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The Fretless Club (Part 2!)

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#622


Wow!:eek:
That fingerboard is incredible!

Is that Pale Moon Ebony?

I've always had a preference for light colored fingerboards, and that one is awesome.[/QUOTE]

Yes it is pale moon ebony. I like the lighter colored woods myself and when I saw that at the lumber yard, I had to have it.
 
#626
I suppose I can join up now.

A buddy gave me an old headless Cort that was de-fretted with the slots filled with putty:
4762122145_93f2543f10_m.jpg


He took this picture before I got it, but, it looks about the same. When I got it, the wiring was totally messed up with about five pounds of electrical tape in the cavities.

Anyways, I wired it up and played it one gig and really liked the sound but was worried about the round wounds eating up the fingerboard and I wanted just a bit more "mwah" so, I did a poor man's sealing of the neck that turned out really well.

I did three layers of wood glue that I had watered down so it would flow a bit better and sanded in between. I know the finish won't last forever but, I really like how much harder it made the fingerboard, and it make a huge improvement in the sound. Great, mwah factor.
 
#629
Already a member, but yesterday I bought a new fretless: this Taiwan-made Yamaha BB400S from (my guess is) 1986. The fingerboard is as new and the whole bass is amazing!
Schermafbeelding2010-07-05om122150.gif


So now my fretless "family" looks like this:
DSC01521.gif
 
#634
Here's the poop...

I am currently looking for a backup or second fretless.

I am playing a Stingray with flats right now. Love the bass and may get another but I seem to be getting sidetracked.

My fretted basses are Spectors. I love how the highs cut through so well and that there's great rumble on the low end. So, I figured I would try a Spector fretless. Great highs but no mwah or growl on the bottom. (It was a TW setup with rounds and I am going to try one with a P/J combo.) Disappointing...

Now, like I said, I may just get another Stingray and play with the strings to have a change of pace. (Wish they'd come up with some new colors...real boring.)

But I'm open to suggestions. Figure on a 2K limit and, sorry, not really a Fender guy.

So, what are you playing out there that has some sexy highs that have some shot but, at the same time, have warmth and growl down below. (Yes, still would prefer to play with flats.)

I usually don't post "suggestion" questions, but since it's not like you can go to a store and try 3 different fretless basses, I figured that maybe I would be led down a path that I normally wouldn't take.

Thanks everyone!!
 
#635
ptg said:
Here's the poop...

...I usually don't post "suggestion" questions, but since it's not like you can go to a store and try 3 different fretless basses, I figured that maybe I would be led down a path that I normally wouldn't take.

Thanks everyone!!
Click to expand...

I'm next after ptg.

I'm in the midst of a short break from lessons, and want to get back to it when my boys start school. I really want to get better with fretless. I basically play fretless the same way as I do fretted, and it sounds lame. My previous teacher is excellent, but really is more of a fretted guy himself, so I'm hoping to find a teacher/study partner somewhere nearby, and dedicate some time to it.

Here's the catch...I wanna go unlined.

If my son's friends in grade 7 can play a teenie little violin, unlined, I could play a bass like that way!! I currently have a MiM lined Jazz, which plays nicely and has only one surface blem. I bet I sell that pretty soon. I also have a MiM Precision that has flats and sounds as thick as lead. I love it.

BodyOnly4.gif


I figger I'll take the fretted neck off the Precision, and get an unlined replacement neck (reasonably priced vintage ones could be on the table, too). I want a Precision-width neck, as chunky as possible. I think an unlined maple board would look savage with the b/r/b and black body. I'm going out of my comfort zone with unlined, so I figgered whatever...I'll try my first maple at the same time.

Any recommendations for the neck I'm after? Warmoth? MightyMite? AllParts? USACG? I'll prolly use threaded inserts to ensure of a solid bolt-on connection.

The best part is, that it will leave me without a fretted P-bass - a situation that cannot go indefinitely. That's where finally getting my long, coveted, Lakland bass comes in! :hiding:

While I'm selling this Jazz V, I can save up some bucks for the balance needed to get a nicely PLEKked Skyline Duck or Glaub. So diabolical! :ninja:
 
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#636
ptg said:
Here's the poop...

I am currently looking for a backup or second fretless.

I am playing a Stingray with flats right now. Love the bass and may get another but I seem to be getting sidetracked.

My fretted basses are Spectors. I love how the highs cut through so well and that there's great rumble on the low end. So, I figured I would try a Spector fretless. Great highs but no mwah or growl on the bottom. (It was a TW setup with rounds and I am going to try one with a P/J combo.) Disappointing...

Now, like I said, I may just get another Stingray and play with the strings to have a change of pace. (Wish they'd come up with some new colors...real boring.)

But I'm open to suggestions. Figure on a 2K limit and, sorry, not really a Fender guy.

So, what are you playing out there that has some sexy highs that have some shot but, at the same time, have warmth and growl down below. (Yes, still would prefer to play with flats.)

I usually don't post "suggestion" questions, but since it's not like you can go to a store and try 3 different fretless basses, I figured that maybe I would be led down a path that I normally wouldn't take.

Thanks everyone!!
Click to expand...

Nobody?:(
 
#637
ptg said:
Here's the poop...

I am currently looking for a backup or second fretless.

I am playing a Stingray with flats right now. Love the bass and may get another but I seem to be getting sidetracked.

My fretted basses are Spectors. I love how the highs cut through so well and that there's great rumble on the low end. So, I figured I would try a Spector fretless. Great highs but no mwah or growl on the bottom. (It was a TW setup with rounds and I am going to try one with a P/J combo.) Disappointing...

Now, like I said, I may just get another Stingray and play with the strings to have a change of pace. (Wish they'd come up with some new colors...real boring.)

But I'm open to suggestions. Figure on a 2K limit and, sorry, not really a Fender guy.

So, what are you playing out there that has some sexy highs that have some shot but, at the same time, have warmth and growl down below. (Yes, still would prefer to play with flats.)

I usually don't post "suggestion" questions, but since it's not like you can go to a store and try 3 different fretless basses, I figured that maybe I would be led down a path that I normally wouldn't take.

Thanks everyone!!
Click to expand...

WARWICK
 
#638
ptg said:
Here's the poop...

I am currently looking for a backup or second fretless.

I am playing a Stingray with flats right now. Love the bass and may get another but I seem to be getting sidetracked.

My fretted basses are Spectors. I love how the highs cut through so well and that there's great rumble on the low end. So, I figured I would try a Spector fretless. Great highs but no mwah or growl on the bottom. (It was a TW setup with rounds and I am going to try one with a P/J combo.) Disappointing...

Now, like I said, I may just get another Stingray and play with the strings to have a change of pace. (Wish they'd come up with some new colors...real boring.)

But I'm open to suggestions. Figure on a 2K limit and, sorry, not really a Fender guy.

So, what are you playing out there that has some sexy highs that have some shot but, at the same time, have warmth and growl down below. (Yes, still would prefer to play with flats.)

I usually don't post "suggestion" questions, but since it's not like you can go to a store and try 3 different fretless basses, I figured that maybe I would be led down a path that I normally wouldn't take.

Well, considering that in the typical music store they don't have a fretless version of every bass to compare them to the fretted version,I think it's largely a gamble.Because a great tone on a fretted doesn't necessesarily mean a great fretless tone.And vice versa.I've played some fretlesses in stores and came away unimpressed because so many fretlesses aren't set up,have mile high action,and have flatwounds.(For me rounds are a must!!)A great fretless for one is a lousy one for someone else.Sorry
Click to expand...
 
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