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Thread: fretless?

  1. #1
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    Being primarily a fiddle player and one who just plunks at his Tacoma M1, this may come across as a dumb question, so bear with me. While I do see the advantages of having frets and don't mind playing an instrument with frets, I was wondering if anyone has seen, made, or plays a fretless mando. Would this just be a waste of time to construct such an instrument and and if not, how would the instruments sound be affected(for better, for worse)?

  2. #2
    _________________ grandmainger's Avatar
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    There has been a few threads about this on the board before. Here's one of them.
    There's even a photo of a bowed fretless mando!
    GM

  3. #3
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    Depends on how you want to play it. If by plucking, it'll have no sustain, just as a plucked violin. Violins have sustain when bowed. I guess you'd end up with a double coursed fiddle. Sounds intriguing. Let us know how it turns out.
    "If you've got time to breathe, you've got time for music," Briscoe Darling

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    Registered User jim_n_virginia's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by (TommyK @ Aug. 02 2005, 17:10)
    Depends on how you want to play it. #If by plucking, it'll have no sustain, just as a plucked violin. #Violins have sustain when bowed. #I guess you'd end up with a double coursed fiddle. #Sounds intriguing. #Let us know how it turns out.
    If a fretless mandolin will not have any sustain (my friend plucks his fiddle sometimes between songs and there is DEFINITELY no sustain)then I wonder why an upright bass has so much sustain?

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    Quote Originally Posted by (jim_n_virginia @ Aug. 03 2005, 12:49)
    If a fretless mandolin will not have any sustain (my friend plucks his fiddle sometimes between songs and there is DEFINITELY no sustain)then I wonder why an upright bass has so much sustain?
    Long, heavy strings, with lots of mass, lots of energy.



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  6. #6
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    What a cannon the bass viol would be if they added frets and a bone saddle! You'd get the same effect if you bottle necked it!

    Any of you bass players ever bottle necked a bass viol?
    "If you've got time to breathe, you've got time for music," Briscoe Darling

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