I was able to finally try a Rob Allen last Saturday. If you have the budget, get those.
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Fretless suggestions
- Thread starter matthewbrown
- Start date
I ordered this bass along with a new Ibanez gig baHere is mine and I love it. The Ibanez SRH505F 5 string fretless. Only 7.4lbs with 16.5mm spacing, this is a very comfortable bass to play. Try it, you'll like it.
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I ordered the four-string version of this, along with a new Ibanez gig bag for it. The light weight, balance and the videos I heard convinced me. It's also not going to bust my budget. I can't say I'm in love with the finish, but that was the only drawback I could see. I'm looking forward to trying it out!Here is mine and I love it. The Ibanez SRH505F 5 string fretless. Only 7.4lbs with 16.5mm spacing, this is a very comfortable bass to play. Try it, you'll like it.
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Thanks, everyone, for your suggestions! We'll see how the Ibby works out, and I'll post a review.
I found the finish to be better in the flesh than in the online photographs. Not my favourite, to be sure, but it has its own vibe
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My first impressions of the SRH500F are favorable. It is definitely a gazelle compared to to my Washburn AB40! Very light in weight and very responsive to touch. I'm a little hesitant to dig in hard with it, even when I have a mute under the strings, so playing a medium-tempo swing feel convincingly is a work in progress! It balances well on the strap, and I hope to see how that works out on a live set. As for the sound -- I like it a lot, but that's always a matter of taste. It has a lot of growl, if you like that!
Like others said, try the Casady. It shouldn’t be too hard to find in a shop.
I got the new fretless and it sounds and plays amazing. Not the most ergonomic thing on this list though.
I got the new fretless and it sounds and plays amazing. Not the most ergonomic thing on this list though.
Consider the Sire GB5. I'm loving my new fretless 5, especially with La Bella black tapes on it!
I'm getting more familiar with the Ibby SRH500f. I had to raise the action; adding homemade mutes under the strings helped me get the sound I'm after. With the right EQ and modeling, it gets a good sound for walking bass. That said, it's always difficult to play a 34" scale in tune. It's still a lot easier than a 34" scale EUB, I think. The onboard tone control is helpful, but doesn't do enough, IMHO.
I have one, and love it. Given what you've described (raising the action, adding a mute, not enough tone control), swap out the stock strings for Labella DTs. I went through the stock steins, TIJF, and Roto 88s before finding the absolute sweet spot for that bass with the Labellas.
Still loving mine, too. I’m not chasing upright tone, happy to let it be its own thing (I hasten to add that I’m implying no criticism if anyone is chasing that vibe). So far LaBella Low Tension Flats are working really well. The stock D’Addario’s were way too “zingy” for my liking. I love TIJFs on my fretted L1000, but I’m not sure if I would on this bass. What were your impressions?
A Nordymute is a handy tool, and highly adjustable for just the right amount of muting IME. Finally, for me the tone control is about right and great for on the fly adjustments; a much broader range than it has would mean very finicky adjustments. Amp EQs and pedals are for those sorts of fine adjustments, in my view, at least.
Nice looking bass; I do like the Les Paulish body shape. For me, the 24 “frets”, the adjustable bridge and the absence of a magnetic pickup were all big pluses for the Ibby, but Sire seems to be making some very nice stuff, and not just clones.
I'd forgotten how reflective "piano black" finishes can be. Good thing I was wearing shorts!
I added that Lace Sensor mag pickup myself just to have a more flexible sound. I think they blend nicely....
Nice work; I hadn’t realised it was a DIY improvement. Any issues with intonation given the non-adjustable bridge? Of course, this can be compensated for when there are no pesky frets in the way, but it’s one fewer headache to have when everything lines up
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Light weight.
Ergonomic.
Have you checked out any of the Ibanez EHB series?
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/de...tless-5-string-bass-guitar-arctic-ocean-matte
Ergonomic.
Have you checked out any of the Ibanez EHB series?
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/de...tless-5-string-bass-guitar-arctic-ocean-matte
What is your complaint with the Casady? I have been looking at these online for a while. Is it a neck dive issue? String spacing? Fingerboard radius? They sure look nice.
I put D'Addario black nylon tapes on my SRH500F and it sounds great - every time I pick it up I wonder why I don't use it more. I try to slip it into the rotation at least every other month at church.
No, not any of those things. I quite like it. I guess mostly it's the clunky shape and size of the body, and because of where the strap buttons are it falls away from your body when standing. I deal with it ok though.
