How is this tone?

[Dr. Cheese]

Yer bass sounds great, Doc. I think folk put a little too much emphasis on gear and its cost, and on low action. I think intent of the player and HIS belief in the gear he uses is far more important than the amount paid or name on the headstock. Yamaha basses are built exceedingly well at all price points. I also gave up a very high end, well respected fretless 5 for my current G&L M2500 fretless. For my style and tonal goals, the G&L is simply better. I'm not a flatwound fan. I can appreciate the vibe, but rounds are where I find the tones I am looking for. Steel rounds, even..

As far as action; Jamerson, Miller, Will Lee, Kumalo and many other heroes of mine, plus upright bassists, and I believe, Jaco himself, ran action far higher than folk are willing to believe today. Strings vibrate in an elliptical pattern similar to a planet's orbit. Gotta have enuff room under them to fully vibrate. You get more projection of a string into the pickup, thus more sound. I run my fretless action fairly high for this reason. My fretted action, too. I have no issues getting sustain an mwah outta my basses this way. And my hands adapted, they don't get sore. Plus, fewer marks on my board, in general, vs lowish action.

Each of us is our own worst critic. Each of us, tho, has our own thing to contribute to the world of tone. Don't critique away yer uniqueness, Doc. Own it. That Yamaha sounds fantastic. And, a new set of strings can fundamentally change the tone of any instrument. And strings are far cheaper than a new bass. Especially today. I keep a few sets around for differing moods. I may not like flats, but the folk that hire me sometimes do. So I keep sets for those occasions.

I like a fairly low action, but not too low. I do not have a soft touch, and will kill all of the tone if my action is too low.

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

After thinking so much about upgrading to a “better” fretless, I went back and listened to my Yamaha fretless with an EMG P-pickup that I got for $110 at GC last November. It is an active pickup with a passive tone, and it is quite fat sounding with the tone rolled off. It could use a two band to get lows to keep with highs when I turn up the tone, but I think it is a bass that sounds better than $110. I played Pino Pallidino’s riff from the live version of Nine Inch Nails’ Sanctified he played back in 2013. I love that riff because it is so dark and atmospheric plus it has tons of groove. I know I can’t get the atmosphere he had on my little GK amp and stack with no effects at home. That said, how is the tone?

All that for $110?!
Another great deal. I see no need to spend more $ to upgrade if this bass gives you the tones and feels good in your hands.
That bass is well built and has a good upgraded pickup. Enjoy it!!

Like I said before…. You are blessed to have some nice basses.
I’d like to see a group pic if your wonderful stable of basses.
That always helps to keep my GAS down .

 

[Dr. Cheese]

All that for $110?!
Another great deal. I see no need to spend more $ to upgrade if this bass gives you the tones and feels good in your hands.
That bass is well built and has a good upgraded pickup. Enjoy it!!

Like I said before…. You are blessed to have some nice basses.
I’d like to see a group pic if your wonderful stable of basses.
That always helps to keep my GAS down .

I will post a group picture today or Friday.

 

[David McIntire]

I like a fairly low action, but not too low. I do not have a soft touch, and will kill all of the tone if my action is too low.

My attack is the same. When young, I played upright and badly set up electrics. My hands are strong. And my friends describe my playing as "Passionate". Heh. I need my action set higher than most, too. I want my hands relaxed, but I like to pull tones out of my basses, not have them given to me. Just a product of my style. Tony Franklin is my main fretless influence, and he's not gentle, either.

 

[mongo2]

I'm pleasantly surprised at the tone. It has a very nice depth and hollowness that I like and didn't really expect from a solidbody.

 

[JRA]

I think a part me was thinking it sounds good for the money instead of just admitting the tone is good, period.

 

[Billyzoom]

After thinking so much about upgrading to a “better” fretless, I went back and listened to my Yamaha fretless with an EMG P-pickup that I got for $110 at GC last November. It is an active pickup with a passive tone, and it is quite fat sounding with the tone rolled off. It could use a two band to get lows to keep with highs when I turn up the tone, but I think it is a bass that sounds better than $110. I played Pino Pallidino’s riff from the live version of Nine Inch Nails’ Sanctified he played back in 2013. I love that riff because it is so dark and atmospheric plus it has tons of groove. I know I can’t get the atmosphere he had on my little GK amp and stack with no effects at home. That said, how is the tone?

I think it sounds good!

 

[marchone]

+1

 

[logdrum]

Is you bass like a BB100 or something? If yes then we may have the same bass. I bought it when I needed to lay down some tracks for a project - this was in San Diego and I did not have my fretless and the guy wanted 75 with case and I got it down to 60. The person I was recording for added 100 to what she agreed to pay me and told me to keep the bass. Yep - it needs a battery but the tone control does not do much tone shaping. Behaves like a passive bass. One of the most useless things to be put on a bass -active pickup and passive tone control

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Is you bass like a BB100 or something? If yes then we may have the same bass. I bought it when I needed to lay down some tracks for a project - this was in San Diego and I did not have my fretless and the guy wanted 75 with case and I got it down to 60. The person I was recording for added 100 to what she agreed to pay me and told me to keep the bass. Yep - it needs a battery but the tone control does not do much tone shaping. Behaves like a passive bass. One of the most useless things to be put on a bass -active pickup and passive tone control

I don’t have a BB300. It has a 2x2 headstock and a two octave fingerboard. I don’t know the exact model. I like the boost the EMG provides and I think it has a thicker low end than a passive pickup.

 

[Old Fart]

The grass on the other side is not always greener. If it ain't broken, then don't fix it.

 

[logdrum]

I don’t have a BB300. It has a 2x2 headstock and a two octave fingerboard. I don’t know the exact model. I like the boost the EMG provides and I think it has a thicker low end than a passive pickup.

Man I can't even read properly - My Bass is the BB200F not 100 or 300. As far as I know only EMG does the active pickup think and this one needs a battery but the pickups do not say EMG or EMG licensed. I am not sure where it was made. There was a plastic sticker that was easily I remember- could be Taiwan or could be ROC.

I did not even notice it has a badass II bridge until today. I slapped some Cobalt flats on this one. I really lucked out 60 bucks with case and that updated bridge and those snappy strap buttons forgot what they are called. I just took both out of their cases and then played them. My son took my Kiesel and I have Made In Japan jazz.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Man I can't even read properly - My Bass is the BB200F not 100 or 300. As far as I know only EMG does the active pickup think and this one needs a battery but the pickups do not say EMG or EMG licensed. I am not sure where it was made. There was a plastic sticker that was easily I remember- could be Taiwan or could be ROC.

I did not even notice it has a badass II bridge until today. I slapped some Cobalt flats on this one. I really lucked out 60 bucks with case and that updated bridge and those snappy strap buttons forgot what they are called. I just took both out of their cases and then played them. My son took my Kiesel and I have Made In Japan jazz.

View attachment 4304134

I really like your bass!

 

[DJ Bebop]

The grass on the other side is not always greener. If it ain't broken, then don't fix it.

 

[songwriter21]

After thinking so much about upgrading to a “better” fretless, I went back and listened to my Yamaha fretless with an EMG P-pickup that I got for $110 at GC last November. It is an active pickup with a passive tone, and it is quite fat sounding with the tone rolled off. It could use a two band to get lows to keep with highs when I turn up the tone, but I think it is a bass that sounds better than $110. I played Pino Pallidino’s riff from the live version of Nine Inch Nails’ Sanctified he played back in 2013. I love that riff because it is so dark and atmospheric plus it has tons of groove. I know I can’t get the atmosphere he had on my little GK amp and stack with no effects at home. That said, how is the tone?

What happened to the Pedulla? Hard to get a better fretless than that, maybe besides Zon.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

What happened to the Pedulla? Hard to get a better fretless than that, maybe besides Zon.

Read the thread. I explained things earlier.

 

[songwriter21]

Read the thread. I explained things earlier.

Well that's a shame, but like others have correctly said, it's what you put into it, not the brand or money. I tinkered around 20 years ago with my second bass ever (a Washburn, also), by removing the frets and putting poly on the board. It wasn't the greatest job at all, but it had serious mwah...wonder how it would've faired if the neck hadn't warped (didn't know how to do setups back then). I miss that cheap thing.

 

[cholyoke]

Read the thread. I explained things earlier.

Psssh. Reading schmeading.

Great tone and intonation, Prof. Cheese!

 

[arbiterusa]

That said, how is the tone?

Without regard for the price: excellent. Seriously. That sounds just flat-out great.

The price makes me feel like I've overpaid for everything in my life.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Well that's a shame, but like others have correctly said, it's what you put into it, not the brand or money. I tinkered around 20 years ago with my second bass ever (a Washburn, also), by removing the frets and putting poly on the board. It wasn't the greatest job at all, but it had serious mwah...wonder how it would've faired if the neck hadn't warped (didn't know how to do setups back then). I miss that cheap thing.

That sounds like a fond memory.