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NBD: first fretless! (Yamaha RBX 260F)

bfields

bfields

Apr 9, 2015
984
1,448
Ann Arbor, MI
#1
Like a lot of people I've been curious to try fretless. So, a picture (from the store's site) of the Yahama RBX 260F I brought home today:
Yamaha RBX 260F

Yamaha RBX 260F

Audio sample:

Forgive my imperfect rendition of "Jerusalem", which I've had stuck in my head since yesterday's news of Keith Emerson.

Based on just a few minutes playing, I like it! Everybody worries about intonation (I should too, I guess...), but the technique seems a little different in other ways too. The strenth of the pluck and position and pressure of the fretting finger affect the sound in ways I didn't expect, and you can hear some out-of-control notes in the above. It'll be fun figuring this out!

I was thinking some day I'd order an Ibanez portamento, but, eh, I should probably try something cheaper first, right? And I already have and like the fretted model (the RBX 260), so when I saw this at a local store for $100, I jumped at it. It seems to be in good shape. The one flaw (shared by my RBX 260) is that it's quite noisy. A shielding job helped with the other bass, so I'll try that here too. I'm hoping I can find a pro to take that on, as I didn't really enjoy doing it myself the first time.

(Actually I confess I already have one fretless, but it's an Ashbory--18" scale, rubber strings--which I don't really love, but keep around because it's occasionally useful to have a bass that'll fit under an airline seat.)
 
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#5
IMG_4084.gif

:laugh::laugh::laugh:
 
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#7
I’m not afraid of zombies!

My first fretless was the exact same bass, circa 1987-ish, I think. It was the perfect launching pad for me to start playing fretless on, which I still do a lot. I didn’t end up keeping that bass but it served its purpose for me very well.
 
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#8
bfields said:
Like a lot of people I've been curious to try fretless. So, a picture (from the store's site) of the Yahama RBX 260F I brought home today:
Yamaha RBX 260F

Yamaha RBX 260F

Audio sample:

Forgive my imperfect rendition of "Jerusalem", which I've had stuck in my head since yesterday's news of Keith Emerson.

Based on just a few minutes playing, I like it! Everybody worries about intonation (I should too, I guess...), but the technique seems a little different in other ways too. The strenth of the pluck and position and pressure of the fretting finger affect the sound in ways I didn't expect, and you can hear some out-of-control notes in the above. It'll be fun figuring this out!

I was thinking some day I'd order an Ibanez portamento, but, eh, I should probably try something cheaper first, right? And I already have and like the fretted model (the RBX 260), so when I saw this at a local store for $100, I jumped at it. It seems to be in good shape. The one flaw (shared by my RBX 260) is that it's quite noisy. A shielding job helped with the other bass, so I'll try that here too. I'm hoping I can find a pro to take that on, as I didn't really enjoy doing it myself the first time.

(Actually I confess I already have one fretless, but it's an Ashbory--18" scale, rubber strings--which I don't really love, but keep around because it's occasionally useful to have a bass that'll fit under an airline seat.)
Click to expand...


EDIT: I just saw your original post was from 2016. Nevertheless,

Congrats! I know you're going to enjoy it. I have a RBX200F (built in the 90's, I think) that I bought used about 5 years ago (?) to try as my first fretless and I'm very happy with mine.
The only issue I've had is that, because of its age and the very dry climate here in NM, the fret lines have gotten to the point that they sit proud of the fingerboard.
Sanding them down didn't fix it, so I'm going to have to use CA glue to coat the fingerboard to remedy it.

Let me know in 20-30 years if you have the same problem. :laugh:;)
 
Last edited:
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#11
GKon said:
All kidding aside, it has been about 7 years, correct? I'm assuming you haven't experienced anything like what I described above?
Click to expand...

The fingerboard seems completely smooth to me. If the fretlines are working their way out at all, it's too subtle for me to tell.

And, right, about 7 years since I bought it--though it was already used. Googling around says, as an RBX260F with a serial number like NYxxxxx, it was probably made in 1997?
 
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#12
bfields said:
The fingerboard seems completely smooth to me. If the fretlines are working their way out at all, it's too subtle for me to tell.

And, right, about 7 years since I bought it--though it was already used. Googling around says, as an RBX260F with a serial number like NYxxxxx, it was probably made in 1997?
Click to expand...
Thanks for letting me know.

I've asked others and seems I'm the only lucky one with this issue.
 
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#13
bfields said:
The fingerboard seems completely smooth to me. If the fretlines are working their way out at all, it's too subtle for me to tell.

And, right, about 7 years since I bought it--though it was already used. Googling around says, as an RBX260F with a serial number like NYxxxxx, it was probably made in 1997?
Click to expand...

GKon said:
Thanks for letting me know.

I've asked others and seems I'm the only lucky one with this issue.
Click to expand...
Other than a ding around the forearm contour and a bit of wear I would guess came from a past set of roundwound strings, mine looks brand new.
 
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