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Fretless Bass Suggestions
- Thread starter Swamp_Ronin
- Start date
Fretless Musicman Sterling. Not the cheap Sterling, the real Ernie Ball deal. Like a Stingray but with a smaller body and a jazz style neck. The one bass I should never have sold, even though I hadn’t played it for several years.
Doesn’t seem so bad really. I’d prefer no lines and the price seems kinda high. But I’m living in the past. I think I sold mine for 650 (a while back).
I just recently picked up a second hand (pretty much unplayed) Squier CV fretless jazz for less than half its new cost. It did need some setup work but sounds and plays fantastic
Another vote for the Ibanez SRF 700 Portamento.
Two magnetic pickups and unique piezos.
The magnetics will give you reasonable Fender-like tones, but the bridge has plastic saddles, which give it a smoother, less harsh tone which imitates an upright fairly well.
They’re about $1,000 new, but I feel they are well worth it.
I’ve had mine four years and still love it.
Here’s mine.
Two magnetic pickups and unique piezos.
The magnetics will give you reasonable Fender-like tones, but the bridge has plastic saddles, which give it a smoother, less harsh tone which imitates an upright fairly well.
They’re about $1,000 new, but I feel they are well worth it.
I’ve had mine four years and still love it.
Here’s mine.
The player series Fretless Jazz bass I have surprised me in a couple of ways.
The biggest surprise was I liked it, for I was at that time not a Fender fan. The second was I truly liked the tone and yes it may be a less expensive Bass comparatively but it is not a cheap instrument in both feel and warmth.
With your experience of being a Jazz Bass player all ready I bet it would both surprise and move you with all you bring under your fingers.
The biggest surprise was I liked it, for I was at that time not a Fender fan. The second was I truly liked the tone and yes it may be a less expensive Bass comparatively but it is not a cheap instrument in both feel and warmth.
With your experience of being a Jazz Bass player all ready I bet it would both surprise and move you with all you bring under your fingers.
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I bought a Sterling by musicman ray34cafl right from Sweetwater. Wasn’t that hard to find
I highly recommend the Squier Classic Vibe 60s Fretless Jazz bass. I had one that weighed 8.4 lb with chromes mounted and I loved it. I was able to get a nice "Jaco" growl out of it. Good luck.
You asked for thoughts/suggestions so I'll give mine. I agree with an earlier poster who said get one with a well voiced bridge pickup. In my experience the bridge pickup is the most important. That's where you get the juicy harmonics and coveted "mwah" sound. Currently I own 3 fretless instruments and my favorite set up is my Carvin BB75 which features a MM pickup at the bridge. Talk about a killer bass that didn't cost much $$. If you want a lined fingerboard I recommend trying to find one that also has position markers on the board. A lined fretless without the position dots on the fingerboard can be a little disorienting. You could always use stick-on markers too. Lastly, do the research and learn how to set up a fretless properly. A good setup is the difference between thumpy/lifeless and a Valkyrie singing from atop a mountain while wielding flaming swords (in terms of tone).
As for an actual recommendation just find something you feel comfortable with that features a MM or humbucker at the bridge. You really can't go wrong with a Stingray but I dig the Ibanez SRF series overall. One sleeper to keep an eye out for is a Warwick Rockbass Streamer NT. The 4 string model features a P/J setup with an alder body and a ebony fingerboard. It's basically a Tony Franklin as ingredients go and mine just SINGS. I rarely even plug it into an amp. It is very loud and punchy played acoustic.
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I think unlined are easier, of course I learned on one. With a TF you have sidedots at 1,3,5,7 etc which makes it easier to make long jumps and land at the right place, of course the higher up the neck you go the more touchy intonation becomes.
I have Rotosound Swing Bass 66 on my TF and the ebony neck at least so far has handled them fine.
TF modded VVT with a side jack.
If you can find a Lakland Skyline 44-94 they have an exquisite neck profile and radius. I owned and giggled with one for 3 years. I traded it for a Lakland 55-94 Lined Fretless U.S.
Different strokes for different folks, but as a casual fretless player (although I did play upright for 2 years in Jr hi) I'd like to share a different perspective.
Your hands already "know" where the notes are better than you think. All you need is a reference point to place them to start. People do have preferences though, and that's OK, all I'm saying is don't make something , like lines or markers a requirement (nor rule them out) until you've tried it.
My first fretless bass was not only a blank fretboard but the dots on the side were in the same place as they are on a fretted bass. It took me a little time to see that something was not as I expected it to be (as most fretlesses without lines have the side dots where lines would be) but once I realized that, I was surprised how well my hands hit the notes.
If you're reading music (not everybody does, but I have to from time to time) you won't bet playing with your eyes glued to the neck anyway, dots lines or whatever, so the muscle memory is something you should be developing anyway, IMO.
Again, don't rule anything out... until you've tried it. And I agree, starting on a value fretless first will help you decide what you really want when it's time to buy your forever bass. But the decision is all yours. Do what satisfies you.
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I'll recommend the Ibanez Gary Willis. It's a 5-string (forgot whether you said you cared), single pickup roughly in the MM spot, and active elex. I think they sound more like than unlike Stingrays. There are a few versions ranging from basswood body to artisan-built with an ash body, and pricing is probably stupid right now like everything else, but a broad range depending on which version you find. People like them all though.
Here's Scott Devine's look. This is one of the 20th anniversary ones, Scott says it was $1000-$1500 but the review is from 2019.
Here's Scott Devine's look. This is one of the 20th anniversary ones, Scott says it was $1000-$1500 but the review is from 2019.
If you can find a Modulus…
Those are amazing! I have an 80s NT model and it’s an amazing instrument! These have phenolic boards so even if you string it with barbed wire the board won’t wear. Extreme example but rounds won’t do anything to that board! I’m sure others make phenolic boards so if you can get a bass with one.
Those are amazing! I have an 80s NT model and it’s an amazing instrument! These have phenolic boards so even if you string it with barbed wire the board won’t wear. Extreme example but rounds won’t do anything to that board! I’m sure others make phenolic boards so if you can get a bass with one.
I assume you prefer the 1.5" nut width on most Jazz basses. Otherwise, I'd strongly recommend the Tony Franklin Fretless. It has a reputation for being an awesome fretless bass overall, and there is good reason for this.
I agree with your inclination to get something nice rather than something cheap. A nicer bass is likely to be easier and more pleasurable to play.
I recommend a fingerboard with no lines. I find them easier. Ideally you would play fretless with your ears, not your eyes. The absence of lines helps force you to do this. The presence of lines is going to draw your gaze.
I agree with your inclination to get something nice rather than something cheap. A nicer bass is likely to be easier and more pleasurable to play.
I recommend a fingerboard with no lines. I find them easier. Ideally you would play fretless with your ears, not your eyes. The absence of lines helps force you to do this. The presence of lines is going to draw your gaze.
