bassatnight Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 I have been offered silly money for my TB fretless so I am taking it and buying another fretless of good quality. Fretless players out there I am toying with potentially getting one of the basses below; any advice on which to go for? Some of these are currently for sale (second hand) and some * would be new. I love the tone of Mick Karn (Wal), Derek Forbes and Tony Franklin (Fender P), Pino (Ray) so something that could do decent justice to playing these would do the trick, I have been super impressed with the Tony Franklin P. Wal Fretless *Tony Franklin P Jaydee Supernatural Fretless 87 *Ray Fretless Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blademan_98 Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 What, no Fender Jazz? No matter which one, I am sure it will be mellow and full of Mwaaah! I love my fretless basses Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 I only have experience of the Franklin (two, actually!) and they were both gorgeous tone machines. Extremely high quality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShergoldSnickers Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 A [url="http://www.pedulla.com/html/mvp_buzz.html"]Pedulla Buzz[/url] would be worth tracking down and adding to the list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linus27 Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 Oh very difficult question as all your choices are so very different sounding. They say the Wal is the bee's knees although I have never played a fretless one. However, the fretted I did play was very heavy but they should not be a deal breaker. Plus, don't forget, Derek Forbes not only played a fretless Precision, he also played fretless Wal's. Talking to him the other month, he has gone back to Precisions now as he says you just can't beat them. The Stingray should be great if you like that tone. I find mine is a little hard to play and not so natural compared to my other fretless basses. I have a Warwick Streamer Jazzman fretless which really is so easy to play. It sounds very very nice but lacks a little Mwah. Awsome bass though. My best sounding fretless is an ESP Jazz. It is so rich with Mwah and so easy to play. I've not tried a fretless Precision but I am gassing after one. From the ones I have heard, they do sound very very sweet. I think any of the basses on your list will sound great so its probably more a case of playing them and finding out which one you feel comfortable with. My ESP Jazz and Warwick I can gig with with my eyes shut but if i was going to take the Stingray then I would have to put some hours in to get comfortable with the neck. Also, I imagine the Wal a far amount more than the Stingray and Precision. Keep us posted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OliverBlackman Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 when searching for one i found the ebony boards made a big difference in capturing a much warmer and darker tone. As this is what i wanted i went in search of a warwick for that big woody sound. So i think you need to try out a rosewood and ebony and compare to see what you prefer. A fretless overwater jazz with an ebony board would also be a very good bass to look into Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 [quote name='bassatnight' timestamp='1321196389' post='1436283'] [b]I love the tone of Mick Karn (Wal),[/b] Derek Forbes and Tony Franklin (Fender P), [b]Pino (Ray) [/b]so something that could do decent justice to playing these would do the trick, I have been super impressed with the Tony Franklin P. [/quote] As has been mentioned before in other threads, a lot of Karns playing was done on a Travis Bean, not a Wal, so what you're thinking of as a great Wal tone might not be. Pino's fretless Stingray had a carbon fibre neck (actually it had a couple as he managed to wear one out!), so once again this tone will be different to a Stingray fretless with stock neck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 The Tony Franklin is excellent. Wide range of tones available - even more if you have different sets of strings available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 Mick Karn didn't get his Wal until just before recording "Tin Drum" so only that and the live album that followed have the "Wal tone" and maybe then not every track - I've seen videos of him playing the Travis Bean on some songs on the tour from which the live album was recorded. If it was me I'd keep the Travis Bean. IMO fretless is even more about the player than the bass than usual. However if it's a classic 80s fretless tone you're after I'd start with a Pedulla Buzz (ideally with soapbars rather than the more common PJ pickups) and a good chorus and octave pedal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 I'm not a big expert, but I find a Precision fretless is one of the sweetest sounds on fretless land. I favour Stingray and Jazz normally, and their fretless versions are nice, but the P just has "something", I can't describe it. I currently own two. One with Status flatwounds, and another with D'Addario nylon tapewounds. Different sounds, very warm, lots of "mwah" if you want it... I vote Precision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndroWal Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 Zon! Great fretless sounds.....of course I also love my Wal fretlesses....each has its character. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassatnight Posted November 13, 2011 Author Share Posted November 13, 2011 Thanks for the kind advice guys. I do have a preference for the Tony Franklin, that ebony neck is lovely. Although my TB2000 is a thing of beauty and is perfect for home work it's a pig to play for any duration. I'll have a think over the next few days. Just noticed an Alembic fretless for sale at £1350 arrgghh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linus27 Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 [quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1321202182' post='1436365'] Pino's fretless Stingray had a carbon fibre neck (actually it had a couple as he managed to wear one out!), so once again this tone will be different to a Stingray fretless with stock neck. [/quote] Is that 100% correct about Pino using a carbon fibre neck as I have never heard that before? Also the vids and piccies I have seen of him playing his Ray looks just like a normal Ray neck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vibrating G String Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 [quote name='Blademan_98' timestamp='1321197098' post='1436295'] What, no Fender Jazz? [/quote]A classic choice but one that's been done to death IMO and it invites the inevitable Jaco comparisons. The Wal has many killer tones but you really need to figure out the EQ as it can be a bit tricky. A Ken Smith makes a wonderful fretless if you like a very upfront sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 (edited) [quote name='Linus27' timestamp='1321214049' post='1436620'] Is that 100% correct about Pino using a carbon fibre neck as I have never heard that before? [/quote] Pretty sure, yes. I can remember reading interviews with him during his 80's heyday with Paul Young, Go West etc. where he said he used a carbon fibre neck on his stingray and had worn the fingerboard out on it so he had to get another one. I think he went back to the standard wooden neck but there are clips on Youtube where you can see his stingray has an all black neck with what looks like a Modulus or Moses Graphite logo on it. Edited November 13, 2011 by RhysP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vibrating G String Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 [quote name='ShergoldSnickers' timestamp='1321198424' post='1436313'] A [url="http://www.pedulla.com/html/mvp_buzz.html"]Pedulla Buzz[/url] would be worth tracking down and adding to the list. [/quote]Great basses, I've always attributed much of their tone to the polyester fingerboard coating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linus27 Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 [quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1321222180' post='1436755'] Pretty sure, yes. I can remember reading interviews with him during his 80's heyday with Paul Young, Go West etc. where he said he used a carbon fibre neck on his stingray and had worn the fingerboard out on it so he had to get another one. I think he went back to the standard wooden neck but there are clips on Youtube where you can see his stingray has an all black neck with what looks like a Modulus or Moses Graphite logo on it. [/quote] Ok cool, thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 Some half decent shots of the neck/headstock here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayEGEyvjeP4&feature=related Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassatnight Posted November 13, 2011 Author Share Posted November 13, 2011 (edited) The pedulla are great but rarely come up second hand, pretty sure they are over £2.5k new. Mark Egan plays a buzz, wonderful tones. Edited November 14, 2011 by bassatnight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ikay Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 If you want something a little more individual how about an ACG? You can't have this one as it's mine [url="http://www.acguitars.co.uk/Gallery/237/"]http://www.acguitars.co.uk/Gallery/237/[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 It's worth looking out for a second hand Pedulla Buzz since the used ones are seriously undervalued. Mine was just over £1K and that was a little pricey compared with some I've seen. ACG is well worth checking out as well. The ACG01 filter pre-amp is a serious contender for Wal-like tones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
srza Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 (edited) I would recommend a custom bass by luthier from the Croatia, Joseph basses. These are excellent instruments. This is my 5 strings fretless. [URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/35/img20111114wa0000l.jpg/][IMG]http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/2484/img20111114wa0000l.th.jpg[/IMG][/URL][URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/585/photo3qd.jpg/][IMG]http://img585.imageshack.us/img585/9403/photo3qd.th.jpg[/IMG][/URL][URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/694/photo2au.jpg/][IMG]http://img694.imageshack.us/img694/8418/photo2au.th.jpg[/IMG][/URL][URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/803/photo4me.jpg/][IMG]http://img803.imageshack.us/img803/859/photo4me.th.jpg[/IMG][/URL][URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/338/photo1kaj.jpg/][IMG]http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/6215/photo1kaj.th.jpg[/IMG][/URL] Edited November 14, 2011 by srza Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretlessguy Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 I own a fretless Precision from the mid 90s. It's a great bass, and I imagine the Tony Franklin model would be great with that ebony fingerboard. However, if I lived on your side of the pond, I'd most likely try get a Wal (If I could afford one) , especially since I respected and enjoyed Mick Karn's playing with one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassatnight Posted November 14, 2011 Author Share Posted November 14, 2011 Anyone own a mk1 fretless Wal, seen one for sale for £1500 I am pretty sure they are passive? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M-N-Y Posted November 15, 2011 Share Posted November 15, 2011 Best fretless basses I've played among many,my friend Ed Poole's Wal Custom which is awesome. A Manne bass from Italy like the one in the photo below. This bass was truly awesome and an Ibanez Gary Willis bass (the cheaper black one) which for the money was stunning. Good luck with whatever you choose. [url="http://www.manne.com/pict/acoustibass.jpg"]http://www.manne.com/pict/acoustibass.jpg[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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