Looking for a sub-£500 fretless

[ras52]

Hi All,

The main things on my wish list are a something with a passive P/J config, and a fretless. Re the former, I was impressed playing a Yamaha BB424 recently, and was dismayed to see that apparently they don't do a fretless version.

However, I've seen some positive noise re. the RBX170, which is available fretless, and at about 1/2 the price of the BB424 I'm tempted to otrder one online unseen.

Any other recommendations for a fretless in the sub-£500 bracket? My preferences are for passive and traditional styling, but they're not cast in stone.

Cheers!
Richard

[iconic]

I thought Yamaha made BB414F's...fretless BB414 being the model before the BB424?

I may have dreamt that but..

[iconic]

Hang, they don't make a BB414F, but they do make a BB614F which is the active version....

[ras52]

[quote name='iconic' post='1041014' date='Nov 29 2010, 12:12 PM']Hang, they don't make a BB414F, but they do make a BB614F which is the active version....[/quote]

Hm, Yamaha's website shows the BB614 as discontinued, although Chappell's are advertising it. And if the BB424 has replaced the BB414, maybe that means that a BB624 is around the corner... although the BB614 is active and pricier :-(

(My problem with actives is when I've had them in the past I've spent a long time fiddling and not getting what I want.)

[DaveB]

What about one of these, i've heard good things

[url="http://www.basscentre.com/fretless-bass-guitars/squier-vintage-modified-jazz-bass-fretless.html"]http://www.basscentre.com/fretless-bass-gu...s-fretless.html[/url]

[ras52]

[quote name='DaveB' post='1041504' date='Nov 29 2010, 06:57 PM']What about one of these, i've heard good things

[url="http://www.basscentre.com/fretless-bass-guitars/squier-vintage-modified-jazz-bass-fretless.html"]http://www.basscentre.com/fretless-bass-gu...s-fretless.html[/url][/quote]

Mm, definitely worth a look, thanks! I'm a bit of a Fenderphile so that could do the trick - although price-point wise it'd be tempting to jump to the Mexican Fender.

[Grand Wazoo]

Best fretless I have tried recently was a Cort Curbow totally reccommended with a Bartolini pickup!! And ebanol fingerboard.

[url="http://www.imuso.co.uk/Bass-Guitars/7649-/Cort-Curbow-4FL-Fretless-Bass-Guitar-Mystic-Ice-Crazer?utm_source=googleproduct"]http://www.imuso.co.uk/Bass-Guitars/7649-/...e=googleproduct[/url]

check it out

Edited November 29, 2010 by Grand Wazoo

[ead]

I bought an RBX270F on evilbay a couple of years ago for £90. Really liked it and am now in the process of upgrading it rather than buying another bass. I like the neck, the balance, the general quality, the playability and the fact that it cost me s@d all!

Upgrades change that though but really looking forward to the RBX270F "special"....

[fatback]

Bassassin seems to be offering a Yamaha bb400s fretless from the 80s.

I'd be all over it if I didn't have a beauty already

oops - Just noticed you were after a p/j config and the 400s is a p.

Edited November 30, 2010 by fatback

[lettsguitars]

of course, you could always get somebody to build you a custom. i offer a basic setup for £500 with a satisfaction guarantee, or your money back. no paint jobs though, just natural handcarved exotic wood. checkout my current build diary if you're interested, titled 'from log to axe. . .'

[ras52]

Thanks for the input folks. I tried a Cort and liked it a lot - even tho' it was active, and the guy in the shop couldn't tell me what the switch did :-O The styling's a bit too extreme for my liking though.

Anyway, I was leaning towards the Squier when this BB350F popped up:

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270672594776"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=270672594776[/url]

which I snapped up after a couple of Qs to the seller.

It's got roundwounds on it at the moment, so now I move on to the which-flatwounds? dilemma...

[goblin]

Second hand warwick corvette?

[martthebass]

[quote name='goblin' post='1044356' date='Dec 1 2010, 09:18 PM']Second hand warwick corvette? [/quote]

Think that's probably where I'd go.

Alternatively used Sandberg Basic (seen a few go around £4-500) - the Delano pickup seems to suit fretless nicely.

Also a few CIJ Fender 62 Fretless reissues have passed through the board recently at £4-500 which would be well worth a punt.

[fatback]

[quote name='ras52' post='1044334' date='Dec 1 2010, 08:57 PM']Thanks for the input folks. I tried a Cort and liked it a lot - even tho' it was active, and the guy in the shop couldn't tell me what the switch did :-O The styling's a bit too extreme for my liking though.

Anyway, I was leaning towards the Squier when this BB350F popped up:

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270672594776"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=270672594776[/url]

which I snapped up after a couple of Qs to the seller.

It's got roundwounds on it at the moment, so now I move on to the which-flatwounds? dilemma...[/quote]


Nice one. Great value.

Why not try Elixir coated? Kind to the board, but plenty mwah

[goblin]

[quote name='martthebass' post='1044911' date='Dec 2 2010, 12:17 PM']Think that's probably where I'd go.

Alternatively used Sandberg Basic (seen a few go around £4-500) - the Delano pickup seems to suit fretless nicely.

Also a few CIJ Fender 62 Fretless reissues have passed through the board recently at £4-500 which would be well worth a punt.[/quote]

Yeah, got my Corvette for £350 'cause the guy on ebay put "Fretless Warwick Corvette" and that was it, but we saw the 2 piece bridge and asked him for the serial number, and it was genuine German built. Bargain of the century It's certainly one of the nicest fretless basses i've ever played.

If you can find one, the Guild B302F is a really nice one too!

[ras52]

I went for Thomastik-Infeld Jazz Flats, as they seem to have a lot of fans here. Fortuitously they arrived the same day as the bass, and I'm a happy bunny with mwah to spare!