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5 String Fretless

R

Rattle Head

Guest
Apr 9, 2011
68
0
#1
Hey everyone,

I'm looking for a 5 string fretless, and I've got around 1000 euro's to spend on it. Been playing on a fretless 4 string Dean Edge forever now, and I'm really looking for something else. It's a fine bass tho, it cost me about 350 euro's back then, put some new electronics in it and tadaa.
Anyway, this is what I've found until now:

- Ibanez GWB35
Gary Willis' (budget version) signature bass, seems like a great deal, but I heard mixed reviews about the pickups, they seem very weak (?). Either way, I'm a big fan of mister Sean Malone, and he's playing the expensive version of this bass. Anyone recommends this bass? And why?

- Ibanez SRF705
Looks AMAZING, pretty affordable neck through bass. Can't find alot about it, anyone can tell me more?

- Sandberg Bullet Booster 5
Haven't found a shop yet, so I don't know the price, but I found the 4 string fretless for 999 on thomann. Anyone knows something about Sandberg basses in general? Is the Bullet Booster line any good?

- Warwick???
There's also a sh*tload of fretless Warwick basses, not a big fan of the looks, but it might grow onto me, are they any good?

Other basses to add to the list? Or can anyone recommend a nice 5 string fretless?

Kind regards,
Dirk
 
#2
Gary Willis 35 bass is maybe the most precise of the lot.

I mean, you can always come across a lemon in life, but fingerboard on the Willis models are astonishin'
The ramp is somethin' nearly unuseful, Gary likes it (and he's the man) I just don't.
Yeah... pickup is not "enough", and sure not on par with all the rest, but it's an easy problem to solve...

The Srf is a great bass, I prefer this fingerboard to the one of the Willis, but it's just me... it looks less robotic, I don't really know how to explain.
The piezo pickup, like the ramp on the Willis, is somethin' a bit uneffective, to me at least: bass finests are elsewhere.

Can't talk about Bullet Buster, for I never ran across it yet

I had a WarwicK fretless Corvette I liked ebony fingerboard and overall craftsmanship of: Mec pickup were so and so and electronics completely unpersonal.

Maybe an Srf 705 can be kept with lil' to no mods at all and still be an exceptional bass just like it is.

Cheers,
Wallace
 
#3
Wallace320 said:
Gary Willis 35 bass is maybe the most precise of the lot.

I mean, you can always come across a lemon in life, but fingerboard on the Willis models are astonishin'
The ramp is somethin' nearly unuseful, Gary likes it (and he's the man) I just don't.
Yeah... pickup is not "enough", and sure not on par with all the rest, but it's an easy problem to solve...

The Srf is a great bass, I prefer this fingerboard to the one of the Willis, but it's just me... it looks less robotic, I don't really know how to explain.
The piezo pickup, like the ramp on the Willis, is somethin' a bit uneffective, to me at least: bass finests are elsewhere.

Can't talk about Bullet Buster, for I never ran across it yet

I had a WarwicK fretless Corvette I liked ebony fingerboard and overall craftsmanship of: Mec pickup were so and so and electronics completely unpersonal.

Maybe an Srf 705 can be kept with lil' to no mods at all and still be an exceptional bass just like it is.

Cheers,
Wallace
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply! Like you kind of suggested, it obviously comes down to personal preference...
But I know for sure that I love the looks of the SRF, and I'm not a big fan of the GW35 fingerboard neither... To me it's kind of the charm of a fretless bass: an empty fingerboard looks beautiful, and I have no trouble playing it.
Still in love with the looks of the SRF, I think I'm gonna look for a shop where I can try it out :).
 
#5
There's pros and cons to each of the basses on your list.
If it was me, I'd go with the Willis35 (ramp removed) because I really like the neck profile and nut spacing.
Definitely look for a shop where you can try some of them out in person.
 
#7
Carvin has a very nice and inexpensive Fretless in their B50 line, and you can customize it to boot. It's very reasonably priced, and sounds great. I've a an active Fretless B50, it's a pleasure to play and it's VERY tonally adjustable (on the instrument). Controls are Volume, Blend, and 3 way EQ.

Volume control is push/pull switch for active/passive, too.

It's the bass on the left in my avatar.
 
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#8
I agree with frankieC that Carvin makes very nice and very affordable basses, but you being in Europe might make that tricky to negotiate.

The Warwick basses I have played have all had excellent build quality. The necks were a little on the fat side - almost like an upright bass kind of profile. Very chunky. If you like that (I don't mind it) you could do well with a Warwick. I agree that the electronics are nothing to sing about, but they work just fine and they're pretty versatile and, of course, they could always be changed.

I've never played the two Ibby models you refer to, but I'm a big fan of the company. For my tastes, their 5-string necks are a little too narrow, but some players love them for that.
 
#9
I just got my SRF705 last week and so far I really like it. It's very comfortable to play and the unlined board forces me to rely on my ears more than I do with my lined SR800F from 1989, but the side markings are helpful when I need to remember where I am on the board.

I'm still trying to figure out how I want the sound dialed in. I've been playing ATK basses for a while and the SRF is not nearly as versatile with the different sounds you can get from it. Playing through my Mesa M-Pulse head, there's not a lot of difference between neck and bridge pickups.
 
#10
Had my SRF705 for about 6 weeks now, and for the type of work I do (big band and small ensemble jazz) it's ideal. Sounds fantastic through my PJB, and loads of positive comments from other musicians and punters. The only down side is that my GWB35 has stayed in the case since I got it!
 
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#13
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