pmjos Posted March 29, 2016 Author Share Posted March 29, 2016 Thanks again. I have tried a couple of these open questions and each time I have always had a great response from BC members. I am lucky to have a PEB Ray fretless and a Rob Allen in the armoury. I wanted to canvas opinion because there is a hole in the sound palette for something to bridge the richness of the RA and the old school of the Ray. I have tried a couple of Wal's but incredibly they didn't grab me ( I know how is that possible - Philistine!) I have leanings now toward, Zon, Overwater and ACG. I love the look of the Diva but I haven't heard one for myself and pretty as they are they are closer to the RA I already have in terms of tone. I think want something that 'sings and growls'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 [quote name='pmjos' timestamp='1459252648' post='3014737'] I think want something that 'sings and growls'. [/quote] Multi-Coil ACG, if Wals don't take your fancy [quote name='pmjos' timestamp='1459252648' post='3014737'] I love the look of the Diva [/quote] They are gorgeous aren't they... those photos on Thomann should be X-rated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBus Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 [quote name='pmjos' timestamp='1459252648' post='3014737'] I think want something that 'sings and growls'. [/quote] As you are in Essex why not pop along to Status in Colchester and have a word with Rob and Dawn. Video below gives an idea of the sound from my S2 fretless. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UnhKyVahF4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ead Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 Eude in Croydon has a fretless ACG 5er (for sale on here actually). Sound chap and I'm sure would be happy to let you have a good try out if it's not too distant for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 [quote name='pmjos' timestamp='1459252648' post='3014737'] I think want something that 'sings and growls'.[/quote] I'm surprised that the suggestion of a Pentabuzz hasn't recieved comment! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dazed Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 Is the pentabuzz sustain largely down to the polyester coated fingerboard? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 [quote name='Kiwi' timestamp='1459302381' post='3015321'] I'm surprised that the suggestion of a Pentabuzz hasn't recieved comment! [/quote] I have to admit to this being a bass I know absolutely nothing about... ... looks great from a bit of googling though, very round. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 [quote name='Dazed' timestamp='1459305021' post='3015322'] Is the pentabuzz sustain largely down to the polyester coated fingerboard? [/quote] It's down to the hard rock maple through body neck, ebony fingerboard and the stainless steel rods inserted under the fingerboard. The polycoating adds to the singing character in the treble frequencies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 (edited) I'm sure someone will have mentioned it before and I'm equally sure that they're great instruments but I find the word 'buzz' in the Pentabuzz name very off putting. It's like calling it the Neckbow or the Badlycutnut. Edited March 30, 2016 by Cato Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ras52 Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 [quote name='Cato' timestamp='1459329510' post='3015417'] I'm sure someone will have mentioned it before and I'm equally sure that they're great instrumunts but I find the word 'buzz' in the Pentabuzz name very off putting. It's like calling it the Neckbow or the Badlycutnut. [/quote] My thoughts exactly! Pentabuzz - all five strings are too low! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pmjos Posted March 30, 2016 Author Share Posted March 30, 2016 [quote name='Kiwi' timestamp='1459302381' post='3015321'] I'm surprised that the suggestion of a Pentabuzz hasn't recieved comment! [/quote] I have heard but not played one. I know they come with a reputation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 [quote name='ras52' timestamp='1459335557' post='3015497'] My thoughts exactly! Pentabuzz - all five strings are too low! [/quote] Play one and you won't think about it any more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 (edited) Mark Egan thinks they're OK, that's a pretty sound endorsement. EDIT: unintended pun Edited March 30, 2016 by ezbass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
such Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 at last year's LBGS, in the quiet (good thing) corner next to the loos there was Michael Pedulla himself, and had a Pentabuzz with him. My friend who came down from Poland especially for the show, and who has a thing for high end basses (has some Zons, Mayoneses and is actually a Warwick endorser) tried it and the only thing he didn't like about it was the long wait. So he bought a second hand one from Basschat marketplace almost immediately. I tried it and loved it too, and I do want one in my future, but what I actually do on a fretless is making it sound more woody and thumpy, so not a perfect bass for that. What it does do though, it does best. I liked that Marleaux Diva at this year's show, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ead Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 [quote name='Cato' timestamp='1459329510' post='3015417'] I'm sure someone will have mentioned it before and I'm equally sure that they're great instruments but I find the word 'buzz' in the Pentabuzz name very off putting. It's like calling it the Neckbow or the Badlycutnut. [/quote] Badlycutnut - surely a great name for a band... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr.noisy Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 I stand by the Pentabuzz mentioned before. I am not a daily fretless player and currently don't own one, but last year at the LBGS I tried Pentabuzz and my life will never be the same. I dream about it ever since I took it to my hands. It was just totally incredible instrument, I never heard and never had in my hands anything that comes even close to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBus Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 [quote name='ead' timestamp='1459427989' post='3016452'] Badlycutnut - surely a great name for a band... [/quote] Did they not do the sig tune for that film About a Bass. Sorry couldn't resist. I'll leave now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrWalker Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 Which sound are you looking for? For the Jaco sound, the best fretless 5-string would be Jazz bass with epoxy coated fingerboard. The Pentabuzz has a very distinctive voice, lots of treble mwah from the coated fingerboard as well. Slightly more "modern" sounding than a Jazz bass with epoxy, I think. Then there's Tom Clement in US, he makes fantastic fretless basses. I have two, both have swamp ash bodies and one-piece maple necks with bloodwood fingerboards. They will mwah for hours on end without costing extremely much money. Tom's fingerboard leveling makes the action go super-low, which allows for just as much mwah as you could possibly request. On mine I cut the nut low enough to allow the open strings to mwah as well. It ridiculous. I own (or have owned in the recent past) all of the aforementioned instruments, so I know these things for facts. :-) I have heard excellent reviews of both Roscoe and Zon fretless basses. There are a ton of basses out there than will be world-class fretless basses. There's no such thing as "the best", since it all depends on your preference. The world's best fretless players all play different basses.... :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 (edited) If you are buying "off-the-peg" then you can't go far wrong with a Pedulla Pentabuzz. The only improvement you can make to it is to replace the supplied pre-amp with an ACG EQ01. Edited December 13, 2016 by BigRedX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzjames Posted April 3, 2016 Share Posted April 3, 2016 (edited) http://youtu.be/bGqmoWH-t1c Check out the sound of this fretless. Very deep and punchy. It's pretty close to a musicman 5 to my ears. EDIT. I see you already have a pre EB stingray, but perhaps a 5er version or a sabre to change it up a bit? Neither of them sound exactly like a stingray. Edited April 3, 2016 by Jazzjames Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SisterAbdullahX Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 I owned a Pentabuzz and it was absolutely gorgeous, a fabulous sounding bass. If money were no object, however, and I wasn't useless on fretless, an F Bass AC5 would be my instrument of choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpcMnk Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 I've owned a Buzz for a while and they are truley amazing! However, sold it and now am very, very happy with a La Fey Pangton. It does that JB thing but also a deep dark tone, and a very Chrystal clear sounds as well. Even unplugged it growls. Yeah, the other two.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madiskubu Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 Zon Legacy Elite Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daflewis Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 (edited) +1 for the warwick thumb NT, played mine for 25 years! EDIT! As RedRedX has mentioned, the AGC EQ01 is superb for fretless - should have mentioned that there is one fitted to my warwick! you can hear it here if it helps... (direct into desk) [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEcaVg13FF8"]https://www.youtube....h?v=jEcaVg13FF8[/url] Edited December 13, 2016 by daflewis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daz39 Posted December 15, 2016 Share Posted December 15, 2016 Ibanez Portamento is very nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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