Hello Forum,
Maybe a dumb question, but not sure I have seen a stock lined fretless bass from Alembic in my modest searches?
It appears that most are traditional fretboards with side markers.
I wish my skills better suited a unlined bass, but curious if such an bass was produced?
Not really ready to jump into another bass just yet, but always keeping eyes open!
Had a friend drop off a Barker electric bass, which needs some attention, interesting design.
Very much not my thing, but fun to play with.
Wish all well.
Ed Carr
Well, since alembics are custom made, you are only likely to see one if it was requested at build time or if someone converted a fretted into a fretless and inlayed lines where the frets were.
They also do sidelines, like on FC Orion Nebula (http://www.alembicguitars.net/info/fc_orionnebula.html).
(http://www3.alembicguitars.net/img/inst/13514_sidelinesL.jpg)
We do inlaid fret lines, usually in Maple. There's a few in lower contrast woods like Koa or Vermilion.
And as Adriaan stated, sidelines a a thing - lets you have the reference on the side but a clean board.
But I would say most fretless basses we make are unlined.
I have a long-scale single point Series I that I purchased a few years ago from a musician in Canada. It's fretless and has the maple fret lines that were described by Mica (though I cant say for sure it these are original, done later after a defretting of the bass by Alembic, or done by someone else). It plays well and was a nice introduction to fretless for me. However, when I go for a refurbish (it really needs one as it looks like a dog....no a bear, took a bit out of the lower wing, I will, in all likelihood, ask for markers along the side of the neck. I cant really see the fret lines well when playing from a standing position so markings on the neck similar to what Gregory has on his fretless will be part of the wish list.
Here's one I sold a couple of years ago:
both of my fretlessesses are unlined but they have neck LEDs set to be just bright enuff to be seen in a darkened room. that way i know approximately where my hand is supposed to be and i use my finger technique to get the note intonated properly. if yer tone deaf then it probably won't work for ya, lined or not. it's personal taste, i suppose. i prefer the look of an unlined board. if it's gonna be lined, might as well go fretted and save yerself from sounding like a clam most of the time.
Seven years of lovin' my sidelines.
That's one fine ebony board.
Thanks! Some beautiful examples out there for sure.
I've seen a few for sale that have been fretted, post Alembic, with varying results.
Definitely answers my question, and gives me some incentive to be a good squirrel and dream.
Thanks
Ed Carr