Fretless P Bass

[Bass_Medic_05]

I Fender P bass (MIM) Fretless, that i recently purchased and I am thinking of putting on a Bada$$ II Bridge that I have from a past project that was sold. Do you know if it will change anything or really effect it as far as how the string height? I'm looking for alittle input, if you guys have any ideas I can do to make it sound to it peak. I plan on putting in some SD Antiquity II, I love the tone of them. and maybe change out some of the pots and electronics.

 

[astrozombie]

Re: Fretless P Bass

I'm confunzzled. what are you asking?

the badass bridge is a worthy upgrade. I remember a friend put one on a MIM jazz bass and i thought it even played better.

those pickups should be great!

if you want to get the most out of it, put in a bone nut.

if you wanna go anal, change the pots and jack to CTS or whatever.

 

[Bass_Medic_05]

Re: Fretless P Bass

I have one on my fretted Jazz, but I'm wondering if it will bring the string height up to much or if I will have to modify it much or at all?

Thanks on the rest of that......I will probably put in a bone nut...I had thought about it, just forgot to mention it...lol! :biglaugh:

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Fretless P Bass

Once tried an original BadAss II on my 78/79 fretless Fender P Bass. Even on the lowest possible setting, the string height was too high by (you've guessed it) the height of a fret.

Your options are to shim the neck rather a lot or to try a different bridge. I resorted to the stock item. IMO, it was/is part of the Fender sound.

Later fitted a BadAss II on my Fender USA '75 reissue Jazz Bass. Perfect Marcus Miller/Geddy Lee tone.

 

[astrozombie]

Re: Fretless P Bass

Once tried an original BadAss II on my 78/79 fretless Fender P Bass. Even on the lowest possible setting, the string height was too high by (you've guessed it) the height of a fret.

Your options are to shim the neck rather a lot or to try a different bridge. I resorted to the stock item. IMO, it was/is part of the Fender sound.

Later fitted a BadAss II on my Fender USA '75 reissue Jazz Bass. Perfect Marcus Miller/Geddy Lee tone.

Who doesn't like that?

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Fretless P Bass

Now, on to the pickup question.

IMO, compared to some of the OP's extensive/expensive instrument collection, a Fender MIM Standard bass guitar might be thought to lack character. The obvious solution is to let any replacement pickup and/or electronics define the tone. In short, that means going active.

My ownership experience with active fretless basses is as follows.
1) 1978/9 Fender Precision. Ash, maple. 1 x EMG-P pickup, standard unpowered controls.
2) Yamaha RBX-200F. Asian Alder, maple, rosewood, cissy position marker lines, Gotoh 201B bridge. 1 x SD Basslines Lightnin' Rods P Bass pickup. SD volume pot, EMG TBC active EQ.

The Fender is strung with Rotosound BS66 43-110 (Billy Sheehan) roundwounds. It sounds huge. There can be an unpleasant "glassiness" to the sound. Possibly, a little too much of the string wrap noise coming across. After twenty one years, I have grown a little jaded with this sound but, having used it on numerous recordings, it has to remain available.

The Yamaha is strung with D'Addario 40-95 roundwounds. Unexpectedly, this bargain basement instrument sounds wonderful. Even with a single pickup, the bass manages to combine the woodiness of a double bass with some of the "neeoinng" of a fretless Jazz Bass.

I have also experimented with SD/Basslines Pro Active and the older SD Active EQ "switch" series pickups in fretless instruments but was never entirely content with the results. These models seem to sound better with fretted basses.

My favourite fretless bass guitar is my Musicman Stingray 2EQ. Obviously, on that, only the EQ is actually active.

For a passive bass guitar pickup that sounds as if it could be active, try the Bartolini 8S replacement for Precision.