Acoustic Bass sound from an Electric fretless

[Tim Mayock]

I have been looking around at fretless basses and want input as to what is out there.

I play a Precision and a Dano DC. I really like both for different reasons. My style is roots, pop, old R&B, Now I want to find something that can gets close to a upright. I know I just dont have the time to master an upright. Ive played a Rick Turner and would love to purchase one but I have a beer budget. Anybody have any good in between Ideas?

[fig]

I've used the trick of putting foam or guitar rag under the strings, near the bridge. This kills sustain and gives a thumpy, though clear note, imitation of an upright. Have used that trick live and for recording.

 

Did this a couple of weeks ago in a fill-in country situation on the song "Trailer for Sale or Rent", and played the original upright bass line to it. Totally floored the guys I was sitting in with.

 

If you want that upright sound WITH sustain, I just don't know.

[BenLoy]

When my upright was in the shop, I did this trick to get me through my regular swing-band gigs:

 

I strung my fretless with flatwounds and wedged a hunk of foam rubber under the bridge (the foam sold at hardware stores to insulate the window cracks around an air conditioner works pretty well). Yeilded a nice "thump".

[dcr]

Although I haven't played one myself, I have it on very good authority from some folks around here that the Godin fretless gets a very rootsy, upright-type sound.

 

I can get a decent sound with the mute engaged on my Ric 4003. Muting the strings on a "regular" bass is, as folks have pointed out, a good way to go.

[music-man]

You might try an Ashbory bass. They're darn cheap, and lotsa people swear by them for that upright sound.

Ashbory Bass link

 

I have to admit that when I've tried one out, I couldn't deal with teeny fingerscale, found it difficult to get "comfortable" with the body size/shape, and found the rubber strings difficult to slide.

 

But all that said, it did have a pretty pleasing thud. Worth a try, anyway.

 

(I seem to remember jeremyc plays one of these, and likes it).

[SteveC]

Flatwound strings are a good start, as is some kind of "muting" material.

 

I have also found the if you move your right hand up and kinda play over the fingerboard, you also get a more "upright" kind of tone.

[Tim Mayock]

Thanks everyone, I went out a lunch and played a Spector with the Piezo setup It was a nice bass but I think that godin is looking pretty close to what I want I just wish i could try one.

[Jonathan Hughes]

I used to have a 5 string bass (made by Amazing, with an "amazinol" neck -- does anyone remember those? -- they were headless and kind of shaped like a boat oar) that had a piezo pickup underneath the bridge. Although it was fretted, it was able to sound very much like an upright (an upright witha pickup, but an upright nonetheless). Maybe you could see about getting a piezo installed on/in your bass.

 

Jonathan

[hags2k]

Putting something under the strings to mute them...

 

Such an amazingly simple idea, I feel bad that I hadn't thought of it before. I mean, I knew in my head that old Fenders had mutes under the bridge coverplates, but I hadn't thought about doing something similar myself before.

 

I sometimes palm mute, but while reading this thread I found the closest thing (a sock) and stuffed it under there...Works pretty darn well on my Precision (not so great on my Jazz), and sounds just about as good as my palm muting, and it frees up my hand. I bet the guys in my band will get a kick out of it, anyway.

[Brendan Orr]

I like palm muting better than sticking something under the strings near the bridge because you can vary the amount of presure, possibly per string (or at least give lower strings more pressure and higher less pressure or vis versa). Plus its easier to switch between electric and psuedo-upright using the palm method. (mid song or even mid-note if you ever felt like doing so).