Three String Fretless anyone?

[tazza1]

How about this then - anyone tempted?

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Bass-guitar-Fretless_W0QQitemZ180476896473QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV?hash=item2a0542e4d9"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Bass-guitar-Fretless...=item2a0542e4d9[/url]

Must be a steal considering how rare three string basses are.
To add to the rarity it's fretless too!!

"The guitar comes with three strings as the fourth string is optionally used. The seller is not responsible for any damages that may occur during postage. None refundable." - I think he's covering all bases (sorry for the pun) just in case the postman re-strings it with a full set on his rounds.

Edited March 8, 2010 by tazza1

[Protium]

"The guitar comes with three strings as the fourth string is optionally used"

Where can I buy a set of 3 strings then?

[The Bass Doc]

[quote name='Protium' post='768199' date='Mar 8 2010, 04:50 PM']"The guitar comes with three strings as the fourth string is optionally used"

Where can I buy a set of 3 strings then? [/quote]

Actually I could supply a 3-string set (Hartke) but as they are rarer than the common 4s, I'd be looking for £35.00 incl.

[JMT3781]

Haha its the low E thats missing... not one of the important strings then!

[hubrad]

Not a BCer then?

[MB1]

MB1.
...Free Allen Key?....Whats he done this time?

[throwoff]

The low E is missing!?

I really hope its not some kid who has given up because he cant play anything on it!

[robocorpse]

The thing is, he wants 59 quid for it, I have seen those "Shine" basses for 39.95 new in the box. They truly plumb the depths of horrific cheapness, matched only by the MDF telecaster I saw a couple of years ago.

[Marky L]

3 strings? Wow!! Why so many? I'm lucky if I even get to use two!!

[yorick]

The E is only an extended thumb rest anyway.

[Annoying Twit]

[quote name='robocorpse' post='769219' date='Mar 9 2010, 01:43 PM']The thing is, he wants 59 quid for it, I have seen those "Shine" basses for 39.95 new in the box. They truly plumb the depths of horrific cheapness, matched only by the MDF telecaster I saw a couple of years ago.[/quote]

As the owner of a "Shine" bass, can I point out that this is a "Swift" bass, distributed by "Swift Music of London". It clearly says Swift on the headstock. Shine basses get better reviews than Swifts, and I think my Shine six string is well worth the £60 I paid for it. It's the same bass as has been sold as the Harley Benton six string.

[robocorpse]

[quote name='Annoying Twit' post='769355' date='Mar 9 2010, 04:03 PM']As the owner of a "Shine" bass, can I point out that this is a "Swift" bass, distributed by "Swift Music of London". It clearly says Swift on the headstock. Shine basses get better reviews than Swifts, and I think my Shine six string is well worth the £60 I paid for it. It's the same bass as has been sold as the Harley Benton six string.[/quote]

Oops my bad, I meant Swift, but Shine stuff aint much better IMHO.

[tazza1]

[quote name='Annoying Twit' post='769355' date='Mar 9 2010, 04:03 PM']As the owner of a "Shine" bass, can I point out that this is a "Swift" bass, distributed by "Swift Music of London". It clearly says Swift on the headstock. Shine basses get better reviews than Swifts, and I think my Shine six string is well worth the £60 I paid for it. It's the same bass as has been sold as the Harley Benton six string.[/quote]

I was recently watching a Shine Telecaster style bass on the Bay which sold really cheaply - it looked really nice & I wish I'd had a punt on it now.
I was given a Swift fretless electro-accoustic bass by someone who had bought it for their lad as a starter bass & the "setup" was truly awful.
It's been sitting in my garage with a heavy weight on it to get the horrific bow out of the neck but I'm not holding out much hope (I don't think the truss rod works!).

[hubrad]

Actually I'm quite disappointed with this.. I remember a Tony Levin interview in Bass Player mag years ago, in which he had accepted MusicMan's offer of a bass 'anything you want' and had gone for a custom 3 string. There followed one of those lists '10 reasons for TL choosing a 3 string bass'.. my favourite was "why more?" even though I was already hooked on 5 by then. Could be a tempting custom job there, p'r'aps go for a modal or fifths tuning..

[hubrad]

[quote name='tazza1' post='769445' date='Mar 9 2010, 05:05 PM']I was recently watching a Shine Telecaster style bass on the Bay which sold really cheaply - it looked really nice & I wish I'd had a punt on it now.
I was given a Swift fretless electro-accoustic bass by someone who had bought it for their lad as a starter bass & the "setup" was truly awful.
It's been sitting in my garage with a heavy weight on it to get the horrific bow out of the neck but I'm not holding out much hope (I don't think the truss rod works!).[/quote]
Why do we, as a country, insist on still importing the cheap cr*p just because the factories still make it? You can get decent inexpensive which won't put beginners off so WHY?

[waynepunkdude]

Swift are the worst basses ever made I'd rather try to play human faeces with my teeth than pick up another one of those.

In this case it probably wasn't suppose to be fretless their factory probably forgot to put them on.

[tazza1]

[quote name='hubrad' post='769496' date='Mar 9 2010, 05:53 PM']Why do we, as a country, insist on still importing the cheap cr*p just because the factories still make it? You can get decent inexpensive which won't put beginners off so WHY? [/quote]

Yes you're right there is no excuse these days with a good choice of decent quality inexpensive instruments - there are even schemes to help young kids or their parents buy them. I well remember when I started playing the awful guitars & basses that were the only ones we could afford (even then we relied on a friendly shop owner to allow us illegal credit - if it wasn't for him I wouldn't be playing now!). Things like Jedsons & Zentas where you used to cut your fingers on the bridge adjustment screws & the fret ends & you could never set the intonation on them or keep them in tune. Now those same Jedsons & Zentas are increasing in price - madness. If you were lucky you eventually got hold of a third or fouth hand Antoria or Kimbara. Wish I still had my Antoria SG!!

Edited March 10, 2010 by tazza1

[robocorpse]

[quote name='hubrad' post='769496' date='Mar 9 2010, 05:53 PM']Why do we, as a country, insist on still importing the cheap cr*p just because the factories still make it? You can get decent inexpensive which won't put beginners off so WHY? [/quote]

The people who are importing this rubbish are not musicians and dont give a hoot who buys it, as long as they can shift units. Anyone who is a musician and does actually have a conscience should not be involved with this crap, same as all the "Harley Benton/Jim Harley/Stagg" stuff that flooded the market a few years back. Now the standard has slipped again, and we are well into the realms of MDF bodies and neck woods so cheap that Bryant and May would reject them. Just like the early 70s all over again. MONEY MONEY MONEY MONEY MONEY ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME. THats why when something truly great comes along (old Tokais, Grecos etc) it is quickly squashed, then becomes collectable as the Squiers and Tokais were head and shoulders above the tosh that F* and G* were turning out in the 70s. I noticed loads of really shoddy Gibsons round in the last few years, maybe the whole industry is taking a nosedive, and widening the gap between well built playable guitars, and the rest, even if it has a 4 figure pricetag. I returned the last new Les Paul I bought as the binding wasn't scraped properly, the fret ends were hanging out, and the fingerboard looked as dry as the Sahara.

[MB1]

MB1.
...Last time i had a Good Shine!...I couldnt get the Seat down!.

[throwoff]

[quote name='tazza1' post='770249' date='Mar 10 2010, 01:18 PM']Things like Jedsons & Zentas where you used to cut your fingers on the bridge adjustment screws & the fret ends & you could never set the intonation on them or keep them in tune. Now those same Jedsons & Zentas are increasing in price - madness.[/quote]

+1

Its like those airline guitar. They were renowned as being poor quality garbage that they couldnt even sell
Now they are worth big money!?!?
Sense - this makes none!

We have an old Antoria LP at home that me dad had as a boy. And its fairly poor but the stories my dad told me about the crap he could of bought instead at the time it makes me apreciate my Washburn XB120 I started on/

[hubrad]

[quote name='MB1' post='770464' date='Mar 10 2010, 02:44 PM']MB1.
...Last time i had a Good Shine!...I couldnt get the Seat down!.[/quote]
[attachment=44543:ibiza.jpeg].....?

[MB1]

[quote name='hubrad' post='770494' date='Mar 10 2010, 03:03 PM'][attachment=44543:ibiza.jpeg].....? [/quote]

MB1.
..Shine?...No Sorry!..I'll have a "T" please Bob!

[Annoying Twit]

Humph. As an owner, I'm entirely unconvinced that Shine basses deserve the reputation they seem to have on this thread. The same thing happened in the thread where I mentioned I'd bought it. There was quite a lot of negative sentiment, until someone popped up whose first bass was a Shine 5 string. And he said that it was a very good bass for the money, and it had stood him well. The Harmony Central reviews, which I checked at the time, are mostly good. E.g. [url="http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Electric+Bass/product/Shine/SB-26SN/10/1"]http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews...ne/SB-26SN/10/1[/url] The Harley Benton which is the same bass also has good reviews. Not stellar reviews, but certainly not "piece of junk" reviews. [url="http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Electric+Bass/product/Harley+Benton/HBB600TBK/10/1"]http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews.../HBB600TBK/10/1[/url] Mine certainly does not have an MDF

I know some six string players who are very experienced and consider Shine guitars to be a little known secret. Again, the reviews agree with them.

It's not just here, I've seen elsewhere as well that Shine don't have a good reputation, but I can't see what justifies it.

All these comments about going back to the era of MDF. Can't see it. What do we have in the squier range now? The Vintage Modified and Classic Vibes. Certainly I've heard many, many, comments that these are very decent basses, not just for the price, but even compared to "the real thing". And a classic vibe Jazz can be had for £220 + postage.

[waynepunkdude]

Agreed.

Swift on the other hand are just junk.

[MB1]

MB1.
Mate of mine bought a Shine 5 string off Evilbay and it was particularly dreadful!.. so much so it was impossible to set it up!(i took it to a luthier) it had also been stored in a damp warehouse which works wonders for electrics!...definately a try before you buy with these!....if you must.