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Good beginner fretless bass?

S

StrangeObjectiv

Nov 5, 2008
108
0
Pennsylvania, US
#1
Hey guys!

I've been getting more and more interested in fretless instruments as of recently. I love the idea of the need for more precision, the different sound you get, the smoother sliding. Just really all of the differences you get from a fretless to a fretted instrument.

That being said, I don't have any personal experience playing a fretless bass. I need to find myself a fretless bass to play before I commit; hopefully GC might have one.

After I find and play myself a fretless bass and determine whether I like it or not, which I can't see why I wouldn't, I'd like to look into having one to play.

What would you guys recommend as a good, preferably inexpensive, beginner fretless bass?

I've been looking at the Link Removed and the Squier Vintage Modified Fretless Jazz bass as the top candidates.

I've heard iffy things about SX when it comes to quality, and I can't play an SX to see how I like it as far as I know. The VM J Bass I have played, fretted though. I loved that bass, it absolutely blew me away, but compared to the SX, is the extra $150 worth it? And chances are I'd modify whichever bass I got in some way, specifically pickups.

If anyone has anything better in mind, please let me know!
 
#3
This may sound kind of biased because I love Jazz basses but I think any Fender Jazz, either the real deal or one of the many copies, would serve you well. J style basses are simple they sound good, many musicians find them comfortable and as long as you don't go with a custom shop instrument or any given companies more expensive lines(Fender MIA) they're affordable. Both of the basses you listed look really nice and from what I've read on this forum the SX's are a steal.
 
#4
StrangeObjectiv said:
Hey guys!

I've been getting more and more interested in fretless instruments as of recently. I love the idea of the need for more precision, the different sound you get, the smoother sliding. Just really all of the differences you get from a fretless to a fretted instrument.

That being said, I don't have any personal experience playing a fretless bass. I need to find myself a fretless bass to play before I commit; hopefully GC might have one.

After I find and play myself a fretless bass and determine whether I like it or not, which I can't see why I wouldn't, I'd like to look into having one to play.

What would you guys recommend as a good, preferably inexpensive, beginner fretless bass?

I've been looking at the Link Removed and the Squier Vintage Modified Fretless Jazz bass as the top candidates.

I've heard iffy things about SX when it comes to quality, and I can't play an SX to see how I like it as far as I know. The VM J Bass I have played, fretted though. I loved that bass, it absolutely blew me away, but compared to the SX, is the extra $150 worth it? And chances are I'd modify whichever bass I got in some way, specifically pickups.

If anyone has anything better in mind, please let me know!
Click to expand...

Hi StrangeObjectiv.

If you buy an SX via Essex Bass Club (Part 6), Brian will make sure that you get a good bass that's properly vetted, strung, and set up so you'll have an affordable player right out of the case.

Ask the folks here what they think of B.B.S.'s SX quality control verification and setups: Essex Bass Club (Part 6)
 
#5
Queevil, I've got a Fender American Standard Jazz Bass and agree that you really can't go wrong with a J.

I'm just iffy on the SX because I read another thread about the same bass where the buyer got a flawed bass. A badly aligned bridge, a bad neck, and a bumpy fretboard. He sent it back, got another one and it still wasn't anything past decent.

The only thing keeping me from choosing the VM J bass without question is the $300 price tag compared the the $180 price of the SX.

I have to wait until at least Christmas because I'm still too young for a job, even at 15, so I can't afford it myself. And I want it to be as inexpensive as possible because I hate asking my parents to buy me anything, let alone a $300 instrument.

I suppose if that was the only thing on the wish list it would be reasonable. :ninja:
 
#6
MIJ-VI said:
Hi StrangeObjectiv.

If you buy an SX via Essex Bass Club (Part 6), Brian will make sure that you get a good bass that's properly vetted, strung, and set up so you'll have an affordable player right out of the case.

Ask the folks here what they think of B.B.S.'s SX quality control verification and setups: Essex Bass Club (Part 6)
Click to expand...

Thanks! That's actually what I was planning on doing if I go for the SX. I know that Brian's a reliable source so I figure I can't go wrong if I go for the SX, but I'm torn between that and the VM J. :\

I wish I could play an SX. Does anyone know of anywhere I could do that to get an idea of how it is versus the VM J?
 
#8
I have a Yamaha RBX 270F, and I have no complaints about it.
P-J pickups, rosewood board with lines, Volume-Blend-Tone controls.

At $300 it's a hell of a bass! The stock pickups are very versatile, and with a proper setup you can get everything from a very thumpy P sound to a nice mwaah with roundwound strings.

I've heard the squires are good too though, but I've never played one.
 
#11
StrangeObjectiv said:
Thanks! That's actually what I was planning on doing if I go for the SX. I know that Brian's a reliable source so I figure I can't go wrong if I go for the SX, but I'm torn between that and the VM J. :\

I wish I could play an SX. Does anyone know of anywhere I could do that to get an idea of how it is versus the VM J?
Click to expand...

Maybe a fretless SX-owning member of the Essex Bass Club (Part 6) lives near you?
 
#14
I'll throw one out of left field at you--Cort Curbow. If you can go for the crazy small body, they are mostly given high marks and they're cheap ($200 and change used and $369 new - 4 string). In my thinking, the composite fingerboard takes some pressure off of making a quality (flat and smooth) surface at a low price.

I wouldn't suggest that you can't get a good SX (I've bought 3 - Two Strat copies and a P-Bass), but my recent difficulty with getting a fretless SX leaves me wondering if tolerances don't actually have to be tighter for producing a good fretless neck. I had gone into the deal presuming that without frets, it should be easy to set up. I ended up returning two basses to Rondo.
 
#15
If you're looking for a new 'never been played' entry level production fretless bass, look at the low priced Yamahas also. IMO they are better than the Squier or the SX basses. If you know how to do a setup the SX basses are good. The Brice and Douglas basses are better, but the Squier will be a big step up from Rondo stuff IMO. The exact fretless you have linked to I would recommend avoiding. Block inlays make absolutely zero sense on a fretless. The whole idea is to have your fingers and strings on the wood not on some plastic inlay.

If you're looking for something used there will be an almost infinite variety, most of which would be good. My only advice in a used fretless is to prefer fretless basses that came from the factory as a fretless, lined or not, over a "conversion". You never know who did the "conversion" and if they did it right or messed it up and besides I don't like conversions because they ususally have front dots which look wrong on a fretless.
 

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