Fretless bass survey

[Beedster]

Just interested really, there always appears to be a lot of interest when a fretless is up for sale here, but having looked around there are probably far fewer being manufactured that I'd assumed?  

Edited just now by Beedster

[BigRedX]

I got into playing fretless bass seriously about 20 years ago, and went through a lot of instruments before I settled on a custom-made Sei 5-string. Unfortunately the band that I was in that needed fretless bass parts folded about 6 months after I took delivery of the bass and it's not suited any of the bands I've been in since then. I think I used it one track on the Terrortones album, and as backing for the solo on the recorded version one Hurtsfall song. 

 

As a result I sold all my fretless basses including the custom Sei. It was a lovely instrument but it spent most of the pervious 10 years before I sold it in its case and I decided it would be better off with someone who was actually going to play it more often than once a year.

 

At the moment given the sort of music I'm playing I can't see the need for a fretless bass any time soon. If things changed and I did, I would probably be looking for a Pedulla Pentabuzz.

[snorkie635]

At one silly point, I had 6 fretless basses - lovely to look at and noodle upon, but I wouldn't have found much in our set to play them on. Sold two fivers, one sixer and a four and now have only two fivers left. 
There are many times I doubt my sanity.

[ezbass]

I think I’ve had 5 over the years, 2 of which were defrets. Currently just the 2 in the house, not including the EUB.

[pete.young]

Still got the Bass Collection SB325 that I got from you @Beedster however many years ago (I'd rather not think about that!)

[simonlittle]

(Not counting upright basses/EUB’s) I’ve had three fretless basses over the years; a no-brand cheapo precision bass, a lovely five-string Alembic Orion and a Warwick Thumb NT4. Ended up selling them all as they just weren’t needed on the gigs I was doing.

Really do miss having a fretless though. Wish I’d kept that Alembic!
I may have to remedy this situation in the near future…
 

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

About 30 years ago, I had a few lessons with a really nice bass tutor . He showed me his Wal ,and let me have a go on it .At the time , I wasn’t too familiar and thought they were a custom jobbie like mansons who were always mentioned in the uk mags at the time . 
 

This led to me purchasing a Vester custom bass . ( Copy of Warwick Thumb)  Other than the weight which we took for granted back then , the bass was superb .

Surprisingly I did very few Les Dawson impersonations, and was wondering what all the fuss was about . I even took it to a few rehearsals .

I’ve still got it . I purchased a nice headless made by mybass 8 or 9 years ago .  
 

I remember seeing in the uk mags that metal players don’t / shouldn’t play fretless 😮‍💨. Oh how times have changed . 
 

I don’t play much these days . I do wish I did purchase a Wal for obvious reasons 🙂

[Dad3353]

I was gifted an active six-string fretless by Our Eldest, several years ago now, but it has been 'confiscated' by Our Youngest. It has replaced his Cort five-string, and has been in regular use as his sole instrument ever since. He struggles, now, to use any of my four-string basses. I'm not sure that I agree that there are songs that 'don't suit' a fretless; he uses it exclusively for everything, and has quite a varied repertoire. 

Edited 2 hours ago by Dad3353

[TimR]

My fretless is a bass I defretted myself as an experiment. 

 

The neck was unstable, it still is. 

 

The electronics were noisy, they still are.

 

It's in the loft, so doesn't get played.

 

I've been tempted several times to get a proper one, but not pulled the trigger on anything yet. 

[Steve Browning]

I have played a fretless, on and off, for about 40 years. There have been times when I haven't owned one but now have 2,  with my SUB Stingray about to be converted to fretless, with a new fingerboard. That'll make it 3. 

[ezbass]

1 minute ago, Steve Browning said:

with my SUB Stingray about to be converted to fretless

They make a great sounding fretless.

[tauzero]

I used a fretless Sei Original 5 for my main bass for several years - switched back to fretted for the current rock covers band but do use fretless now and again when I feel like it, and take the fretless out as a backup bass. May switch back to fretless. I decided to use fretless for the originals band as it seems to fit better than fretted, trying using a 6-string fretless which seems to be working quite well.

[Stub Mandrel]

I used to use my fretless for a few songs at every gig way back when.

 

I rarely use it now, but once took it to a bluesfire gig and ended up playing a whole set using it.

 

As Dad says, you can play most stuff perfectly well on fretless.

[uk_lefty]

Aged 18 I got a fretless to upgrade from my Tanglewood beginners P bass. I used it as my sole bass all through my first gigging band and for some years later. I still have it almost 25 years later and it still gets gigged occasionally. I had a Warwick Korean made fretless for a while which sounded fantastic but I sold it when my 80s band folded, but it would have been nice to keep it as it had the most outrageous "mwaaaaahhh". I now own two fretlesses as I have the Harley Benton fretless jazz. This is also gigged occasionally and comes along as a backup quite often. While the music I play (covers) are not fretless bass recordings I always find a way to tastefully (???) add in some fretless when the mood takes me. I used it more as a "seasoning" than a main ingredient, it keeps me thinking and stops me getting bored.

[BigRedX]

Given that this is BassChat there probably should have been an option for "I used to own a fretless bass but I don't any more".

[Jackroadkill]

It's not something I've ever been interested in, somehow. 

[paul_5]

The vast majority of my playing is done on my fretless, but when needs must I’ve got a couple of others with those speed bumps on.

[Dad3353]

9 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

Given that this is BassChat there probably should have been an option for "I used to own a fretless bass but I don't any more".

 

... and 'I'm saving up to buy one, and hope to have enough soon.' 

[stu_g]

[stu_g]

My fretless collection 

[Jakester]

Always had at least one along with a fretted bass; recently decided I didn't need one at all, until I took it along to a new trio project thing I've been working on with friends, and now I realised it was absolutely perfect for that! 

[Newfoundfreedom]

I feel that the thread title will skew the results somewhat. 

 

If you don't play fretless you're far less likely to click on the thread in the first place. 

[police squad]

Have had a custom made Andy Crockett 5 string but sold it

Ibanez MC 940

and because of the Police tribute a natural and a red P bass.

sold the natural one but still have the red one, although it's got a fretted jazz neck on it atm, waiting to be painted gold sparkle for the U2 thing

Will put the fretless neck on body routed for p bass and MM pickups at some point

 

here's a pic of the custom bass. EMGs

 

Edited 18 minutes ago by police squad
picture

[obbm]

In the past I have had fretless MIJ Fender Jazz, a Godin A5 and a Rob Allen Mouse.  About 3 years ago I bought a Sterling SB14 which I had converted to fretless by Julyan Wallis, the Guitar Doctor. For a long time I never had the courage to play fretless live but eventually did it with my last band.

[ezbass]

13 minutes ago, stu_g said:

Slap plates! I remember them. When I did my first defret, I was tempted to leave the last fret or two in to offer this option (I didn’t eventually).