/ Register

Music Man Fretless Owners

Discussion in 'Basses [BG]' started by ebozzz, Oct 18, 2001.

  1. Oct 18, 2001 #1
    ebozzz

    ebozzz Supporting Member

    May 17, 2001
    Colorado
    Are there any Fretlesss Music Man owners here? Anyone played one? If so, can you offer an opinion about how their fretless basses stack up to the competition. I'm looking for a fretless axe but I haven't had a lot of luck finding a good offering without having to pay $1000.00+ for one.

    I've played a Warwick, Pedulla, MIA Fender Jazz and a few MIM Fender Jazz basses. The MIM are probably out of the running unless I can find a good used one for less than $200.00. The pickups are just to noisy and I just can't justify paying close to $400.00 or more for a new one that I would HAVE to upgrade. There's just not a lot of variety of fretless basses in this area.

    I can't remember what models the Pedulla and the Warwick were but they are out of my price range at this time. The Warwick was the most impressive sounding to me. There's just something about the way a Warwick feels that doesn't turn me on though.

    One of the dealers that I happen to frequent has some MM Stingrays in stock that are fretless. All of them are going to sell for slightly over $1100.00 but it seems that everything that I've run across thus far that I'm happy with is in that price range if not more expensive.

    I really don't want to pay that much right now but it just doesn't make sense to me to buy something that I'm not pleased with. I'm going to play the Stingrays tomorrow but please give me any opinions that you can. Is there another bass that I should consider? Thanks.
     
  2. Oct 18, 2001 #2
    embellisher

    embellisher Holy Ghost filled Bass Player Supporting Member

    Apr 18, 2000
    Heber Springs, Arkansas
    Stingray fretlesses are very nice.

    But if you are thinking about putting $1100 into a fretless, you owe it to yourself to try a fretless Peavey Cirrus. Beats the pants off of the Stingray IMHO. The only fretless I have played that I like better than the Cirrus is my Zon Sonus Custom.
     
  3. Oct 19, 2001 #3
    ebozzz

    ebozzz Supporting Member

    May 17, 2001
    Colorado
    Jeff,

    I would love to be able to find a fretless Cirrus to try locally but I can't even find fretted one! I had to order the one that I have now sight unseen. They located another one at one of their other locations prior to mine coming in. I then got to choose between the two of them. I think the one that I didn't choose was sold in less than week.

    I definitely want to play any potential fretless purchase. The difference in tone seemed to vary too much to risk taking one without playing it first. I found a Zon here but they want $2300.00 for it. Too steep for me right now. :(

    Smash,

    What was so great about the Stingray?
     
  4. Oct 19, 2001 #4
    Tapp

    Tapp

    Aug 29, 2001
    USA, Mississippi
    I owned one for a while. It didn't have the mwah factor that I was wanting. My Pedulla Pentabuzz has it in spades. I will say that I was not educated enough (at the time) to know that there are other factors (setup, string types, etc) that can give you this tone. The "pro" shop I bought it from said that it was setup perfectly so.....

    Nice playing and solid bass though if you like the way Stingray's feel.

    tapp
     
  5. Oct 19, 2001 #5
    ebozzz

    ebozzz Supporting Member

    May 17, 2001
    Colorado
    Thanks for the help guys. I'm headed to the store now to try those Rays. I'll let you know what I think.
     
  6. Oct 19, 2001 #6
    Wil Davis

    Wil Davis

    Apr 12, 2000
    Naushua, New Hampster, U S of
    I've an Ernie-Ball MM SR which I like. I got it used from Daddy's Junky Music here in the North East for just over $700, and after I cleaned it up, put on new strings, and did a set-up, I was pretty happy with it. It's quite heavy, and feels not unlike a Thumb, but with hard edges and corners. My MM has a very simple truss-rod adjustment: it uses a holed-nut (like a capstan) at the body-end of the neck which makes adjustment so easy! The tone is pretty good also.

    er, um - that's it!

    - Wil

    PS: If you're careful, you can get much better deals if you buy used...