MrSpace Posted May 16, 2022 Share Posted May 16, 2022 Just ordered one of these. https://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_b_450fl_bk_progressive_series.htm My other bass is a Washburn XB100 (P-style fretted I bought 25-odd years ago while at university). Fancied giving fretless a try but didn't want to commit too much of the hard-earned just in case I don't like it. Thoughts / advice for a beginner? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paolo85 Posted May 16, 2022 Share Posted May 16, 2022 From what I have seen from videos it would seem it is amazing value for money at least in terms of sound. I also love the active-passive switch: I have two slightly more expensive basses and they do not have it. Let us know if playability turns out to be good. I am a beginner myself so nothing to teach. People say pay attention to fretting-hand posture as it helps intonation, I found this to be good advice. Also I am finding that "vomit" exercises (sliding up and down a scale with a drone playing the tonic) help. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrSpace Posted May 16, 2022 Author Share Posted May 16, 2022 Thanks, I'll give the vomit exercises a try - although I might try to think of another name for them... 🤮🤣 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paolo85 Posted May 16, 2022 Share Posted May 16, 2022 After sliding up and down a string for 10 minutes you'll find the name is appropriate😁 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrSpace Posted May 25, 2022 Author Share Posted May 25, 2022 Parcel from Thomann due for delivery today 😁 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rasher80 Posted May 25, 2022 Share Posted May 25, 2022 2 hours ago, MrSpace said: Parcel from Thomann due for delivery today 😁 I've got a fretted 5 string version of the same bass, for the price I paid for it I can't fault it (not being a 5 string player - it's my first one!) Happy NBD - hopefully! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrSpace Posted May 25, 2022 Author Share Posted May 25, 2022 I considered getting the 5 version of the fretless (it's actually cheaper than the 4) but in the end I decided that learning to play a 5 and a fretless at the same time was too big of a step! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paolo85 Posted May 25, 2022 Share Posted May 25, 2022 1 hour ago, rasher80 said: I've got a fretted 5 string version of the same bass, for the price I paid for it I can't fault it (not being a 5 string player - it's my first one!) Happy NBD - hopefully! Hi @rasher80 may I ask you out of curiosity how is the neck in terms of chubbiness and what is the string spacing at the bridge? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrSpace Posted May 25, 2022 Author Share Posted May 25, 2022 It's arrived, and I can make noises with it. So that's a good start. Not as different to playing fretted as I thought it would be, although I definitely have a lot of work to do on my intonation (understatement of the year). Huge amount of tonal variation possible with the active electronics - haven't played much with passive mode yet but I can confirm that it works. As the van arrived with the package, "So What" (Miles Davis) came on the radio, so I guess its a sign, I will have to try and learn that now LOL. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paolo85 Posted May 25, 2022 Share Posted May 25, 2022 Very nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewblack Posted June 1, 2022 Share Posted June 1, 2022 I've the fretted version of this and it's excellent. I gig with it often. Congratulations! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrSpace Posted June 1, 2022 Author Share Posted June 1, 2022 Thanks. Almost a week with this bass, and I'm really enjoying playing it. I haven't done any setup on it at all, and it's basically fine. I am getting a little bit of buzz when fretting near the nut, so I will probably tweak the truss rod when I get some time. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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