| Author | Message | ||
| dadabass2001
Advanced Member Username: dadabass2001 Post Number: 209 Registered: 6-2002 |
Hi folks, I just finished working on a recording project using my two Epics, fretted and fretless. I had restrung the fretless with Rotosound flatwound steel. The fretted was cool as always, but the fretless was VERY clean (almost upright sounding) with no mwah at all. I'm actully wanting to find how to pull it in on call. I lowered my bridge to the point where it's just about sitting on the body. Is mwah or fretless buzz a function of string brand or guage? Setup? technique? I feel like I'm running in circles. Any suggestions or advice? Mike | ||
| bob
Advanced Member Username: bob Post Number: 293 Registered: 11-2002 |
Shoot, I'd love to talk about this, but I'm working tonight (sort of a continuation of the weekend...), so I'll just throw out a suggestion or two. As I understand it, you have a very clean, non-mwah sound on your fretless, and you'd like to get some of it back. Since you already have the bridge way low (and apparently that works fine), I'd suggest straightening the neck a little. It seems to me that a nice fretless mwah comes from a very slight grazing of the string, along much of the vibrating length. (This is somehow different than fretted buzz, where you often hit a particular fret, or maybe several.) If you have too much relief in the neck, you won't get this. So setup is probably the first thing, but technique matters too. If you use a *lot* of fretting finger pressure, hit the note dead on without sliding into it, with perfect intonation, all the time (well, in theory I suppose some people might...), you're less likely to mwah. Try sliding into it just a bit, maybe with a little less finger pressure. (Don't bother plucking harder, that gives you more of a slap than a buzz.) As to strings, I have no experience with yours, and won't speculate as to their effect. Back to work - good luck, let us know what you learn. -Bob | ||
| dadabass2001
Advanced Member Username: dadabass2001 Post Number: 210 Registered: 6-2002 |
Thanks Bob, I'm still learning fretless, and so have been very delberate and cautious about intonation (trying to hit dead on pitch). Ideally I want to hide the fretless nature until I want to accent or emote a phrase. I'll try adjusting truss rods tonight. It's my turn for work  Mike | ||
| alemboid
Member Username: alemboid Post Number: 94 Registered: 5-2003 |
Hi Mike, I have a 5 string Orion fretless that never had any mwah. It sounded like a fretted bass when played, and when sliding on the fingerboard, it only then kind of sounded like a fretless. I was using Ken Smith half-rounds on it. I tried using D'darrio Prisms, not a lot of difference (but the Prisms on a fretted bass make signature electronics sound like series electronics!). So, in a pinch before a gig, I bought a cheap set of Ernie Ball Slinky bass strings, threw 'em on the fretless and KA-CHING!!! Big time Mark Egan like MWAHHHHHH! So, the string does make a difference. I can't guarantee the same results, but being that we both have set neck basses, the Ernie Ball string may do the trick. Alemboid | ||
| dadabass2001
Advanced Member Username: dadabass2001 Post Number: 214 Registered: 6-2002 |
Hi Guys, Thanks for the input. I tried adjusting the the neck bow and lowering the nut slightly, with only modest change. So tonight I'm putting a set of Ernie Ball super Slinkys on. I'll report back. Thanks again, Alemboid and Bob. Mike | ||
| bob
Advanced Member Username: bob Post Number: 296 Registered: 11-2002 |
Mike, Just a quick note, since I didn't have time to talk about strings before. Sorry you've only managed a 'modest' change so far, but you'll get there eventually, be patient. Yes, I think strings can make a difference for this purpose, but it's complicated to explain (and I don't claim to fully understand it either). I'd just like to make one request: if you have the time, inclination, and patience, try to carefully measure your neck relief before and after switching to the Slinkys. I don't know anything about Slinkys either (other than that I had some on a guitar about twenty years ago). But if their combined tension is different than what you are replacing, then it will change your neck relief. As long as you're experimenting, it would be nice to be fairly scientific about this :-) | ||
| dadabass2001
Advanced Member Username: dadabass2001 Post Number: 215 Registered: 6-2002 |
Hi Bob, I didn't see your latest post until Friday morning (DOH!). Sadly I don't own calipers or timing shims (not even a good ruler LOL). I didn't put the Super Slinkys on (.45-.65-.80-.100), cause I wanted to see if round wound would make a difference right off so I put on an old set of DR Hi-Beams. The Rotosound flatwounds were an oddity for me. I got them from my local Garbage Center, and felt they went dead within 3 weeks (almost no sustain).  How dead was illustrated when I put the old DRs on - a world of difference. The mwah is in there! I'm still tweaking in small (non-scientific) steps. Neck relief and bridge height came back under adjustment after the change, but I think I might have gone a bit too far and lost some buzz again. I'm crunched for time, working all day today, rehearsing tonight (with the fretless), and playing two outdoor gigs tomorrow. I've got my tools in my case so I'll adjust with my guitarists input tonight and then leave it alone for Saturday. I'm probably going to hold the Super Slinkys in reserve until next week. It's getting there. Thanks, Mike |
