I haven’t heard from Sweetwater yet. I also like the sunburst, and I’d be ok with changing the order, but I hope it wouldn’t mean an even longer wait.
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Ibanez GWB35 - Trigger pulled!
- Thread starter Darth Moley
- Start date
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- fretless gary willis gwb205 gwb35
Fingers crossed for you. I'd love to have one of these ... I had a GWB35 for a while, and wish I hadn't let it go. I went on a 19mm spacing kick for a bit until I realized that I just prefer the narrower spacing.
Thank you for the info and the positivity! I am also finding that I prefer a bit tighter spacing as well, surprisingly. I don’t have slender fingers, but it works!
Well, it's been a bit of a journey, but here is the update. After waiting and waiting, I decided to switch the order to a Fender American Professional Jazz V. It's a really nice bass, and the photos I received did not do it justice! I quickly discovered just how out of practice I am though! I've recently started working on pentatonics, and keeping with the one-finger-per-fret has left my hands a little achy on more than one occasion. I'm not giving up though!
The story does not end there though...
A few weeks ago, I really started pining for that fretless. I checked, and they had some GWB205s in stock. A little heavier than I was expecting, but now the decision was whether or not I was willing to drop the coin. I just spent a fair chunk of change on the Fender, so I was hesitant. They didn't have any GWB35s in stock, and from what I was told they did not have confidence that any would arrive any time soon. I decided that I didn't really want to drop that much right now, and chose to forget about it... for about half a day. On a whim, I went back to the website, and they had the GWB35 in stock! I called to ask, and they had just gotten 5 in this morning, FOUR of which were already spoken for! Naturally, I placed the order right then. I just got the pics and weight on the bass about 10 minutes ago. It looks like a GWB35, no surprise there, but the weight is 8.2 lbs - a full pound plus lighter than any of the 205s they have in stock! It should ship tomorrow!
TL;DR - I got impatient, changed my original order to a Fender 5-string Jazz bass, got a major case of GAS for that fretless, and ended up going back to ordering the GWB35, which should arrive in the next week. :-D
I haven't received it yet, but I do have pics:
Yeah 9 lbs for the 205 is heavy! I thought they would be more like 7-8, being ash and limited electronics etc.
From what I understand, they used to be very light, but it seems that good ash is getting harder to find. I believe Fender has stopped using it, with few exceptions, for this reason.
Maybe Ibanez should give Empress a try!
I like Pawlonia (which G&L calls Empress) a lot.
Ibanez's mahogany basses are usually extremely lightweight as well. I agree that it's likely the issues with the ash supply. EBMM put an article about it on their website last fall as well. It's too bad
Another nice thing is that pawlonia is the fastest-growing tree in the world, so maintaining a supply without wiping out what's already there wouldn't be difficult.
Same here! For reference, the 205s they have in stock weigh as much as that Fender Jazz V I got!
Exactly! They're so fast growing that they're even on the Washington State monitor list for noxious weeds lol (i.e. not listed as a noxious weed, but "under observation")
This is WAAAAAAY late, but I think it's about time for an update. Spoiler alert, I still need a lot of practice...
So far, I am loving this bass. Not that it took any real arm-twisting, but I forced myself to not play any of my other basses, to ensure that I really get used to the fretless. This bass is a joy to play. I had to go slow at first, but my speed is getting better. I just need to make sure my intonation is still good when I speed up. I feel like I am improving though, and that is a comforting thought given how many times it seems like people give up on fretless.
One of the biggest surprises for me was when I finally did pick up the Jazz V. I was shocked at how much better I was playing that bass!
I know the GWB35 is the "budget" model, but it is really well-built. The price is on-par with a MIM Fender, but I would say the quality and features are considerably better. The only complaints I have are the nut, which I believe has a slot or two that could have been cut a little better, and I also wish the string tension was a smidge higher, especially on the B-string. It's not bad, I just prefer a little more tension. The nut isn't bad either, the D-string just has a slight rattling sound when played open. It goes away when I apply a little bit of pressure behind the nut. I've had the same issue on my two MIM P-basses on the A-string. I fixed it on those basses by putting a small piece of cotton from a Q-tip in the slot under the string. The other day I saw a video where it looked like Tony Franklin had done the same thing on one of his basses - pretty sure it was also the A-string, but I'll have to check. It felt good to know that the cheapo fix I made to my bass 20+ years ago gets used by seasoned pros too! One other fix I made to my p-bass was putting a tiny piece or rubber band between the E and A string saddles - they were making a bit of noise, and that seemed like the easiest (and cheapest) way to fix it. That little piece is still there, and it still works!
On a side note, has anyone tried to install a Fishman Fluence soapbar into the GWB35? I don't dislike the sound of it, it's just that I am really curious about that pickup, and the GWB is the only bass I have with soapbars. I wouldn't be willing to physically modify the bass to install it though.
So far, I am loving this bass. Not that it took any real arm-twisting, but I forced myself to not play any of my other basses, to ensure that I really get used to the fretless. This bass is a joy to play. I had to go slow at first, but my speed is getting better. I just need to make sure my intonation is still good when I speed up. I feel like I am improving though, and that is a comforting thought given how many times it seems like people give up on fretless.
One of the biggest surprises for me was when I finally did pick up the Jazz V. I was shocked at how much better I was playing that bass!
I know the GWB35 is the "budget" model, but it is really well-built. The price is on-par with a MIM Fender, but I would say the quality and features are considerably better. The only complaints I have are the nut, which I believe has a slot or two that could have been cut a little better, and I also wish the string tension was a smidge higher, especially on the B-string. It's not bad, I just prefer a little more tension. The nut isn't bad either, the D-string just has a slight rattling sound when played open. It goes away when I apply a little bit of pressure behind the nut. I've had the same issue on my two MIM P-basses on the A-string. I fixed it on those basses by putting a small piece of cotton from a Q-tip in the slot under the string. The other day I saw a video where it looked like Tony Franklin had done the same thing on one of his basses - pretty sure it was also the A-string, but I'll have to check. It felt good to know that the cheapo fix I made to my bass 20+ years ago gets used by seasoned pros too! One other fix I made to my p-bass was putting a tiny piece or rubber band between the E and A string saddles - they were making a bit of noise, and that seemed like the easiest (and cheapest) way to fix it. That little piece is still there, and it still works!
On a side note, has anyone tried to install a Fishman Fluence soapbar into the GWB35? I don't dislike the sound of it, it's just that I am really curious about that pickup, and the GWB is the only bass I have with soapbars. I wouldn't be willing to physically modify the bass to install it though.
Looking at this bass now myself. Same dilemma, GWB35 or GWB205, but I'm having trouble shelling out $1500 for a fretless I might not use all the time. (I also eyed the SRF705 too). QUESTION: did you end up upgrading pickup? If so LMK which. I know finding a fit is an issue for some. I see Aguilar and Bartolini are the common ones.
Sorry this is a bit late, I haven't checked in for a while! I have not upgraded the pickups or electronics yet, but I also have considered going the Aguilar or Bartolini route. As far as fit goes, I think they are standard Bart soapbar sizing. I vaguely remember seeing it mentioned on the Bartolini website, but don't quote me on that! the 205 would probably be harder to get aftermarket pickups for, but I don't think most people who have a 205 are in a hurry to replace it. I haven't played the 35 much through an amp (I usually practice either unplugged or through a headphone amp so as to not annoy/scare the hell out of the family), but it sounded pretty good when I did.
I still think about getting a 205 from time to time, but I am certainly not unhappy with the 35. In fact, it's probably my favorite instrument to play right now!
Fyi, I did pick up a GWB35. It played incredibly smooth. I loved it. However in a live situation the electronics didn't cut it. I swapped it for an Srf705, which has more tonal capabilities. Once I feel I may use fretless more often in a gig situation, I'll probably spring for a higher end GWB205 or sell my kidney for a GWB1005. These Gary Willis basses are a pleasure to play.
I have a GWB205, and while it's girthy (9.5lbs), it plays phenomenally. I also prefer the tone that it has compared to an older natural 205 I had (it's tighter and punchier). Well worth the money if you can find one -- they're pretty hard to get ahold of.
