CIM

Thanks for all advice and offers of gear. I'm not quite ready to take the plunge yet, still figuring options out - I managed to check out a few fretless basses this weekend which has helped.

[quote name='lemmywinks' post='1020711' date='Nov 11 2010, 09:26 PM']Just noticed this on eBay: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FENDER-SQUIER-PRECISION-SPECIAL-BASS-CASE-RARE-/170562764684?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item27b6553f8c"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FENDER-SQUIER-PRECIS...=item27b6553f8c[/url] The seller is a member on here (same name) so maybe give him a shout? That plus a P neck would be sweet![/quote] Not a bad idea for a source for a budget body but the neck is then the next challenge. Does anyone sell new Mighty Mite fretless ebonol necks in UK these days? Or similar?

[quote name='Grand Wazoo' post='1020782' date='Nov 11 2010, 10:28 PM']I've tried a surprisingly good fretlees the other day that my missus pulled me away from buying, it was a Cort Curbow or sommat... it had ebanol fretboard and the body was some kinda graphite compound too but boy oh boy it sounded and played like the canine danglies. Try one it was in the £300 mark. here is a pic / link [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Cort-Curbow-4FL-fretless-bass-guitar-and-Gigbag-/150515768018?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item230b705ad2"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Cort-Curbow-4FL-fret...=item230b705ad2[/url][/quote] They look interesting although I briefly tried an Ibanez ergodyne a few years back (a second hand one) and I didn't like the smell! The luthite body gave off quite strong smell of plastic fumes which kind of spoiled it for me. Hopefully the Curbow is better - but I would have to try before buying something so unusual...

[quote name='lemmywinks' post='1020015' date='Nov 11 2010, 01:21 PM']A Mighty Mite fretless neck should fit a Squier, you'll get a decent amount for the original neck too as Jazz necks are popular I have an unlined ebonol one on a bass and it's really nice. Alternatively have a Precision defretted, shouldn't cost too much. You could get a Squier. MIM or possible a Japanese one for your budget[/quote] I was hoping to avoid the DIY route to save a bit of time but I suppose a neck swap is a more simple task than a complete build from parts. I have assembled a bass before so it is an option. Any ideas how much a pro defret should cost? [quote name='lemmywinks' post='1020015' date='Nov 11 2010, 01:21 PM']Oh and Jaco did have a P neck on his fretted, he used it for practice - probably so he was faster when he went back to his fretless![/quote] Interesting. This one I presume... [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILMHq_yZ7Hs"]Jaco on a fretted bass[/url]

I thin the subject says it all really - I am looking to dip my toe in the world of fretless, probably better with a lined bass to start with anyway (but would consider unlined) but Jazz-proportioned necks seem to be the drill on most basses in the say sub £500 zone. Since getting a 5 string a few years back I find switching to a Jazz width 4 string 38 mm / 1.5" nut frustratingly narrow. Amazing what a difference a few mm's seems to make... The taper on a Jazz neck has always puzzled me a bit - perhaps there is some merit for head weight reduction but it gets pretty wide further up the neck anyway so I never really saw the appeal from a player point of view. I think my ideal fretless would be a P-J style 4 string with a P-proportioned neck (e.g. like the Tony Franklin Fender model), but I am not aware of anything in my price range that comes close. I have considered going 5 string fretless just to get a more substantial neck - and this my be my ignorance but I really don't understand the apparent dominance of 38mm Jazz width nuts. To make an analogy, a Stratocaster or Telecaster nut is far wider at say 44mm and most guitarists seem to get on fine with those. I can't help wondering if Jaco had played a bass with a P neck on it things might be a bit different now Frustratingly, nut width aside, the Squier vintage modified fretless looks like it would be a great starting point. Maybe a self assemble from parts is the best answer but if anyone knows of a decent 4 string fretless model currently available with a more generously proportioned neck, I'd be very interested to hear about it.