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Choosing a fretless: help requested

hobbes1

hobbes1

Nov 3, 2006
418
28
sites.google.com
#1
I made a previous (brief) attempt to play some fretless by buying a 5 string SX jazz fretless bass. While I did like the fretless sound, the bass was just too much hassle to play (difficult to intonate, adjust, etc) and I eventually sold the bass. Now, I'm thinking again about trying fretless and have been searching and reading some threads here, looking for ideas and trying to narrow down the choices to the bass I might be most likely to bond with and enjoy.

I currently have two fretted basses I like: a Squier P-bass, five string Oly white with tapewounds and a Gibson era Tobias Growler 5 string with roundwounds. I love the asymetrical neck of the Tobias and it's been my #1 for more than 15 years.

With fretless, I am attracted more towards a clear maybe even middy/piano sort of fretless rather than a dark or muddier tone. My current amp rig is a Sansamp VTBassDI pedal into a Peavey Classic 50/50 poweramp bridged to 100 watts-->DIY dual ported 1x12 cab loaded with a Dayton PA310-8 speaker.

Cost: well, I'm definitely willing to spend more than for an SX and I've been considering Ibanez and Warwick. I'd like to keep the cost below $800 and used is fine. Any other thoughts or suggestions/reviews would be much appreciated.
Thanks
 
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#4
You may scoff at this, but try out one of the Squire fretless Jazz basses. I picked one up expecting it to be junk, and was hugely surprised at how good it sounded and felt. The fingerboard is some kind of very tough black phenolic they call "ebonol", and it gets a good "mwah" sound. It has inlaid fret lines of some white material, so it's easy to play in tune by fretting right over the lines. I already have a fretless or I might have bought one.
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#5
I can't say enough good thing about the Squier Vintage Modified fretless. I got one as a used piece in GC ALbany NY, that had a bad neck. I paid like $150. I bought another used fretless neck off TB and went to town dressing it up. But the electronics , body, neck, are all squier. And it plays great records beautifully, and the sound is really very strong. The Duncan design single coils are just excellent pickups.

Here's a track I did on my family's christmas record with it. DI with a little chorus added in the mixing stage.

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These are very easy to get started on fretless with, as I too was not into fretless until i stumbled onto this bass.
 
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#6
Oh the the Squier VM fretless' is ripe for easy dress up...heres mine after mods ( Tuners, Thru solid brass thru bridge, pickguard..etc)

P1030497_zpsb6214963.jpg
 
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#8
get yourself a Carvin or Warmoth parts bass- fretless are always the first to go... If you know a good tech and dig the Jaco sound you could always de-fret and epoxy any decent rosewood fb 5 string and get busy! (I'm of the understanding epoxy sticks to rosewood better than most common fb woods)
 
#10
Brother Goose said:
get yourself a Carvin or Warmoth parts bass- fretless are always the first to go... If you know a good tech and dig the Jaco sound you could always de-fret and epoxy any decent rosewood fb 5 string and get busy! (I'm of the understanding epoxy sticks to rosewood better than most common fb woods)
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yes, i've heard other people talk about getting the same type of bass i already have and defretting it. not sure i could come in on budget with either warmoth or another growler though, after the work is done. cool idea though for sure
 
#13
I'd be a little careful with the Ibanez fretless basses in your price range, and play them first if you can. A lot of the ones I have played built in Indonesia are pretty hit or miss, and often had fret lines that you can feel sticking up slightly over the neck, and my GWB35 has a misaligned 'finger ramp' and the electronics cut out, forcing me to tap the volume knob to get it back... but if you don't mind a little tinkering it's otherwise fine. Neck is smooth and straight and there's no real buzzing on the fingerboard, balanced extremely well, and of course looks dead sexy in that flat black.

I'm on my 2nd GWB35, the first (and arguably better) one was damaged by FailDex, this one isn't as good (and from 2012 o_O it has the GW1005 bridge, though, and a splotchy, er characterful piece of ebony...) but the complaints aren't enough to complain given the price range we're talking about; it's just not worth shipping another one across the damn country (nobody carries them around me and there are no used ones *shrugs*).

Or find a place with a good return policy, zZounds gives me 45 days to decide if it truly bothers me enough lol... the beat Guitar Center's price so I got it for under $700.
 
#19
Gilmourisgod said:
Pb9717
I checked out the recorded link, really nice tasteful fretless playing, just enough for what the song required and nothing more or less, and the singer nailed it, always loved that song.
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Thx...thats my daughter. Always a blast to work with her. And as far as the bass track, was trying to channel Pino Paladino as best I could. Glad you dig it. Just more evidence that the Squier VM fretless' stock pups and electronics are really killer.

Peace.
 
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#20
I got a Brice HXB-405 fretless a while back and I am finding that I really like fretless and am in a similar situation. I will probably either spend $400-$700 give or take on one or trade one of my fretted basses if I can in the near future for a better one.
 

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