Fretless help!!!!

A

Aslan

Warwick Endorser
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I am thinking of buying a new fretless 5string. My two candidates are: Corvette Bubinga Standard and Corvette $$ NT Bubinga.

What I am after is a bass that is most versalite as possible. I need is for everything from acoustic pop to progressive metal. I know its a tough one:d
I have tried a Corvette Ash that sounded good in a acoustic pop setting but too mellow in a metalband. Even with some heavy EQ changes...

Any ideas???...
 
Mmmm both i'd say would offer a different fretless experience. IMO fretless tone comes mostly from the FB woods and Neck.

The corvette STD would give the more standard fretless tone imo. Nice tight low mids and all the mwaah you need.

The $$ will have the humbuckers, and maple neck. Now the maple in the $$NT is going to have a big affect on the tone. The maple will give the bass a more open and brighter high end, and will be more dominant in the sound of the bass. + the humbuckers which add a thickness and fatness to the sound.

IMO both will do what you want, if you want a more traditional fretless flavor go with the corvette STD, for a more aggressive, punchy beast get the $$.
 
A Thumb would also make a very interesting fretless instrument. Especially if you play in the high register, it's ergonomics will serve you well. Thumbs can really cut through a mix especially if you plan to play in extreme sound contexts. Speaking of extreme sound and Thumbs, Jeroen Paul Thesseling (a member of this forum, although not a frequent visitor at the moment) plays fretless Thumbs. You may want to have a listen to his progressive death metal band Obscura. I also have some clips he had published from an experimental band he was playing in, with a much mellower approach than Obscura. ;) If you 're interested I can post them or send them in a PM.

[video=youtube;mesr2siegRg]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mesr2siegRg&feature=fvst[/video]
 
Thanks guys for your quick replies!
Perhaps I will check out the Corvette Standard Bubinga more.

Sorry, but I really love Warwicks but really dislikes the Thumb both the look and feel. It is not for me...
 






I suspect you had the wrong strings
and/or the wrong EQ when you tried
out the ash Vett Std.

It really doesn't matter much what
brand of bass you use if it's not set
up for the job, which you say is the
job of cutting thru a metal mix. You
played an ash, ovangcal, and ebony
JJ bass ... and failed ? Don't blame
the firewood. Get some nickel alloy
strings [not nickel plated], and set
your EQ on the amp to cut the low
bass but to boost the low-mid and
hi-mid ranges. And raise the bridge
PU as far as it can go, string-wise,
and tilt the neck PU so it's very low
on the bass side and as high as you
dare on the treble side. Now set all
three knobs to '11' and play.


As I mentioned, any bass will do it,
but you like Wicks so you're already
ahead of the game ... but only if its
set up. A properly set up Fender
will clobber a poorly set up Wick.

Since it's an FL you should use enuf
neck relief and bridge height to just
about eliminate mwah. Mwaw robs a
lot of energy from the strings. Make
sure the neck screws are snug, cuz
thaz where your attack lives or dies.

Also, when you check out the Vett
$$, make sure you try the recently
altered spec 5-string, with the PU
moved closer to the bridge.

If all else fails, get a Spector.

​



 
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Aslan, I really enjoyed the music in your myspace page, Into this Game rocks big time, really tight playing, great production, really awesome.
Congrats for the position in Royal Hunt.
 
Thanks, Jester:d

I will try that, Golem. My problem is that I can't find a $$NT here in Sweden to try out so I have to buy unseen...
 
Anyone with more thoughts???
I am leaning to a Corvette Std Bubinga with black hardware:d
 
That would be a great bass :-)
To be honest I really do believe corvettes are under priced.
 






Yeah but pleez shut you mouf about it.
Peoples of influence might be hearing.

​




 






Or mebbe Vetts are priced eggz
acklee right, but all those other
Wicks are waaaay overpriced ...


​




 
golem said:






Or mebbe Vetts are priced eggz
acklee right, but all those other
Wicks are waaaay overpriced ...


​
Click to expand...
First thought that crossed my mind when I played a Thumb NT 5 was: " So that's how a 3000 EUR bass sounds ! At least for thumb NT and Streamer Stage 1 and 2 , I think all the money are there, in the sound
 
Florin said:
First thought that crossed my mind when I played a Thumb NT 5 was: " So that's how a 3000 EUR bass sounds ! At least for thumb NT and Streamer Stage 1 and 2 , I think all the money are there, in the sound
Click to expand...
I totally agree! Everytime I pick up my SSII I fall in love all over again. Fantastic bass!!!
 
I've had my std 5 for a few months now and absolutely love it. Though I lean more toward atmospheric music than metal, I'm fairly confident that it will do the job in that genre. Mind you it took a little over three months for it to arrive after special ordering it.

A word about the black hardware: after special ordering mine, I second-guessed myself for not going ahead and getting it for a few dollars more (relatively speaking), but the salesman reassured me that in the long run the chrome was a good choice in that it keeps its finish better over the long run. To each his own.
 
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