Short scale fretless options

[dannybuoy]

15 minutes ago, Storky said:

Gold Tone M-Bass25FL Fretless Acoustic-Electric MicroBass

 

That’s on my short list, but was struggling to find one in stock for a good price anywhere!

[skelf]

More pics in the Affiliates section.

 

[Jus Lukin]

-

Edited March 15, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[fretmeister]

Sandberg Lionel fretless

 

 

[ezbass]

8 minutes ago, fretmeister said:

Sandberg Lionel fretless

 

 

😍

[Basilpea]

On 23/08/2021 at 14:14, skelf said:

More pics in the Affiliates section.

 

Hoots mon there's a moose........

[Obrienp]

About 4 months ago I commissioned my friendly local luthier to make a 32” fretless neck for my (fretted) Ibanez SRH500. Unfortunately he is so busy, with a custom short scale build for me among other commissions, that he hasn’t got round to it yet.

 

I thought long and hard about this, before deciding that this would be cheaper than buying a new chambered fretless, or having one made. You can pick up a used SRH500/505 for not much money, so doing this might work out cheaper than buying a new bass, or getting a custom build. No reason why the neck shouldn’t be a 30”, although I thought it might look a bit unbalanced, even though the body is relatively small (width) for a full size bass.

[Owen]

[Obrienp]

On 25/08/2021 at 10:09, Obrienp said:

About 4 months ago I commissioned my friendly local luthier to make a 32” fretless neck for my (fretted) Ibanez SRH500. Unfortunately he is so busy, with a custom short scale build for me among other commissions, that he hasn’t got round to it yet.

 

I thought long and hard about this, before deciding that this would be cheaper than buying a new chambered fretless, or having one made. You can pick up a used SRH500/505 for not much money, so doing this might work out cheaper than buying a new bass, or getting a custom build. No reason why the neck shouldn’t be a 30”, although I thought it might look a bit unbalanced, even though the body is relatively small (width) for a full size bass.

Well this never happened. After the first rush of enthusiasm from me and taking into account the full order book of the luthier, I decided it was not a cost effective option. In fact the neck would have cost more than I just got from selling the SRH500, so it really wasn't worth it.

 

That puts me in the market for a short or medium scale, fretless acoustic, or hybrid electro-acoustic of similar calibre to the SRH500 Aerium. I see that Warwick do various versions of their Alien acoustic bass in a 32". I quite like the look of the hybrid, slim bodied version with the Nanoflex pickup system (mag in the neck and piezo bridge). Does anybody have experience of these Warwick acoustic basses?

 

On a similar theme: this is my first and probably last (given my age and state of arthritis) venture into fretless. Would the panel recommend going for a lined fretless, or just one with dot side markers? Also given arthritis in my left hand: do fretless basses require significantly more finger pressure to get a clean note, or is it marginal?

[Sambrook]

54 minutes ago, Obrienp said:

Also given arthritis in my left hand: do fretless basses require significantly more finger pressure to get a clean note, or is it marginal?

I have mild arthritis in my fingers, and haven't found fretless to be a problem. In fact, lighter pressure gives more 'texture' to the note...

[Obrienp]

4 minutes ago, Sambrook said:

I have mild arthritis in my fingers, and haven't found fretless to be a problem. In fact, lighter pressure gives more 'texture' to the note...

Thanks. That is reassuring.

[skelf]

New model is finally done. See affiliates section. Demos to follow shortly.

Edited May 4, 2022 by skelf

[eude]

You have to check this out!

 

[Owen]

Yep, that looks pretty dangerous.

[scrumpymike]

5 minutes ago, eude said:

You have to check this out!

 

Great bass, great video! You'd need a fairly light touch though!

[eude]

17 minutes ago, scrumpymike said:

Great bass, great video! You'd need a fairly light touch though!

With those particular strings I guess.
I think they're LaBella tapes which are pretty low tension, I'm sure you could pop some higher tension stuff on there, but the play in the strings gives a bit of a Double Bass vibe to my ears.

As much as I'm looking forward to hearing the fretless version, my bank account is worried about how things might pan out...

[Storky]

As the owner of three Rob Allen’s, that ACG looks great!

[Storky]

On 10/08/2021 at 23:54, dannybuoy said:

 

That’s on my short list, but was struggling to find one in stock for a good price anywhere!

I just got the 25” scale fretless from Bax Music. 

[Owen]

44 minutes ago, Storky said:

As the owner of three Rob Allen’s, that ACG looks great!

I suspect that Mr Skelf is going to corner the UK RA market. All power to him.

[ezbass]

2 hours ago, Owen said:

I suspect that Mr Skelf is going to corner the UK RA market. All power to him.

I feel a day trip to the Borders might be on the cards for me.

Edited May 13, 2022 by ezbass

[Owen]

Oh dear. A Deep 5 alike might create issues for me.

[eude]

There's another one, this time with a mag pickup instead of the piezo.

 

 

[eude]

OK, this is the one I was waiting for!
Shortscale, fretless with a chambered body and piezo pickups.
My wife would kill me if she could read my mind right now!
 

 

[ezbass]

1 hour ago, eude said:

OK, this is the one I was waiting for!
Shortscale, fretless with a chambered body and piezo pickups.
My wife would kill me if she could read my mind right now!
 

 

Dammit! Now I'm in trouble 😬🤩

[Frank Blank]

2 minutes ago, ezbass said:

Dammit! Now I'm in trouble 😬🤩

 

I think there's a whole group of us in trouble. As soon as I have my two Jabba basses these are next on my list for checking out.