should I buy a good or a cheap fretless?

Yvon · #1 10-09-2010, 09:38 AM

I've been paying for 25 years, I love the sound of the fretless.
I tried to play fretless a few times before, but always quit.

One of the reason is that all the fretless I bought where cheap and sounded terrible.
Also, my intonation was bad.
But I want to really give it a try this time. Like play fretless exclusively for a least 1 year.

I was thinking about building a warmoth or one of the carvin kit.

But maybe it would be better and cheaper in the long run to buy a good used fretless, like an F or a Roscoe.

What do you think?

capnjim · #2 10-09-2010, 10:04 AM

I bought an older peavey foundation fretless for 150$. Its one of the best sounding and playing basses I have ever heard or played.
The old Peavey are a steal and just as good as any Fender IMHO

Rip Topaz · #3 10-09-2010, 10:08 AM

Buy the best one you can afford based on how much use you think it'll get.

Fretless is fun. Definitely worth taking the plunge, but if you won't be using it as much as your fretted(s), well I guess what I'm trying to say is buy the best one you can justify having a need for.

Gord_oh · #4 10-09-2010, 10:17 AM

good or cheap.
why not good and inexpensive?

i played a squier vm fretless jazz and fell in love with it, awesome bass for the buck.
cheap refers to bad quality IMO, i prefer to say inexpensive referring to the price.
the squier was great quality and a good price, win, win, sold.

http://bass-guitars.musiciansfriend....ELAID=28463593

pasta4lnch · #5 10-09-2010, 10:21 AM

well what is you fav fretted tone? something tells me it your, for example, a P bass guy and you buy some boutique-y active fretless you may not like it . . .

me, i'm a P guy, when I get a fretless (which is probably next on my gas list) it'll be a Warmoth P or P/J . . . ymmv

sikamikanico · #6 10-09-2010, 10:27 AM

Yeah, you can always find a good cheap fretless bass or defret a fretted one...

I tried many cheapos and they all sounded decent! oh, and this is important imo - all were passive! i find passive instruments to be essential in the learning process, active electronics are just for experienced players who know how to use them! and many still decide to use a passive bass in the end

Yvon · #7 10-09-2010, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pasta4lnch

well what is you fav fretted tone? something tells me it your, for example, a P bass guy and you buy some boutique-y active fretless you may not like it . . .

me, i'm a P guy, when I get a fretless (which is probably next on my gas list) it'll be a Warmoth P or P/J . . . ymmv

good question,
there is 2 fretless tone I really like.
One is the double bass sound. I could get something similar with a Godin.
The other sound I really like is one that is really strong in the low mid. Think Jaco/Alain caron.

gidbass · #8 10-09-2010, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gord_oh

good or cheap.
why not good and inexpensive?

i played a squier vm fretless jazz and fell in love with it, awesome bass for the buck.
cheap refers to bad quality IMO, i prefer to say inexpensive referring to the price.
the squier was great quality and a good price, win, win, sold.

http://bass-guitars.musiciansfriend....ELAID=28463593

+1

They pop up used from time to time for even more savings, which is how i got mine. It isn't my primary player, but I love playing it and because it was so inexpensive, i can't ever imagine selling it.

Good luck!

taphappy · #9 10-09-2010, 10:33 AM

After hearing that used Roscoe that Rocket Music had, I'd grab one of those bad boys in a heartbeat if fretless were my focus. Can't imagine the resale value will go down on those, so it pretty much would cost you shipping. And it wouldn't hurt your dedication to cleaning up your intonation if you couldn't keep your fingers off 'er.

http://www.rocketmusic.net/SoundClips/3488-DEMO.mp3

Not that it's possible to go wrong with an F. But. If you're gonna go to town on it for a year, and can afford it? No brainer, IMO.

groooooove · #10 10-09-2010, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sikamikanico

Yeah, you can always find a good cheap fretless bass or defret a fretted one...

I tried many cheapos and they all sounded decent! oh, and this is important imo - all were passive! i find passive instruments to be essential in the learning process, active electronics are just for experienced players who know how to use them! and many still decide to use a passive bass in the end

not neccesarily..

active electronics aren't any more complicated than your car stereo's EQ. bass, mid, treble. tune to your liking.

i'd say the fretless squire VM would be a good call, though. dont go crazy, especially if your intonation isint that great yet.

plangentmusic · #11 10-09-2010, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gord_oh

good or cheap.
why not good and inexpensive?

i played a squier vm fretless jazz and fell in love with it, awesome bass for the buck.
cheap refers to bad quality IMO, i prefer to say inexpensive referring to the price.
the squier was great quality and a good price, win, win, sold.

http://bass-guitars.musiciansfriend....ELAID=28463593

This. Except I prefer the J deluxe with the ebonol neck. Amazingly good fretless. 300 bucks.

80'sRocker · #12 10-09-2010, 10:44 AM

why do some TBer's ask these questions? Like I/we all really know!

shaggy45 · #13 10-09-2010, 10:49 AM

I bought a Squier vm fretless pbass off here and I love it..

kesslari · #14 10-09-2010, 10:56 AM

I play primarily fretless.
I've heard nothing but good about the Squier VM's. If you like a Jazz, you'd like it.

You need a good enough fretless to decide if it's for you.
With the VM, your investment to do that is low.

If you go high end, go used, or you'll eat a lot of your investment when you sell. But then if you've been playing for 25 years, you know that...

sikamikanico · #15 10-09-2010, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by groooooove

not neccesarily..

active electronics aren't any more complicated than your car stereo's EQ. bass, mid, treble. tune to your liking.

yeah, you'd think! but even in other people's cars I've seen (heard) awful EQ settings! EQ is not a crutch, it's a tool and you have to know how you use it, otherwise you do damage! Even if you like to use a hammer to tighten a screw, it doesn't work... it may seem easy, just hammer the screw in, right? WRONG

it is not complicated to turn the knobs to your liking, the hard part is doing it right and 90% of the time, I hear bad results...

but the original point was to buy a cheap passive bass, not cheap active!

superfunk47 · #16 10-09-2010, 10:59 AM

If you're comfortable assembling it yourself, Warmoth is a great way to go. If you'd rather not, there are plenty of fretless Fenders of various makes, G&Ls, some Squiers, and I'm sure a few others on each end of the spectrum in the classifieds right now. Nothing's gonna give you low mids like a G&L.

spade2you · #17 10-09-2010, 11:19 AM

What sort of fretless sounds do you like from other people? What's your main fretted bass?

I'm a boutique guy, so FWIW, YMMV, etc. Call me crazy, but how many people skip their free gym, but go to another gym when they're paying a lot?

Perhaps a used boutique might not be a bad idea. Take a look at the TB classifieds, get a decent deal, sell it back for about the same if it doesn't work out.

I agree that playing fretless exclusively is about the only way to get good at it.

codycaz · #18 10-09-2010, 11:31 AM

I believe that when you buy a bass fretless or fret,that you buy the best what you can afford at that time.

bassbrad · #19 10-09-2010, 11:34 AM

squier vm fretless jazz is an awesome bass, cheap or not.

C.Linton · #20 10-09-2010, 02:40 PM

If I were to try going fretless, it would be with a Squier VM J fretless as others have mentioned. I have two other Squier VM's and they are terrific, and I've heard nothing but good things about the fretless Jazz.