Affordable Fretless experience/reccomendations?

CatfishStudios · June 29th, 2008, 01:02 PM

Im looking for a low cost fretless bass...full scale...Ive seen Rondo stuff that looks interesting, and the Squier Vintage Modified Fretless Jazz..
Any recommendations on the best entry level low cost fretless bass? It must be of decent quality, Ive played for 22 years and dont like the feel of junk. Never owned a fretless and am not sure what qualities to look for..Is an ebony fingerboard necessary for example? Thanks for any info.

giginthesky · June 29th, 2008, 01:14 PM

i picked up a used MIJ fender fretless a few years back for about $350. nothing junky about it. it's on par with my vintage fenders. best thing is, i can make it boomy or make it growl. love that bridge pickup.

aznrambo481 · June 29th, 2008, 01:16 PM

you could rip frets off of a regular cheapie. Here's a site:

linky

that explains it rather well. I've been thinking of doing this over the summer...

CatfishStudios · June 29th, 2008, 03:43 PM

What has brought me to the fretless, is Jaco Pastorius, and he yanked his out....thanks for the link, definitely something to consider. Would love to get my hands on a MIJ fretless....What I REALLY want..is a j-body with a j neck..j bridge pickup and precision pickups at the neck. Im gassing so hard for a fretless im considering trading or selling a guitar.

aunchaki · June 29th, 2008, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CatfishStudios

Ive seen Rondo stuff that looks interesting, and the Squier Vintage Modified Fretless Jazz.

I've loved the look of the Squier Vintage Modifies Fretless since they came out. The problem for me: I'm not interested in a fretless. Other than that, I'm all over it. I have a Squier MB-5 and think the quality is great.

The Rondo stuff gets raves, as well, and they have a fretless (or maybe more than one). De-fretting is also an option, Rondo sells bass necks. Maybe get a fretted bass and an extra neck. De-fret one neck yourself and you can go back and forth!

bazooka47 · June 29th, 2008, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CatfishStudios

Im looking for a low cost fretless bass...full scale...Ive seen Rondo stuff that looks interesting, and the Squier Vintage Modified Fretless Jazz..
Any recommendations on the best entry level low cost fretless bass? It must be of decent quality, Ive played for 22 years and dont like the feel of junk. Never owned a fretless and am not sure what qualities to look for..Is an ebony fingerboard necessary for example? Thanks for any info.

I just bought a Squier Vintage Modified Fretless, and boy is it FUN!

I am not a bass player, so I cannot really compare it to anything else, but it is very playable and seems to be great quality. Easily satisfies my "bass jones".

The fretboard is "Ebonol", a synthetic hard rubber that is slicker than polished ebony. The neck is finished in very thin satin poly and is very comfortable.

Seems like an excellent deal for under 3 bills. Pefect for a guitar guy that wants a cheap J-bass to mess around with (like me).

CatfishStudios · June 29th, 2008, 08:03 PM

Found one locally used...Do they all have mismatched grain...the seam is painfully obvious on this example...
http://portland.craigslist.org/wsc/msg/736791516.html

beep.click · June 29th, 2008, 08:11 PM

I have a MIM fretless Jazz. The fingerboard is rosewood, with white lines where the frets would be (handy). Sounds good, plays good.

Suggestion: GET FLATWOUNDS. Don't know about this "Ebonol" stuff, but roundwounds on a fretless eat a wood fingerboard alive. Plus, it's part of the vibe/sound.

Worn · June 29th, 2008, 10:09 PM

I picked up an older Wasburn XB-120 off ebay, local pickup (no shipping cost), and converted it to fretless following info on the various sites that detail the conversion, quite easy to do. I changed to a Diesel bridge and stacked volume control knob, and repainted it flat black. Total cost with hardshell case and conversion, about $300.
I find it way more fun and satisfying to build rather than buy.
http://www.tdpri.com/telephoto/showp.../11599/cat/548

charlie chitlin · June 29th, 2008, 11:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aznrambo481

you could rip frets off of a regular cheapie. Here's a site:

linky

that explains it rather well. I've been thinking of doing this over the summer...

That's a lotta work!
I helped a buddy do this to his, but we used a light-colored epoxy to fill the slots and sanded.

DJG105 · July 2nd, 2008, 03:27 PM

i've done a few fretless conversions.

it's really not that much work, a night and a half (only because you need to wait a day for the epoxy filler to dry). a lot of sanding and make sure you at least wear a dust mask- i was coughing up rosewood for 2 weeks first time i tried that, got pretty bad chest infection (possibly unrelated but i got sick that same night, so i don't know).

June 29th, 2008, 01:02 PM	#1 (permalink)
CatfishStudios Banned Tele-Holic Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Portland, Oregon , United States Age: 32 Posts: 727	Affordable Fretless experience/reccomendations? Im looking for a low cost fretless bass...full scale...Ive seen Rondo stuff that looks interesting, and the Squier Vintage Modified Fretless Jazz.. Any recommendations on the best entry level low cost fretless bass? It must be of decent quality, Ive played for 22 years and dont like the feel of junk. Never owned a fretless and am not sure what qualities to look for..Is an ebony fingerboard necessary for example? Thanks for any info.

June 29th, 2008, 01:16 PM	#3 (permalink)
aznrambo481 Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: La Jolla, California Age: 17 Posts: 2,825 6 Photos	you could rip frets off of a regular cheapie. Here's a site: linky that explains it rather well. I've been thinking of doing this over the summer... __________________ "Never age. Never die. Live forever in that one last white-hot moment, when the crowd screamed. When every note was a heartbeat. Burn across the sky."-Terry Pratchett, Soul Music.

June 29th, 2008, 08:11 PM	#8 (permalink)
beep.click Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: California Age: 49 Posts: 1,567	I have a MIM fretless Jazz. The fingerboard is rosewood, with white lines where the frets would be (handy). Sounds good, plays good. Suggestion: GET FLATWOUNDS. Don't know about this "Ebonol" stuff, but roundwounds on a fretless eat a wood fingerboard alive. Plus, it's part of the vibe/sound. __________________ "It looked like a giant green gum drop to me."

June 29th, 2008, 10:09 PM	#9 (permalink)
Worn Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Toronto Age: 56 Posts: 144 6 Photos	I picked up an older Wasburn XB-120 off ebay, local pickup (no shipping cost), and converted it to fretless following info on the various sites that detail the conversion, quite easy to do. I changed to a Diesel bridge and stacked volume control knob, and repainted it flat black. Total cost with hardshell case and conversion, about $300. I find it way more fun and satisfying to build rather than buy. http://www.tdpri.com/telephoto/showp.../11599/cat/548 Last edited by Worn : June 29th, 2008 at 10:10 PM. Reason: another oops

June 29th, 2008, 01:14 PM	#2 (permalink)
giginthesky Tele-Holic Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: south jersey Age: 36 Posts: 984 6 Photos	i picked up a used MIJ fender fretless a few years back for about $350. nothing junky about it. it's on par with my vintage fenders. best thing is, i can make it boomy or make it growl. love that bridge pickup.

June 29th, 2008, 03:43 PM	#4 (permalink)
CatfishStudios Banned Tele-Holic Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Portland, Oregon , United States Age: 32 Posts: 727	What has brought me to the fretless, is Jaco Pastorius, and he yanked his out....thanks for the link, definitely something to consider. Would love to get my hands on a MIJ fretless....What I REALLY want..is a j-body with a j neck..j bridge pickup and precision pickups at the neck. Im gassing so hard for a fretless im considering trading or selling a guitar.

June 29th, 2008, 08:03 PM	#7 (permalink)
CatfishStudios Banned Tele-Holic Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Portland, Oregon , United States Age: 32 Posts: 727	Found one locally used...Do they all have mismatched grain...the seam is painfully obvious on this example... http://portland.craigslist.org/wsc/msg/736791516.html

July 2nd, 2008, 03:27 PM	#11 (permalink)
DJG105 Tele-Meister Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: SI, NYC Posts: 283 5 Photos	i've done a few fretless conversions. it's really not that much work, a night and a half (only because you need to wait a day for the epoxy filler to dry). a lot of sanding and make sure you at least wear a dust mask- i was coughing up rosewood for 2 weeks first time i tried that, got pretty bad chest infection (possibly unrelated but i got sick that same night, so i don't know).