h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: When Use a Fretless Bass Guitar? - A702352
Author: $t®î?€r †hé 뢩èñtrîç (ACE, Scout) - U187148

I'd like to recommend this entry. Do your worst!

Good stuff - I didn't know any of this. Are you sure about 'efficacious' though?

Efficacious: adj. Producing or capable of producing a desired effect.

I think it's right...

Typo:

Infinately? Or Infinitely?

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Good entry.

Questionably relevant additional info: Classic fretless instruments like a violin have another advantage over fretted instruments: They're less sensitive to the tuning of the strings. Same with the bass. A experienced player can adjust the pitch in real time, so if the E string is slightly off he can adjust by remembering that he has to put his finger slightly off when playing this string.

Is the combination plectrum + fretless bass acceptable?

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Just thoughts,

Good entry.

HELL

Interesting

I am slightly confused by the title though

Should it be 'When *to* use' or '*Why* use'?

'When Use a Fretless Bass Guitar' just doesn't quite read correctly... or is it just me?

shazz

Quite relevant! Thanks, changes made.

Oops, almostsimulpost. Yeah, I wasn't sure about the title... I'll change it to 'why' and see how it sits with me. Thanks shazz!

Good elaboration on the tonal qualities of a fretless; now contrast this with a parallel about fretted. This entry's really coming along!

-Spike A.

... is this any better?

As a bass player myself I think it sums it up. I especially like the comment at the end about how some bass lines would suffer because they are being played on the wrong type of bass. (so that is where I go wrong, no wonder McCartney has so many guitars)

Thanks!

What's a plectrum? It sounds as if you're defining it as the frets, which I'm guessing is wrong.

-Spike A.

Not at all! It is the British for "Pick"

It might be worth adding that as a footnote to avoid confusion

shazz

Done. I've also changed the paragraph in question to make it less ambigious.

*Whistles*

Hellooooooo? Is there a Scout about?

shazz

I'd like to second whoever praised the point about different bass lines suffering if played on a one or the other. I always thought of fretted basses as cheating (i'm a double bass player). Shows how much I know: love this entry.

Steady on Shazz! You know the rules about incubation.

The only query I have (and I know the use is correct) is the phrase 'the possibility of intonational errors' which reads strangely. Would not 'tonal' errors read better?

Otherwise, brilliant, love it!

BTW, I'm all out of picks and mine would have expired by the time this is legal to pick, but it would have my vote!

Thanks both of you!

Zarquon's Singing Fish: I agree that "tonal errors" would sound better, however I'm worried that that might make it unclear, whereas "Intonation" is a specific term denoting a higher or lower frequency, so I think I'm going to keep that one as it is. Thanks anyhow!

Intonation sounds fine to me - I think it's the proper usage of the word. Great article! Useless information: the fretless bass will, with regular playing, develop a twist in the neck. This will cause an ugly buzz, but it's easily fixed by popping off the faceplate and turning the rod (inside the neck) with an allen wrench.