"Endless" finger board on custom bass?

[Snowforts]

I'm looking into having a custom fretless five string made for me. I really like the concept of the Marleaux Diva with the "endless fingerboard".



However, the $5000+ price tag is a bit too steep for me. What other folks make basses with extended fingerboards like this for under $2500?

[cnltb]

why not just ask Marleaux to make you a simpler version of the diva?

It's a very nice bass indeed , both in feel and tone and of course it is extremely well made.
Otherwise I'd guess that most builders could do something like this.
Just a matter of asking them.
I think that pagelli still make the bass that inspired the diva but am also quite sure that the'll be on the real pricy side.

[Snowforts]

I suppose I could ask. I dunno if they'll go half-price on something like that, but it couldn't hurt to try!

[Roscoe East]

Way back in ~1979 a friend of mine had a custom fretless Jazz Bass built from parts (Stars Guitars neck & body iirc) and the luthier/repair guy he hired to assemble it & do the setup added a fretless fingerboard extension that filled in the gap between the end of the neck and the pickup. Probably added $10 to the total cost of the instument.

Yeah, it wasn't as totally awesome as that one-piece continuous fingerboard pictured in the OP, but from across the stage who could tell? $10 versus $5,000, hmm...

[daddy like]

I doubt he would make a Diva for much less. I am currently finalizing a 6 constat order and seriously considering having him make me a Diva 5 fretless. I have had 3-4 Marleauxs, currently have 2 and they are ALL outstanding.