Best Fretless 5

[pmjos]

Thanks again. I have tried a couple of these open questions and each time I have always had a great response from BC members. I am lucky to have a PEB Ray fretless and a Rob Allen in the armoury. I wanted to canvas opinion because there is a hole in the sound palette for something to bridge the richness of the RA and the old school of the Ray. I have tried a couple of Wal's but incredibly they didn't grab me ( I know how is that possible - Philistine!) I have leanings now toward, Zon, Overwater and ACG. I love the look of the Diva but I haven't heard one for myself and pretty as they are they are closer to the RA I already have in terms of tone. I think want something that 'sings and growls'.

[CamdenRob]

[quote name='pmjos' timestamp='1459252648' post='3014737']
I think want something that 'sings and growls'.
[/quote]

Multi-Coil ACG, if Wals don't take your fancy

[quote name='pmjos' timestamp='1459252648' post='3014737']
I love the look of the Diva
[/quote]

They are gorgeous aren't they... those photos on Thomann should be X-rated

[BassBus]

[quote name='pmjos' timestamp='1459252648' post='3014737']
I think want something that 'sings and growls'.
[/quote]

As you are in Essex why not pop along to Status in Colchester and have a word with Rob and Dawn. Video below gives an idea of the sound from my S2 fretless.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UnhKyVahF4

[ead]

Eude in Croydon has a fretless ACG 5er (for sale on here actually). Sound chap and I'm sure would be happy to let you have a good try out if it's not too distant for you.

[Kiwi]

[quote name='pmjos' timestamp='1459252648' post='3014737'] I think want something that 'sings and growls'.[/quote]
I'm surprised that the suggestion of a Pentabuzz hasn't recieved comment!

[Dazed]

Is the pentabuzz sustain largely down to the polyester coated fingerboard?

[CamdenRob]

[quote name='Kiwi' timestamp='1459302381' post='3015321']
I'm surprised that the suggestion of a Pentabuzz hasn't recieved comment!
[/quote]

I have to admit to this being a bass I know absolutely nothing about...

... looks great from a bit of googling though, very round.

[Kiwi]

[quote name='Dazed' timestamp='1459305021' post='3015322']
Is the pentabuzz sustain largely down to the polyester coated fingerboard?
[/quote]
It's down to the hard rock maple through body neck, ebony fingerboard and the stainless steel rods inserted under the fingerboard. The polycoating adds to the singing character in the treble frequencies

[Cato]

I'm sure someone will have mentioned it before and I'm equally sure that they're great instruments but I find the word 'buzz' in the Pentabuzz name very off putting. It's like calling it the Neckbow or the Badlycutnut.

Edited March 30, 2016 by Cato

[ras52]

[quote name='Cato' timestamp='1459329510' post='3015417']
I'm sure someone will have mentioned it before and I'm equally sure that they're great instrumunts but I find the word 'buzz' in the Pentabuzz name very off putting. It's like calling it the Neckbow or the Badlycutnut.
[/quote]
My thoughts exactly! Pentabuzz - all five strings are too low!

[pmjos]

[quote name='Kiwi' timestamp='1459302381' post='3015321']
I'm surprised that the suggestion of a Pentabuzz hasn't recieved comment!
[/quote]

I have heard but not played one. I know they come with a reputation.

[Kiwi]

[quote name='ras52' timestamp='1459335557' post='3015497']
My thoughts exactly! Pentabuzz - all five strings are too low!
[/quote]
Play one and you won't think about it any more.

[ezbass]

Mark Egan thinks they're OK, that's a pretty sound endorsement.


EDIT: unintended pun

Edited March 30, 2016 by ezbass

[such]

at last year's LBGS, in the quiet (good thing) corner next to the loos there was Michael Pedulla himself, and had a Pentabuzz with him. My friend who came down from Poland especially for the show, and who has a thing for high end basses (has some Zons, Mayoneses and is actually a Warwick endorser) tried it and the only thing he didn't like about it was the long wait. So he bought a second hand one from Basschat marketplace almost immediately.

I tried it and loved it too, and I do want one in my future, but what I actually do on a fretless is making it sound more woody and thumpy, so not a perfect bass for that. What it does do though, it does best.

I liked that Marleaux Diva at this year's show, too.

[ead]

[quote name='Cato' timestamp='1459329510' post='3015417']
I'm sure someone will have mentioned it before and I'm equally sure that they're great instruments but I find the word 'buzz' in the Pentabuzz name very off putting. It's like calling it the Neckbow or the Badlycutnut.
[/quote]

Badlycutnut - surely a great name for a band...

[mr.noisy]

I stand by the Pentabuzz mentioned before. I am not a daily fretless player and currently don't own one, but last year at the LBGS I tried Pentabuzz and my life will never be the same. I dream about it ever since I took it to my hands. It was just totally incredible instrument, I never heard and never had in my hands anything that comes even close to it.

[BassBus]

[quote name='ead' timestamp='1459427989' post='3016452']


Badlycutnut - surely a great name for a band...
[/quote]

Did they not do the sig tune for that film About a Bass.

Sorry couldn't resist. I'll leave now.

[MrWalker]

Which sound are you looking for?
For the Jaco sound, the best fretless 5-string would be Jazz bass with epoxy coated fingerboard.
The Pentabuzz has a very distinctive voice, lots of treble mwah from the coated fingerboard as well. Slightly more "modern" sounding than a Jazz bass with epoxy, I think.
Then there's Tom Clement in US, he makes fantastic fretless basses. I have two, both have swamp ash bodies and one-piece maple necks with bloodwood fingerboards. They will mwah for hours on end without costing extremely much money. Tom's fingerboard leveling makes the action go super-low, which allows for just as much mwah as you could possibly request. On mine I cut the nut low enough to allow the open strings to mwah as well. It ridiculous.

I own (or have owned in the recent past) all of the aforementioned instruments, so I know these things for facts. :-)

I have heard excellent reviews of both Roscoe and Zon fretless basses.

There are a ton of basses out there than will be world-class fretless basses. There's no such thing as "the best", since it all depends on your preference. The world's best fretless players all play different basses.... :-)

[BigRedX]

If you are buying "off-the-peg" then you can't go far wrong with a Pedulla Pentabuzz. The only improvement you can make to it is to replace the supplied pre-amp with an ACG EQ01.

Edited December 13, 2016 by BigRedX

[Jazzjames]

http://youtu.be/bGqmoWH-t1c

Check out the sound of this fretless. Very deep and punchy. It's pretty close to a musicman 5 to my ears. EDIT. I see you already have a pre EB stingray, but perhaps a 5er version or a sabre to change it up a bit? Neither of them sound exactly like a stingray.

Edited April 3, 2016 by Jazzjames

[SisterAbdullahX]

I owned a Pentabuzz and it was absolutely gorgeous, a fabulous sounding bass. If money were no object, however, and I wasn't useless on fretless, an F Bass AC5 would be my instrument of choice.

[SpcMnk]

I've owned a Buzz for a while and they are truley amazing! However, sold it and now am very, very happy with a La Fey Pangton. It does that JB thing but also a deep dark tone, and a very Chrystal clear sounds as well. Even unplugged it growls.



Yeah, the other two..

[madiskubu]

Zon Legacy Elite

[daflewis]

+1 for the warwick thumb NT, played mine for 25 years!

EDIT! As RedRedX has mentioned, the AGC EQ01 is superb for fretless - should have mentioned that there is one fitted to my warwick!

you can hear it here if it helps... (direct into desk)

[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEcaVg13FF8"]https://www.youtube....h?v=jEcaVg13FF8[/url]

Edited December 13, 2016 by daflewis

[Daz39]

Ibanez Portamento is very nice.