburgh
stroker vance wrote:
Most people wouldn't do this but I wood-- put Rotosounds on it-- AND nice gift!!!


Won't they tear the fretboard up? Flatwound Rotosounds were nasty, in my opinion.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: New American Standard Jazz Fretless (I`m kinda Lost)
Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 6:45 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Sun Jul 22, 2007 6:33 am
Posts: 4583
Location: North of Pittsburgh
vancemaclean wrote:
Thanks. Any tips to get that classic "mwahhhhhh" sound? Especially in the higher ranges.


I think you'll find the sounds you're searching for by spending the time looking for them. You have a really nice bass, it should serve you well.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: New American Standard Jazz Fretless (I`m kinda Lost)
Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 7:11 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star

Joined: Fri Apr 08, 2011 5:14 pm
Posts: 3169
Location: Linningrad
Keep your fingerboard well oiled (Dunlop 65 or Dr. Stringfellow) and put on a set of coated roundwounds from DR or Elixir. Plus you're going to have to learn how to play 'slippery' to get that mmmmmmmmmmmmwahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Technique baby! 8)

_________________
2012 Lefty American Standard Jazz
2017 Lefty American Professional Precision
2018 Rumble Studio 40 Combo
2016 Rumble 200 Combo
One day they shall name a GREAT city after me, and they shall call it LINNINGRAD


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: New American Standard Jazz Fretless (I`m kinda Lost)
Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 9:11 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Tue Dec 25, 2012 10:51 pm
Posts: 13
Thanks for all the feedback gang. Pics will be coming up soon. Guitar has barely left my hand since christmas morning. Being a Ric guy for so long, I had built up this Stigma against Fenders.......that is ofcourse, until i held this guitar. I believe I am converted. I get a free set up for this guitar from dealer, but it feels nice to me as is. The action is set nice and low, which I like. Any tips out there from you guys. What are your set ups like?


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: New American Standard Jazz Fretless (I`m kinda Lost)
Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 5:16 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Tue Dec 25, 2012 10:51 pm
Posts: 13
jazzbassjo wrote:
This: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmKP6AiT9UI may help for a start.


Thanks for the link jazzbassjo, finally had a chance to watch it. I like his sound, but I notice he is fretting right on the markers. Is this standard for fretless playing, or is it just a matter of finding the certain "sweet spot" on the guitar. Jesus, I haven't picked up my Ricenbacker since Christmas Day, lol.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: New American Standard Jazz Fretless (I`m kinda Lost)
Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 10:28 pm
Offline
Amateur
Amateur
User avatar

Joined: Tue Oct 09, 2012 1:53 pm
Posts: 126
vancemaclean wrote:
jazzbassjo wrote:
This: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmKP6AiT9UI may help for a start.


Thanks for the link jazzbassjo, finally had a chance to watch it. I like his sound, but I notice he is fretting right on the markers. Is this standard for fretless playing, or is it just a matter of finding the certain "sweet spot" on the guitar. Jesus, I haven't picked up my Ricenbacker since Christmas Day, lol.


On a fretless, you need to 'intonate' very precisley. Example: on a fretted instrument you can place your finger anywhere on the wood in between the fret metal of a particular note and hear a correct pitched note.
On a fretless (lined fretless, I presume) you would need to put your finger precisley on the line where the metal fret would be. That's what I mean by "intonate precisely".
A little tricky at first, I know. At least for me it was.

Now my Fender Jaco signature Jazz has the side dot markers positioned directly in-line with the "fret" lines so when playing and looking down at the neck it kind of helps you position easier. We are so used to positioning our fingers pretty close to those dots/markers yet on a Fender Standard fretless Jazz, those markers do not work for ya.
Corny to say but practice,practice,practice and you will get it!

I know what you mean about neglecting your fretted instruments! To me the fretless bass is like a completely different instrument in many ways. Very fun. I suggest you google 'good fretlless bass songs' or something and you will have a fun source of songs to learn which will sharpen your technique also.

Strings are another big debate. ALL strings will wear a fretboard down and roundwounds will do that faster. My Jaco fretless has roundwounds and my Fender Standard fretless has flatwounds. Both give different but awesome sounds. If I were you I would try one for a while, then switch to the other and check those out. Fret wear is repairable. Enjoy the sounds of both and try not to worry too much about wear.
The guy in the video shows good technique for vibrato with more of a horizontal than vertical movement which will also reduce wear on the board. More cello-like if you will.

Thanks for sharing your story. I told my wife about it (hint-hint) but have not gotten a new bass yet! Ha! Enjoy your instrument. Your at the beginning of a real fun journey.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: New American Standard Jazz Fretless (I`m kinda Lost)
Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 7:22 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Thu Aug 07, 2008 3:12 pm
Posts: 6355
Location: Albemarle, NC
As far as fretting precisely on marker lines goes, the marker line is often, but not always, the correct spot. Part of the beauty of a fretless bass is the player can compensate for innate intonation issues present in almost all fretted basses, or at least in the ones I've owned. For example on the first string (G) either the 4th, 5th and 6th frets is usually a tad off pitch but on the fretless you can compensate and hit the precise pitch. Usually it is the C note 5th fret on the G string I find to be the most off. Fortunately this is also often a dead spot so the off pitch note doesn't sustain long. There are other spots as well, but this fret is almost universally a tad off on a fretted bass.

Strings are a subjective thing. I like the feel and sound of nylon coated ones on a fretless but some find them too mellow. I also like traditional flats for some things but not all. Classic rounds are very abrasive but they sure do have a good sound. Most fretless basses now come new with rounds. Some fretboard materials are more resistant to wear than others but all will wear. Personally I'd take the rounds off first thing.

The Thomastik-Infeld JF344 Jazz Flats are a very bright sounding and extremely long lived flat and that is probably the sting I'd use if I had a fretless right now. They sound very un-flatwound like. They are also ludicrously expensive. Still I'd give a lot of thought toward the T.I. Jazz Flats JF344 set. I use them on a fretted active and you honestly can't tell they are flats even after a full year of use. They last nearly forever, so even with the high price they actually are a good value considering you'll be going through 6 or 8 or 12 sets of anything else in the time you use one set of the TI Jazz Flats. They are not my favorite string, but for a fretless bass they might be my first choice.

Congrats on the nice gift!


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: New American Standard Jazz Fretless (I`m kinda Lost)
Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 10:32 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Tue Dec 25, 2012 10:51 pm
Posts: 13
Thanks everyone for all the great tips. I can definetly see i'll be making use of this forum. What a great community. I can't wait for my first jam with the new bass on January 3rd with some excelllent players.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: New American Standard Jazz Fretless (I`m kinda Lost)
Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 2:22 pm
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician

Joined: Fri Oct 29, 2010 10:22 am
Posts: 789
If you pull a Jaco and put a coating of epoxy on your fretboard you can use rounds and have minimal damage. The roundwounds will wear into the finish and not the wood. Every few months you just sand the string ridges out or the finish and every couple of years put another coat of epoxy on it.

C/S,
Rev J


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 30 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Go to page 1, 2  Next

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: