allihts Posted October 13, 2010 Share Posted October 13, 2010 Apart from the obvious what are the main differences between fretted and fretless basses? What kinds of music suit them best? Are they more common active or passive? Is the action harder/easier to adjust? Is there a fretless version of fret buzz? Appologies for 1000 questions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annoying Twit Posted October 13, 2010 Share Posted October 13, 2010 [quote name='woodster' post='985317' date='Oct 12 2010, 08:48 AM']A few folk on here (including me) have good things to say about the Squier VM Jazz fretless. A great bass for 250 sheets.....[/quote] That's the new price. They [b]occasionally[/b] sell for bargain prices on ebay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BASainty Posted October 13, 2010 Author Share Posted October 13, 2010 [quote name='noelk27' post='986393' date='Oct 12 2010, 10:56 PM']First thing I'd do is look at the fretless versions of the basses you currently own. Having fretless and fretted version of the same model makes changing from one bass to another a much more neutral playing experience. For years I used BB2000 and BB2000F basses, and these days I'm looking for a fretted BB5000 to use alongside a BB5000F.[/quote] Yeh would be a great idea but how hard is it to find a BB2000F or BB5000F? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry_B Posted October 13, 2010 Share Posted October 13, 2010 [quote name='allihts' post='987502' date='Oct 13 2010, 10:31 PM']Apart from the obvious what are the main differences between fretted and fretless basses? What kinds of music suit them best? Are they more common active or passive? Is the action harder/easier to adjust? Is there a fretless version of fret buzz?[/quote] Sound and tone can be different, depending on how they're played. IMHO they can be used with most kinds of music, given a little imagination. I dunno whether active or passive predominates. Action adjustments are no different to a fretted bass (at least, that's my experience). You can get buzzing if the action is too low - the string just hammers on the fretboard, and sounds pretty dire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allihts Posted October 14, 2010 Share Posted October 14, 2010 Cheers jerry, might have to try one out sometime soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry_B Posted October 14, 2010 Share Posted October 14, 2010 No worries I forgot to mention that effects can also add some interesting touches to the overall sound. Compression, for example, tends to keep the 'warble' that a fretless can have, but tighten up it's overall sound. It's sometimes possible to do that and make it seem as if it's being played with a plectrum (which in itself can make it's own unique set of sounds with a fretless). Also, as with a fretted bass, where you touch or pick the string effects the overall tightness or looseness of the sound (i.e. near the bridge = tighter, near the neck = looser). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted October 14, 2010 Share Posted October 14, 2010 I personally ignore it when people say that the Squier VM Jazz fretless is a good beginner bass. I;ve been playing for nigh on 23 years and the two best fretless basses I've ever played have been a 1995 Musicman Stingray and a Squier VM Jazz fretless. I kid you not, if I was still playing fretless then I would happily gig this every night Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SignsOfDelirium_bassist Posted October 14, 2010 Share Posted October 14, 2010 Having just bought my own first fretless, I recently went through all this trying out fretless' an stuff. I thought I'd buy a VMJ fretless, since I have a fretted VMJ. I tried one out, it did sound pretty good, I have to admit. My mate pointed me towards a old 80s ibby fretless though which I ended up buying. It sounds like nothing else you can buy for £180!!! I'd say get an old ibby, they tend to go cheap for what they are! Every one I've palyed that's been made from 78-82 has been absolutely brilliant! Easily as good as the early MIJ fenders, but at less than half the price! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linus27 Posted October 14, 2010 Share Posted October 14, 2010 [quote name='Delberthot' post='988594' date='Oct 14 2010, 11:07 PM']I personally ignore it when people say that the Squier VM Jazz fretless is a good beginner bass. I;ve been playing for nigh on 23 years and the two best fretless basses I've ever played have been a 1995 Musicman Stingray and a Squier VM Jazz fretless. I kid you not, if I was still playing fretless then I would happily gig this every night[/quote] I've also been playing for around 23 years and there is no way a beginner can afford £3,000 for a Wal or should even consider spending that amount of money if they are just starting out on fretless. I would not even recommend they spend £1,000 on a Stingray or Warwick if they are getting their first ever fretless to try on. That is why a £150 - £250 Squire VMJ is a good beginner bass. Plus the fact that the quality of the Squire VMJ, despite being very good (yes I have one), is no way on par with basses like Stingray, Warwick and Wal's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noelk27 Posted October 14, 2010 Share Posted October 14, 2010 [quote name='4StringFortress' post='987508' date='Oct 13 2010, 10:38 PM']Yeh would be a great idea but how hard is it to find a BB2000F or BB5000F?[/quote] For sure you could hunt down either a 2000F or a 5000F, but I was thinking more along the lines of the equivalent models to what you're already playing - there are lots of BB models from the last 10 years or so that would fit the bill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BedroomBassist Posted October 14, 2010 Share Posted October 14, 2010 The nicest fretless bass I've ever played on was a Marleaux Consat custom 6 string. I would've bought it right there and then.... ....but unfortunately I didn't have £2500 in my pocket, or indeed my bank. xD I plan on getting a fretless bass in the future sometime though, I think it's a really good way to expand your skill. :] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted October 14, 2010 Share Posted October 14, 2010 [quote name='Linus27' post='988653' date='Oct 14 2010, 11:55 PM']I've also been playing for around 23 years and there is no way a beginner can afford £3,000 for a Wal or should even consider spending that amount of money if they are just starting out on fretless. I would not even recommend they spend £1,000 on a Stingray or Warwick if they are getting their first ever fretless to try on. That is why a £150 - £250 Squire VMJ is a good beginner bass. Plus the fact that the quality of the Squire VMJ, despite being very good (yes I have one), is no way on par with basses like Stingray, Warwick and Wal's.[/quote] I don't think I worded that very well - what I meant was that the VM Jazz is not merely a good beginner bass - its one that you can use to gig with. The basses I have been most disappointed with have been expensive ones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodster Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 [quote name='Delberthot' post='988705' date='Oct 15 2010, 12:44 AM']I don't think I worded that very well - what I meant was that the VM Jazz is not merely a good beginner bass - its one that you can use to gig with.[/quote] Totally.... I've recorded with mine about a dozen times now. Whacked some flats on it and it sounds great!!! Don't get enough calls for fretless to justify spending lots of cash on a high end bass so the VMJ suits my needs perfectly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linus27 Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 (edited) [quote name='Delberthot' post='988705' date='Oct 15 2010, 12:44 AM']I don't think I worded that very well - what I meant was that the VM Jazz is not merely a good beginner bass - its one that you can use to gig with. The basses I have been most disappointed with have been expensive ones[/quote] Yep, defo its good enough to gig as most of the Squire range is. The VM range really upped the quality of Squire basses to a point where they were better than the Fender Mexican range. I've used mine is the studio quick a few times now and it sounds excellent. They are cracking basses. Edited October 15, 2010 by Linus27 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niceguyhomer Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 I have an Ibanez Gary Willis GW35 fretless which I bought new for £500 - they seem to go for about £350 second hand and sound amazing. I would highly recommend a GW if you can find one where the fret markers at the dusty end are seated properly. It seems a fairly common fault that one or two tend to stick up choking notes making the neck unplayable above the 12th fret. I don't venture that far as my intonation isn't that brilliant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goblin Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 Normally for first fretless I wouldn't have got a Warwick, but it was £300 and my dad's also been playing bass for a long time, and he's long since regretted selling his Guild 302F, so basically, if I didn't get on with it, he'd have it...unfortauntely it didn't work out on his part of the deal And before anyone jumps on me for it been a Rockbass, it isn't. Proper German Corvette, we just got lucky I'm working towards getting myself a 5 string Wal fretless though. The wages are currently a neat mix of car, car insurance, running car and saving for Wal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris2112 Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 Is it an ash bodied Corvette though? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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