Best reasonably priced fretted ibanez to defret?

[Sarah5string]

After speaking to my luthier and mentioning my GAS for a fretless he's recommended getting an Ibanez (fretted) as the build quality is decent, and taking it to him to be fretted as it'd work out a fraction of the cost, plus the choice of fretless basses out there is more limited. I've been eyeing up ibanez basses for a while so him saying that has only compounded my GAS.
My question is can anyone recommend one? Would the SRs be ok to defret? I've no experience of defretting myself so not sure if there's anything in particular you need to be aware of...

[allighatt0r]

I'd say forget the Ibanez and get one of the Yamaha RBX series.

[Sarah5string]

I was looking at those actually.. they any good?

[lemmywinks]

Should be no different to any other bass i presume. D-basser did quite a nice job on this one, lovely danish oil finish too:
[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=91057"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=91057[/url]

You doing it yourself or getting a luthier to do it?

You are aware that there's 2 Squier VM fretlesses for sale on here at the moment?
[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=90604&hl=fretless"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=...amp;hl=fretless[/url]
[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=91051&hl=squier"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=...1&hl=squier[/url]

obbm's is a particular bargain at £140

[RussFM]

Why not just get an SR300FL?

[charic]

The obvious question that seems to be missing at the moment is:
what the budget?

Personally I don't get on with Ibanez, I want too as I think theyre lovely looking but they dont feel right too me.

[Delberthot]

I'm in the middle of defretting a Squier Precision Special and I've found the build quality to be excellent. I bought it used on the forum for £80.

I originally bought it to try my hand at properly defretting and epoxying a bass neck but I'm really getting into it and have decided to make this a cheapy project to be my main gigging bass

[JMT3781]

I defretted an ibanez RDgr 4 strings that i got secondhand for 90 quid.. was great

[JackLondon]

[quote name='Sarah5string' post='863998' date='Jun 11 2010, 08:38 AM']After speaking to my luthier and mentioning my GAS for a fretless he's recommended getting an Ibanez (fretted) as the build quality is decent, and taking it to him to be fretted as it'd work out a fraction of the cost, plus the choice of fretless basses out there is more limited. I've been eyeing up ibanez basses for a while so him saying that has only compounded my GAS.
My question is can anyone recommend one? Would the SRs be ok to defret? I've no experience of defretting myself so not sure if there's anything in particular you need to be aware of...[/quote]

Well, knowing your luthier he will do a good job of defretting Ibanez He has done this for me and it's a peach to play! Any model will do as ling as you like the feel of it

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

IMO its a waste of money to buy a fretted bass specifically to defret it. Different story to already owning a fretted bass and getting it defretted. If budget is tight looking for a secondhand fretless would be the cost effective way & you can see how it plays and sounds as a fretless before shelling out the wonga.

[Sarah5string]

[quote name='JackLondon' post='864651' date='Jun 11 2010, 07:55 PM']Well, knowing your luthier he will do a good job of defretting Ibanez He has done this for me and it's a peach to play! Any model will do as ling as you like the feel of it [/quote]
Yea, you can guess who's name came up

[Sarah5string]

Budget is cheap as possible as I'm saving for a new car!! lol

[Shockwave]

Nothing wrong with a Ibanez Gary Willis fretless!

[funkypenguin]

[quote name='Shockwave' post='864678' date='Jun 11 2010, 08:41 PM']Nothing wrong with a Ibanez Gary Willis fretless!

[/quote]


The Willis fretless is a lovely bass but is about £500 i believe? if you've your heart set on an ibanez the SR series would work nicely for a de-fret.

[Gwilym]

what Shockwave said - if you want a really nice fretless for the money get the GW. I'm sure you could find one used too if you didn't want to fork out for a new one.
I played one at the Gallery once and it really was *almost* as good (sounding) as a F-Bass fretless which was 5 times as much, and arguably had better playability especially if you like sightly narrower string spacing.

[JD1]

+1 on the Gary Willis if you can pick up a reasonably priced s/h one. I've had one for a while now (courtesy of Mr Shockwave) and I really rate it.

[JackLondon]

If you decide to go for fretted Ibanez make sure you can adapt to the curved pickups as it is slightly different feel and playability!

[RichardH]

No disrespect to your luthier, and I'm sure they'd do a fantastic job, but if the budget is low and this is a first foray into fretless I really would think that a cheap secondhand fretless is the way to go - then if it's not for you you can sell on for little or no loss - however if you get a bass preofessionally defretted then you're going to be out of pocket - although of course I don't know how much you'll be charged for the defret.

Maybe once you have had a fretless for a while then get something done specifically for you.

[Deep Thought]

PM sent

[xgsjx]

Don't know if it interests you, but there's one of them there Ibby GWB35's on ebay for £380.

[BottomEndian]

[quote name='charic' post='864022' date='Jun 11 2010, 09:05 AM']The obvious question that seems to be missing at the moment is:
what the budget?[/quote]
The other obvious question is... how many strings? I know you're Sarah[b]5string[/b], but I remember you mentioning (elsewhere) that you were thinking of a fretless [b]4-string[/b].

[Sarah5string]

I don't mind 4 or 5 string really. I think for a starter a 4 string would be better then once I've got the grasp of that would go on to a fretless 5...

[Sarah5string]

[quote name='Deep Thought' post='864923' date='Jun 12 2010, 08:57 AM']PM sent[/quote]
replied

[Sarah5string]

Looks like my prayers have been answered... will post details and pics as/when I get it woop!

[geoffbyrne]

[quote name='Sarah5string' post='863998' date='Jun 11 2010, 08:38 AM']After speaking to my luthier and mentioning my GAS for a fretless he's recommended getting an Ibanez (fretted) as the build quality is decent, and taking it to him to be fretted as it'd work out a fraction of the cost, plus the choice of fretless basses out there is more limited. I've been eyeing up ibanez basses for a while so him saying that has only compounded my GAS.
My question is can anyone recommend one? Would the SRs be ok to defret? I've no experience of defretting myself so not sure if there's anything in particular you need to be aware of...[/quote]

Would it be just as economic to try & find a Westone Thunder Fretless II or III in decent condition rather than buy something (money) & then also pay for thre fingerboard to be done?





G.