The fretless bass guitar was made famous by the late great Jaco Pastorius, in particular through his work with the seminal 70s jazz-fusion band ‘Weather Report’, and also with Joni Mitchell. Pastorius literally ripped the frets from his Fender Jazz and filled the gaps with wood filler. This gave him the ability to use vibrato and portamento in a way never heard before. The sound of a fretless bass differs greatly from a fretted, as the string touches wood rather than the metal of the fret. This can make it a much more expressive instrument, although a little harder to control and play in tune. Fretless instruments are now widely available, so it’s no longer necessary to butcher a fretted bass yourself, although this can be fun if you’re feeling adventurous!
