Fretless bass survey

[cetera]

I have two fretless basses in my vast instrument collection which I don't have occasion to play that often, and usually just for my own pleasure, but I love them when I do!

I own a 1982 Wal Mk1 and a 1989 Pedulla Buzz. Probably two of the finest brands and models of fretless ever made. That'll do me!

[simonlittle]

2 minutes ago, ezbass 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).

I was wondering what they were! 

[ezbass]

4 minutes ago, cetera said:

I own a 1982 Wal Mk1 and a 1989 Pedulla Buzz. Probably two of the finest brands and models of fretless ever made. That'll do me!

That’ll do - sorted 👍

[Stub Mandrel]

12 minutes ago, simonlittle said:

I was wondering what they were! 

 

They connect to a shock coil. If you slap, you get zapped.

 

😁

[Beedster]

56 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".

 

Good thinking, I'll edit accordingly 👍

[Steve Browning]

2 hours ago, ezbass said:

They make a great sounding fretless.

 

Thanks. I'm hoping so, with the Nordstrand/Stinger combination.

[drTStingray]

4 hours ago, Beedster said:

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?  

I’ve got two fretless basses:-

 

1) 1993 Stingray 4 string, 3 band EQ, in what they used to call sunburst, but later honeyburst. Has a crazily figured neck, pau ferro fretboard. Purchased in 2010.

 

2) 1992 Stingray 5 fretless in blueburst - also with a crazily figured neck. Has a rosewood fretboard also with striped figuring. Purchased in 2023 or so. 

 

Ive played both in gigs - I find the 5 string more of a handful to achieve good intonation. The 4 string was used in every gig for a period of about 3 years whilst I was in a rockabilly band. 
 

I play both of them sometimes at home - however I find I need to play them for a couple of hours to start to get the best out of them! Probably just down to me and my poor technique habits being displayed more readily on fretted than fretless. 
 

Stingrays make superb fretless basses (well fretted as well 😀)

[Mykesbass]

My Shuker 5 string has been my main bass for 13 years now. Dabbled with others, but nothing has ever ended up being used in anger. I have a 4 string fretted bitsa P bass that I may pure a mute on and use it on a couple of numbers in my new band.

[Hellzero]

I'm definitely a fretless player, wanna proof?

 

Check this...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And a lot are missing...

[WinterMute]

Some lovely basses there fella.

 

I have 2 fretted and 2 fretless currently, my main fretless is a beautiful ACG Krell 5 string Alan built to my spec a few years ago, it's a work of art, seen here with it's fretted brethren.

 

 

 

[Linus27]

As a kid growing up in the 80's, fretless was right at the forefront for me, despite at the time not knowing it was a thing, I vividly remember listening to Sting and Paul Young thanks to my older sisters playing 80's music throughout the house day in day out. When I picked up the bass in the late 80's, one of my goals in life was to become a competent fretless bassist and these days, for the last 10 years, I've only played fretless. Only recently have I had to buy a fretted bass for a new project but it was super hard going back to a fretted bass with all those messy lines and dots all over the place, playing unlined fretless is so much easier.

 

I've had 14 fretless basses in total and currently have 3 really good ones. Below are what I have or have had.

 

Fender Japan 62RI Fretless Jazz x4

Fender Japan 60's Classic Fretless Jazz x1

Fender Japan 60RI Fretless Precision x1

Fender Japan Precision with Fretless Status Graphite Neck x1

Fender Mexican 70RI Precision with Custom Maple Fretless Neck x1

EBMM Stingray SR4 with Fretless Pau Ferro Neck x1

EBMM Stingray SR4 with Fretless Rosewood Neck x1

Warwick Streamer Jazzman Fretless x1

Limelight 60RI Fretless Jazz x1

Squire VM Jazz Fretless x1

Unknown Fretless Bass x1

 

I am super tempted to buy the cheaper Pino fretless as I think it would be fun to have in the collection.

 

Here's a few pictures from what I can find quickly.

 

 

 

Edited 3 hours ago by Linus27

[snorkie635]

39 minutes ago, Hellzero said:

I'm definitely a fretless player, wanna proof?

 

Check this...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And a lot are missing...

 

39 minutes ago, Hellzero said:

I'm definitely a fretless player, wanna proof?

 

Check this...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And a lot are missing...

Frankly, I'm surprised you noticed. 😂

[Hellzero]

There's one pictured after it's been fretted, I need to put the correct photo and name all of them...

[snorkie635]

1 minute ago, Hellzero said:

There's one pictured after it's been fretted, I need to put the correct photo and name all of them...

Well get on with it man - and don't let it happen again.

[ezbass]

54 minutes ago, Hellzero said:

 

 

I had the fretted version of this, IMO, the best colour MM ever did.

[Rosie C]

1 hour ago, Hellzero said:

Check this...

 

 

 

 

I don't know what this is, but I love it!  💙

 

Edited 2 hours ago by Rosie C

[Hellzero]

2 minutes ago, Rosie C said:

 

I don't know what this is, but I love it!  💙

 

It's a Takamine TB-10. 😉

[Russ]

Meet Scarlett - my Maruszczyk Frog 6-string fretless: 

 

She sounds as good as she looks... if you go to the BC Bands thread, there's a live video of my band in there, and I play it on a couple of the tunes.  

 

You can see a bit of her sister, Skye, next to her there - same, but fretted and with a blue colour scheme. I was the first person to specify a Frog with the ceruse-stained quilted ash, Delano Xtenders and coloured hardware. Based on what I've seen on their FB page, Adrian & co have made quite a few other ones since - I need to have a word and get him to call a Frog with that combination of features the Frog RW or something. Make it a signature bass.  

Edited 2 hours ago by Russ

[Mediocre Polymath]

I started playing bass when I was 15. I got my first fretless when I was about 20, I think – pulled an 80s Yamaha from a literal heap of battered old instruments in a pawnbroker in Plymouth. I've always had a fretless and a fretted bass since then. I played fretless almost exclusively for a few years in my early/mid 20s, then set it aside for quite a long time because I couldn't get on with the instrument I had (a Warwick Corvette), but wasn't able to admit to myself that the new fretless I'd paid so much money for wasn't my thing.

 

I made my own fretless bass about four years ago and have been playing that probably 60-70 percent of the time since. As an answer to a potential follow-up question – I prefer a lined fingerboard.