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Inexpensive way to try out a fretless
- Thread starter bassista6
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- fretless inexpensive try out
Those Squire fretless basses are like gateway drugs into the world of fretless. I owned the Squier Jazz fretless and was blown away with the smoothness and looks of the neck. And it has lines which made it easy for me to adapt to. Fretless opens up a new dimension of playing, less barriers than the fretted. The only problem I had was the neck was very thin and very small at the nut. After 2 weeks developed some thumb and wrist pain. Sent it back. But now, I plan to get a Squire P-Bass fretless with the larger neck. I also considered the Mightymite option, but I really like those lines on the fret board. If the Mightmite had lines, that would be my choice.
I've also looked for P shaped neck with lines on the Ebonol, and can't find it. They make a lot of lined P necks but they have unfinished rosewood or other materials for fingerboard.
I'd definitely try the Squier. I heard good things about them. That was my plan before i stumbled on my T40 really cheap.
I was about to post something along these lines. I have a Peavey i bought off Craigslist for $75, did a defret, and love the thing. Getting a good price doesn't always mean junk.
I'm going to go against the consensus and say get that Ibanez. You already know you like the Ibanez necks so it'll feel a lot more natural to play. Not only that, but being second hand, if you don't like it you won't lose much if anything on resale. From what i've gathered here on TB, with the Ibanez being from GC, you've got some time to try it and then return it if you simply don't take to fretless. If you're anything like me, you'll be hooked on fretless really quickly.
I'm going to say "Buy a good one" After a few days on a fretless, you'll never want to be without one, unless you like to play a lot of chords.
I've tried the fretless route a couple of times and I just don't like it or could ever get it to sound the way I wanted it too. I can definitely live without one and that was after 2 years of owning my last one.
But, if I was the OP I'd go with the Squier.
But, if I was the OP I'd go with the Squier.
I've been on the lookout for a cheap fretless and having played both the VMs I'd go for the Ibanez. The Squiers I've played all had issues serious enough to count them out for me (un-level board on both the J & P, the P was also delaminating on the skunk stripe).
Also, as a bunch of people have said, just rent one for a month.
i get the fretless bug / itch every once in a while ... i have a used Squier fretless neck i can swap out on either of my 4 strgs ... P or J ... it's just hanging on the wall for now , with a set of flats when needed ..
why buy another whole bass you might not like .. ?? at least with the Squier VM fretless , you can always stick a fretted neck on it .. !! then you're back to situation #1 .. first paragraph .. ha
it's good to learn how to change a bolt on neck ... and make the necessary adjustments , setup , etc ... !!
why buy another whole bass you might not like .. ?? at least with the Squier VM fretless , you can always stick a fretted neck on it .. !! then you're back to situation #1 .. first paragraph .. ha
it's good to learn how to change a bolt on neck ... and make the necessary adjustments , setup , etc ... !!
I would say buy a used Mexican fender jazz fretless because it's cheep enough to buy and resell but also if you decide to keep it it's not bad
My fretless is a Yamaha rbx260f that was $100 from the local Music Go Round. It hasn't turned me off, quite the opposite! So, whichever you choose, I'm a fan of trying out something cheap to start. I'm happy I got to try it in person first, though.
(OK, actually I paid someone for shielding and setup, so after that it was about $200. Still happy with the deal.)
(OK, actually I paid someone for shielding and setup, so after that it was about $200. Still happy with the deal.)
I tried out a fretless squire P yesterday and frankly was blown away by it. I didn't like the ebanol fingerboard but the body and sunburst was fantastic.
I've also got two fretless basses I made by de-fretting necks. They both turned out great! You will have to carefully sand the neck with a block and adjust the action: cut the nut slots much lower than maybe shim the neck. These are skills every bassist needs and only learned by doing.
Fretless P's sound great! Fretless J's sound great! Other basses? Not sure but would sound great! A de-fretted bass will lose it's resale value.
Better to buy local used because you can check the quality first than pay to ship and maybe get something you don't like.
You can always offer a bit less than $200, or trade something.
I have traded necks around on the lot of fender basses to find the right body/neck/pickup/colour combination. It's quite easy. Never had to plug and redrill holes in th neck, but did that on one bass build and it's easy.
If you find a used bass with worn out frets offer very little money because a fret job is worth more than the bass if it's a "cheap" bass to begin with. Then pull the frets using a soldering iron to loosen them and pliers. Wood filler is frowned upon but I used it and it worked fine.
Make sure you like the sound of the pickups because that won't change. You'll spend more money replacing those than it's worth.
I've also got two fretless basses I made by de-fretting necks. They both turned out great! You will have to carefully sand the neck with a block and adjust the action: cut the nut slots much lower than maybe shim the neck. These are skills every bassist needs and only learned by doing.
Fretless P's sound great! Fretless J's sound great! Other basses? Not sure but would sound great! A de-fretted bass will lose it's resale value.
Better to buy local used because you can check the quality first than pay to ship and maybe get something you don't like.
You can always offer a bit less than $200, or trade something.
I have traded necks around on the lot of fender basses to find the right body/neck/pickup/colour combination. It's quite easy. Never had to plug and redrill holes in th neck, but did that on one bass build and it's easy.
If you find a used bass with worn out frets offer very little money because a fret job is worth more than the bass if it's a "cheap" bass to begin with. Then pull the frets using a soldering iron to loosen them and pliers. Wood filler is frowned upon but I used it and it worked fine.
Make sure you like the sound of the pickups because that won't change. You'll spend more money replacing those than it's worth.
Had each. They are both great basses. However I did prefer the ibanez and wish I still had it
I know for me I purchased a fretless mim fender jazz used and sold it for the same price I bought it for so all I really paid for in the long run was shipping. My second fretless was a sterling by musicman ray34cafl that I purchased as a scratch and dent item from sweetwater at a heavily discounted price and got my money back when I sold it. So I would focus on getting a good deal on a bass that has decent resale value. That's really been the secret to me owning so many basses over the years. Even when I do pay some for shipping or if I don't sell it for as much as I paid I just look at it like I paid to rent it.
I'd just buy the Squier, not sure about that model but those newish Squiers seem to get good reviews as you say, you could sell it for say $100 probably if you really wanted to get rid of it after a while.
Changing necks is easy enough though, but remember you'll need adjust action pickups, truss rod, maybe your changing strings. Time and money if you are paying some else, just time if you do it yourself, but at least a few hours each change. Checking, fiddling around, adjusting, you don't want to be switching every month even if you are doing it yourself.
Changing necks is easy enough though, but remember you'll need adjust action pickups, truss rod, maybe your changing strings. Time and money if you are paying some else, just time if you do it yourself, but at least a few hours each change. Checking, fiddling around, adjusting, you don't want to be switching every month even if you are doing it yourself.
A 10 year old Yamaha 270 F will do the job..
Cheap, simple, lined and very playable with flatwounds...
Cheap, simple, lined and very playable with flatwounds...
