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BEST FRETLESS for 3,000.00? help!!

#41
The Godin A5 fretless is far cheaper than $3000, but nevertheless a fantastic instrument. Among others, Esperanza Spalding uses one of these, as shown in the video below. I'd suggest you try one out.

I got a used Godin A4 yesterday. It's an older version of the bass with only a piezo pickup, and it has been converted from fretted with rosewood fingerboard to a fretless with wenge fingerboard. (The original fretlesses have ebony fingerboard and the newer ones have also a magnetic pickup). The bass is very well built and has a fantastic smooth neck that is incredibly easy to play. Currently, the bass is wearing a set of TI flats but I'll probably change them to a set of strings that all have a similar sound, and perhaps a set that allows BEAD tuning instead of EADG as my main bass.

 
#45
Thank you guys again for all the suggestions, I appreciate them. It will be hard for me to just buy sometching that I never heard of without playing it. You don't realize just how many beautiful basses are out there. This is such a hard decision for me. I know that I love zon and pedulla. Jerzy is too pricey for me, and I think that if I found an Fbass lined in my price range I would jump on that. Adomovic and roscoe are tempting but never played them. Someone just mentioned a fretless zon sonus 5 for 2,500, but unlined. Now this one is tempting :bassist: Thanks again TB.
 
#46
benchpress11782 said:
Thank you guys again for all the suggestions, I appreciate them. It will be hard for me to just buy sometching that I never heard of without playing it. You don't realize just how many beautiful basses are out there. This is such a hard decision for me. I know that I love zon and pedulla. Jerzy is too pricey for me, and I think that if I found an Fbass lined in my price range I would jump on that. Adomovic and roscoe are tempting but never played them. Someone just mentioned a fretless zon sonus 5 for 2,500, but unlined. Now this one is tempting :bassist: Thanks again TB.
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Where do you live. Maybe there´s a dealer near you?
 
#51
I wanted something like what you are looking for and in the price range that you are looking at. I have a friend that makes basses as a profession and told me that he could make a bass with almost anything I wanted for fewer than $3,000. (I wanted to go relatively conservative). We even went to the wood store to pick out the wood grain together. So far he has sent me pictures of every step. (I could make a baby book) He lives in Boston. I can send you his E-Mail if you would like.
 
#52
this is my custom US Spector BO fretless. Spalted Maple over mahogany with a Pau Ferro fingerboard and Dual J EMG's with an Aguilar OBP3 pre. It was less than $3k. It's been my workhorse for over 2 years.

DSC_0134_zps3ac9e9a4.gif
 
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#53
mb94952 said:
I'm going to ask you to keep an open mind, which maybe you have already. Spend $1,200 and KEEP $1,800 and look for a PEAVEY CIRRUS fretless. Top shelf craftsmanship and killer tone. As you know, the Cirrus can go head to head with any big name boutique and exceed to to some players, like me.
Maybe you've tried one already and it's not for you.
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No joke, they have got to be one of the best non-custom basses that I've ever played. Mine can still hold up to my boutique stuff. Every once in a while I debate getting a Cirrus and paying a luthier to install a new fingerboard so I can have an unlined Cirrus. I suppose I could also try to buy the pickups and pre and build a bass with the same specs.
 
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#54
benchpress11782 said:
I know lol. You would think, lol. Didn't Joe Zon used to be from NY?
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Well, Vinnie Fodera is still in Brookyn and so are Sadowsky and Carl Thompson. Vinnie and Carl are out of your price range, I think.
There's Nino Valenti on Staten Island, too. Nice guy, good prices, nice basses.
As far as retailers, though, we got d*ck. There's the bass room at Rudy's and NJ Guitar and Bass Center. That's about it and neither is what I would call a real, dedicated bass shop.
 

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