Advice on Ibanez Fretless Basses

[vincbt]

I’ve been looking for a while to get myself a sub 1k unlined fretless bass.

 

All in all, Ibanez seems to be a happy middle with a few interesting options in the price range I have in mind.

 

I have found 3 basses that I could get, but as I’ve never owned one before, I was hoping to get some advice on the difference between their vintage and modern offers from people who have tried one or more of these.
 

From the cheapest to the most expensive I found:

 

- a 1979 passive Roadster RS800

 

- an SRF700 Portamento

 

- a 1978 Musician MC940

 

Each one is about 200eur more expensive than the previous, the Portamento is near me so I could go pick it up and try it, but the others are a bit far.

 

My other basses are a Warwick Thumb and a P Bass for context.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

 

[Sambrook]

I have a Portamento, it's awesome.

So versatile. I've owned a Roadster (fretted) , a great bass, but heavy, and I believe the Musicians are heavier still.

I've had my Portamento 5 or 6 years; I've tested far more expensive, high end fretless basses during that time, and none of them came close to unseating the Ibanez. Buy with confidence!

[PaulThePlug]

@vincbt... post some pics of ya new SRF700 Portamento when ya get it! 😄

[Linus27]

The SRF700 Portamento is supposed to be fab. It's a bass I want to get at some point as I've only read great things about them.

 

The musician is also supposed to be superb and a lot of bassists used them in the 80's, both fretted and fretless. Meant to be heavy and the fretted version I had briefly until someone snapped the neck was heavy.

[alyctes]

There is also the SRH500, semi-acoustic. 

https://www.thomann.de/gb/ibanez_srh500f_nnf.htm

[Beedster]

This this this........ 

 

 

[tauzero]

I've got the 5-string version of the Portamento and it's excellent. Plenty of tonal variation to be had and very playable. 

[vincbt]

10 hours ago, Beedster said:

This this this........ 

 

 

Unfortunately I can’t get that one from where I am but there is a similar one I found. Is it heavy? Does it balance ok?

[police squad]

1 hour ago, vincbt said:

Unfortunately I can’t get that one from where I am but there is a similar one I found. Is it heavy? Does it balance ok?

mine's 10 pounds and 2 ounces. Balances fine

[Highfox]

Haven't tried the other basses, but do have a fretless MC-940. Been with me the longest out of all my basses, rarely play fretless these days but one I'd still grab if needed. Mines fairly heavy as well, guess around the 4.5kg mark, but balances nicely.

 

Enjoy the hunt.

[lownote]

The Portamento isn't truly unlined, it has stub lines.  Which is really handy above the 12 fret, but slightly defeats the object of being unlined.... whatever that is  

[Beedster]

21 minutes ago, lownote said:

The Portamento isn't truly unlined, it has stub lines.  Which is really handy above the 12 fret, but slightly defeats the object of being unlined.... whatever that is  

I hate lines and dots, they make me look down when I'm playing. If I don't have either I use my ears and maintain far better visual contact with the band and audience. Changes the complexity of what I play at times, but that's no bad thing 🤔

[2pods]

I'd love a Portamento.

I get a bit lost on my SRH500, as the fret lines are black.

It sounds great, though it would be good to have the option of the magnetic pickups too 

[vincbt]

1 hour ago, Beedster said:

I hate lines and dots, they make me look down when I'm playing. If I don't have either I use my ears and maintain far better visual contact with the band and audience. Changes the complexity of what I play at times, but that's no bad thing 🤔

That’s true, but the MC I found seems to have the same configuration…

 

[Russ]

Had a Portamento a few years back. Nice bass, but I could never get it to "growl" or "mwah" in the way a good fretless should. The lack of a midrange EQ control was probably a big part of that.

 

I'd be interested to hear one with upgraded electronics. The stock stuff just wasn't very good. 

[Linus27]

On 03/07/2022 at 13:48, lownote said:

The Portamento isn't truly unlined, it has stub lines.  Which is really handy above the 12 fret, but slightly defeats the object of being unlined.... whatever that is  

I believe the dots and lines are also in the same place as where they would be on a lined fretless, so technically making it a lined fretless. The Ibanez SR500F on the other hand I believe has the side dots on the lines so technically making it an unlined fretless but with lines.

 

 

 

[vincbt]

After a week down with Covid, last night I found the time to drive down to try the Portamento, and I ended up taking it back with me. The MC940 was already gone so that made my choice a bit easier. I’m still not fully convinced by the pick-ups, but the piezo + playing on the board gives a very nice upright sound that works well for me! Just need to find the right strings now…

 

[Sambrook]

57 minutes ago, vincbt said:

Just need to find the right strings now

La Bella white nylons - all day and all night.

I've tried half a dozen different types of string on my Portamento, and all sound really good. The La Bella's,to my ears, have the perfect balance for the magnetics and the piezo. 

[bartelby]

1 hour ago, vincbt said:

After a week down with Covid, last night I found the time to drive down to try the Portamento, and I ended up taking it back with me. The MC940 was already gone so that made my choice a bit easier. I’m still not fully convinced by the pick-ups, but the piezo + playing on the board gives a very nice upright sound that works well for me! Just need to find the right strings now…

 

 

 

I had a Portamento for a while, I loved everything about it apart from the Bartolinis. 
 

 

[vincbt]

I was looking at this the other day and put it in the back pocket for future use...

 

 

[Linus27]

In the comments, 

9 hours ago, vincbt said:

I was looking at this the other day and put it in the back pocket for future use...

 

 

In the comments he says he actually went back to the Barts.