Fretless solid body bass - recommendations?

[teleman3726]

I'd like to learn jazz bass and do it on a fretless electric.
Can anyone make some recommendations?
Price wise, I would say I would begin to look at the $1,200 to $3,000 range.
Thanks.
C

[339 in june]

My son has a Cort A4 5 strings fretless and he is quite happy with it.
Can play active or passive, that makes it rather polyvalent.
I would like to convince him to put flatwounds on it, but he doesn't like the feel !

and it is within your budget !

[David B]

Ex-bass player here.

You may not want to spend so much on your first bass, especially if it's a fretless. Fretless isn't for everyone and you may find adjusting to a 34" scale challenging enough without the intonation issue.

Here's a couple of modestly priced options that I have tried and can recommend:
Squier Vintage Modified Fretless Jazz Bass

How I wish this existed when I was a beginner bass player in the late '90s! After hearing Weather Report's 'Heavy Weather' about six months in to playing the bass (I had up to that point been an indie and funk man), I took a pair of pliers to the frets to what was then my only instrument (a Squier jazz bass). Anyway, this Squier VM fretless is a really good buy.

Ibanez GWB35: This is the more affordable Gary Willis signature model. 5 string fretless. Again, a solid option for a fretless.

I can't believe that WishBass company is still going. Haven't heard that name in years. They looked dreadful 15 years ago and they look dreadful now. Remember someone on a forum buying one just to confirm how bad it was.

[marcwhy]

Go Carvin, with or without lines: Carvin.com: USA Custom Shop Electric Bass Guitars

[teleman3726]

Ok, thanks. I've played guitar for so long I can't believe how clued out I am on basses and the various manufacturers.
If I decided to go with a fretted model, 5 string, what would be a good recommendation? Something from Fender?
I was looking at some of the Ibanez models but really get freaked at the prices (really low).

[danwaineo]

I though David B had some good recommendations.

I tried the Squire VM. I didn't like the epoxy neck and roundwound strings as much as the flatwound/real wood neck on the MIM Fender Jazz Fretless. I bought that MIM for $599 a month ago and really like it.

I've seen Esperanza Spalding play the MIM version, and I think that is a pretty good endorsement.

Have fun - I sure am with mine. I do think most jazz sounds better on an upright. I might have bought one if I had more money, a bigger car and a bigger house.

[Badge]

Ok, thanks. I've played guitar for so long I can't believe how clued out I am on basses and the various manufacturers.
If I decided to go with a fretted model, 5 string, what would be a good recommendation? Something from Fender?
I was looking at some of the Ibanez models but really get freaked at the prices (really low).

Looks like we have similar wants... From playing my tele guitar, I got into fretless 4 string bass about a year ago on a Fender Jazz Jaco. The neck on that bass is just to die for. Then I wanted to have a fretted option and picked up a 5 string squire VM strung E to high C. That's a beauty too, not as fast as the Jaco, but considering the price and the quality, unbelievable value for money...

[teleman3726]

Love the double bass!!!
Maybe I should buy one of those!!!

[mangotango]

This is what I have:-



(No, that's not me - wish I had that much hair!!)

It's a Pace bass by Dean. Inexpensive, though you would probably need to buy a pre-amp/equaliser, as it still sounds more like a fretless BG rather than a DB, unlike most EUB's. However,you can get the proper right hand position and attack and thus you get some of the "Ping and Ring" of an upright; more than you might expect from something with the scale of a BG. It's still easy to get the "mwaaa" of a fretless BG. And I can swap between guitar and bass with much less of an adjustment.

[teleman3726]

Thanks, Mango. I saw a few of these in one of the music stores where I happen to be at the moment. Did you take any lessons in order to get the proper positioning, et al?
Ultimately, I would like to learn the DB, complete with the use of the bow (and a porkpie hat on jazz nights!) so what you've suggested might be the best way forward.

[GuyBoden]

A good double bass has a wonderful beautiful sound, but they much more expensive than guitars, a good carved wood double bass starts at around £2000 to £10,000, a good set of strings is about £150+.

[mangotango]

Thanks, Mango. I saw a few of these in one of the music stores where I happen to be at the moment. Did you take any lessons in order to get the proper positioning, et al?
Ultimately, I would like to learn the DB, complete with the use of the bow (and a porkpie hat on jazz nights!) so what you've suggested might be the best way forward.

Well, I used to play DB a long time ago so it wasn't too much of a hardship at all. There are dots down the side but lines would be easier; however, I'm sure that you'd want to get rid of those when you're good enought not to need them any longer. One thing - you can't really bow the Pace, would have to go to a proper EUB for that.

[teleman3726]

OK, mango. Thanks for the words.
I wasn't suggesting bowing the Pace - but rather the 'proper EUB.'
One question (very important, too): do you think it will be easier to learn jazz on an upright bass if I wear a porkpie hat?
Seems to me all the best players have them. Gotta be something to it, no?

[mangotango]

All the best players have one. I do, too.

[teleman3726]

Great! I've got a nice one picked out.

[ooglybong]

I'd say that I'm currently a part-time bassist (but I was bassist in a quartet about ten years ago). I have an wonderful Epiphone Zenith bass that I love (out-of-production, unfortunately) . A very unique design visually and tonally via chambering along with a couple of proprietary pickups by Shadow. Very acoustic in nature, IMO.



Here's a great YouTube demo...

As you can hear, it's not quite a Fender bass sound at all and, IMO, wonderful for a more original sound if that's what you're up for. Look around, I've seen a few over time selling either used or NOS.

Side note: I loved the fretless so much that I eventually picked up the fretted version which was being blown-out at a local store last year. Between the frets and different strings, it's a totally different, great sound (think Steve Swallow if you like). Also highly recommended.

By the way, I'll also second the Squier VM fretless. Great sound for half the price of the Epi (and totally different), but definitely put flats on it for the best sound and for keeping the fingerboard around longer. I have a (full-time) bassist friend who has one, too, and he absolutely loves it (and yeah, with flats).

[Guitnoir]

Epiphone used to make a fretless bass called the EMB 5. It had a very realistic upright sound.

[cosmic gumbo]

I have an electric bass and do well on it, but you gotta love that fretless upright sound. I think if I ever get another bass, it's gonna be one of those electric Kala U-basses. They use polyurethane strings, are very small, and come in fretted or fretless versions in acoustic or solidbody styles. They have a sound closer to an upright than a regular electric bass.

This guy is an upright player and is actually gigging with his Kala. There's tons of Youtube videos featuring them and they're getting a lot of love from serious players.

[danwaineo]

I have an electric bass and do well on it, but you gotta love that fretless upright sound. I think if I ever get another bass, it's gonna be one of those electric Kala U-basses. They use polyurethane strings, are very small, and come in fretted or fretless versions in acoustic or solidbody styles. They have a sound closer to an upright than a regular electric bass.

This guy is an upright player and is actually gigging with his Kala. There's tons of Youtube videos featuring them and they're getting a lot of love from serious players.

That sounds really good. I would think intonation would be challenging because of the short scale length.

[cosmic gumbo]

Like a violin?

[Woody Sound]

I always thought the old Ampeg was way cool, with its upright style headstock..

[Woody Sound]

Played a Stagg very recently. Surprisingly nice for a budget model.

[ooglybong]

I always thought the old Ampeg was way cool, with its upright style headstock..

Definitely!

Quite a bit of history there and probably pretty hard to track down, but Italia makes a pretty serious homage to the Ampeg with this 5-string model...

[Greentone]

I play fretless on a Fuquay P-bass. Charles Fuquay made this instrument, inspired by a mid-50s Fender, but with a carved maple top. The bass has a Seymour Duncan pickup. It plays and sounds great.

[Greentone]

Headstock detail: