NBD

[Tommy Sparks]

New bass day…. Fretless and active. These are a first for me, started playing base in 1979 and never had or played either. Definitely needed a lined fretboard.
Good build right out of the box, just needed a small setup.
Definitely a learning curve. The neck is very flat, almost a 16 degree radius. I’ll need a bit of time to get used to this. Not getting in to the flatness as of yet.
Haven’t played it in a band setting yet. Kind of scared.
For $600.00 it’s a decent bass.

 

[JRA]

hey, it's a fretless --- it's beautiful! congratulations on your new fretless instrument!

 

[Lo-E]

Looks like a winner!

Take your time with it. Fretless is fun! And those LTDs are solid performers.

A good setup on a fretless is a little trickier than it is on a fretted bass so make sure your setup is good - especially the string height at the nut. What you perceive as the flat board feeling weird might actually be due to action rather than radius. I've played very few fretless basses that were set up well off the rack.

 

[Tommy Sparks]

Looks like a winner!

Take your time with it. Fretless is fun! And those LTDs are solid performers.

A good setup on a fretless is a little trickier than it is on a fretted bass so make sure your setup is good - especially the string height at the nut. What you perceive as the flat board feeling weird might actually be due to action rather than radius. I've played very few fretless basses that were set up well off the rack.

Thank you. I need to investigate a proper setup for a fretless. I set it up as I would a fretted bass.

 

[jVilla76]

That's a really nice looking guitar you have there. I've always liked the aesthetic of those LTDs, just never got a chance to play one. I'm a sucker for the natural wood finishes on my guitars as well. Cheers!

 

[theRocco]

Looks great, have fun!

 

[Jazzdogg]

Looks like a winner!

Take your time with it. Fretless is fun! And those LTDs are solid performers.

A good setup on a fretless is a little trickier than it is on a fretted bass so make sure your setup is good - especially the string height at the nut. What you perceive as the flat board feeling weird might actually be due to action rather than radius. I've played very few fretless basses that were set up well off the rack.

Nice looking bass.

Since I started on double bass, I've never been as concerned about string height as good intonation, consistency of tone, having the fingerboard set up to accommodate the oscillation of each string at maximum amplitude, and no string buzz or "mwah" unless intended.

I use fairly flexible strings on my fretless basses, which seem to vibrate with a more pronounced amplitude than stiffer strings. In consequence, I'd rather increase the string hight than restrict the maximum output of each string. Paying attention to this has improved both dynamics and sustain.

Good luck with your fretless quest. I miss my days spent playing fretless in bands.

One band leader noticed I was playing a fretless bass and expressed surprise, despite the fact that I'd been his bassist for almost two years, and had always played the same five-string fretless.

 

[monsterthompson]

I’ve seen a few of these pop up in NBD threads over the years. People seem pretty happy with them. I owned one briefly as my first fretless. It was probably perfect for my needs, but I decided to return it and move to a fancier fretless I had been eyeing simply because I could afford it, and found the adjustment to a fretless much easier than I expected. I’m still not good at fretless but I do enjoy it.

If you’re ever interested in changing the feel a little, try the D’Addario black tape wound strings on it. I put a set on my fretless and love the feel/texture of those strings. They sound good too.

 

[ValleyBass77]

Congratulations! LTD makes excellent instruments.

 

[Dincrest]

Cool bass. I rather like ESP/LTD basses. One of mine is a heavily modded LTD I've had for 15ish years.

And I, for one, love that LTD headstock shape. I know a lot of people think it's ugly, but I think it's cool and unique. I'd rather have that than the Gumby-looking Jackson headstock (which most others think more aesthetically pleasing).

I think ESP/LTD are an overlooked nameplate in the bass world. They create some fine instruments.

Couple of vids from ESP's site of people doing cool stuff with those B-series fretless basses.

Three LTD B Series Basses in 47 Seconds

Here's Steve Lane from ESP Australia doing what might be the coolest bass demo ever, featuring the LTD B-206SM, the LTD B-208SM, and the LTD B-...

www.espguitars.com

Beige Interior: "Sanity" (Live)

ESP ALL ACCESS COMMUNITY MEMBER SPOTLIGHT! It's really no surprise that ESP is thought of as a metal guitar company. Some of the greatest names...

www.espguitars.com

 

[MonetBass]

Thank you. I need to investigate a proper setup for a fretless. I set it up as I would a fretted bass.

A couple of things to recommend on setting up a fretless:
1. Make the neck as flat as possible, with maybe a little relief.
2. Set up the string height to the point just above buzzing. This should give you proper action.

At least that's how I do it. Others may chime in with different advice.

 

[Kenny056]

Looks great!

I picked up one of these maybe a year ago. It's my first fretless and I think this is one of the best values for anyone looking to try one out. My only minor gripe is that its a hefty one. Im not sure if all of them are like this, but mine feels at least a pound or 2 heavier than any of my other basses. I snagged an extra wide strap and was all set. I absolutely love the natural finish on these.