ead Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Thanks people. Might put my lined up F/S to see if there are any bites. I'll need to attemp to figure out a fair price first though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mornats Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 [quote name='ead' timestamp='1331885741' post='1580274'] I'm mortified as I've just re-read what I posted and saw I had omitted a couple of vital letters. I meant to say "...you[b]ng[/b] people..." not "...you people..." My apologies, not intending to personalise the comment in any way. In my defence my Mum was from Whitley Bay. [/quote] Haha no worries I was impressed that you'd not been fooled by my Bristol location! [quote name='ead' timestamp='1331885913' post='1580280'] On the off chance GAS gets the better of me (like I can resist ), what unlined fretless basses should I be looking for in the £200-250 bracket. Most of what I've seen on here and evilbay is well above my potential budget. [/quote] I got my SB320 for £200 off evilBay but you don't see many Bass Collections on there, especially not fretless ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry_B Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 [quote name='StraightSix' timestamp='1331889265' post='1580333'] Westone basses are available within that price range - here's a Thunder 1A: [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Westone-Thunder-I-A-Fretless-Bass-Guitar-Flat-Wound-Strings-Shipping-Case-/130651889185?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item1e6b759e21"]http://www.ebay.co.u...=item1e6b759e21[/url] This is the active, single pickup version of the Thunder III. Top quality, made in Japan by Matsumoku. More info here: [url="http://www.westone.info/indexthunderbass.html"]http://www.westone.i...hunderbass.html[/url] [/quote] Definitely worth it - amazingly good basses! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_5 Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Just finished building my VaJazzle fretless bass - Mighty Mite neck, East pre, EMG PUPs etc... absolutley LOVE it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ead Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 I've seen a Westone on evilbay that I'm now monitoring. Do they balance well on strap and lap as the top horn looks a lot shorter that on some other basses? How's the weight too? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretlessguy Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 Welcome Ancient Mariner, to the world of fretless. interestingly, I play fretless at church as well. I own several fretlesses. Some are lined, unlined, five string, and some four stringed. They have flatwounds, tapewounds, round wounds. They are quite habit forming. I have recently bought a Kala ukulele bass in fretless. Astounding... One thing for sure: They make you use your ears much much more. Playing in tune requires much more attention. In the end, the rewards are great and worth the effort. Happy Fretlessing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvia Bluejay Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 [quote name='fretlessguy' timestamp='1331952409' post='1581448'] One thing for sure: They make you use your ears much much more. Playing in tune requires much more attention. [/quote] I agree. And I'll go even further: playing a fretless - or even an upright - seems to make it slightly easier for me to pick the basslines I set out to find by ear, than when I'm working them out using a fretted. I don't know why that happens. Perhaps having to make sure that I fret the correct pitch - as well as making sure it's the same pitch I'm hearing in the song - makes my brain engage my musical ear to the max, and makes me more receptive than when I'm using the "lazy" fretted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StraightSix Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 [quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1331985221' post='1581697'] ...than when I'm using the "lazy" fretted. [/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StraightSix Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 [quote name='ead' timestamp='1331942309' post='1581399'] I've seen a Westone on evilbay that I'm now monitoring. Do they balance well on strap and lap as the top horn looks a lot shorter that on some other basses? How's the weight too? [/quote] I've not noticed any problems with balance. These tend to be a fair weight as they are very well made but the body is slightly smaller then 'normal' so nothing to worry about IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sambrook Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 The Thunder balances very well, but the shorter top horn puts the top end of the neck a bit of a stretch away. That's what I found anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ead Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 The stretch bit is fine, I'm 6'3" with a decent wing span Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarethFlatlands Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 Another convert here, I swapped my EUB which my tiny hands were struggling with for an old de-fretted Yamaha with plastic coated strings. After about a week or so practice with it I used it at a gig and loved it. It's so much more expressive than fretted IMO. I'm considering selling some stuff to release funds for a better one but selection is sadly limited :-( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassbluestew Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 Am about to take the plunge, picked one up in a music shop a few weeks back for a quick noodle and was amazed by how much easier it was than when I remember trying it in the past. And that was a 5 string too. Has anyone tried the Epiphone Zenith f'less of the Spector semihollow f'less ? S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mentalextra Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 [size=5][sub]Im in too. I was encouraged to pick up a bass in the first instance by listening to JJ burnell, but since the passing of Mr Karn (RIP) and his amazing lines, I have found a new love. It is an instrument with a beautiful soulful voice so expressive. I am enjoying learning bass all over again! [/sub][/size] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merlin Posted March 23, 2012 Share Posted March 23, 2012 Hi can I play... been off work now for three weeks ( ill, heart attack) I have 15 basses,they have all been out for a clean ect,the only one that I have not put away is an old Yamaha rb200f a great bass to play,and its staying out ! [sharedmedia=core:attachments:102379] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mentalextra Posted March 24, 2012 Share Posted March 24, 2012 [quote name='merlin' timestamp='1332516094' post='1589490'] Hi can I play... been off work now for three weeks ( ill, heart attack) I have 15 basses,they have all been out for a clean ect,the only one that I have not put away is an old Yamaha rb200f a great bass to play,and its staying out ! [/quote] Mine is identical. Actually was a good bass but I got it to defret. My problem is that where i am comfortable playing is right over the pups, and sometime I catch them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dark Lord Posted March 24, 2012 Share Posted March 24, 2012 Fretless is cool. Had a Warwick Fortress One, that I bought through here, for about a year or so. Just played it like a fretted bass - but kept on the move where I could. Was fine - was also unlined - sounded great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted March 24, 2012 Share Posted March 24, 2012 Played my first fretless gig last night with new band All The Queen's Ravens, using my Takamine B10. Loved it [attachment=103324:com_bCvGxcMxbp3TQ.jpg] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprocket123 Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 [quote name='ras52' timestamp='1326124810' post='1492581'] Lined, unlined, who cares? Jaco played lined, did he not? I like lined, it confuses the audience:-) [/quote] +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprocket123 Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 [quote name='Clarky' timestamp='1332627768' post='1591029'] Played my first fretless gig last night with new band All The Queen's Ravens, using my Takamine B10. Loved it [attachment=103324:com_bCvGxcMxbp3TQ.jpg] [/quote] That Takamine s a beauty Clarky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 [quote name='sprocket123' timestamp='1332635233' post='1591100'] That Takamine s a beauty Clarky [/quote] Rubbish picture of me playing it! [attachment=103326:IMG_0279.jpeg] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprocket123 Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 The sound must be special right Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprocket123 Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 It s one like taht , that I want a guitar builder to make me , but 6-string , it nails it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 [quote name='sprocket123' timestamp='1332635377' post='1591103'] The sound must be special right [/quote] Very DB-like but with more underlying 'beef' for want of a better word. A sound engineer who knew the band said afterwards that it sounded better than the the previous bassist's double bass (and he was a lot better player than me) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprocket123 Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 Cool then , but if you played bad , he wouldn t have said that ,right Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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