RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 It was half fretted / half fretless. We're they any good?!we're not talking Billy Sheehan quality playing here , but possibly 2 basses in one Anybody done it ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alyctes Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 Like an Ibanez Ashula? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE Posted January 29, 2016 Author Share Posted January 29, 2016 It was made by gender iirc, with red LEDs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmo Valdemar Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 It was a standard active Fender Jazz apart from the upper octave being fretless. It also had a 12th inlay LED and a laser LED on the headstock IIRC. Pretty sure it was a custom job for Cronos, not released for the public. There was a company doing a similar thing that advertised heavily in Bass Player a few years later but the name escapes me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 IIRC Wal did something similar for a while... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrevorR Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 [quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1454065448' post='2965929'] IIRC Wal did something similar for a while... [/quote] Not as a standard offer. I just about do seem to recall someone did once order a half fretted neck as a special though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrevorR Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 [i]"When Charvel first started, I went out there and saw a bunch of nice alder bodies, and I hung them on wires and tapped them until I found the one that really resonated. So I took that body to John and we made a bass out of it. It's kind of my Frankenstein.[/i] [i]"I've got first-generation EMG pickups on it. Also, I have two sets of Precision pickups, and I have them where Jazz pickups would've normally gone. But I reversed their position, which totally evens things out. In redoing the neck, we had to strip the frets off, and we ended up replacing them with mandolin wire, which is very small fret wire. We didn't know if it would work, but it turned out great. So that's been my main bass since about 1983."[/i] I've often wondered how Lee Sklar's Frankenstein Bass apporach would work... replacing the standard fret wide with the thinnest gauge mandolin wire you could find... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacDaddy Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 Are we talking about Cronos from Venom? [attachment=210933:download.jpg] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE Posted January 29, 2016 Author Share Posted January 29, 2016 Yep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassman68 Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 (edited) I seem to recall Wilkes doing a half fretted/half fretless back in the 80's, where the E & A strings were fretted & the D & G were fretless? I imagine the 'Cronos' idea being a bit 'clankey' to play if your playing style isn't clean, besides the intonation issues, probably why I don't like soloing much on fretless basses.. Edited January 29, 2016 by Bassman68 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 Isn't there a 6-string with four fretted strings and the D and G strings repeated as fretless? So it's E A D G D G with the bottom four fretted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudewheresmybass Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 Feline guitars used to do something similar iirc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alyctes Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 [quote name='tauzero' timestamp='1454095500' post='2966476'] Isn't there a 6-string with four fretted strings and the D and G strings repeated as fretless? So it's E A D G D G with the bottom four fretted. [/quote] Yes, that's the Ashula. I should have explained its layout earlier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leschirons Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 [quote name='MacDaddy' timestamp='1454074923' post='2966154'] Are we talking about Cronos from Venom? [attachment=210933:download.jpg] [/quote] I wouldn't want to play one of his basses in case he hadn't been wearing underpants. Puts a whole new twist on buckle rash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
66Dave Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 (edited) I had that Jazz Deluxe customised for Cronos when I was working for the Arbiter Group, Fender's distributor. The defret was done in our workshop and SimS LED fitted a pair of red eyes at the 12th position, and a rifle sight laser in the headstock. The headstock was finished in black with a Cronos logo. I was and am a big Venom fan and it was great to work with Cronos. We did a photo shoot at the London Dungeon.... Great days! Edited January 30, 2016 by 66Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor J Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 This one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPBass Posted September 8, 2016 Share Posted September 8, 2016 I recall seeing this bass in 'Bassist' magazine when he had it done I guess. For some reason it stuck in my head and my memory was telling me they were available to the public and over the years I've had the odd (obviously)fruitless search. After reading 66Dave's post I can see why now ( duh :-/ ) He uses the fretless part for nothing more than slides down the neck. They were a 'kin crazy outfit, non musicians with real anarchy appeal. It's a shame Fender never released that Jazz bass, it would be quite a bit of fun. Check this out mwah ha ha ha ha https://youtu.be/4bmBF17jBEs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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