Ibanez Portamento SRF700 VS. SR370F

[mkfanforever58]

Yet another Ibby post by me. Now, it will be a LONG time before I get a fretless, but I wanted your opinion on these two. Obviously the more expensive one will be better but this would be my first fretless. I wouldn't use the upright sound too much on the 700 but its got 30 frets (woah). Thanks.

 

[MethodsofDance]

The SRF700 is clearly going to leaps ahead in every way. I've been drooling over that thing since I first saw a picture of it. However my first fretless was an SR300F, exactly the same as the SR370F without the sunburst finish. Very nice bass for the money, an ideal first fretless in fact. The lines will help too if its your first one. The 300 series is a fine bass. I only had it for a year before I sold it though as I was entering my Weather Report phase, hehe, and I wanted a fretless Jazz so so so bad.

 

[Dapoy]

Hi everyone,
I just purchased my SRF705 Portamento. The reason I bought this one is because of the natural MWAH sound as I saw it on youtube as they say because of its Piezo system. But upon using it, it doesnt sound like it. I already tweak or modified all of the knobs just to hear that tone but it doesnt even sound like a fretless bass, much like my Peavy grind. It came with flats on it and they said the Bartolinis are passive, but why does it have a 9v battery at the back? Please help if anyone knows or am I just using it the wrong way..

 

[mfbolton]

The pickups are passive, but the preamp is active and requires the battery.

As far as tone goes, so much of fretless is in the technique. However, you might consider a setup. Fretless will have different action that a fretted bass.

 

[/\/\3phist0]

Part of the mwahh comes from the windings touching the fretboard.
Some of it comes from the fretting hand allowing the sting to buzz directly under your finger (really light touch)
The action should be really low with a very straight neck.

Flats can mwahh but they need to be flexable, the mwahh, again is the string coming into contact with the fretboard after the note is plucked.

I personally really like tapewounds especially light Guage fender nylon tapes, CHEAP but they don't make 5 string sets.

Plucking ON the fingerboard helps (near the heel)

Lower the action as low as it can go, pluck lightly with the right hand at the heel of the neck, and finger the note lightly.