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I'm considering a fretless, please advise

What fretless style would you choose?

  • Jazz - 4 string

    Votes: 52 40.3%

  • Precision - 4 string

    Votes: 13 10.1%

  • Musicman - 4 string

    Votes: 7 5.4%

  • Jazz - 5 string

    Votes: 5 3.9%

  • Precision - 5 string

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Musicman - 5 string

    Votes: 6 4.7%

  • Active Boutique - 4 string

    Votes: 13 10.1%

  • Active Boutique - 5 string

    Votes: 23 17.8%

  • Active Boutique - 6 string

    Votes: 10 7.8%
  • Total voters
    129
jfunk

jfunk

Oct 14, 2007
154
28
Cincinnati, OH
#1
I'm considering buying a fretless bass and I'm curious to know what are some of Your favorite fretless bass styles and/or tones.
So, if you were going to have just one fretless, what would you want? A jazz, precisions, musicman, boutique? How many strings? Active or passive?
 
#2
I've had 4, 5, 6 & 7 string fretless basses, & still have a 4 & 6(both passive). If I were in the position to snag a new smoothie right now, I'd be torn between a passive Jazz & active Stingray- I would have voted at least twice if I could. Definitely 4 strings for me; the range is just right(opinion/preference)& 4's feel so tight & nimble(again- just me).
 
#3
Thanks for the insight.
Being torn between the jazz and the stingray, what do you like about each, tonally that is? how do the tones compare for each on a fretless?
Thanks1
bassteban said:
I've had 4, 5, 6 & 7 string fretless basses, & still have a 4 & 6(both passive). If I were in the position to snag a new smoothie right now, I'd be torn between a passive Jazz & active Stingray- I would have voted at least twice if I could. Definitely 4 strings for me; the range is just right(opinion/preference)& 4's feel so tight & nimble(again- just me).
Click to expand...
 
#5
joeybyron said:
What sound are you going for?
Click to expand...

I'm looking for something that is flexible. I don't envision getting a second fretless for a while so this one has to cover my basses (ooh, i couldn't resist that one). I play a lot of different styles of music and can see this being used in a lot of situations. I envision that I will use it playing jazz, latin, some motown/funk/soul, some rock, at church, and for some singer/songwriter style of music too. That makes it all that much easier, doesn't it?
 
#7
So, I have a Fender P fretless and a MMSR Fretless. Both have maple boards. I love them both. Not for everyone though. It is all going to depend on what you want out of the bass. I prefer no lines and maple boards. Most do not. I also much prefer passive, but all my fretted basses are active. I like the tone for fretless without being active.
 
#8
If you're looking for maximum versatility, I'm very happy with my Cliff Bordwell Ball 4. It has Bartolini Classic Bass PJ pickups and a 3 band (w/ high/low push/pull mids). The fingerboard was polyester coated. It's quite capable of Jaco-esque tones with the high mids boosted a tad, as well as a very deep vintage tone with the P pickup solo'd with treb cut, bass cranked, and low mids boosted. Those particular pickups are available in 4 or 5 string. I really wish I could get 'em in a 6.
 
#9
Hands down and early 90's sterling with tape wound strings:eek:

I forget what thread I saw it on this morning but there was a video of Pino Pallidino playing a fretless Lakland with a single MM pick up and it sounded pretty awesome to me.
 
#13
Depends. I went with a passive jazz 4 string as I am using it for "standard" jazz trio and quartet gigs instead of an upright. I think passive serves that role better and 4 strings is enough - for me.

However, I do find I miss the tone control of an active and the tone it produces as my other bass is an activ efretted 5.
 
#15
If you were looking for extensive range, I'd have said go with an active 6-string fretless, because you can usually get them with active/passive switches or knobs (not sure on how that works) but for what your uses require, you'd only really need the 4-string passive. That's what I went with myself, so maybe I don't even know what I'm talking about lol.
 
#16
Having owned 3 top fretless bases so far the only one that really made the differencefor me and stayed with me is my fretless 5str Prima Artist Dingwall. It has the passive/active option (I use it mostly in passive mode) so it does not really fit in any category really (not even carrots)

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#17
5 strings.
The two best I ever owned were a Warwick Thumb neck-thru and an F-Bass BNF 5.
The F-Bass was my fav of the two.
But a buddy of mine has a Wal fretless 5.......Good Lord that thing is sweet!!!
 

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