Birdsong makes a nice fretless bass for around $1000. There's one on the board for$700 used. 32 inch scale. Lightweight and all handmade. It's my first fretless and I love it.
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Looking for first fretless bass, help?
- Thread starter thesluth
- Start date
If you want to check out the wilder side of fretless basses, Wishbasses are really interesting. Lots of threads here on those. I might grab one eventually, but I'm happy with my Warwick Corvette fretless.
DiabolusInMusic
Functionless Art is Merely Tolerated Vandalism
I would recommend you avoid the the VM fretless. Many people did what I did and bought one sight unseen based on all the reviews, then it arrived at the fretless neck was far from smooth, Fender does not radius the neck down to make the fret line markers smooth so the neck gets fretbuzz from the plastic lines, it makes the bass impossible to setup/play. I, like many others, had to re-radius my fingerboard, every single one I have seen at the store has had the issue, and that is at least 10 of the things. Apparently some come smooth from the factory, but I have yet to personally see one. I too thought the pickups were extremely mediocre and they have to be shielded, but that it s given.
I have repeated this a bunch. I had an awful experience with my VM fretless and I try to help others avoid the headache I went through. Since it was my first fretless it made the whole experience extremely frustrating as I didn't know what to expect.
I have repeated this a bunch. I had an awful experience with my VM fretless and I try to help others avoid the headache I went through. Since it was my first fretless it made the whole experience extremely frustrating as I didn't know what to expect.
Yes... I've heard mixed reviews of the VM, shame as it looks very nice.
I'd be very tempted to get hold of a Squier CV Jazz and defret it.
I'd be very tempted to get hold of a Squier CV Jazz and defret it.
I picked up a fretless Stingray 5 on TB a few weeks back, having played for over 25 years. The best advice I received was to use a fretless bass which was identical to my most-used fretted. Been really helpful so far in terms of intonation/muscle memory.
Buy an inexpensive but good quality fretless to see if it is in fact your bag.
That's what I did. I bought a 1990 Yamaha BN4F with fretlines in mint condition for $250.
Great bass but I learned that fretless was not for me so it wasn't a huge investment.
Want to buy it?
Still in mint condition. Gloss black with two J-style pup's. Rosewood fingerboard in perfect condition and a new set of black tape wound flats.
That's what I did. I bought a 1990 Yamaha BN4F with fretlines in mint condition for $250.
Great bass but I learned that fretless was not for me so it wasn't a huge investment.
Want to buy it?
Still in mint condition. Gloss black with two J-style pup's. Rosewood fingerboard in perfect condition and a new set of black tape wound flats.
- Mar 9, 2001
- 963
- 92
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Accugroove Cabinets & MJC Ironworks Strings
Not long ago when looking for a fretless I found a 1998 MIM lined fretless and am loving it. It's my lowest cost bass but has become one of my favorites to pick up.
Wally
Wally
Thanks for all the help, I am currently looking into alot of the basses y'all have recommended. When looking at alot online it seems like i have alot of options for woods and basically every aspect of the bass. Any tips on what woods and accessories get what kind of sound for fretless? I haven't tried out enough fretless to know.
thanks in advance
thanks in advance
The squire fretless IV is a great fretless bass for new fretless players, its got the classic jaco tone with the jazz pickups and its a well built intrument for a very good price! Thats what i started with when i was in the same situation as you, and now im ready to move on to a proseries warwick when i get the money 
I just listed it on the Bay at $200 OBO.
Check it out there...
Yamaha BBN4F Fretless Bass.
That's funny. My first fretless (and third bass overall) was a Fender Jazz Bass Special (P/J) back in the mid-80s, and I also played it in a punk band. I thought it worked great, actually - it sounded ballsy as hell, and it let me bring a bit more personality to some otherwise simplistic basslines.
You can buy a Carvin B50 fretless in kit form for about $500.00 actually assemble it in a weekend, with an tung oil finish, and have one hell of a bass at a VERY reasonable price.
Even go with active electronics for around 600. Carvin's are quality basses, all American made. I absolutely love mine!
Check it out here... [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Even go with active electronics for around 600. Carvin's are quality basses, all American made. I absolutely love mine!
Check it out here... [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Regarding starting with a cheap fretless to "wet your feet," just make sure the neck is straight and solid. The quality of the neck and a good setup is more important on a fretless IMNSHO. A fretless with an unstable neck is a PITA and may turn you off.
Agreed. I picked mine out after trying a bunch. The fingerboard on mine was Ok, but the neck seemed pretty green. It shifted constantly and I got sick of doing a setup every two days. Donated it to a buddy to keep in his studio as a knock-around bass.
To each their own I guess. I would recommend the Squier VM to everybody looking for a first fretless based on my experience with mine.
I still gig my Squier VM Fretless and it sounds/plays great. No issues with the radius, fret lines, buzz, pickups, etc. whatsoever in the 5+ years I have owned it. My main bass is much more expensive that the Squier but the Squier is just so damn fun to play.
For $299, it is exactly what I would recommend for a first fretless. Just try before you buy.
Unless Carvin has changed it's fretless building method, I'd avoid a Carvin. I have one and had a number of problems out of it. Problems that were in the design of the instrument. After having some serious work done on mine, it's killer. They certainly have a good stock of woods, very nice finishes and a great build quality but the design flaws of their fretlesses are icky.
I played an LTD B-204SM fretless yesterday and was really impressed considering it was a little less that $400. It looked great, played great and sounded great. I just couldn't decide if the neck was a little small for my hands. Otherwise it would have gone home with me.
I got a good one recently. Set it up with TI flatwounds when I first got it and the neck hasn't needed attention since.
