By the way, I have never heard a fretless guitar that sounded good. They are all too muted. A fretless banjo is also more muted, but the banjo tone can withstand some muting.

On the Vestapol Video "Shady Grove" there is a fretless banjo played by Blanton Owen. He and Mike Seeger accompany Tommy Jarell. His playing is great. His fretless fingerboard is made of formica.

There was a time when all basses were fretless.

By the way, Art, I recently saw the phrase "Throw away your fetters" and I read it as "Throw away your frets".

Murray