Fender Fretless Precision Bass - Post yours

[gurensan]

Originally Posted by scotch

1978 Maple fretless, Antigua finish!

WOW.

Now THAT is what I've been hoping to see. Didn't know there were any!!

[kai_ski]

Hopefully this thread is for Fender-style Fretless Precisions.

I couldn't afford a 70's Fender but I found this '77 Ibanez. Less than 8lbs, resonant, broken-in neck, mojo... awesome. The fretless P tone is killer. It's exactly what I wanted. I would like to put a J in the bridge to get some of bakithi kumalo's "Boy in the Bubble" tone.

[aproud1]

Originally Posted by kai_ski

Hopefully this thread is for Fender-style Fretless Precisions.

I couldn't afford a 70's Fender but I found this '77 Ibanez. Less than 8lbs, resonant, broken-in neck, mojo... awesome. The fretless P tone is killer. It's exactly what I wanted. I would like to put a J in the bridge to get some of bakithi kumalo's "Boy in the Bubble" tone.

Thats a beauty! Funny you mention boy in the bubble, my band is doing that right now. I traded out my Pyramid Flats for some Thomastik flats and it sounded much closer to the original track without having to add a pickup. I did however switch bag to the Pyramid because I love the way they feel. They just don't have the crazy mwah of the TI's

So maybe a string change instead of breaking out the router? Or buy a Tony Franklin fretless and you can leave your Ibanez over here for safe keeping....

[kai_ski]

Originally Posted by aproud1

Thats a beauty! Funny you mention boy in the bubble, my band is doing that right now. I traded out my Pyramid Flats for some Thomastik flats and it sounded much closer to the original track without having to add a pickup. I did however switch bag to the Pyramid because I love the way they feel. They just don't have the crazy mwah of the TI's

So maybe a string change instead of breaking out the router? Or buy a Tony Franklin fretless and you can leave your Ibanez over here for safe keeping....

Haha. No thanks on the Tony Franklin. I like the maple board A LOT! I'm not going to whip out the router anytime soon. Gonna play it for a while yet. I think before I routed it, I'd just try putting the neck on a PJ body. Besides, I don't NEED that sound right now, it would just be nice to be able to achieve it if I wanted to.

Here it is in action:

[noermaen]

i'm suprised no tony franklin fender is in here. i'm gasing for one hard...

[eukatheude]

Originally Posted by scotch

1978 Maple fretless, Antigua finish!

Isn't posting porn against the rules here?

[aproud1]

Originally Posted by eukatheude

Isn't posting porn against the rules here?

It depends on what and how much you show. But it is usually encouraged.

[2meterbassman]

I love the look of fretless P-basses.
It makes it even more simple in an optical way.

Last year I saw something special in my favourite guitar shop in my hometown:
An early 70s P-bass fretless, but fretted!

The pre-owner switched it to a fretted bass - so no dot markers.
Unbelievable, but it looked awesome!

Sorry guys, couldn't find a picture on the shop's website anymore, but I faked it in photoshop, have a look:

[2meterbassman]

Originally Posted by kai_ski

Hopefully this thread is for Fender-style Fretless Precisions.

I couldn't afford a 70's Fender but I found this '77 Ibanez. Less than 8lbs, resonant, broken-in neck, mojo... awesome. The fretless P tone is killer. It's exactly what I wanted. I would like to put a J in the bridge to get some of bakithi kumalo's "Boy in the Bubble" tone.

Hi there,

killer bass!

I think, it's the same series as my first bass, the Silver Series.
Very good copied in all measurements (except the tuners) - I think, those basses were one of the reasons for the lawsuit...;-)

I had a Jazz Bass of the same series, my first bass, only the body still extists. Called 2365B.

By the way: here are old catalogues of the Ibanez:
http://s93105080.onlinehome.us/Ibanez-Catalogs/

Your bass should be the 2367BK as you can see here:
http://s93105080.onlinehome.us/Ibane.../1976-1/04.jpg
and here:
http://s93105080.onlinehome.us/Ibane.../1976-7/27.jpg

Keep it original, might be a very rare old Ibanez.

Greetz

[chazmosis]

Bought this heavily modified (hence relatively inexpensive) 1977 P-bass fretless 20 years back. Not terribly valuable but a killer sound. My advice would be not to do this to a vintage bass, if you have to have P/J versatility there are plenty of new options on the market... Love this thread by the way, some amazing stuff out there.

PS not sure I got the pic posted properly, my first time doing so. Any advice welcome!

[Marcury]

That is gorgeous, send it to me and i'll play it daily!

Originally Posted by coastierider

Too bad I don't know how to play it, but learning on a fretless seems pretty difficult, and it's just sitting in the closet.

[kai_ski]

Originally Posted by 2meterbassman

Hi there,

killer bass!

I think, it's the same series as my first bass, the Silver Series.
Very good copied in all measurements (except the tuners) - I think, those basses were one of the reasons for the lawsuit...;-)

I had a Jazz Bass of the same series, my first bass, only the body still extists. Called 2365B.

Your bass should be the 2367BK as you can see here:


Keep it original, might be a very rare old Ibanez.

Greetz

Thanks!

Nice! Select Birch/Hog body? Wow, I wonder if that's true. I don't think it has MUCH value as a collector's piece. But I'll keep it as original as I can. The tuners function just as good as my Fender AVRI, and look the part. On mine the truss rod adjusts at the heel. The white guard is original (good to know.) I wish mine didn't have these black plastic "gibson" knobs, I'd love to still have the chrome ones with a little mojo. And I'm missing the covers and the tug bar.

[2meterbassman]

Originally Posted by kai_ski

Thanks!

Nice! Select Birch/Hog body? Wow, I wonder if that's true. I don't think it has MUCH value as a collector's piece. But I'll keep it as original as I can. The tuners function just as good as my Fender AVRI, and look the part. On mine the truss rod adjusts at the heel. The white guard is original (good to know.) I wish mine didn't have these black plastic "gibson" knobs, I'd love to still have the chrome ones with a little mojo. And I'm missing the covers and the tug bar.

Hi,

of course, the Ibanez models change in some aspects over the years. But the series names are still the same.
My bass has had the truss rod adjust at the body's side. Plus "silver series" on the headstock.
So it has to be from the same year, mine was bought new in 1978, maybe a 77 or 78 model.

The dimensions are quite similar to Fender basses, but not completely exact.
I built ne pups in it, they fitted perfectly, installing a new bridge in the old holes was no problem. But holes for the tuners were not the same as on the original.

Keep that bass, I think, the price will rise up.
And I'm sure it sounds very good.
Last year I sold the ashtray cover for the bridge PU for 60 Euros!
Only that cover! An owner of such a bass needed it...;-)

Greetz

[ZSavage]

I have been playing a 1974 Fretless P Bass for a very long time and for several years almost exclusively used it for every session and/or gig I did (countless). Not once was I asked to reconsider the choice.

If anybody has a Fender fretless P Bass for sale I am VERY interested in another one -- especially early '70s models

Thanks

[BillyB_from_LZ]

Originally Posted by ZSavage

...
If anybody has a Fender fretless P Bass for sale I am VERY interested in another one -- especially early '70s models

...

The Jacksonville, FL Guitar Center has a 1978 natural/maple fingerboard fretless P.

[ZSavage]

Originally Posted by BillyB_from_LZ

The Jacksonville, FL Guitar Center has a 1978 natural/maple fingerboard fretless P.

Thanks BillyB-
for the heads up on that


Here is a pic of mine as previously indicated!

[aproud1]

Originally Posted by ZSavage

Thanks BillyB-
for the heads up on that


Here is a pic of mine as previously indicated!

Very cool! would love to see/hear the rosewood board compared to the maple.

[DrSpunkwater]

I'm reviving this thread.

Behold, my parts antigua fretless. Here's what's in it:

2012 MIM antigua body
1976 Fretless Fender P neck (epoxied)
Badass II bridge
LaBella white nylon tapewounds
Wilde P46
Parallel/Series switch
.1 tone cap

Finest split-coil P I've ever played.

[highway]

found this beast on CL sanfran years ago and saved the pics . . .

it's all american . . . price was like ~$900 i think

[dmusic148]

This thread is causing me to suffer from excessive GAS.