Wymanite

[quote name='scrumpymike' timestamp='1421065833' post='2656676'] My SG re-issue does it for me, but I bet that Spector Shorty would do it better - beeeooootiful!! The Bill Wyman Sig gets some good reviews and I'm hoping to try one out soon. At the moment my only backup is an Ibanez Art-core semi with Jazz Flats that gives me some very different tones from the SG. [/quote] I've been playing the Wyman signature for a few years now and quite honestly it's very versatile in terms of the sounds you can get from it. Good fun to play, it's impressed a load of hardcore Fender nuts I know, they love the tone it gives with flatwounds. It may look a novelty bass but I promise you that it packs a punch!

[quote name='SimBass' timestamp='1421179856' post='2658190'] No problem, not trying to push a sale! Regarding strings, here's my thoughts (although I guarantee some will disagree). I was also told that I 'had to use flat wounds' since I bought my fretless warwick 12 years ago. I just accepted it and got on with it. To be honest, if you're in jazz quartets, as I was, trying to emulate a double bass then its perfect. But I had two problems, I felt the flat wounds weren't making the full use of the 'growl' you can get out of Warwicks, and 2 the only decent flat wounds I trusted were Thomastik infeld. (at over £70 for a set on a six string bass) this was not particularly affordable. My then bass teacher posed an interesting question (he was also a 6 string fretless player) if you prefer round wound (my favourites being Warwick Black Label at £32 per 6 string set) then try them. If the very worst happened and it damaged the finger board then the cost of having the fingerboard completely re-skimmed and professionally finished would be covered by the cost saving of 2-3 sets of string (£38 difference per string change!) Now if you need a finger board refinishing every 3 string changes then there is something very wrong. So I went ahead and did it. The Result: Amazing fretless sound, really lets you dial in the funk but play up the finger board and you get the smooth double bass sound again. I've never looked back. I'll be honest there are some slight marks visible on the finger board but it hasn't changed the sound and I've never even considering the original idea of having to have it refinished. A couple of disclaimers: 1. I'm originally a cello player (you can only use flat round due to the bow) so have nothing against flat wounds. 2. My Warwick finger board is ebony. an extremely hard wood (known for being so dense it sinks in water) so you may get problems trying this on softer wood finger boards? 3. If you have a bad habit of bending the string then you may damage the board more, make sure you move your finger along the string instead of bending the strings since there is no need to bend on a fretless instrument. - you may now start the arguments against my opinion. [/quote] Thanks for that I love flatwounds but a large part of me thinking about a Warwick fretless is because Jack Bruce used one. I loved the sound he was able to get at the Cream 2005 reunion, and he used round wounds. I'm glad they work well and don't damage the finger board. I haven't tried a Warwick fretless yet but currently choosing between a Warwick and Gibson is one of the most difficult choices I've had to make just waiting for my 1964 Framus Star Bass to sell...

I only play 4 strings, not interested or technically good enough to play one with any more strings Fretless question for you though, I've heard some people say that using roundwounds on a fretless damages the finger board and you lose impact after a while. Is this true? I've got flats on my Wyman and Hofner basses, so would like something different. Gibson SG special bass is at a criminally low £649, do you know of any Warwick bargains 3below?

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1421096357' post='2657156'] I sometimes get to travel to Bristol for work. If I can wangle a trip there in the coming few weeks I'll drop you a line if that's any help. It would be in the week though. [/quote] Ta very much for the offer, very kind I'm up in London with work very soon anyway and will be looking for an excuse to go for a wander. I'll accidentally get lost down Denmark Street.

[quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1421094752' post='2657130'] Wymanite is a great handle btw! [/quote] A criminally underrated bassist in my opinion, a big influence on my playing. A true gent when I met him as well.

Thanks Grangur! Warwick seems to be getting positive reviews, I'll make a trip up the smoke to a dealer there and give one a bash. Can't find them anywhere in South Wales.

Thanks all for your input. I'm not a very technical or busy bassist but a Fretless seems good fun. I'm a Jack Bruce fan so would like a similar looking Warwick Fretless. Saying that the SG bass is also lovely.

Hi, I've joined this forum to seek advice on this very topic. I'm on the market for another bass and I can't decide between a Gibson SG bass and a Warwick fretless. I've played the SG in my local music shop and its lovely, and I played a cheap fretless there which was good fun but ugly. I'll have to travel to London to try a Warwick but I'd like to know people's thoughts on the Warwick fretless.