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What's a good fretless for $250 or under?

#83
Engine207 said:
47683_l.jpg


Link Removed or used for about $200
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+100

these are great, IMO. the pickups sound great, but are a tish bit thin for my ears. but you put some fralins, or nordys in there, and youve got a killer bass
 
#87
Engine207 said:
What? Closed? Did you say "closed"?

Nothing's closed until we say it is! Was it closed when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no! And it ain't closed now.

'Cause when the goin' gets tough...the tough play fretless!!

Who's with me? Let's go!
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That looks like the guy from the movie RUDY.
 
#89
OK, maybe last AND least, but... I would look for an 80's USA Guild Pilot fretless. If you find one for $250 it will probably need a bit more $$ to get it perfect, but then you will have a pretty nice bass, in a different class from all the Asian basses in the same price range. BTW, you'll probably have to replace some electronics on the bargain basses anyhow...
 
#91
Barrett said:
OK, maybe last AND least, but... I would look for an 80's USA Guild Pilot fretless. If you find one for $250 it will probably need a bit more $$ to get it perfect, but then you will have a pretty nice bass, in a different class from all the Asian basses in the same price range. BTW, you'll probably have to replace some electronics on the bargain basses anyhow...
Click to expand...

Richenbackers are really good, but that's because it's crafted by Germans! An yes. I do know that it's spelled Rickenbacker, but it used to be spelled Richenbacker.
 
#97
Eric Albany said:
That looks like the guy from the movie RUDY.
Click to expand...

Rudy? Shame on you.

For the record, having assiduously skimmed through this thread, I refuse to leave it without reckoning up my budget fretless:

Squier Affinity P-bass, used: about $100

Mighty Mite Unlined fretless neck - about $80 shipped on evilbay.

Webstrings flatwounds - about $15

$200 and my best at-home setup yielded a decent-playing fretless with one exception -- nut was too high.

$40 with the local luthier yielded a re-shaped nut and tweaks to the neck and bridge -- very low action and even some "mwah" when I want it, depending on amp settings and the touch I use. (Keep in mind this is a single "P" pickup with flats.) Though, I've recently discovered, it can be wicked "vintage barky," too.

As was pointed out to me earlier, for the eventual price, there are a few other fretless basses available for purchase, some with more appealing features than the Squier. But... it's working for me so far, and it's well set-up.

I've recently purchased a Bill Lawrence P-46 pickup (haven't received it yet), which puts me right about at $300 total with this bass. Not what I envisioned when I grabbed it for $100 in its original incarnation, but if the P-46 does what I think it will, I'll have a very gig-able, playable (if not very high-end) instrument for that price. Which isn't bad.
 
#98
MarkA said:
Rudy? Shame on you.

For the record, having assiduously skimmed through this thread, I refuse to leave it without reckoning up my budget fretless:

Squier Affinity P-bass, used: about $100

Mighty Mite Unlined fretless neck - about $80 shipped on evilbay.

Webstrings flatwounds - about $15

$200 and my best at-home setup yielded a decent-playing fretless with one exception -- nut was too high.

$40 with the local luthier yielded a re-shaped nut and tweaks to the neck and bridge -- very low action and even some "mwah" when I want it, depending on amp settings and the touch I use. (Keep in mind this is a single "P" pickup with flats.) Though, I've recently discovered, it can be wicked "vintage barky," too.

As was pointed out to me earlier, for the eventual price, there are a few other fretless basses available for purchase, some with more appealing features than the Squier. But... it's working for me so far, and it's well set-up.

I've recently purchased a Bill Lawrence P-46 pickup (haven't received it yet), which puts me right about at $300 total with this bass. Not what I envisioned when I grabbed it for $100 in its original incarnation, but if the P-46 does what I think it will, I'll have a very gig-able, playable (if not very high-end) instrument for that price. Which isn't bad.
Click to expand...

There's a reason that it's called Evil Bay and Instrument hell.
 
#99
Eric Albany said:
There's a reason that it's called Evil Bay and Instrument hell.
Click to expand...

Your point being?

The Mighty Mite Neck was the only ebay component (bass was local). I talked to the guy beforehand. Nice dude, and honest. I don't remember for sure, but I think the only other option for an unlined P-bass neck, at the time (here or elsewhere), was more than double the price.
 
#100
MarkA said:
Your point being?

The Mighty Mite Neck was the only ebay component (bass was local). I talked to the guy beforehand. Nice dude, and honest. I don't remember for sure, but I think the only other option for an unlined P-bass neck, at the time (here or elsewhere), was more than double the price.
Click to expand...

The only interesting bass I found on eBay was a Laurel Warwick 5 string in Erie, CO. Not too far away from my house.
 

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