Because they are? Because people don't normally play fretless so it's more supply-and-demand based? I don't know, ask the industry

i havent read through all the posts, but if it hasnt been mentioned, one of the reasons to go fretless besides the tone is vibrato because you can do vibrato like a violin rather than like a guitar

[QUOTE=faelun]why are fretted ones cheaper? that makes no logical sense[/QUOTE]
I am not sure what brand you are referring to, but if you order a Bass from say Fender or Carvin the option for Fretless is the same price. Music shop owners jack-up the price because Fretless is more of a novelty in Rock (which is the most popular genre here in Detroit), so the demand is lower. My Fretless Musicman Sterling was the same price brand new in 1993 as a 93' Fretted M.M.S, except mine has the custom concert muters, which made it approx. $100 more back then.

[QUOTE=owlandtree]What I don't understand is the appeal for a fretless with the cheesy drawn in lines.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, to hell with intonation, I say!

[QUOTE=owlandtree]I am not sure what brand you are referring to, but if you order a Bass from say Fender or Carvin the option for Fretless is the same price. Music shop owners jack-up the price because Fretless is more of a novelty in Rock (which is the most popular genre here in Detroit), so the demand is lower. My Fretless Musicman Sterling was the same price brand new in 1993 as a 93' Fretted M.M.S, except mine has the custom concert muters, which made it approx. $100 more back then.[/QUOTE]
My local store tries to sell their fretless am. Jazzes for 1400 :lol: . No wonder they;ve had the same ones for like 4 years.

[QUOTE=Jaded]Yeah, to hell with intonation, I say![/QUOTE]

You can intonate without them. Ask a violin player, or an upright bassist.

Once you get used to it, an unlined fretless is really no harder than a lined fretless - and it looks ten times cooler. :D

[QUOTE=Naveed Afzal]Its like Cars, Stick vs Manual.

Its all performance baby, you race a stick vs a Manual. That manuals gonna lose.

Its personal prefrence, its all about what you need, and what you want.[/QUOTE]
What?

Doesn't stick shift=manual transmission?

[QUOTE=Wintermute]You can intonate without them. [b]Ask a violin player, or an upright bassist.[/b]

Once you get used to it, an unlined fretless is really no harder than a lined fretless - and it looks ten times cooler. :D[/QUOTE]
WTF! Since when are violins and uprights fretted! You just blew my fu[SIZE="2"]cking[/SIZE] mind, WM.


Yeah, dude, no sh*t, but not everybody has a good ear. I've heard a lot of bassists playing unlined fretless basses that had godawful intonation. I think it's better to be on the safe side in some cases.

I don't think either looks any cooler than the other, btw.

[QUOTE=Jaded]What?

Doesn't stick shift=manual transmission?[/QUOTE]
:lol:
I was going to say, but was afraid that you Americans had Sticks and manuals instead of manuals and automatics.

[QUOTE=Jaded]Yeah, to hell with intonation, I say![/QUOTE] I don't understand....Are you implying that you have difficulty with your intonation on a fretless?

[QUOTE=joe_bass]Search function.[/QUOTE]

fretlesses have a search function?



















i'm so very sorry, i know that one was terrible, i couldn't help myself.

[QUOTE=BrodieBear]fretlesses have a search function?


i'm so very sorry, i know that one was terrible, i couldn't help myself.[/QUOTE]

Don't let it happen again. :rolleyes:

:smash:
:D

[QUOTE=Jaded]What?

Doesn't stick shift=manual transmission?[/QUOTE]

Yeah, thats a mental **** up...

[QUOTE=owlandtree]I don't understand....Are you implying that you have difficulty with your intonation on a fretless?[/QUOTE]
No. I was implying that perhaps the reason behind those silly ugly lines is to help with intonation, but then again, that was just a wild guess.

Fretless basses sound really nice. I love to slide on them. It really quirky. I've only ever played one fretless though and it was a Dean Edge. I might of bought it, but I didn't have the £300 for it. The shop it was in don't get much custom, so for all I know, it could still be there.

You got those really cool slide tones! Bwaaaang, dwaaaaang... yeah I love that tone :D

no need for long arguements.

Its that majestic, majestic mwaaa you can get, that singular mwaaa you cant get out of anything else.
All other factors are secondary.