Production Fretless, NO LINES

[TrevorOfDoom]

It's more like all brands but Fender produce unlined fretlesses.
Replacing the fingerboard by a blank one on an otherwise nice bass isn't very expensive either.

Except Fender has the Tony Franklin, which is unlined.
Speaking of which, why isn't OP interested in the Tony Franklin?

 

[arbiterusa]

I have an unlined Cort B4! Beautiful playing bass, though I just can't seem to get along with the preamp!!

I have four B4FLs. They are great basses with only one huge problem. The preamp is - and I mean this sincerely - is totally unacceptable. I gutted the preamps out of all four of mine and wired them passive like a Jazz Bass. Which you can do, the pickups don’t need power. I plugged the new extra holes and refinished and it looks just fine.

OP: a Cort or a Warwick Rockbass if you can’t find an MIJ unlined fretless Jazz. No lines and they all sound great.

 

[logdrum]

I understand the aesthetic and visual need, but while we are at it we should probably get rid of the length adjusters om the bridge as well. In an upright the properly intonated note positions will not correspond to any line because the string length cannot be adjusted at the bridge and you have to micro adjust.

I do welcome lines even though I am upright player also although my main fretless has no lines. The yamaha the my son plays has lines as well as the Pedulla Buzz. If you sing, play in the dark or sight read the lines are useless.

Did not realize Fender have lines on most of their fretless offering nowadays. Is it even an option for their standard lines?

 

[bearfoot]

I don’t really care about price, however once we start getting toward 2k it might as well be custom to a point.

You asked for it...

I believe also the Johnson and Cort ABG's come in unlined fretless. Breedlove ?

 

[Passinwind]

1. Because thats what I want and thats really all that matters.

2. I've owned a couple of lined fretless over the years(Ibanez ATK and Squier VM Jazz) and two without lines(Corvette Standard and an old Kramer PJ), as well as spent a lot of time on upright. I also currently own an NS Design NXT upright. There is a different mindset that happens with that big open fretboard. For me, the mind goes to a more bass guitar place when the lines are present, but without them I subconsciously end up in a different creative mindset.

3. I feel that the lines present a false sense of security. Just like the creative part of it above, things will be more in tune if you use your ears and play music vs see line and it must be right. It's for this reason that I also would shy away from an unlined fretboard that has little markers at every single note. That part isn't a total deal breaker, but I would prefer to only have the marker on the side at the 3,5,7,9,12 and so on. Either that or something like what NS does with their instruments.

I have a whole list of other things that I do and do not like. I was really just trying to get people to chime in on what is out there and available since searching the online retailers is only turning up a few things, most of which have been mentioned.

Marco Bass will make you a killer 4 string Jazz Bass variant for a bit less than $2K. I'd peg it as right on the cusp between production and custom, since the current wait time is fairly substantial. Most of his fretless builds are lined, but they don't have to be. I've posted pics of my new Marco unlined fretless build in the Fretless Club thread recently.

Disclaimer: I have done electronics design work for Marco and will probably continue to do so. But I have no financial stake in the company and no hard goods to sell anyone at this time.

 

[ofajen]

If Rogue is in the mix, I will mention Wishbass as well. My avatar shows the rather radical style of the Fantasy model. I will say, buying a Wishbass will cause you to learn a bit about instrument setup and fingerboard work. Also string grounding.

Otto

 

[Hues]

Marleaux Diva can be found in the U.S.

 

[packhowitzer]

My CR5 Fretless does not have lines, but it does have tiny dots that give some reference of where you are on the fingerboard. I've noticed that for the most part, the strings obscure them from anyone who isn't the player.
Also it cost more than a Tony Franklin but less than an NYC Sadowsky. Personally I think of it as on the high-end of production pricing and on the very low-end of boutique pricing. just my .02

 

[monkeyland]

Except Fender has the Tony Franklin, which is unlined.
Speaking of which, why isn't OP interested in the Tony Franklin?

I never said that I'm not interested. I said that it's the only model that they make that doesn't have lines, and that it's strange that they don't make an unlined jazz. However, if you would like to know what I feel the cons of the Tony Franklin bass are: I would prefer a jazz neck profile and I really have never liked bases with pickup selector switches. I'm sure that it's a fine bass and it's in the running because I could use my Sweetwater account to purchase it, but I really don't like the idea of purchasing a 1600 bass that I know that I have reservations about the feature set.

 

[monkeyland]

Did not realize Fender have lines on most of their fretless offering nowadays. Is it even an option for their standard lines?

No it is not. The American Pro Jazz bass is only available with lines. Same thing as you go lower down the line.

 

[TrevorOfDoom]

I never said that I'm not interested. I said that it's the only model that they make that doesn't have lines, and that it's strange that they don't make an unlined jazz. However, if you would like to know what I feel the cons of the Tony Franklin bass are: I would prefer a jazz neck profile and I really have never liked bases with pickup selector switches. I'm sure that it's a fine bass and it's in the running because I could use my Sweetwater account to purchase it, but I really don't like the idea of purchasing a 1600 bass that I know that I have reservations about the feature set.

Gotcha. Sorry, I must have missed that distinction.
I can kinda understand why no unlined Jazz: Jaco set the standard for fretless Jazz basses, and his had lines. Meanwhile, Fender had already started making unlined fretless Pbasses. And they've done both lined and unlined off and on over the years.

That said, maybe you can find someone with an unlined Jazz neck and swap the TF neck with them.

 

[logdrum]

No it is not. The American Pro Jazz bass is only available with lines. Same thing as you go lower down the line.

I meant do not have lines. It's been a while since I bought a fretless

 

[monkeyland]

My CR5 Fretless does not have lines, but it does have tiny dots that give some reference of where you are on the fingerboard. I've noticed that for the most part, the strings obscure them from anyone who isn't the player.
Also it cost more than a Tony Franklin but less than an NYC Sadowsky. Personally I think of it as on the high-end of production pricing and on the very low-end of boutique pricing. just my .02
View attachment 3266529

Oh I know that. I've looked longingly at those NS basses more than once. The big problem being no way to try one. I do own an NS NXT Upright so I'm familiar with the quality. What is the neck profile like on yours?

 

[Hues]

Supro Huntington ll...Short scale.

 

[packhowitzer]

Oh I know that. I've looked longingly at those NS basses more than once. The big problem being no way to try one. I do own an NS NXT Upright so I'm familiar with the quality. What is the neck profile like on yours?

I guess I'm not certain of the dimensions if that's what you're after, but I have average hands and I find it very comfortable. The radius of the fingerboard is very usable IMO as well. And I know they are hard to find in the wild. I had to take a leap of faith and bought both my fretted CR5 and the fretless sight unseen. The fretted came first- and from sweetwater- so I figured if it didn't work out I could return it without too much hassle. The fretless came from a violin shop about 1000 miles away from me. Luckily I had the confidence of the fretted one (which I love) to bolster my nerve in ordering the fretless. The shop that sold me the fretless gave me a very good price and I'm not certain a return would have been an easy process (thought probably not impossible). It was a moot point though because I love the fretless even more than the fretted.
I should also point out there is a new NS design bass guitar called the NXTa series. It has some kind of rechargeable active electronics. You plug it in for 60 seconds and get 16 hours of play time. Ned Steinberger is a genius.

NXTa RADIUS Bass Guitar | Extraordinary Form and Function by Ned Steinberger | NS Design

NS Design announces the new NXTa Active Series

 

[Hevy T]

I have four B4FLs. They are great basses with only one huge problem. The preamp is - and I mean this sincerely - is totally unacceptable. I gutted the preamps out of all four of mine and wired them passive like a Jazz Bass. Which you can do, the pickups don’t need power. I plugged the new extra holes and refinished and it looks just fine.

OP: a Cort or a Warwick Rockbass if you can’t find an MIJ unlined fretless Jazz. No lines and they all sound great.

I thought about doing that! How is the output of those pickups wired as passive

 

[monkeyland]

I guess I'm not certain of the dimensions if that's what you're after, but I have average hands and I find it very comfortable. The radius of the fingerboard is very usable IMO as well. And I know they are hard to find in the wild. I had to take a leap of faith and bought both my fretted CR5 and the fretless sight unseen. The fretted came first- and from sweetwater- so I figured if it didn't work out I could return it without too much hassle. The fretless came from a violin shop about 1000 miles away from me. Luckily I had the confidence of the fretted one (which I love) to bolster my nerve in ordering the fretless. The shop that sold me the fretless gave me a very good price and I'm not certain a return would have been an easy process (thought probably not impossible). It was a moot point though because I love the fretless even more than the fretted.
I should also point out there is a new NS design bass guitar called the NXTa series. It has some kind of rechargeable active electronics. You plug it in for 60 seconds and get 16 hours of play time. Ned Steinberger is a genius.

NXTa RADIUS Bass Guitar | Extraordinary Form and Function by Ned Steinberger | NS Design

NS Design announces the new NXTa Active Series

I mostly meant is it more P or J. I know the answer is probably somewhere in between, and of course it's a 5 so it's not really apples to apples.

 

[Thundar]

I just saw this Fender Japan Fretless Jazz on Reverb and thought about ya! It's parted-together but still pretty dang cool
Fender Jazz Black made in Japan Fretless | CinCityCustoms

 

[JRA]

I feel that the lines present a false sense of security.

? not sure what you mean by that.

The lines throw me off

me too.

 

[CapnSev]

? not sure what you mean by that.

I meant that the lines become a crutch for me and I start looking for them. If they are not there, then I trust my ear and actually play much better.