One point to consider. Neck depth. The lack of frets will make the neck feel a bit thinner than the fretted version.
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Which Fretless..
- Thread starter TheArchitect
- Start date
Add my name to the list of people recommending the Ibanez.
I haven't owned either the Squier or Ibanez, but I have tested out a few examples of each. (I like fretless basses and whenever I see one in the store, I take it for a spin.)
I guess you could say the Squier has "good bones" but the ones I tried all needed a bit of work to get them in better playing shape. The fret line veneers weren't always even with the fingerboard, one seemed like the neck needed a shim, etc. On the other hand, the SR370EF basses that I tried all seemed to have better fit and finish. FWIW, I also like the Ibanez hardware better. The Squier is probably also more prone to having balance issues if neck dive is something that bothers you.
I haven't owned either the Squier or Ibanez, but I have tested out a few examples of each. (I like fretless basses and whenever I see one in the store, I take it for a spin.)
I guess you could say the Squier has "good bones" but the ones I tried all needed a bit of work to get them in better playing shape. The fret line veneers weren't always even with the fingerboard, one seemed like the neck needed a shim, etc. On the other hand, the SR370EF basses that I tried all seemed to have better fit and finish. FWIW, I also like the Ibanez hardware better. The Squier is probably also more prone to having balance issues if neck dive is something that bothers you.
Agree, but I am not real picky about such things. I have played Ibanez guitars for sometime. Now those are tiny!
Probably out of budget, but I'll just leave this hear for reference. Were I to pick up another fretless this would be it: Ibanez Bass Workshop SRF700 Fretless Bass Guitar - Brown Burst Flat
Tapes for the best of both worlds and none of the minuses!
^ I endorse this message. I've played fretless with every type of string known to man. SS rounds, Nickel rounds, flats, half-wounds, coated... Tape wounds are by far the best sounding I've found. The 'muah' just jumps off the instruments. D'Addario's work great without being brutally expensive. They also last for years.
One of the guitar shops near me has an in-house tech who does a quick setup on all basses before putting them up on the wall (quite a rarity these days) and he says that the Ibanez basses, at any price point, rarely need anything other than a tune up whereas most others, many of them much more expensive basses (Fender) quite often need much more attention.
"bang for the buck" is just cost/benefit: given those two as options, i'd vote "ibanez" in any price range,* especially if you don't want to 'futz around' with mods and the like.
whatever you decide, good luck with your soon-to-be fretless!
* i have no experience with either one, just my opinion.
I'd never really thought about it that way but my Ibanez is the only bass I own that I've done literally no modifications to. Occasionally I think I need to shield the cavities, but it's so rare I get unwanted noise that I haven't bothered.
Other basses I've shielded, shimmed the necks, changed pickups, pots, pot knobs, changed wiring from VVT to VBT, new bridges etc.... but the Ibanez remains completely stock. Part of that is probably due to FSO's being so easy to mix and match parts and I like to tinker even though I'm not very good at it.... part of it is due to the Ibanez being so good where everything just works.
