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Fretless J bass or P bass?
- Thread starter LowRoller
- Start date
I know they are hard to find, but go out and play as many as you can. I've had/flipped a few, but just haven't bonded with one. The only fretless I've ever drooled over was a mid-late 80's G&L SB-2 in a store where the owner was nuts (actually closed the store and followed me for blocks in his car after I played it for an hour). Back then I was a one bass guy (1988), and couldn't justify it.
I really like the necks on the Squier Jazz fretless (ebonol), but the pups are meh.
I really like the necks on the Squier Jazz fretless (ebonol), but the pups are meh.
- Jul 3, 2007
- 1,380
- 1,036
- Disclosures
- Author of "Soul Fingers." I'm the Duck Dunn expert.
I see Fretless and Jazz going together like peanut butter and jelly, hotdogs and mustard and coffee and cream. This has usually been the standard.
There are those, however, who like peanut butter and honey, hotdogs and ketchup or coffee and skim milk. Not popular, but to each his own.
There are those, however, who like peanut butter and honey, hotdogs and ketchup or coffee and skim milk. Not popular, but to each his own.
I've tried a variety of fretless basses and I really like the P/J setup.
I hadn't been playing for a few years after my wedding band split up, and just hated the Cort P/J boat anchor I owned, I had some cash, and thought a replacement was in order.
After "discovering" G&L in '88, I decided to try a few. Here in Chicago back then, you had to order from a dealer, or pray someone had them in stock... When they did have them, they were jacked up considerably for "immediate delivery" convenience
. None at any GC, no Sam Ash here then, lots of small stores, only one close to home... Snukst music (66th & Pulaski). He wasn't a G&L dealer perse, but he had some in stock. I knew he was nuts from my band days, but it was close to home, and I could get my hands on some to try. He had a stock L-2000, and the SB2 fretless. I went in with my wife, played both basses (both had jazz sized necks), said UP FRONT that I hadn't played any, and wanted just to try them.
I had played a double for orchestra, so the SB2 really entranced me (first electric fretless I ever played), while I didn't intend to get it, I couldn't put it down. drool
I bought some strings, and some picks, my Mrs picked up a music book, as we prepared to leave. Mr Snukst (think Captain Lou Albano) asked me if I wanted either bass... I said I really liked them, but that his price was $200 over MSRP (I'd been researching). He became quite animated, and offered to drop the price $50. I asked if I could order a L-2000 through him at MSRP, his wife started becoming visibly agitated. He argued "Why wait, when there's one RIGHT here". I said thank you, no... and looked at my wife (who was giving me the "Let's get out of Dodge" look).
It was late afternoon on a Saturday, but they were open 'til 7. As they were ringing us up, he gave his Mrs a look, and she started turning off all the displays, lights, and setting the alarm system.
They walked out right after us (yes, we thought it odd), and started their car before we did, and waved us to leave the lot first. Two blocks later, my Mrs' says: "They're behind us", sure enough... A puke green Dodge Diplomat is following us. It was only a mile home (and I didn't want them knowing where we lived), so I started driving a maze of one way streets to see if they'd follow... they did. They weren't even covert about it, they were both sitting leaning forward, faces glued to the windshield, 50 feet (often less) in back of us. I'd circled around to the street their shop was on, and pulled into the Huck Finn donut shop a block down from his shop... Because there were cop cars in the lot. They followed us into the lot, but I jumped out and stood at the back of my car with a police baton (from my retired cop Dad), and started asking (MAYBE yelling) at them (their windows were open), what their problem was. They went as white as sheets, rolled up the windows, and sped out of the lot as fast as they could (unbeknownst to me, the cops were walking out).
The cops asked where I'd got the old school billy club (after "asking" to see it), and asked what was up. After hearing our story, they said in unison: "Yea, Snukst is NUTS!"
They returned my club, and suggested we spread the word about Snukst.
I never went in there again, and to this day cannot imagine what they were thinking... Maybe... Possibly, that we were schills for another store.
On our way home, we passed the store again, all the lights were on, and they were open again.
My 25+ year old G&L oddesey continues in my recent NBD post and G&L club part 7 posts...
You'll never ask me for a story again
Hey, why isn't there a choice for P/J pickup, jazz neck? You can have a P/J on either body style. And you can have a Jazz neck on either one.
I voted a P fretless. I have one and it has plenty of mwah. But, in the end, as long as your playing fretless I do not really care, LOL.
As you should. that's gorgeous! Not too many basses i can describe as SEXY!
If you know where I can get one "under a grand" (as specified by OP), I'll take three!!!
- Jul 3, 2007
- 1,380
- 1,036
- Disclosures
- Author of "Soul Fingers." I'm the Duck Dunn expert.
Heh. Of course there were!
On the contrary, glad I asked! This story was worth it!You'll never ask me for a story again
My fretless is a J with DiMarzio model J pickups. It sound like a P with a huge J flavor. You may like it. PM if you want to hear a sound clip.
I've tried a variety of fretless basses and I really like the P/J setup.
nice! i was looking at those delanos too - are you running them passive?
I dig the P/J combination. I had a really good experience having a bass converted to fretless, so I'd say take an instrument you already know you like and make the change. Previous attempts at going fretless just didn't grab me like this one did, I feel like I'm *playing* the thing instead of fighting it. Actually enjoying using it gives incentive to keep working at it, and I'm getting a little new life into the older ones now that I've stuck with it long enough to start getting somewhere technique-wise.
