Flat or Round

[Bob Ross]

well, I play 7 gigs a week and have never done anything else for 45 years.
[...snip...]
I can't help it though, I can only think in terms of what I do and that's pretty much constant gigging.

Good, so then you must be familiar with the concept of Routine Maintenance.

If you gig 7 nights a week with roundwound strings on a fretless bass then yes, you will eventually need to re-surface (if not completely replace) the fingerboard. That's part of the gig ...it's like changing your strings or changing your batteries, only fortunately you don't need to do it quite so often.

Ever replace the timing belt in your car? I don't know any sane person who would claim "I would never drive a car with an internal combustion engine because the timing belts need to be replaced every 65,000 miles!"

Yep, fingerboards (and/or frets) will wear. If you play long enough, you can even wear out a fretless fingerboard with tapewound strings! Make your choices based on the sound & feel you want now, not on the laziest, most trouble-free potential for the future.

 

[Dogbreath]

all the more reason to own multiple basses.

p.s. I pretty much just use round for rock and slap and flats for "other".

 

[Lt. Bob]

Good, so then you must be familiar with the concept of Routine Maintenance.

If you gig 7 nights a week with roundwound strings on a fretless bass then yes, you will eventually need to re-surface (if not completely replace) the fingerboard. That's part of the gig ...it's like changing your strings or changing your batteries, only fortunately you don't need to do it quite so often.

Ever replace the timing belt in your car? I don't know any sane person who would claim "I would never drive a car with an internal combustion engine because the timing belts need to be replaced every 65,000 miles!"

Yep, fingerboards (and/or frets) will wear. If you play long enough, you can even wear out a fretless fingerboard with tapewound strings! Make your choices based on the sound & feel you want now, not on the laziest, most trouble-free potential for the future.

dude ..... I'm not lazy and yes, gits need refrets if you play as much as me and yes .... even replacing fretboards can be a part of the gig.

What I said is "I wouldn't use roundwounds on a fretless."
That's my personal opinion on this.
I'm indifferent as to what your opinion is.

So don't be posting like your gonna change my mind or somehow I'm gonna think somehow my own opinion based on 45 years of playing and working on instruments for a living is suddenly not right because you posted a snotty remark.

Make your case to the OP and he can decide who's opinion seems best to suit his situation.
I don't care which way he goes and I certainly don't mind if you don't agree with me.
There are lots of opinions on these things and they don't all agree.
But don't talk down to me ...... there's no chance you have more experience than I do at this.

I base my opinion on an extremely large amount of actual working experience at this and, for me, I wouldn't use roundwounds on a fretless. No point in it since half rounds will get you 80% of the roundwound tone.
You opinion is different ...... great.
But as I said "I wouldn't use roundwounds on a fretless" and I wouldn't. So there's really no contradicting me on this since I personally would NOT use roundwounds on a fretless.
You can do whatever works for you.

And so can the OP ...... I presented my opinion ......... that's all.