What was your first fretless bass?

[Jefenator]

I paid to have my first decent bass, a MIK Washburn de-fretted. It didn't seem to be any good for slapping, so I figured what the heck.
I later figured out it would have probably slapped just fine with a fresh set of decent strings.
Oh, well. I had a lot of fun with that bass - even if I didn't wind up taking over Jaco's record deal.

 

[BioDriver]

A school-grade 1/2 size with a French bow.

My first electric fretless was a Warwick Corvette with a baseball bat neck. Sounded great but was way too heavy and uncomfortable to play.

Currently, I'm rocking a Fender American Performer with a Warmoth fretless neck. It needs a new nut but aside from that it's one of my favorite basses I've ever owned.

 

[Naigewron]

This badly defretted Squier.

 

[groovepump]

G&L L2000.
Bought it on the advice of my DB instructor. Great bass. should never have sold it.
But the band didn't like the "sound", they said.
Sold it in '95.
regretted doing that ever since
In 2015 I bought an SR375E, that I sold in2017 because I didn't bond with 5 string.
Then I bought a Glarry fretless P in 2019, and have de-fretted 2 5-strings in the last few months.
I purchased my most recent 5 string last month
I'm back into fretless, and have been playing 5's exclusively.
How things change . . .

 

[Diminishedfilth]

Mine was an early Squier VM fretless, made in Indonesia. Played well enough, but definitely had some quality issues, like drips in the clear coat, the neck screw head wear all canted upwards. Was good enough to convince me to put together a Warmoth fretless build, though. That one weighed 14 lbs! Current one is an older Warwick Corvette, with nearly similar weight.

 

[KRJax]

I had a fretless Peavey Foundation in 1986. It was a great bass, but I did not have the patience to get my intonation together.

I have a fretted '87 Foundation that is a joy to play.

 

[OptimalOptimus]

After 5 years of playing bass I was doing a music dégrée un collège and had to play DB with a bow.

got thé itch to play fretless so I got a Carvin LB76 fretless and owned many fretless basses for thé next 15 years

now I only play fretted

 

[Queue]

In February 2023, my #1 bass (Squier VM Jaguar SS above) was dethroned by my new Fender MIJ Junior Collection Jazz Bass. Even though I could have put the SS Jag back to it's OG state and sold it for a profit, I'd bonded with it, and wanted to scratch that fretless itch. So, I did a thing.

Amateur/DIY Lutherie Squier VM Jaguar Bass SS - Fretless Conversion

It was a really fun (albeit risky) project. Now I just need to practice, practice, practice.

 

[Snaxster]

What was your first fretless bass? And, how long were you playing bass by the time you lost the frets?

In 1979 I got my first bass guitar, a pristine Standel hollowbody with flatwound strings. My recollection is of it being made in 1967, having a red translucent finish, f-holes, and a chunky almost semi-cylindrical neck profile. Just now I did a one minute online study and concluded that I must have owned a model 400-S, like this one. Or this one...

Someone's post reminded me: I had that old Standel de-fretted soon after I got it. Even then I was a tinkerer/meddler.

It was probably within my first year of playing bass that I lost the frets.

 

[Core Creek]

The first fretless I ever got was a Carvin AC50 but unlined and it was just too much of a time commitment to get any good at it, so I sold it within a year. Fast forward to a few months before Covid and I got my first 6 string. I was using it on some gigs when I realized the songs would sound great on a fretless so I got a lined Carvin Icon 6 string. I loved it, and used it on a few gigs, but it's been sitting in the closet for the last few years since I haven't had a need for it. I refuse to give it up though - I got it for a steal and I think the Carvin Icon basses just feel amazing. It would cost me a fortune to replace it one day.

Oh, I also traded an Icon 5 string for an upright double bass. It sits in my living room and I play it every now and again. I love that I have it but I don't foresee ever using it on a gig.

 

[Slade N]

1st bass ever was a fretless Ibanez SR 4 string

 

[nonohmic]

About 6 years ago (after 15ish years of playing around with bass) I bought the Squier VM Fretless Jaco copy thing, loved it but the ebonol neck was a little squirrelly. Upgraded to a MIM Player fretless neck. Loved it, and then decided to upgrade to the USA Jaco Sig.

Which is and continues to be my favourite bass of all time.

 

[Killing Floor]

Mine was a pawn shop Lotus P bass that I had de-fretted. And I hand sanded off the poly and chiseled the top to drop in an EMG soap bar. It looked a lot better than you're thinking. I played that for years as my main fretless even long after my got more expensive fretless basses. It sounded amazing. The luthier wood filled the slots and planed the board nicely. I got the bass for probably $50 in high school, paid about $100 for the neck labor and whatever a pickup cost in 83 or so. And sold it for about $600 after I wore it out. It sounded fantastic. Kinda wish I still had it.

 

[wysiwyg248]

1997 Fender Jazz Bass.

 

[bassbrad]

My first fretless was a sunburst with tort Pan Jazz Bass copy that I filed down the frets on that I got in '78. I eventually finished the fingerboard with polyuerthane. The neck was later replaced with a factory fretless Fender Precision neck that I also finished the fingerboard with polyeruethane. I also later changed the bridge pickup with a Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounder Jazz stack that was switchable between series and parallel. I used that bass for gigs and touring until getting a Peavey Foundation FL. I tried a lot of different strings until hitting on Kaman Performers that were 'Kamflon' Teflon coated.

I was still playing upright bass so the transition was easy. Like so many others I was inspired by Jaco but also Alphonso Johnson, Ralphe Armstrong and Percy Jones as fusion was my passion.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I have a fretted '87 Foundation that is a joy to play.

I know it is. I recently found a Washburn with a neck that really reminds me of vintage Peavey four strings and I love it too:

 

[Bar Band Bassman]

P bass. Back in the 70's. That translucent white with a rosewood fb. It was a typical 70's P and I never fell in love with it. I'm also not a particularly accomplished fretless player. Didn't stop me from buying and trying, though! 3 Ampeg scroll basses, one or two Squiers, there was almost always one in the stable. Now - an NS Design Wav 4 EUB which has gotten a lot of mileage in a roots rock trio, a Marleaux Diva I ordered the day after covid lockdown (looking forward to playing that when I co-host an open mic later this month), and a MOG bass. That last one is pretty much a one trick pony, but it does that trick very well! I use it in the roots trio sometimes. I feel like I'm covered on the fretless front. I'd like to play it more but it's challenging enough without having to sing, too!

The Bar Band Bassman

 

[MikeBass]

I don't have a picture, but it was a Fender Jazz Bass.

 

[MotorCityMinion]

Gibson Ripper, all black. Played fretted for about 3 years. Added the Ripper to the gang, hated everything about the fretlessness and dumped it at a loss. Mostly due to my lack of effort. I like the sound (that pros produce) as it brings me closer to the instruments roots.

 

[SunByrne]

My first, January 2022, Sire V9. I had been playing a little over two and a half years.

I have a G&L L-2000 tribute that I've been thinking about having de-fretted.