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I never expected this bass to be such a joy

vindibona1

vindibona1

Apr 18, 2015
3,138
3,496
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#1
Yes... My Ibanez SR375f fretless bass. My memory is a bit non-functional these days, but last year I had GAS for a fretless. I found this bass locally for under $400. I was a little afraid of it at first, but back in college I had a semester of cello, so I wasn't totally intimidated by the concept of no frets. It took me a month or two to even dare take it to a gig. But the first one wasn't a disaster. Actually modestly successful with a few out of tune notes here or there. By the third gig it started to be more natural, but my eyes still spending more time on my left hand. The neck is super comfortable. I don't remember which strings it came with, but they were rounds. I now have a pre-used set of Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats on it which provide more of a "whumph" sound to it.

I had it with me a few weeks ago and I just rocked on it, as if it were just like any of my fretted basses. The cool thing is the sounds I can get on it, with various setting of an OC-5 octaver and a MXR chorus pedal. I have had thoughts about "uprading" to a "better" fretless... But then I ask myself "why"? I can't come up with a suitable answer.

Anyone thinking about taking the splash into fretless? JUST DO IT! So much fun!

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#8
vindibona1 said:
Isn't this one an "earlier" version? None of the serial identification sites recognize the serial. I 130616287.

Also, the previous owner changed the bridge, but I don't know why. I could get the right one from Ibanez for $80, but I don't think that it's necessary.
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I'll have to check the SN#, as far as the bridge is concerned they shipped with defective bridges that basically crumbled over time Ibanez replaced mine free of charge about to 2 or 3 years ago.
 
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#9
I have the 4 string version, and I have the same feelings about it. I would like to erase the part of my memory that reminds me I only paid $475 for it and "it can't be this good for that low price" but truth is, it plays better than my fretted basses which cost 3X as much. The neck is the main positive in this bass, it is perfect, thin, relatively flat, and the fingerboard sounds good with the pre-amp and chrome flats. Fyi, these come stock with D'addario XL rounds. I prefer the sound and feel of the chrome flats.

Congrats on your 5 string.

Yes, fretless is more fun.
 

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#10
I have two fretless basses among many fretted ones. I find the fretless to be more "freeing" if that's really a word. If I make a mistake on a fretted bass everyone hears it because it's a half step off; if I miss the exact spot on a fretless very few people hear the difference. My fretless Epi EBO has many gigs on it.

Thump on,

One_Dude
 
#12
I'm pretty sure I bought that exact model for $ 100.00 and sold it to a kid for $ 200.00. It was a weird time like 6 month before covid hit and the guy I bought it from was super sick with a cold/ flu. I cleaned that sucker well. Played it for a week and decided it wasn't for me. It was a nice bass though. Kind of fun to play.
The one I had looked exactly the same.
Edit: I had the 4 string version of that. Just noticed it. Rock on!
 
#13
ardgedee said:
Ibanez has a surprisingly broad range of fretless bass models. They know what they're doing.
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The disappointing part of that for me is that most of the really interesting ones are 5 string, and I don't play 5s. The 4s above my model are panga panga fingerboards and I have that on my SR1350B, which is fine for frets, don't think I would like it on a fretless. Gotta go to the 5s to get better wood, or Ebanol.
 
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#15
I new my 375 was "older", but I couldn't find the year of mfr though the serial identifiiers. But I called Ibanez and was told that my bass was made in June of 2013. I still don't know why the original owner chose to change the bridge. I see no advantages or disadvantages of one over the other, except the original bridge seems, by appearance, to be heavier. My past experience with changing bridges on two different Fender jazz basses seems to indicate that the difference in the mass of the bridge does not make all that much difference in the sustain or sound.
 
#16
vindibona1 said:
Isn't this one an "earlier" version? None of the serial identification sites recognize the serial. I 130616287.

Also, the previous owner changed the bridge, but I don't know why. I could get the right one from Ibanez for $80, but I don't think that it's necessary.
Click to expand...
He changed the p'ups too, unless back in 2013 they weren't using the Power span p'ups as OEM. I wonder what pre-amp you have in that? I think it might be the Phat2, a 2 band pre. They switched it out for a 3 band pre around 2015. If the original owner did change the p'ups he might have also changed the pre.
 
#17
BassicJazzy said:
The disappointing part of that for me is that most of the really interesting ones are 5 string, and I don't play 5s. The 4s above my model are panga panga fingerboards and I have that on my SR1350B, which is fine for frets, don't think I would like it on a fretless. Gotta go to the 5s to get better wood, or Ebanol.
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I have the SRH500f with a panga-panga board, and it plays well. It looks softer and more porous than it feels, and to me it feels not a million miles from rosewood. I prefer my ebony unlined fretless board, on a custom build, but with a very Ibanez-like neck profile, which is my favourite neck style. If/when I need another bass, Ibanez will be my first stop.
 
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#18
GrowlerBox said:
I have the SRH500f with a panga-panga board, and it plays well. It looks softer and more porous than it feels, and to me it feels not a million miles from rosewood. I prefer my ebony unlined fretless board, on a custom build, but with a very Ibanez-like neck profile, which is my favourite neck style. If/when I need another bass, Ibanez will be my first stop.
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Yes, to my eyes the panga board on the 500 looks better than the one on the 700 or 900 series. They used to put rosewood on the 700, switched to panga a few years ago. The board on the 900 is identical to the board on my SR1350B, except for the frets of course. It's panga with a sealer coating, plus inlays. I just don't like the feel of it that much, would prefer Ebony, Ebanol, or even Rosewood. Actually the "Brazilian Cherry" of the SR370EF feels really nice and has good tone, seems hard enough to hold up well, and isn't coated. I like the woodiness of it.

Hard to beat an Ibanez neck for fretless.
 
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#20
BassicJazzy said:
He changed the p'ups too, unless back in 2013 they weren't using the Power span p'ups as OEM. I wonder what pre-amp you have in that? I think it might be the Phat2, a 2 band pre. They switched it out for a 3 band pre around 2015. If the original owner did change the p'ups he might have also changed the pre.
Click to expand...
There is a lot to say about the effects of different preamps. To an extent, the amount of electronic processing we go through to produce a sound makes them a bit less releveant, from preamp to preamp- unless you're super fussy and can have consistency.

My first 6 string was a Gio 206b with a 2 band preamp which I picked up for $100 (including deluxe case). I had a $10 Chinese preamp in my bin that I hadn't used on a previous fix-up job. After the installation, the sound was really really good. BTW... You would think that the "before" photo showed a USED bass. NO. It was a NEW *DEMO* that was BTS. The finish on some SR's are so thin that a fingernail scratching it could get down to raw wood. But you can see the extra knob on the "after" image. No one would know it didn't come that way. $10.

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