Looking for advice about Good 1st Fretless Bass

[Keas]

I have been playing the bass for a while now, and the longer I play the bass, the more I realize I yearn for a Fretless bass(lots of my favorite bassists are fretless players: Mick Karn, Pino, Bakithi Kumalo). I prefer to spend 300€, but I'm willing to go up to 500€ if it's a good deal. I would like it to be a 4-string, lines are marked, and not a Sire, since I already have one and I am looking for something unique. Could I get some recommendations from the community about which bass to get(new), or about the basses I found used (listed below)

Basse Ibanez SRH500F: 500€​

Basse fretless Cort B4FL MHPZ: 450€​

Basse Hohner HZ Bass FL: 250€​

Jazz Basse fretless squier 60s Classic vibe: 365€(have found other squires for around 300)​

Basse Cort Fretless GB74 P: 450 €

FYI: I should probably mention I live in France
Thanks in advance

 

[Ggaa]

The Ibanez. I had a SR375EF and it was great. Good EQ. Whatever you decide don't worry too much about lines, they're hard to see when playing anyway. Side markers are useful(or the ends of the frets).

 

[Roland GR 88]

Regardless of what model you choose there’s a school of thought that in my experience is worth considering that is an unlined neck with the side dots moved over slightly in order for your fingers to hit the fret location can make it much easier to play in tune.
Learning to play on the line can be a challenge for some as it’s not where we’ve been trained to play.
From your list I prefer the Squier but the Ibanez neck will be skinny and fast.

 

[WG Plum]

What kind of neck do you generally prefer? P-width, J-width? Chunky? Skinny? Shallow?

As for lined vs unlined, that's personal preference. I have both and it doesn't make much of a difference for me at this point.

 

[bholder]

The Ibby out of those, I agree, but you might want to add Sire to the list - all / most of their models are available fretless, and have a very impressive value per buck ratio. Very competitive.

 

[Keas]

What kind of neck do you generally prefer? P-width, J-width? Chunky? Skinny? Shallow?

As for lined vs unlined, that's personal preference. I have both and it doesn't make much of a difference for me at this point.

Well, I have mostly played J basses, so I tend to lean towards J width, but I am fine with any as long as the price makes it worth playing with a chunkier neck.

 

[RhinoBass]

When I bought my first fretless, I went with the Squier because it was a great bass for the price and I figured I was risking less money if I was a failure at fretless. I was very happy with it, eventually outgrew it, and was able to sell it for about the same price that I had initially paid for it.

The only thing I will say (and I am sure that you will get a lot of opinions on this) is I actually ended up going with unlined fretless basses because I found myself always looking at the fingerboard rather than "feeling" where the notes are. I'd say play them all and then buy the one that speaks to you.

 

[Gino t]

Jazz Basse fretless squier 60s Classic vibe:​

this was my first (ebonol fretboard doesn't like vertical string bends) but aside from that, very decent instrument and can take you to next band/playing out with upgraded pickups/tuners.

Thing with fretlesses is planing wood fingerboards has to be done carefully and 2 fretlesses of same model will have different weak spots and sound plinky around 17th fret, but differently, So you want to play the one you're buying or have 100% refund guarantee like Thoman's.

 

[kevrex]

i had a squier vm fretless p for a while, and it was really good. i did a setup on a friend's squier cv jazz (a step up from the vm series), which was nice enough that i wanted to keep it even though i'm not a jazz bass guy at all. so i'd vote for squier.

 

[WG Plum]

Well, I have mostly played J basses, so I tend to lean towards J width, but I am fine with any as long as the price makes it worth playing with a chunkier neck.

I’d recommend a fretless Squier Jazz then.

 

[BassicJazzy]

Wow, your timing on this is impeccable because I was just logging on to recount my experience from first week playing Ibanez SR370EF fretless. I've played fretted on and off for 52 years, more off than on. Total "on" play time about 18 - 20 years. Intermediate level, hobby level bassist, learned by ear initially, now versed in intermediate level theory. Solid fretted player, play jazz finger style and good technique and physical skills overall. I found the Ibanez very easy to play, after a couple days of it feeling alien to me, board looked weird, even though it is basically the same neck layout as my Ibanez SR1350B Premium fretted. I would say lines are helpful for orientation but will become secondary, or nearly worthless, as you get much more used to the instrument. It's really more about muscle memory and more important, ears. After 5 days, only 5 days, I can play nearly as well, though a little more slowly and I have to check position more often visually. I'm off a bit above the 15th fret but probably becuase I don't go up there often enough. I think with more practice I will be able to play without looking, as I can with my fretted basses.

There are those here on TB who say you have to be able to play without looking before trying fretless, I say no. Also those who say to play with a tuner attached to check your notes constantly. Again I say, no. Ears are better. Check out Tony Franklin's video on YouTube about whether lined is better than unlined. Scales are not linear, you have to make adjustments, tuners are useless after getting your open strings in tune and making sure your intonation at 12 fret is on the line. Tony demonstrate his being "in tune" on thirds gives you a flat sounding note. That's why we have weird angled fretted instruments?

As I write this I wonder if a better fretless than the SR370EF would be significantly different but I can tell you this is one fine instrument and a value at the price point. I'll bet the Sire is fine too. Just be sure to put flats on ASAP. My SR370EF came with rounds, and board already had some damage at 24th fret line. Or tapes would be fine too.

I may at some point upgrade from the SR370EF to a better fretless but it will keep me happy and challenged for awhile to come. $475.

Oh, pics are uploading sideways again!!

 

[Pirate Captain]

hunt down a used Tony Franklin sig...hands down best Fender product that doesn't come from the custom shop

 

[Stewie]

Bought the Fender neck 49 years ago. The Squier is wearing a 70 dollar EBay neck from China. Had to move the side dots to where they belong. I really enjoy the maple with a hard finish. It is brighter unamplified. If you have a choice, opt for no lines with the dots where the frets would be. The dots are visible, the edge of fretlines will be hard to see if you are standing like a person does while you play

 

[SunByrne]

My first fretless was a Sire V9. They don't make the V9 anymore; basically it's a V7 with a birdseye maple neck and a nice quilted maple top. Fell in love with fretless, through I still also play fretted. The fretless Sires are essentially the fretted necks just with the frets not put on, meaning the side dots are in the "wrong" place for fretless. Same as if you had a fretted base de-fretted, which I've also done (G&L L-2000, which works very well as a fretless).

I will say that if you can get a fretless that has the side dots in the right place for fretless, get that. My fretless basses are all lined, though on one of them the lines are almost invisibly faint. I actually like that, as I only ever use the lines when I'm above the 9th fret anyway, and even then I still mostly rely on the side dots (and my ears).

If you can stretch your budget I'd get the Ibanez SRD900F. Other than the stupid strat-style jack, it's fantastic. Super light, and semi-hollow with both piezos and Nordstrand split-style pickups. When you go strictly on the piezos and pluck up near the fingerboard, sounds as close to an upright as I've ever heard from a bass guitar. If you go entirely on the neck pickup, sounds almost like a Tony Franklin. Extended fingerboard up to 30th "fret." Very versatile instrument and my go-to fretless these days.

The Ibanez SRH500F on your list is similar but without the magnetic pickups, so it'll sound a lot like an upright.

The Cort B4FL is probably the closest thing to the Ibanez SRD900F with both piezo and magnetic, so if you want versatility, I'd go with that. Honestly if it were me and I had to get something on your list then this is what I'd get.

I'm sure the Squier is fine, too. Hard to go wrong with a fretless J. Probably the easiest one to flip if you decide you don't like fretless after all. However, you said you're looking for something unique and this is... not. I'd get a Sire over a Squier unless the Squier has the side dots in the right place.

I can't even find good info on the Hohner or the other Cort, so those seem a bit riskier.

 

[GypsyBilly]

I have the Ibanez SRH500F and I love it. Be aware that the body is extra thick (maybe 55mm?) if that matters to you. It's a very woody, almost upright sound.

 

[pb9717]

Post in thread 'The best fretless bass'
The best fretless bass

I’ve been doing the “find my dream fretless” for about 2 years now. The above post is a summary of all the Fretless’s ( fretli?) Ive had the chance to evaluate, including several of the Ibanez models you are considering. I hope you find it helpful. 3 of the basses discussed are in the classifieds now.

Good luck with your search. I just received a fretless Warwick from Japan. And…it’s unusable, and possibly unrepairable. The fun continues……take a look at this neck!

 

[srayb]

You can't go wrong with an Ibanez. The Squier jazz fretless is also good. Both in the price range you specified.

My suggestion is to choose a bass with 2 pickups, as it will help a lot to get whatever tone you prefer (more low fundamental from the neck p/u [like Bunny Brunel] or more "mwah" from the bridge pickup [like Jaco or Alain Caron] - or blend between the two to get the best tone for YOU). Important - if you want easy/smooth mwah, make sure the neck is super-straight with very low action.

I played many years just fretted 4/5/6 string basses, until I finally built up the "courage" to get a fretless. For a bunch of years I would play fretless just occasionally by & for myself. I did not progress until I got serious and started playing it all the time. It's like everything that takes practice - for a while it is frustrating and you feel like you are getting nowhere, until one day, just out of the blue you pick it up again and you know & feel that you are really playing it well.

 

[Wyrdlow]

Not on your list, but well worth a look is Harley Benton's JB40FL. [This invalid link has been removed]
Heavy, but a great playing bass for very little money. I gigged one happily for six or seven years before upgrading to a Sire V4.

From your list I'd take the Squier, but I think the Sire is a nicer instrument.

Good luck with the search!

 

[2thAche]

Do you have access to Schecter? I'm not a big fan of the EMG electronics, but they have good necks (most important with fretless) and quality control. Great for a starting point so you can figure out technique, and decide what you really like etc. later.

 

[bassadvisor]

I've got a Harley Benton FL40 or something like that. Astonishing playability and mwah, and a miraculously light unit (4kg while the average is higher). It is probably the best fretless I've played and I had Vigier, Fender, Sandberg.... I would go for one and drop some upgrades. Maybe I was just very lucky, but I wouldn`t change it for any of the high end fretless I had in the past.