Top 10 Fretless Bass Players
They may play both fretless and fretted bass, but here we are interested only in their fretless bass playing.The Top Ten
Leslie Edward "Les" Claypool is an American musician, singer, songwriter, composer, author and actor best known as the bassist and lead vocalist of the band Primus. The best fretless player. He did not invent it, but damn does he master it.
Master of bass players. Playing guitar/bass with frets isn't very easy. And its much harder playing bass/guitar without frets. Really great!
Best One - WoopaBoopaHoopa7
He is a Dutch bass player, who usually plays metal, especially fast and (or) technical/progressive subgenres of metal.
I've seen him playing a 7-string fretless bass (see the image).
He played for Obscura, Pestilence, and a studio project Ensemble Salazhar.
For example, he played fretless bass on 2 Obscura albums: Cosmogenesis, Omnivium.
John Francis Anthony "Jaco" Pastorius III was an American jazz bassist who was a member of Weather Report from 1976 to 1981. He worked with Pat Metheny, Joni Mitchell, and recorded albums as a solo artist and band leader. He was the pioneer of the fretless bass.
He plays metal and jazz.
He's played for these metal bands: Death, Testament, Iced Earth, Obituary, Quo Vadis, Sadus, Charred Walls Of The Damned.
For example, he played fretless bass on the albums 'Individual Thought Patterns' by Death, 'Horror Show' by Iced Earth, and 'Defiant Imagination' by Quo Vadis.
Inspired and inspiring. The man was a genius!
Very inventive master of the art of fretless bass playing.
Insane skills (Augury, Beyond Creation)
The Contenders
A great welsh fretless bassist. A real pro...
After Pastorius - he is the best.
John Symon Asher "Jack" Bruce was a Scottish musician, singer and songwriter known primarily for his contributions to the British supergroup Cream, which also included guitarist-singer Eric Clapton and drummer Ginger Baker. Raise his status up. #15...really?
Dutch bassist who plays both fretless and fretted bass (progressive, technical metal - Synic, Ne Obliviscaris, and more).
No, it's not John Petrucci of Dream Theater! Their names only look similar.
Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner CBE, known professionally by his stage name Sting, is an English musician, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, activist, actor, and philanthropist. He is best known as the lead singer for the English band The Police Yes, he plays upright bass.
Yes, he sometimes plays frettless bass but he shouldn't be very high on this list because he can't be called a "master" of fretless playing.
Yes! His work on "You Can Call Me Al" is sublime.
Anthony Frederick Levin is an American musician and composer, specializing in electric bass, Chapman Stick and upright bass. He also sings and plays synthesizer. Levin is best known for his work with King Crimson and Peter Gabriel.
He plays for a famous band (Pearl Jam) but I didn't put him very high because he plays the frettless bass like a fretted one and he rarely employs specific fretless techniques.
I guess he uses frettless bass for its different sound and not so much for its potential in terms of different techniques.
He's a left-handed player.
I'm amazed this Maestro hasn't made this list yet!