Fretless Precision Alternatives?

[Dr. Cheese]

If you don't mind budget basses, Yamaha made some nice fretless basses with P-pups that often go for under $200. Check out Ebay, and you will probably see some.

 

[electracoyote]

Thank you Chef and Engine207.

Holy cow. Very nice.

 

[Chef]

As do allparts, warmoth, usacg and others.

Not sure if the Fender Japan neck pockets are the same, but there's a seller for those parts on ebay.

Mighty mite has a fretless neck you slap on a body.

 

[NWB]

I have a Clement fretless P/J that is nothing less than perfection.

Enter Tom Clement Basses

It is, hands down, the best bass that I've ever played.

 

[bassfunk329]

As do allparts, warmoth, usacg and others.

Not sure if the Fender Japan neck pockets are the same, but there's a seller for those parts on ebay.

Hey im a bassist on budget so i was relating with him. I could forget the others.

 

[tjclem]

fretless precision is an oxymoron

 

[electracoyote]

FWIW, when I first got into fretless a few years ago, I went uber-cheap with an SX P-Bass copy. They put this thick poly coat on the whole guitar, including the fingerboard. It was almost like an epoxy, probably would have lasted a long time with flats. Anyway, it played and sounded plenty good enough for my untrained ears and hands, that got me hooked so I sold it off and moved up.

I think alot of entry-level fretless P-Bass copies would offer a similar experience.

But I just looked at the Rondo Music website and they seem to not have those in stock at the mo. But Kurt's stock changes frequently.

 

[Andy Daventry]

I have a squier P body with a MIM fretless jazz neck. Does the stuff.

 

[Tad]

I love fretless precisions. John Paul Jones turned me on to them on the song "In My Time of Dying" and since then I have fallen in love. The only thing is, Fender doesn't make a fretless p, only a jazz and a tony franklin. Are there any alternate companies anyone knows of that make fretless precision-style basses?

There is a brand new Squier Vintage Modified Precision Fretless on Amazon for $299 with free shipping.

It says that it's the last one left.

 

[mc900ftj]

I picked this up used at a GC not too long ago. A mid-80's fretless Fender (Japan) Jazz Bass Special. P/J, sounds great, plays great, well build and light...and relatively cheap. The P-pickup solo'd sounds...well...like a P. The J pickup gives you some additional tonal options.

If you can find one of these around give it a try. I was surprised enough when I took it off the wall at GC that it followed me home.