I always thought (before the Squier VM arrived) that the vintage v940fl was the best budget fretless.
there was the Yamaha rbx260 (?) fretless too, but that wasn’t as cheap...
The left is a bb350f from about 1987, the right is a bb414 with a 2024x pickguard from about 2004/5 with a mad bridge.
Yet to be in shot is the bb1100s due on Tuesday
That’s my thought - it’s literally an internal factory movement sticker. From shaping to sanding to sealing to paint to buffing etc - all controlled by barcoding since the late 90’s.