knirirr Posted May 29, 2018 Share Posted May 29, 2018 Years ago I owned a budget copy of a Fender precision (I don't recall what brand), fretless, and with only dots on the side of the neck as markers. Eventually I sold it to buy a fancy electric upright, but now find the latter too big to store and move around my small house. So, I fancy switching back to a fretless bass guitar, assuming I can sell the upright to pay for it. Does anyone have any recommendations for low-mid priced fretless electric basses without the fret markers? I've been looking around for something like the first fretless I had (though I'd prefer a Fender Jazz, Gibson SG or Flying-V body) and can't seem to find much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CameronJ Posted May 29, 2018 Share Posted May 29, 2018 Are fret markers a definite dealbreaker? Ruling out fretlesses with lines/markers is shutting out a lot of quality basses... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EliasMooseblaster Posted May 29, 2018 Share Posted May 29, 2018 20 minutes ago, CameronJ said: Are fret markers a definite dealbreaker? Ruling out fretlesses with lines/markers is shutting out a lot of quality basses... ^ this. My first thought for low-mid priced would be the Squier VMs - they do a Jazz and a Precision, but the fret lines are standard. On the other hand, I know from experience that you might be able to pick up a second-hand Warwick-Rockbass Corvette for not much more, and that likely have a blank board. Gibson-style fretlesses seem to be like hen's teeth from what I've seen. Short of a stroke of good luck, I expect you'd have to look into a custom job for a fretless SG. Though, speaking of custom jobs, you could always nab yourself a loaded Jazz body and a fretless neck to bolt together - you could probably do quite well off Fleabay without having to spend too much. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EliasMooseblaster Posted May 29, 2018 Share Posted May 29, 2018 (edited) Edited - duplicate post Edited May 29, 2018 by EliasMooseblaster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CameronJ Posted May 29, 2018 Share Posted May 29, 2018 Currently a fretless Squier Precision and fretless 5 string Sire V7 (Jazz) in the classifieds here... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knirirr Posted May 29, 2018 Author Share Posted May 29, 2018 Thanks for your replies - I'll take a look a the various suggestions above, though I suspect that the basses in the classifieds here will sell before I am able to pursue them. Those Warwick basses don't look too bad, though. I'm not much of a fan of the look of the fret markers and prefer the position of the dots on the instruments I've had, so I'd probably want to stick with the same format. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilp Posted May 29, 2018 Share Posted May 29, 2018 Find a Cort B4FL. Unlined fingerboard, Bartolini pickups and preamp and great build quality. Also very light and plays beautifully, great mwah. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Blank Posted May 29, 2018 Share Posted May 29, 2018 Just PMd you. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted May 29, 2018 Share Posted May 29, 2018 Pick up the one you want : https://www.thomann.de/gb/fretless_basses.html?oa=pra 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CameronJ Posted May 31, 2018 Share Posted May 31, 2018 Just gonna leave this here: http://www.bassdirect.co.uk/bass_guitar_specialists/Cort_B4_OPN_FL.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knirirr Posted May 31, 2018 Author Share Posted May 31, 2018 Very nice! In addition to that, and an S/H offer above, I also found some promising components on Ebay as suggested by EliasMooseBlaster. Furthermore, a colleague mentioned that there's a local company who will do setups/assembly and so on, so it seems as if something will be available eventually. Assuming, of course, that there is someone out there who would find my upright of use to them! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drTStingray Posted May 31, 2018 Share Posted May 31, 2018 (edited) This is the one you need - I guess a used one could be called mid range price (£1000 ish) - they don't come up often - has markers on the top of the fretboard. Edited May 31, 2018 by drTStingray 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wambamalubop Posted May 31, 2018 Share Posted May 31, 2018 (edited) About a year ago I was looking for a fretless and went through a few basses to get a good one After trying and rejecting a Squier VM modified (didn’t like the non wood fingerboard), an American Pro (didn’t connect with it) I settled on a Sire Marcus Miller 4 string in Alder and rosewood. It’s taken me nigh on a year to get my tone, (my learning not the bass) and I love it. This has got fret markers covered in a varnish/epoxy, so a similar surface to Jaco’s diy fingerboard. The fret marks don’t look as cool as not having them, but this is a fantastic instrument for the money, under £500 Edited May 31, 2018 by wambamalubop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BreadBin Posted May 31, 2018 Share Posted May 31, 2018 One of these. Vintage V940 Active Bubinga... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiatcoupe432 Posted May 31, 2018 Share Posted May 31, 2018 https://www.thomann.de/gb/le_fay_remington_steele_4_pipe_fl.htm this is the one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bass V Posted June 3, 2018 Share Posted June 3, 2018 my only experience with fretless is my Peavey T-20FL and minus the single coil hum it is so awesome I don't need another fretless, but I wouldn't mind a Pedulla... LOL you should be able to snag a nice one for under $300US like I did. the thin rosewood fretboard really gives a sweet woodiness to the tones which may be unique. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knirirr Posted June 3, 2018 Author Share Posted June 3, 2018 1 hour ago, Bass V said: my only experience with fretless is my Peavey T-20FL and minus the single coil hum it is so awesome I don't need another fretless, but I wouldn't mind a Pedulla... LOL you should be able to snag a nice one for under $300US like I did. the thin rosewood fretboard really gives a sweet woodiness to the tones which may be unique. If this is it, looks quite nice: http://www.vintageguitar.com/3203/peavey-t-20/ Does yours have markings on the neck like that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bass V Posted June 3, 2018 Share Posted June 3, 2018 (edited) 25 minutes ago, knirirr said: If this is it, looks quite nice: http://www.vintageguitar.com/3203/peavey-t-20/ Does yours have markings on the neck like that? they're all exactly like that, no options for the FL, and over-engineered as are the T series basses yet not heavy like the T-40. just great axes. Edited June 3, 2018 by Bass V Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
therealting Posted June 3, 2018 Share Posted June 3, 2018 (edited) I have two fantastic unlined fretlesses in the Classifieds at the minute. Edited June 3, 2018 by therealting 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilp Posted June 3, 2018 Share Posted June 3, 2018 I have a nice Squier VM Jazz with an East J-Tone preamp that I might be persuaded to part with. Bought it on a whim and really like it, but I have a fretless Wal as well as the Cort, so the Jazz really doesn't get played very much. Immaculate nick, nice bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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