When You Think "Fretless"...

[DistantTremor]

Usually I think of a boutique singlecut five string with no fretlines on the fingerboard, so it kind of looks like this:

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And then I think of my own fretless:

 

[kesslari]

um... that singlecut has fretlines.
Doesn't spoil it for me, though. beautiful bass

 

[routasydän]

Rob Allen, Jerzy, Pedulla and F bass

 

[DanielleMuscato]

 

[PilbaraBass]

nice, but wrong forum

 

[Eminor3rd]

Pedulla.

+1

And Zon.

 

[DistantTremor]

um... that singlecut has fretlines.
Doesn't spoil it for me, though. beautiful bass

I know it has fretlines, but it was the closest thing I could find on the internet that looked like what I imagined.

 

[pbass62]

Big Fan of Pino, Thats why I play a fretless Ray!

 

[jrmgcoolville]

ESP

 

[LanEvo]

... what brand do you think of?

Easy: Pedulla.

Specifically, the Buzz.

 

[jokerjkny]

funny, but i've been really digging my NS Wav these days.

but the search continues!

 

[jbybj]

Wishbass.

 

[bassrique]

woah, lots of responses...

but am still on my hunt to finally add a proper fretless to my arsenal.

zon's are up there, but frankly, i still cant get that jaco sig outta my mind. literally the sound i grew up with, but dont want to look like a jaco wannabe, even tho i probably am.

You might want to consider a USACG or Warmoth "parts bass".

Hey, what Gary Willis did you play? Was it the Ash or basswood? Do you like 16.5 spacing? I have the basswood version, and I love it, warts and all.

Edit: Oh, I have about 10 years experience of playing a fretless almost exclusively [before my long vacation from music, which ended about a year ago], so I've been there and done that.

 

[Jared Lash]

Personally, I think of Stambaugh, but that's because I'm waiting on mine to be delivered in the next week or two:

My favorite fretless tones are actually from Spectors and Warwicks which is what I was aiming for with that bass.

But the first brands that pop into my head when I think of fretless basses are:

Zon
Pedulla
Fender

 

[20db pad]

Fender Jazz, for the obvious reason, followed by a fretless Music Man Stingray, like Pino played way back when.

 

[davkane]

Schecter
Fender
Ibenez

 

[steve4765630]

Pedulla

 

[Stempelloos]

Fender
Musicman
Ibanez

and my Korean Korina/Maple/Rosewood Rok Axe

 

[pringlw]

I think Rickenbacker. My Rickenbacker

 

[the JT]

Fbass
Then
Wishbass (ive never seen a fretted one)