What was your first fretless bass?

[andvari7]

The first fretless was a very low-end P-bass, made of scraps of ash, that had been defretted badly. I had a new truss rod, and a proper fingerboard installed. It was okay, but impossibly heavy, and it sounded awful. My second was an LTD B-206FM, which I bought (in secret) in 2006. I had already purchased a Peavey TL-Six, which I loved to death, and I wanted a fretless, but, since neither was fretless from factory, I had to do it myself. The LTD was painstakingly defretted, using a toenail clipper, wood veneer, and an X-Acto knife. It turned out great, and I tried to duplicate the success on the Peavey, a few years later, only to botch it to such an extent, that the bass had to be destroyed. My third fretless attempt was a Hohner B2, which turned out alright, but the truss rod was broken, so it, too, went bye-bye. Fretless number four was a pre-loaded Jazz body, and a Jazz neck I had lying around for years.
I currently own one bass, and it is fretted. I have plans to buy a fretless, but I have other, more immediate concerns that prevent me from doing so.

 

[Jeff Scott]

Now pretty much all I play is fretless.

In the early years of Rare Blend I played only fretless. I guess I had no worries at that time.

View attachment 5181586

We need to do a thread: Bassists in their tuxes.

 

[Kael]

Ovation acoustic fretless shortscale. It was my first bass. The markers were in the wrong spot. I became accustomed to not relying on markers early.

 

[Jeff Scott]

It was a Godin A4 prototype just like this one.
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I also have ( and really like) a Turner ren 5 fretless...

I almost bought one of those Godins, but ultimately bought my first Rick Turner bass, a RB5-FL, passing on a fretted WAL Mk II that was the same price as the Ren...

In the mid 70's I studied upright bass with David Perlman, who at the time was the principal bassist in the Cleveland Orchestra.

I'm sure I have seen him perform a few times.

My first fretless was a Guild B-302.

I bought a '78 B-301 last November that I still think about turning into a fretless, occasionally.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

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

Tokai Jazz. I bought it new but it had been in the shop, unsold, for six years! It was an unfashionable colour with a tort pickguard that did it no favours. Never used, but the finish was already fading. I love it. I just refinished the neck and will be putting it all back together this weekend.

 

[JRA]

We need to do a thread: Bassists in their tuxes.

i'm in! that said, they'd be old pictures, all --- i haven't worn a tux (for a gig) in 20+ years.

 

[Joshua Pickenpaugh]

Yamaha BB350F, purchased new in the late 80's. Great bass, one of the best fretless' I ever had (wish I still had it!).

 

[Phormlyss]

My first fretless was a Brice 6 String. I'd been playing bass more seriously for a couple years at that point, as I recall. I bought it new as a birthday gift to myself. Straight out of the box the bridge pickup fell out of the bass and after I screwed that back in I found the two lowest strings were dead notes all the way up the neck. Not the best first impression, but a string change and setup later and it was fine.
It was an okay bass for the money, but I never got over the "plastic" feeling the neck had so I ended up moving it on. I picked up a 4 string parts fretless at a local shop pretty soon after letting it go that I've had ever since.

 

[David Vector]

MIM Fender Jazz fretless back in 2005. I guess I'd been playing almost 20 years by then. I recall picking up a Steinberger Synapse 5-string fretless shortly after (interesting sound but didn't like the ergonomics on that one and I've just never been able to get into a fiver). Both of them were sold long ago. I don't have any basses at this point that I've owned longer than 13 or 14 years.

 

[Pings Bass]

1987 fender jazz bass special, my second bass after playing earnestly for a year or two.

 

[logdrum]

Old Kramer P (Pioneer) bass, defretted 3 months in/after I started playing bass, then an ebony fingerboard was added to so I have a C# over 2nd octave G. Has piezos on bridge and neck, Bartolin buffer and filter preamp, Bartolini pickups. Since 1987

 

[misterCRUSH]

My first bass of any kind was fretless. I wanted to (and am) play jazz. I still have it This was the bass I learned on:

 

[40Hz]

My first was a fretless Fender Precision sometime in the late 70s. I started playing on upright in 1968 and played a bass guitar (fretted JB!) for the first time in 1970 so fretless bass guitar wasn't a big deal to me since I was also still playing an upright at that point.

Haven't touched an upright for the last 20 years. But I do play fretless bass about 20% of the time. My main fretless is a Willcox Lightwave Saber. But I also have a Godin LR Baggs Acoustibass and Aria Pro II that get their share of play time too.

 

[TerribleTim68]

I started playing bass in 1989-ish, I never played a fretless so as you can imagine, I suck at fretless. But since I didn't own one, I built one last year -

I still suck at fretless! But at least now I own one.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Fretless Warmoth Frankenjazz, around 1987. I'd been playing about 9 years. Embarrassed to say I haven't even cracked the case in at least a year. I had the ebony board "Diamondkote" finished by Pedulla back in the Day when they would do that on a walk-in basis. Super-hard polyester of some sort, it's still nearly pristine. Keep meaning to either play it or sell it, my first parts build, so maybe it's just sentimental. Naturally, I suck at fretless

 

[TDR1138]

I bought an Applause AE40 fretless before heading off to college. I had been playing for about 2 years at that point and thought an acoustic would be good for the dorms. The bass was horrible. The plastic bowl back made the bass difficult to keep in position when playing, hard to hear acoustically, the amplified sound was thin and brittle, the tuners were garbage and it was my first short scale, too, which threw me off considerably. I sold it about a year later, fortunately for about what I had bought it for. It was another 10-12 years before I dipped my toe into fretless again with and SX P, and I haven't had an acoustic bass since.

I'd like to give fretless a better shot. I have a Mighty Mite fretless neck sitting around, need to figure out what to mount it on.

 

[GIBrat51]

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

Well... I have to confess; ever since I learned to play bass - in 1968 - I've never had more than... idle curiosity, I guess - about fretless basses. I don't remember ever even having one in my hands - and I don't remember ever having seen a "live" left handed one, either - which is what I'd have to buy, if I wanted one. However... About 12 years ago, I bought an aluminum Kramer "tuning fork" neck, that's had the frets removed - and replaced by a crumbly substance that looks like plastic wood. I was going to make a custom bass out of it, but... Life sorta got in the way. I guess I could pull the fretted neck off my '78 Kramer 450B, and put this one on, but... TBH, it needs a lot of work. The Schaller tuners are trashed - and 1 of them is missing. I'd have to get them from Germany; no one sells that model here. And, the tuners don't use screws on a Kramer - small steel pins thru those little holes, please. Plus, that bulletproof stuff that American Kramer's used for a finish, is cracking off the back of the neck. And, that stuff in the fret slots would need replacing with - something... But, if I really wanted a fretless bass - without actually trying to find a decent left handed one? It would be a lot of work - and $$'s - but, I guess I could turn my 450B into one. However... Since I finally filled the last open spot in my Bass herd this April, there's no spot for another one - especially a fretless bass. I suppose I could always make a spot; but honestly? I just don't want the hassle of trying to find another lefty bass - especially one that's almost certainly going to be a PITA to find. I think 24 basses is more than enough. as it is...

 

[Gorilla Monsoon]

Mine was an ESP 5 with a 2 Tek bridge. I was actually just looking for a 2 Tek bridge, was going to build my own fretless, when i saw it on eBay. Still have it. Got it in 2008, had been playing about 16 years. It weighs twice what my Rob Allen Mouse weighs.

 

[Ed Goode]

I started playing DB in 1959 (yup, I'm that old … I was 8 in '59), first EB was in 1965 (Fender '63P fretted) and first fretless electric bass was a 1969 Ampeg AUB-1 fretless (not my actual bass, below)

 

[Bassplayer1586]

I've been playing for 23 years and just got my first fretless a few months ago. I only need one, because this one is sick! Ibanez GWB205 Gary Willis Signature!