The Yamaha TRB6P
in this photo was once a fretted instrument.
It was modified to be a fretless by removing the ebony fretboard and frets,
then adding a phenolic fingerboard.
All work was done by Eric Anderson at Sky Guitars in Denton, TX. Unfortunately, through my own stupidity, I lost it to a pawn shop, to pay bills, in 2000. I will never forgive myself for that, and I'm still looking for it to this day.
Favorites:
I doubt I will ever tire of electronically based music -
I have been fascinated by it since hearing
Tomita and Jean Michel Jarre albums from the late 70s into the mid-80s
(it was through Mr. Jarre's music that I had my first exposure to Marcus Miller!) ....
Depeche Mode,
Erasure,
Bronski Beat
and others like them
(with melodically strong ideas)
will always capture my ear.
However, as far as bass goes.....
Level 42 (Mark King)
As an American audience, we missed a lot of what this band had to offer (They are best known in the U.S. by the hits "Something About You" and "Lessons In Love").
Although available, some of the band's best music is hard to find in America. If you've not heard them, do take a listen to the aforementioned CD
"World Machine"
(find the version with 10 cuts, not just nine - Will Lee once listed this as one of his ten favorite bass albums) or
"Physical Presence" (a live CD).
A slapfest.
Alain Caron (formerly of Canada's UZEB)
is a world-class
6-string fretted, fretless, midi, and upright bass player.
Alain's my favorite fretless player
(although Pino Palladino's thoughtful fretless playing
is wonderfully musical).
I highly recommend UZEB's "Noisy Nights" and "World Tour 90"
for a display of educated bass playing.
A bassist who's blindingly fast and capable!
He endorses Conklin 7-string basses, and performs with them in his videos.
