Hacker News Reader

I assume they mean the classical (the big honkin thing). Otherwise, Geddy Lee and Chris Squire and other rock musicians beg to differ.

Or did I miss the joke?

I'm a singing bass player myself (not in a class with Geddy Lee) and I don't get the joke either.

Rock bassists have frets.

Les Claypool uses a fretless bass on a bunch of songs. He often plays it with a bow as well.