Please help me choose a fretless bass

Someone will probably shoot me down for this, but I say, Carvin. A carvin four string will probably put you back a less than a warwick, but more than the others. In looking for my frettless, I tried out all the basses you mentioned except the grove tools frettless, and I've played the fretted version and it's a good instrument, but it didn't impress me much. You can select the finish/color, pickup configuration, wood, scale length, lined/unlined/inlaid fingerboard, and hardware finish and other features. They have great mwah, and construction that is second to none. I am not sure what the euro comparison will be, but I got a lb75 5 string neck-through, with active electronics and a mm/j pickup configuration, in a greenburst finish for 880 dollars.
Check out www.carvin.com

 

Check out the other Cort, the Artisan B4FL.

 

What Brad said. The Artisan B4FL is a killer fretless for the price.

 

Look at Deans. I am very very happy with my Korean Dean Edge 5, it is a wonderful bass. The new ones are great, too, and you can get nice quilt tops for not a big investment. If your local dealers have them, check out the Czech made Deans. Made side by side with Spectors using many of the same parts they are very impressive, and modestly priced.

 

MIM Jazz cost 710E? Dang. That's a lot of money.

 

I made myself a really wonderful fretless out of a Squier Precision 5 Special.

Found a nice new one on sale for about $180 US.

The conversion was quite easy although I've been doing woodworking projects and adjusting instruments for many years.

Don't let the low price fool you either. A friend that loves his Groove Tools 7 string can't believe what a great bass this one is.

Good luck!

 

try
www.mtdbass.com
or www.rondomusic.com

 

I agree with Brad. The Cort Artisan B4FL is what I'm playing now, ad I don't think I've ever played a nicer bass - at least not in the same price bracket. I've played my friends (fretted) Jazz, and I, personally, don't much like it.

Between the Curbow and Artisan, there are a few differences - the Artisan has active circuitry and two pick-ups, and I reckon it's definitely worth having them. The tone you get with the active circuit is unbelievably rich and deep, and the variation you can get between the two pick-ups is great. Also, aesthetically, the Curbow looks wierd - it kinda looks like it's got some kind of tumor, and it's not even made of real wood. The prices are similar, so it just comes down to which one you like best.

My local guitar shop has a £1400 warwick, which I've played, and personally, I prefer my Cort B4FL (£500).

Still, it's your choice.

 

Tumer, My God Man!!!!!!!!

 

Jaylan, I'm going to give you another option: Esh basses.

They have atleast couple models around 1000-1200e for 4-string fretless, for example the Notorious II which is Jazz-styled. They also are handmade in Germany and I hear they have excellent workmanship.