Fretless Bass Comparison - which one do you prefer?

Andreas Buchmann
Bassist
Jazz Funk Soul Fusion

[jamcam]

I play a fretless fender jazz (it was my first bass) but those GWBs just have THE SOUND that's in my head. I have to get one some day.

[bassmaniac]

The Fender just has that incredible mid presence, punchy and articulate, lovely playing too man

[kgamaseg]

I prefer the aural sounds of the Jaco Tribute bass. It just seems so much more expressive. The other two, as they were recorded, sound too muted or muffled. They sounded very good, but too muted. They almost had a synthesizer-bass sound. I'm partial to the more expressive sound of the Fender single coils.

[victorpandiwijaya]

Love GWB that looks like played easily, .. smooth. Still dreaming of this bass

[yanivsh]

Loved all 3 of them!
They are so different and each one has its character
Great playing!

[Shira]

I like the definition of the notes on the fender

[yasunobuhashimoto]

I had a GWB. Although it is composed only of a bridge pickup, it produces a thick sound. I really liked GWB.

[FelipeRojas-oz]

Fender has the tone: Warm midrange passive sound. The GWB sounds nice too

[vincentm]

The fender bass had the most beautiful tone and the Fedora had more resonance. But all 3 sounded wonderful.

[StewartGartland]

Gotta say, as much as i love willis, the sound you get out of the fender is my cup of tea!

[nickpicc]

I liked the Jazz a little more than the GWB1, and the GWB1 a little more than the Fodera. All sounded great, and great playing!

[TheBassfresh]

Of those 3? Easily the Ibanez GWB . I have owned a fretless fender jazz but use and prefer an Ibanez SRH500F for the sound, it's more acoustic archtop quality with piezo pickup works better for jazz to my ears.

[Belman]

Well, its all in the fingers and you sound terrific on all of those basses. Very nice.

[Michael.Sinclair]

Your playing technique sounds great on all 3. The Gary Willis Signature maybe seems a little warmer and sits back in the mix a little more whereas the Fender and Fodera cut through a little more.

[laurentnaminzo]

Love the 3 of them: 3 differents type of fretless sounding, smooth, crispy or low "acoustic tone" one...

[kennethschweighardt]

The Fender sounded more ballsy. Also the placement of the pickup on the Ibanez is not Idea. The Monarch was better than the Ibanez, but the Fender wins in my book.

[michaelanthony]

The Ibanez sounds like a bass. The Fender has the Jaco-esque tone, but that’s something Jaco could make work. Not just anybody.

[Shred_The_Weapon]

My usual propensity would be to say that I pick the one in the middle. Only, you played three instruments instead of two. You also played them equally well and made them sound equally appealing. I had to look at the screen in order to know you were playing different instruments.

[vadimislearningguitar]

I like the Fender more than the others.

[fela]

The Ibanez for all round bass-ing; sits in the mix very very well while still giving off the fretless sound and is articulate enough.. The Fender for more soloist stuff, the Fodera just doesn't sound right..