Ibanez GWB1005 Gary Willis Signature Fretless Bass >> £2,300
£2300
LEICESTER

Bassfingers · Friday at 19:57

Very reluctant sale here of this lovely high end Ibanez GWB1005 Gary Willis Signature fretless bass.

This is a brilliant instrument; ridiculously light for a 5 string (around 3.5kg), beautifully made, ergonomic, comfortable and effortless to play. I’m only selling because it's not getting played as often as it deserves (and I really need to raise some funds for a new car).

As you probably know, this is a precision-crafted, high-performance fretless 5-string bass built to Gary Willis' exact specifications. Handmade by master luthiers at Sugi Guitars in Japan, only a limited number are produced each year. Each bass is personally hand-signed by Gary Willis on the electronics cover.

There are some nice touches on this bass. I wasn’t sure I would get on with the finger ramp (which is detachable) but I really like what it did for my R hand technique. The tuners are another Gary Willis innovation, as was the bespoke Bartolini pickup which mimics the fingerboard radius. Lovely lined ebony fingerboard too. The action goes very low indeed.

This is easily the nicest bass I’ve played / owned. However, I’m generally more of a P bass player, so this doesn’t come out of the case anywhere near as often as it should. The GWB1005 usually retails at between £3.5 – 4K, and there’s a waiting list.

The bass is in excellent condition. Being picky, there are just a few very light string indentations to the neck, but nothing affecting playability or sound.

She's currently wearing a set of TI flats, but I will include the set of rounds it came with (D'Addario EXL165-5), which deliver more MWAH. Comes with a generic Gator hard case.

I’m only listing this for a couple of weeks on Basschat, at what I hope is a reasonable price for such a lovely bass. If it doesn’t sell, it will then be heading to the BG or BB.

The bass is located in East Leicestershire. Potential buyers are welcome / encouraged to come over and try it out. I am not keen to post this bass, but if that is a deal breaker, I'm open to discussion. Also happy to consider a meet up. As noted above, I’m having a few transport issues at the moment, but could manage a 20 - 30 mile radius of Leicester.

The pictures below were taken in a friend’s photography studio. I’ve included an additional photo I took today with my Basschat name and the date.

No trades on this one I’m afraid and the price is more or less firm.

More information on the GWB1005

The bass features a lightweight, two-piece swamp ash body with a natural finish, it has a 3-piece maple neck, with an ebony fretboard. A specially designed Bartolini bridge pickup, exclusive to this model, ensures a transparent and highly responsive sound. The NTBT active 2-band EQ allows precise tone shaping, with a push/pull volume knob for active/passive switching.

Innovative Playability: A key feature is the Gary Willis-designed detachable finger ramp, providing enhanced right-hand control for consistent articulation and fluid playability. The low action and 16.5mm bridge string spacing contribute to its comfortable and ergonomic design.

Exceptional Sound: The GWB1005 delivers a natural, "woody" tone with a deep and articulate low B string. Its tonal versatility makes it suitable for a range of genres, particularly jazz, fusion, and modern groove-oriented styles.

Premium Hardware: Equipped with Gotoh tuners featuring custom Sure Grip buttons, the bass allows for precise tuning adjustments. The 34" scale length and 45mm nut width ensure balanced tension and comfortable fretting.

Built to Gary Willis' exact specifications, the Ibanez GWB1005 is a refined instrument offering superior craftsmanship and attention to detail. With its handcrafted build, custom electronics, and ergonomic features, it is an excellent choice for professional bassists seeking a premium fretless experience.

neck type GWB3pc Maple neck

top/back/body Swamp Ash body

fretboard Ebony fingerboard Off-set white dot inlay

fret Fretless

bridge Std. bridge

string space 16.5mm

bridge pickup Bartolini® GWB bridge pickupPassive

equaliser Bartolini® NTBT 2-band EQ w/Eq bypass switch (push/pull)

factory tuning 1G, 2D, 3A, 4E, 5B

hardware color Black

NECK DIMENSIONS

Scale : 864mm/34"