Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Seaman Jay on December 22, 2011 at 6:58am

3 strings in standard tuning (EAD or ADG) give you ability to play the whole octave in one hand position and to slap.

2 strings are enough to play an occasional fifth (good for slapping).

One string is more on the "less than useful" side. Slapping one string is like clapping with one hand, only less blissful.

IMHO you should forget the diatonic scale and go for the full chromatic... YMMV. Just noticed we're talking about a fretless one. The good thing about fretless - you decide which scale you use.

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Permalink Reply by Skeesix on December 22, 2011 at 7:06am

I agree - one string would require an awful lot of moving around up and down the string to get something out of it. So my vote would be for at least two strings, if not three. I think you can get pretty far on three strings without having a fourth string.

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Permalink Reply by robert jones on December 22, 2011 at 9:55am

I posted pics recently of a long scale fretless I built.

I went with 4 strings because cost and construction isn't any different between the two and you can always take a string off if you want a 3 string bass.

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Permalink Reply by Ben on December 22, 2011 at 11:01am

I'm a fan of the 2-string fretless configuration. Yes, you may have to shift positions when you play...so what? (Also, when talking about basses, ANY added strings really tack on the tension)

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Permalink Reply by Ice Bob on December 22, 2011 at 4:48pm

3 strings are cool tony Levin plays one my freind has a 2 string thats real nice and i played it. but o gotta 1 string fretless and its amazing how much you can do with ithttp://www.cigarboxnation.com/video/scooby-bass-demystified-by-ice

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Permalink Reply by Ice Bob on December 22, 2011 at 4:57pm

i love my scooby 1

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Permalink Reply by Wade on February 8, 2012 at 2:53pm

Zoinks! That's cool!. Jinkies, there are two of them! Well done.

Wade

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Permalink Reply by MichaelS Country Boy Guitars on December 23, 2011 at 6:21am

I love those scoobies too!  What scale length are we talking for a 3 string? And string weight? I have a few box's set aside for a future bass too.

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Permalink Reply by Seaman Jay on December 23, 2011 at 7:01am

Scale: 22"-34"

For a 22" you could use guitarron strings (.055-.105) - half of the set is wound nylon - less tension, good acoustic sound.

For anything longer - either bass guitar steel strings or (cheaper) weedwhacker "nylons".

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Permalink Reply by Ice Bob on December 23, 2011 at 2:45pm

i use flat wound short scale strings. less noise and they lend them selfs to fretless or slide playing. scooby 1 has a A string on it scooby 2 has an E and A on it both play well but take a different strategy to play.both of these basses are 30 inch scale length roughly there fretless so it dont matter.if you plan on making a 34 inch scale length get regular strings. everyone see it different and thats great but i like the fact that it makes me play different on 1 string and ive gotten better at going up and down its not a bass for every song ever writen but i got p basses already im looking for something different and i can guaranty that nobody else has my tone but me

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Permalink Reply by Seaman Jay on December 24, 2011 at 4:43am

You can play less noisy with a proper technique. Nevertheless, flatwounds are great for the fretless'. 

P.S. :D

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on December 24, 2011 at 5:22am

Hey, that looks like one of my tailpieces in training!

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