Fretless Acoustic Bass - Recommendations?

[NJE]

Hi all,

Just wondering if anyone out there has any recommendations for a fretless acoustic bass? Just to set the scene a guitarist friend and I are thinking of doing some acoustic arrangements of classic pop tunes with a girl singer and he will obviously be on acoustic and spanish and I want something that is not a electric bass.

I was thinking about a NS Design NXT but they are expensive new and I cant find a used NS EUB anywhere so thinking about a fretless acoustic instead.

I have been around a few makers I know but not many seem to make a frteless model, either that or I am just not finding the bit where it says 'available fretted or fretless'.

Can anyone suggest any particulars models on a rough £3-400 budget?

[Clarky]

Try halving your budget and buy Beedster's Eko acoustic. Looks the part (very gypsy), big bodied and sounds quite DB-ish as acoustic basses go. £200 including gigbag and K&K pickup. Bargain!

[Happy Jack]

Then you can spend the £200 you save on a Fishman Platinum Pro to run it through ...

[Clarky]

Ooops, apologies. Appears it sold last week

[NJE]

ooh you big tease! ha ha. Would have been a nice option, currently looking at some Ibanez acoustics but noone seems to stock any and they look a bit plastic. A few Tanglewoods and Takamine's about but all fretted which is annoying.

[Clarky]

This would be cool [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/OZARK-ELECTRO-ACOUSTIC-RESONATOR-FRETLESS-BASS-GUITAR-JAH-1114-/350512304468?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item519c295154"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/OZARK-ELECTRO-ACOUSTIC-RESONATOR-FRETLESS-BASS-GUITAR-JAH-1114-/350512304468?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item519c295154[/url]

[Mykesbass]

I stocked this when I had a music shop and was very happy with it once I'd put flats on. Did need to re-cut the nut to take them though:

http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?q=crafter+fretless+acoustic&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=8029952272476562405&sa=X&ei=CdrcTpPYG4KzhAeazaS0Cw&ved=0CFgQ8wIwAw

[Mykesbass]

[quote name='Mykesbass' timestamp='1323096756' post='1459191']
I stocked this when I had a music shop and was very happy with it once I'd put flats on. Did need to re-cut the nut to take them though:

[url="http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?q=crafter+fretless+acoustic&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=8029952272476562405&sa=X&ei=CdrcTpPYG4KzhAeazaS0Cw&ved=0CFgQ8wIwAw"]http://www.google.co...ved=0CFgQ8wIwAw[/url]
[/quote]
[quote name='Clarky' timestamp='1323096635' post='1459190']
This would be cool [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/OZARK-ELECTRO-ACOUSTIC-RESONATOR-FRETLESS-BASS-GUITAR-JAH-1114-/350512304468?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item519c295154"]http://www.ebay.co.u...=item519c295154[/url]
[/quote]

Woah!! Forget the last post - Ozark didn't do a fretless version of this when I was trading but I did have a fretted version and it was incredible! Don't think it would suit what you are looking for though.

[apa]

When I was looking for a fretless acoustic the major stumbler was the fact that they all seemed to be short scales!! I believe the crafter is? The only two I found that where not silly money were the Ashbury and the Harley Benton. I plumped for the HB and just skipping over the minor details of the side dots being in the fretted position and the neck strap button was on the Lefty side Its actually not a bad little number. Strung with GHS Black Nylons it has a very woody sound. I was actually sold on the Youtube vids of it.

A

[throwoff]

Warwick do a RockBass Alien which is a very nice bass for the money.

Gear4Music have them at 366 listed although it states for some reason they are discontinued (they are definately not)

Fishman sonicore p/up and pre plus an ebony board.

[Mykesbass]

[quote name='apa' timestamp='1323099998' post='1459253']
When I was looking for a fretless acoustic the major stumbler was the fact that they all seemed to be short scales!! I believe the crafter is? The only two I found that where not silly money were the Ashbury and the Harley Benton. I plumped for the HB and just skipping over the minor details of the side dots being in the fretted position and the neck strap button was on the Lefty side Its actually not a bad little number. Strung with GHS Black Nylons it has a very woody sound. I was actually sold on the Youtube vids of it.

A
[/quote]

The Crafter is 32"

[Nodd]

Another vote for the Eko,
I have an old one and I fitted it with a K&K transducer (for a lot less than a Fishman)
no pre-amp just plug it straight in and off you go.
I have used it with an ancient set of bronzewounds...sounded great
and currently with Rotosound black tapewounds...maybe a little less great,
both high on the DB thump and mwah, yet still pings on harmonics.
Bit of a handful for longer gigs with that fat body but ....
Nodd

[razze06]

Epiphone zenith?

[Beedster]

Clarky and Nodd are on the money with the EKO. I only sold mine to part fund a Takamine B-10. The guy who bought the EKO raved about it after his first rehearsal, saying it was very DB-like; but to be honest, if he sold it, I'd probably buy it back, it's so unique sounding and stylish on the eye. I think the problem with acoustic fretless is that the variability is huge, and you really need to know what sound you're after before buying. Some I've played sound very thin and weak, very few do what the EKO can do, i.e., powerful DB-like tone. And then you've got the risk of feedback feedback versus being able to hear yourself on stage problem!

Good luck

C

[NJE]

Im interested in the Warwick Alien Korean but cant seem to find anyone who sells them, Thomann only do the really expensive one. The bass will be amplified so it needs to have a good plugged in sound but no real need for it to be loud acoustically.

Still toying with an NS Design Wav or NXT as it would look great in a trio and I have always fancied an upright, new challenge and all that....

[Dr H]

+1 for the Eko (I have a fretless) - see here for an excellent example by a fine player (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03dkeziYLAY)

[throwoff]

[quote name='NJE' timestamp='1323180686' post='1460181']
Im interested in the Warwick Alien Korean but cant seem to find anyone who sells them, Thomann only do the really expensive one. The bass will be amplified so it needs to have a good plugged in sound but no real need for it to be loud acoustically.

Still toying with an NS Design Wav or NXT as it would look great in a trio and I have always fancied an upright, new challenge and all that....
[/quote]

Sorry bit out of time, I will PM you!