barryastley Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 Hi guys, first off I am new to basschat so be gentle! I am looking to buy my first fretless 4 string bass and would welcome any and all suggestions/recommendations. I've played fretted bass for several years now, never that successfully but then I'm not really looking to become the next JPJ, it's more of a hobby than a way of life to me (apologies to those of a religious disposition for my blatant blasphemy). I have about £350 or so in the kitty, so to me that suggests used Mexi Fender/Aria something or other/Squier Jaco-style 'vintage modified' Jazz plus change, but I am entirely open to new suggestions. The basses that I currently own are both very much mass market far East-produced ones retailing around the £200 mark (Precision copy and Warwick-esque Vintage), and whilst I have nothing against any of that I would like to own a higher quality instrument, and something that would easily make its money back if I really don't get on with fretless and pack it in after a few months! I tend to play stuff between obscure alt and Queens of the Stone Age; fretless might seem an odd choice but I think it would suit my playing style. One other important point is that I'm looking for a [u]lined fingerboard[/u], otherwise I'd be completely lost! MTIA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
throwoff Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 Have you considered a cheap fretted and doing the conversion? I did it with my Washburn and have no experience or patience but I am very happy with the result. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len_derby Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 Hiya, I've got a Yamaha BBN4F III. Passive 4-string fretless with lined fingerboard. Great build quality and I'd personally recommend anything from Yahama. The model is discontiued now, but I picked mine up for a couple of hundred. I don't know where you're based but you're welcome to come and try mine. Just be aware, based on previous posts of a similar nature you're likely to get replies telling you that you don't need a lined fingerboard yadda yadda...even though that wasn't the question you were asking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mart Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 You don't need a lined fingerboard. Yadda yadda yadda. Seriously though, I've always found that the dots on the side are more useful than lines on the board. But I guess you need to try it out for yourself (assuming you haven't already done so; apologies if you have!) If you actually like your Warwick-esque Vintage, then look around and you can probably find a 2nd-hand German Warwick for around £300/£350. Only problem is that it probably won't be lined. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highfox Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 I had a very brief flirtation into fretless, found out pretty quick I lacked the talent to be confident with it. I'd say it's a good idea that you invest in an instrument that will get you most of your money back if you don't get on. I was a fool and modded my instrument with expensive parts which I got no return on once I sold it on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kerley Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 Squier VMJ (used) If you don't get on with fretless, or want to later change to unlined after realising you don't need them*, you should pretty much get back what you paid as they always seem popular. Or for higher quality, the used Warwick suggestion sounds good (apart from no lines!) (*Sorry, couldn't resist) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brensabre79 Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 I'd try and go with something similar to what you're used to playing. i.e. if you have a precision copy, get a fretless precision/copy or if you use the warwick more, then go for similar - it just makes the transition easier and means you don't get confused if swapping between songs. Having said that the Squier VM series are fetching almost as much secondhand as they are new at the moment, and I'm not surprised about this because they are very good! I wouldn't be amazed if these get discontinued soon , or changed to an affordable Fender badged range instead. I'm sure MIM Fender sales have been affected by the VM Squiers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mornats Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 [quote name='brensabre79' timestamp='1331309907' post='1571231'] I'd try and go with something similar to what you're used to playing. i.e. if you have a precision copy, get a fretless precision/copy or if you use the warwick more, then go for similar - it just makes the transition easier and means you don't get confused if swapping between songs. [/quote] +1 to that. You may find that you can naturally finger the notes at the right position due to muscle-memory from playing your fretted bass. It could really help with the transition. Mind you, on saying that, I've got a fretless without lines that's very different from my main fretted bass and it wasn't as hard as I thought to get used to it. The only real difficulty I have is when there are two notes between the dots rather than one (i.e. between frets 9 and 12) as it's harder to judge the right distance. To hit the 6th fret you just go halfway between the 5th and 7th dots - fairly easy, but judging one third of the way between frets is hard imo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattM Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 I'd buy a SUB and defret at that kinda budget. But I'm a 2EQ MusicMan geek... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gub Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 i got my mij fender jazz off here for £300 its unlined and am really pleased with it , did in a brief fit of madness put it back for sale but then realised i would miss it too much , it was my first go at fretless too and am glad i went with unlined as took to it straight away ,only down side is i get a bit lost after the 12th fret but dont play up there much any way so not a big drawback! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mart Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 [quote name='gub' timestamp='1331320228' post='1571475']....only down side is i get a bit lost after the 12th fret but dont play up there much any way so not a big drawback! [/quote] I think I played fretless for about 15 years before starting to hit the 12th fret, and even now I rarely go above the 15th. But there are some nice sounds to be had up there - try it out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d_g Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 I got my first fretless on an impulse a few years ago, a secondhand MIM Jazz for about £300. I didn't play very much at first but recently have been using it with a pop band and it sounds great, especially recorded! I've added a Gotoh bridge and some foam under it and couldn't be happier, I'll link some tracks I recorded last week with it when I get them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 I love the sound of a fretless Precision myself. Try before you buy on the VMJ though - the ebanol fingerboard is a bit like marmite (I hated it). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomRichards Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 I am going to recommend finding something with a 7.5 to 9 inch radius. For some reason these are easier to play and learn on. I've had a few fret less over the years and the flatter fingerboards just didn't seem to really feel or play as smoothly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barryastley Posted March 11, 2012 Author Share Posted March 11, 2012 Thanks very much for all the responses, all very helpful! Throwoff - I did indeed think about my own conversion, and I think it would be great apart from the fact that all of my DIY projects are, well, unfinished! Len_derby - Thanks, would like to, but it's a bit of a trek from SE London. I have seen a few used Yamahas for sale online but the ones I saw all had cheap looking bridges like on my dirt cheap P copy, kinda put me off a bit. Highfox - buying cheap and modding crossed my mind, but I decided it would probably end up as another money-wasting doomed project, it's kind of reassuring that you advise against it Kerley, Brensabre79 - Squier VMJ is tempting, I've read pretty much nothing but praise for them, but I haven't decided if they are just good instruments or good instruments [i]at that price[/i]. I'd like to hear from anyone who has the experience to compare one to a MIM jazz to see what noteworthy differences (if any) there are. Also if anyone has any relevant sound clips I'd love to hear them, especially of a fretless precision. Once again, thanks for all the help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brensabre79 Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 hi Barry, re: Squier VMJ - When I got my VMJ I already had a 1990s Fender MIA Deluxe Jazz bass and a 79 Musicman Sabre, I originally got the VMJ as a spare for £200. Then I played it and the American basses stayed at home! I'm not saying every one of them is as good as mine, but my MIA Jazz is a beauty to play and so is the VMJ. Now I have modified the VMJ quite a bit from the original to be honest, but the important part for me was the neck - everything else is easy to come by and to fit but a good neck is not. I have changed the hardware, the pickups and the electronics over time and I now feel that I have a bass that is not only better to play than the MIA, but has better hardware and pickups too. That said, the hardware and pickups on the VMJ are perfectly adequate (and no worse than a MIM), and the mods were done over a period of 6 months. Everything apart from the Wizard pickups was secondhand off eBay. If you decide to get a VMJ, you will love it but you will probably want to upgrade some of it, but it still won't cost as much as a MIM Fender! Theres a reason Fender has also now started making basses in the far east factories that make the Squiers, the same reason they started making Fenders in the japanese Squier factories many years ago. Those Squiers are now highly sought after and I wouldn't be surprised if the CV and VMJ ones are too in a few years. my only regret? I don't have the original bits from the VMJ any more so mine won't be worth diddly squat! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mornats Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 [quote name='barryastley' timestamp='1331496336' post='1573820'] Also if anyone has any relevant sound clips I'd love to hear them, especially of a fretless precision. [/quote] Maybe not all that relevant but this is my Bass Collection SB320 fretless, rolled fully onto the P pickup and with Rotosound Trubass nylon strings on it: http://soundcloud.com/mornats/mystery-and-magic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LemonCello Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 I have a lined P bass copy for sale in the basses section with a new gigbag for the princely sum of £125. I learned how to play fretless on it and it's remarkably good. If you don't want to take a chance with lots of cash then I'm willing to bet you'd get your money back on this if you don't get on with it. Cheers, LC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ras52 Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Hi! I've found that unlined are pretty hard to come by, so I don't think you'll have a problem finding a lined bass. Other than that... I'll echo what's been said: ebanol is like Marmite. (Although I love Marmite and hate ebanol!). And try to get something that's like your current bass, otherwise you may find there are too many different parameters to which to adjust. (I had that problem when I got my Hohner B2V as my first as so far only 5-string: Eek, it's got an extra string! + Eek, it's got no head! + Eek, it's got no body! = 2 Eeks too many!) Enjoy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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