Fender finally has a new fretless model, and also a 5-string

[Mark Schmieder]

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/JBassPFLP3TS--fender-player-series-fretless-jazz-bass-3-tone-sunburst-with-pau-ferro-fingerboard

 

Might be worth checking out. MIM, pau ferro as rosewood is on the way out (new regulations). Some are allergic to ironwood (pau ferro is literally "wood iron" in Portuguese). I like it, having had it on a mid-range Martin acoustic at one point.

 

The new 5-string passive J-Bass is a surprise as well. I didn't save that link. It's rare that Fender (vs. Squier) offers a 5-string passive bass. The only 5-string Fender bass I've liked is the Marcus Miller model (active, but can be switched to passive with a push-pull knob).

[jeremy c]

This fretless bass has lines where the frets would be on a fretted model and dots on the side of the neck in between the lines.

 

I much prefer no lines and dots on the side where the frets would be, which is what my custom made fretless bass has.

[Mark Schmieder]

I agree. I guess this was the only way to please both camps.

 

I haven't seen a side view yet to see if one can detect the edges of the lines -- are they painted on, or is there some cutaway, or at least paint along the fingerboard edge?

[jeremy c]

Here's what it says on the Sweetwater page:

"The Fender Player Series Fretless Jazz Bass sports tidy white inlaid fret line markers and side dot position markers centered between the lines."

[Mark Schmieder]

Well, I didn't like most of the audio demos of the new series anyway.

 

I just try to keep an open mind that there might eventually be a fretless bass that I can live with. So far that only happened long-term with the Godin A4 Acoustibass, but ultimately it proved too microphonic for studio recording purposes.

 

In general, I don't like noiseless pickups. Fender is putting these on more and more models.

[Paul K]

I much prefer no lines and dots on the side where the frets would be,

 

+1 Side dots are easier to see than lines.

[Mark Schmieder]

Yep, it's just too bad that most models put the dots where they'd go on a fretted bass, but it may be because the manufacturers think our brains are wired to interpret them as mid-node.