Your fretless experience?

[6stringvince]

All seem like good choices. They're also all likely built well, though their condition will vary based on the previous owner(s). It may just come down to your preference. Here's my opinions.

I'm not sure if the MM Sterling has one pickup or two, if it only has one, I'd strongly recommend a fretless with two pickups (a bridge and a neck).

It does have both pups

 

[JTE]

I first played a fretless around 1977, shortly after I started playing bass. I'd heard a little Jaco, but my main source of what a fretless could do was Freebo, Bonnie Raitt's long-time bassist. The first time I played a fretless (stock factory Fender Precision with Fender 850 flats-the factory strings for all Precisions then) I knew it was an important voice for me. I talked the owner of the store I managed into trying to keep one in stock and eventually got my own in December 1987. I've always had a fretless and I've used it on gigs, sometimes as much as 60% of the time.

It's simply a critical component of expressing music for me.

John

 

[Jeff Scott]

Current used local Craigslist inventory I'm considering:

Music Man Sterling (US) unlined with side markers ($600)
1990 Fender Jazz (Japan) unlined with side markers ($450)
2010 Fender Jazz (MIM) lined with EMG JVX pups ($375)
Thanks again for any help/opinions

I'd go for the Sterling, IMO.

 

[6stringvince]

Current used local Craigslist inventory I'm considering:

Music Man Sterling (US) unlined with side markers ($600)
1990 Fender Jazz (Japan) unlined with side markers ($450)
2010 Fender Jazz (MIM) lined with EMG JVX pups ($375)
Thanks again for any help/opinions

Also available local used is this ESP LTD B-204SM fretless lined for $250.
I don't know much about LTD basses, but this seems like a lot of bass for the money, and I haven't found any bad reviews on them. Any experiences with these?

 

[6stringvince]

So much for the LTD, sometimes you just can't win. I drove one hour (again) to see this bass and when I got there, low and behold it had frets unlike what the add said. Some dolts have no business selling musical instruments... Pawn shops go figure

 

[Selta]

A long time ago, I ripped the frets out of a low end Ibanez 5 string. I think I played it maybe a dozen times after that, before it became a guinea pig of sorts and never played again. Never bothered learning technique, or with ear training.
Fast forward to late November, 2013... I talked to The Perfect Bass and ordered an unline EBMM Bongo 5 HSp in Red Sparkle. It should be here in February sometime. I'm very excited for it. I've always been good at being outside of my comfort zone and pushing myself to practice and learn, so I expect no issue with discouragement or abandoning it. I do expect a lot of mistakes. As soon as I get anywhere near half decent with it, it'll start going to band practice with me and will be played equally, alongside my fretted Bongo 6 HS. Even if I still suck with it when I start showing up with it, the extra practice won't hurt, and it'll allow me to adjust and learn playing fretless in a band setting.

 

[Lownote38]

I first decided to own a fretless when I was in music school. I opted for a Fender Jazz (Japanese) with no lines. I liked it and got lots of compliments when I played it, but something just wasn't right. I got rid of it, got an American Fretless Jazz with lines, and really disliked that bass. I unloaded that and finally pieced together my own Fretless Jazz with a Fender MIM body, a MIJ no lines fretless neck, and SD Antiquity pickups. I had the neck epoxied, and that was what I was missing originally. Unfortunately, that got stolen (never recovered) and now I am putting together a new one that's all black (even the control plate is black chrome). The headstock is matching black, and it has an ebony fingerboard. The neck is being epoxied as I write this and I can't wait to get it all back together. I'm doing it all in black as a tribute to the basses (6 in all) that were stolen from me last year.

 

[SlowCode]

I've posted this on quite a few threads. I think it's important, particularly for newer players who value their equipment.

Gouges to neck from round wound strings. This is a Steinberger L2 with phenolic neck, but I have seen this happen to wood as well.

I have played fretless exclusively since 1972. Regardless of "opinions" here and elsewhere - if you use rounds, this will happen.

Varnish helps by the way.

 

[Tumbao]

Just expect to put in a lot of effort learning how to play the fretless well. I generally find anyone who says it's "easy" has lousy intonation and tries to force glissandos and slides onto every transition. Playing with real precision is NOT gonna happen overnight, or in a week, or even a month, but it's entirely possible.

As to lines/no lines, I have and use both (1 lined, 3 unlined). I don't see the big deal either way. No lines is GREAT for the ego - but only if you can play well, or you just can't hear how bad you really are. Lines are GREAT for the studio, where excellent intonation is critical. But relying on the lines instead of your ears is disastrous. It's all about the ears - the lines are just a nice guide in some situations. Even Mark Egan and Will Lee and Marcus Miller and many other studio cats use lined fretless basses.

Overall, I LOVE fretless and use it all the time. If you put in the effort, it's really fun and rewarding, and not limiting at all. If you're impatient, then it's probably not for you.

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