I just got an SX 205 fretless five-string bass. It was really cheap but a great bass regardless. I just have two little problems with it. The low B is very quiet and it came with flatwound strings....So
1. Is there a way to make the B louder?
and
2. will roundwound strings fuck up the finger board?

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From what I understand, Roundwound are no good on a fretless bass.

Does DR make flatwound?

Fuck why am I being so lazy, I'll look it up!

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Congrats on the fretless! SX arent the greatest basses, but if its your first fretless then thats all you need to get to grips with it of course..

A way to make the B louder is either lower it nearer to the pickup from the bridge saddles.. or heighten the pickup/s..

Roundwounds wont really fuck up the fingerboard if you use the correct vibrato technique (dont go bending the strings from side to side, that will chew the fingerboard up), flatwounds are the proper strings for a fretless bass if you want your fingerboard to stay in mint condition..

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I'm thinking i'll stick with flatwounds, I'm starting to like them. They just take getting used to. But I LOVE playing fretless basses. I know SX probably wasn't the greatest choice, but going up from a four string bronze warlock bass to a fretless, five string SX is good enough for me.

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I pity your apparent bass budget.

Maybe a compressor would even out your sound., or just crank the volume of the bridge pickup

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dude SX basses are actually really good with the right upgrades. But yeah fretless basses are incredibly cool,i dont advise using roundwounds unless the fingerboard is coated or made of ebanol.

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dude you can use roundwounds on a fretless and the damage according to Steve DiGiorgio with roundwounds is negligible... and he also uses roundwounds on his fretless

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Sick investment bro. Is it just me or does the sound of fretless basses sound strikingly reminiscent of the old skool Sonic level music?



So they do indeed cause fretboard damage? How bad are we talkin'?

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I don't play bass much, just in the school's jazz band and a little in mine because we don't have a bassist, so I don't want to spend a lot on a bass. I'd rather spend money on a guitar or a half stack.

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Tattered pretty much said it all, but...if you want to use roundwound strings just don't play too rough and it most likely won't shred the fingerboard. After awhile you will notice marks where the strings are, but thats normal wear and tear on a fretless, nothing to worry about. And as for the B string being too quiet...try lowering it closer to the pickup as Tattered mentioned, but not too much or it will be uneven to the rest of the strings. Personally...I think the B string is usually quiet on all 5-string basses, due to such a low frequency and all, but there are ways around that. By the way, is the fingerboard rosewood, maple or ebony?

Good luck, and have fun man fretless opens up a whole new world of bass playing, it's a totally different approach to bass overall...so you'll always have something new to learn and keep you busy. Not to mention that it will improve your skills overall...after a few months, you'll notice a big difference in your playing (for the better).

~Cheers

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Says the man who got an ESP after everyone told him not to.

*high five*

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lmao

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The fretboard is rosewood

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rosewood is a pretty soft wood, Go with flatwound just to be on the safe side

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BURN IN HELL CASSIUS!!!!!!

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