Looking for a cheap fretless short scale bass?

[Baloney Balderdash]

So it seems like there are not a lot of short scale fretless basses around, but if I can find a decent one within my budget limit I sort of ponder on buying one in the near future.

I'll like it to be max 30" scale length, preferably be a 4 string, and my budget limit would be about 400£, but I'd prefer cheaper, as long as it is still decent (I would suspect a pickup upgrade down the line being necessary anyway in this kind of price class).

Does such a bass exist?

All suggestions are welcome.

Edited October 24, 2020 by Baloney Balderdash

[mr4stringz]

Downside is with this you’ve got to dig the Hofner violin style. Seem to be plenty who rate the HB stuff, no experience of this myself though. Regardless, it definitely ticks the ‘cheap’ box...

https://m.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_beatbass_fl_vs_vintage_series.htm?o=5&search=1603610928
 

[Aidan63]

I defretted a a J&D mini Jazz bass, and that worked pretty well; you could (or have done by somebody else) the same thing to any of the many available short scale basses; or commission a builder to make you a replacement fretless neck for one, find the instrument that you like in fretted form first and then either defret or make a replacement neck

Edited October 25, 2020 by Aidan63
spelling

[Happy Jack]

11 hours ago, Baloney Balderdash said:

I'll like it to be max 30" scale length ...

You'll be struggling if you try to find anything shorter than that!