Cheap Ibanez turned fretless: advice needed

[A9X]

was just offering my opinion and experience concerning active pickups.

You don't understand the difference between active pickups, with a buffer inside the actual pickup case (like most EMGs), and an active bass with passive pickups consisting of just wire and magnets and then a separate preamp module in the control cavity. The latter is what the GSR205 has.

None of my EMGs are much higher out put than many/most passives. Just because an active pickup, or a bass is fitted with passive pickups and an onboard preamp, does not mean it has higher output. That is determined by the gain the preamp designer has included, and it may be zero, except for the increases that EQ can add in narrow bandwidths.

 

[gordonfreemanjr]

I see that the discussion is pretty much alive. Thank you!

Yes officer I'd like to report this thread about a modded bass with no pics.

Very true. I promise to post them tomorrow.

It's a GSR205 with an amateur defret, so it's value for resale now is going to be minimal.

That’s true. I got this bass ages ago for around 300-350€, so I’m not really counting on a resale.

I just hate flatwounds on fretless.

Well, that’s what the tech guy suggested. I had no fretless experience at that point. To be honest, they feel fine.

You pulled the frets from a cheap bass to see if you liked fretless? Proof of concept complete - you’re enjoying fretless. Now go out and buy a fretless bass that is to your liking.

Swapping out non-standard sized pickups can be a pain and could involve routing the body to make space for the new pickups. Being a 5 string further limits your selection of pickups to choose from.

Active/passive electronics, not pickups. You can get active electronics and add them to any pickup. It’s like an onboard preamp. You can even sometimes set the output so it isn’t much louder than the passive setting. Could take up more space than you have or be a total pain to solder up and install. Again, finding a fretless with the electronics you want already would save you a lot of time/headache.

The other benefit of just buying a new fretless is you can test it out beforehand and see how you like that bass. When you modify your own bass, you’re never really sure how it will sound until after you’ve spent the time and money modifying it.

Lastly, modifying an instrument is just lost money on resale. The instrument is typically worth less than a non-modified one, and rarely is it worth more with your mods. Buying a used fretless however is “cost free” - if you can sell it for about what you bought it for at a later time. For people who rotate through basses, this might matter, otherwise it may not be a factor.

This is exactly what happened: I went fretless on a disposable bass to get the feeling of it. I like it and I want more.

The suggestion makes perfect sense, but to make it work and to suit my specific needs - I play very varied music with very varied projects - my go-to fretless should be:

*a 5 stringer
*both passive and active options available, preferably switchable

If there any brand/model suggestions, I’m eager to hear them!

Ah, and yes: I DO need the markers.

 

[A9X]

*a 5 stringer
*both passive and active options available, preferably switchable

The active/passive will be difficult in a modestly priced instrument. Why do you want it?
Otherwise look at one of these. I'm going to order one at Christmas for myself, and I'm at the opposite end of the world to Merkelville.
Harley Benton B-550FL BK Progressive Series – Thomann

 

[gordonfreemanjr]

The active/passive will be difficult in a modestly priced instrument. Why do you want it?
Otherwise look at one of these. I'm going to order one at Christmas for myself, and I'm at the opposite end of the world to Merkelville.
Harley Benton B-550FL BK Progressive Series – Thomann

Well, I would be using it with both low and (very) high gain applications. For the latter, I’d like to have an EQ option to find myself a good spot in the mix. For the former, I’d prefer to keep the passive sound.

I’m aware it’s uncommon for stock fretless basses to come with it - hence the concept of modding the 205 further.

160€ bass? I don’t know, man.

 

[A9X]

160€ bass? I don’t know, man.

Why not? The HBs have excellent reps.

 

[srayb]

Have you considered the Ibanez SR375EF? I don’t know if it will give the particular pickup requirements you’ve mentioned (i.e. full passive vs active), but it would be an upgrade from the bass you now have (which you might still be able to trade or sell).

 

[A9X]

I don’t know if it will give the particular pickup requirements you’ve mentioned (i.e. full passive vs active)

It won't.

 

[srayb]

When I made the jump, I bought a Warmoth fretless neck for a MIM Fender J-bass, because my fretted bass is that model. I figured it would be easier to go fretless when the neck was the same size. This was true. But I ended up liking the fretless tone so much that I bought more parts and a Warmoth body and built my dream bass around that neck. Put the MIM J-bass back together and gave it to my daughter.
View attachment 4336342

That is a beautiful bass! A long time ago I put together a Warmoth PJ with black hardware and active EMGs. Chose to sell it when I got my first 5-string, but still miss it. One day I might just build a new Warmoth PJ to fill that void .

 

[gordonfreemanjr]

So, it appears my choises are following:

1) buy a new, decent fretless bass, however without the active/passive switch
2) buy a new fretless bass and mod it
3) further mod the 205

 

[A9X]

So, it appears my choises are following:

1) buy a new, decent fretless bass, however without the active/passive switch
2) buy a new fretless bass and mod it
3) further mod the 205

I looked at getting my first fretless 5 a little while back and looked at everything I could find. None, except maybe some of the boutique brands offered an active/passive option that I recall, so whatever you get you might need to invest some time, effort and $ to DIY or pay someone to do it.

 

[gordonfreemanjr]

I looked at getting my first fretless 5 a little while back and looked at everything I could find. None, except maybe some of the boutique brands offered an active/passive option that I recall, so whatever you get you might need to invest some time, effort and $ to DIY or pay someone to do it.

Indeed. I just wonder if it’s batter to mod a new bass or the existing 205.

 

[Deleted member 165050]

Well, I would be using it with both low and (very) high gain applications. For the latter, I’d like to have an EQ option to find myself a good spot in the mix. For the former, I’d prefer to keep the passive sound.

I’m aware it’s uncommon for stock fretless basses to come with it - hence the concept of modding the 205 further.

There really is no difference between fretted and fretless electronics... in every case I know where you have a fretted or fretless option the electronics are the same. All 8 of my fretless basses have the same electronics as their fretted versions.

 

[Deleted member 165050]

So, it appears my choises are following:

1) buy a new, decent fretless bass, however without the active/passive switch
2) buy a new fretless bass and mod it
3) further mod the 205

4) Try different strings - you didn't say what strings you are currently using except they are flatwound.

 

[A9X]

Indeed. I just wonder if it’s batter to mod a new bass or the existing 205.

Same work either way so that's up to you.
I also agree with ficelles in post 32; I wouldn't bother myself.