Has anyone tried or heard anything about the Rondo Music 8-string Fretless? (i.e. Link Removed, the Brice HXB-408). I like the idea, but I'm not too sure about the sound and playability.
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8-string fretless?
- Thread starter Thunderscreech
- Start date
Just saw the thread, though aware of the bass for some time now. THAT is actually G.A.S. inducing for me. Never tried one, and have no idea how it sounds. But... ...for the money these things sell for, can you really go wrong?
That's what I love about Rondo Music, they're willing to make things other manufacturers would be leery about. Someday I'm going to get the fretless LP guitar they've got.
I owned one of these basses. It was stolen 2 years ago. Here's what I remember:
I didn't like the preamp at all. I replaced it with an Aguliar, and I was much happier.
The fingerboard wasn't pristine; it needed work, as in a little scraping/reshaping by my tech.
The nut was too tall for a fretless; had to have that lowered as well.
35" REALLY didn't suit the octave strings at all.
Now... having said all that, for what I paid for it, it was a really interesting instrument, and one which I wish I had more time to explore. If I were to do it again, though, I'd find a 32" scale Jazz bass and have it fitted for 4 small guitar pegs and go from there.
I didn't like the preamp at all. I replaced it with an Aguliar, and I was much happier.
The fingerboard wasn't pristine; it needed work, as in a little scraping/reshaping by my tech.
The nut was too tall for a fretless; had to have that lowered as well.
35" REALLY didn't suit the octave strings at all.
Now... having said all that, for what I paid for it, it was a really interesting instrument, and one which I wish I had more time to explore. If I were to do it again, though, I'd find a 32" scale Jazz bass and have it fitted for 4 small guitar pegs and go from there.
Would a Schecter Omen-8 be better suited for fretless playing? It's a 34" inch scale. Maybe that one inch wont make a different, but it'd be interesting to try out.
A friend of mine used to own a Curbow custom fretless 8. It sounded interesting, but I found it a little difficult to make the intonation for both strings to sound good.
I imagine intonation would be a little difficult. I'm GASing for one of these very badly, fretted or -less.
I'm GASing for one of these very badly, fretted or -less.
Intonation is fine since they have seperate saddles for fundamental and octave strings.
I have the fretted version of this. Preamp sucks and pickups are only ok but it was definitely worth it. Easy upgrade to pickup and preamp. Everything else about the build was great.
This may be the last bass i bought new several years ago and I thought it was worth it.
Joe
I have the fretted version of this. Preamp sucks and pickups are only ok but it was definitely worth it. Easy upgrade to pickup and preamp. Everything else about the build was great.
This may be the last bass i bought new several years ago and I thought it was worth it.
Joe
This is good to know. I guess the fretless version must be the same, just minus the frets
.Someday, I will have a job to support my bass habit.
- Dec 21, 2007
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Right - intonation for the strings. But for the pairs of strings, when fingered - it's awful easy for your finger to be just *slightly* on an angle such that you're *slightly* out of tune on your octave. At least, based on my own fretless playing, I think that would be likely.
I am guessing it would take some fine tuning of your technique to play it in tune.
OTOH, you could get a pretty cool organic chorus effect from being slightly out of tune...
Yep. Four, actually.
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Probably a good idea if you want to try out fretless guitar.
Also got a baritone LP.
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Don't let any guitar players get wind of this one! Some of 'em play PLENTY out of tune WITHOUT a fretless component to deal with. Small joke...
But seriously, very cool. I remember some time ago, Vigier made about the only fretless guitar.
Oh, G.A.S. for the first time this hour...
But seriously, very cool. I remember some time ago, Vigier made about the only fretless guitar.
Oh, G.A.S. for the first time this hour...
Taylor Livingston
Commercial User
You won't get a chorus sound from having octave strings out of tune with each other, unfortunately. It will just sound out of tune. However, you could always fret the octave A and fundamental G to be the same note in the same octave - in that case you could get chorusing.
Maybe a normal 4 banger would be best to learn fretless playing on first........but that's not fun
Having to deal with two strings to hit the notes right is 
Not sure Rick Turner will make another....
Fretless 8 string Renaissance. Flamed myrtle. Thomastik nylon core strings. Intonation is definitely a challenge (solid bridge).
Its not what you'd call "versatile" but it sounds beautiful. You may notice the paper stuffed in nut slots...experimenting, I attempted to put steel strings on it (widened the slots)....Very bad idea.
Fretless 8 string Renaissance. Flamed myrtle. Thomastik nylon core strings. Intonation is definitely a challenge (solid bridge).
Its not what you'd call "versatile" but it sounds beautiful. You may notice the paper stuffed in nut slots...experimenting, I attempted to put steel strings on it (widened the slots)....Very bad idea.
