Been offered a bass... should I bite 'is 'and off?

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DLMDLM Frets: 2513

90s 5-string Ibanez ATK 305, made at FujiGen, converted to fretless, passive electronics. Used, obvs.  

€250

Can I get yays or nays?

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Comments

  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24579
    Fretless five? Cor you are a brave man! ;)

    250 euros is a good price for one of those...
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  • DLMDLM Frets: 2513
    @Bridgehouse Stoopid, more like! :lol:
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  • equalsqlequalsql Frets: 6084
    Dems good basses innit!
    ( I got the four string and it's brill)
    (pronounced: equal-sequel)   "I suffered for my art.. now it's your turn"
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24579
    I really like ibanez basses - good quality for not much coin, and good used prices as not so popular as a fender etc.


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  • DLMDLM Frets: 2513

    Oh, I forgot: currently set up as a Lord of the High Cs. (No low B on the bottom, a high C on top.)

    I thought it might be a laugh for not much dosh.

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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71960
    Depends how well the de-fret has been done. 

    Well = good price.

    Badly = factor new fingerboard into cost...

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14323
    Try the bass for a good while. The string spacing could be pretty tight, especially at the nut end.
    Be seeing you.
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  • DLMDLM Frets: 2513

    @ICBM I know the seller quite well, he's gigged it in the past but has largely moved over to double bass. He's a proper player with really good kit, so I'm not expecting trash. What should I look for in a de-fret apart from neat, smooth work?

    @Funkfingers That's a good point, though I'm sure I'd notice as I like a broad spacing. I might have gone for an Ibanez SR when I got my Sandberg were it not for the spacing, which was tight on all the 5-string SR models I tried at the time.

    With a view to getting a clue, I might go and terrorise a downtown store by trying whatever fretlesses they've got in.

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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14323
    DLM said:
    I might go and terrorise a downtown store by trying whatever fretlesses they've got in.
    Risky. They might have an old WAL Custom. ;)
    Be seeing you.
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24579
    DLM said:
    I might go and terrorise a downtown store by trying whatever fretlesses they've got in.
    Risky. They might have an old WAL Custom. ;)
    What? One of those old lumps of dead wood? :)
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  • @Funkfingers ; where do you live that there's a chance of encountering a Wal?!
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  • DLMDLM Frets: 2513
    @Funkfingers :) Last couple of times I was in, they had an old Ken Smith built by Vinny Fodera before he set up shop on his own. There was a customer playing it really nicely, too. He was more into the reliced Ps, though, and in fairness, I thought they suited him better, too.
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71960
    DLM said:
    @ICBM I know the seller quite well, he's gigged it in the past but has largely moved over to double bass. He's a proper player with really good kit, so I'm not expecting trash. What should I look for in a de-fret apart from neat, smooth work?
    Just that really - no big chips of wood lifted out either side of the fret slots, slots filled with proper wood veneer (matching or contrasting) not filler, and the top surface smooth and without dead spots or sunken wear patches (often caused by using roundwound strings on rosewood boards).

    Basically *not* everything Jaco did to his Jazz :). Genius player, appalling instrument tech…

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14323
    Talk to the organ grinder rather than the monkey. http://walbasses.co.uk
    Be seeing you.
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  • DLMDLM Frets: 2513

    Thanks, @ICBM This chap's been using flats on it, I'll be giving it a good look over whatever happens.

    I told him that he'd likely get more than €250 for it around here, given the popularity of fretless in the (death) metal scene around here, largely due to Obscura, who are "almost local". I initially thought it was a bit odd when long-hairs with cut-offs and bullet belts started showing up in youth centres with Gary Willis sigs. :confounded:

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  • BucketBucket Frets: 7751
    I like Obscura. The use of fretless really sets their sound apart, especially as it's so high in the mix.



    I know they're big Cynic fans - a band who were using fretless bass in prog/death metal as far back as 1993:


    - "I'm going to write a very stiff letter. A VERY stiff letter. On cardboard."
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  • DLM said:

    I told him that he'd likely get more than €250 for it around here, given the popularity of fretless in the (death) metal scene around here

    Most death metal bassists I've seen play around could get away with a five-string fretless bass too, as all they seem to do is chug the open low B...
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  • DLMDLM Frets: 2513

    @MattBanshee Aah, but this is *technical* death metal! \m/ :lol:

    http://s2.quickmeme.com/img/d3/d3c35b30c279d16af46a615eb0b43351e971afcaa8e77d537238eb70bdbdb07f.jpg

    In all seriousness: There are some good players out there. I preferred Thesseling to Klausenitzer (on fretless) in Obscura, but I only have a very casual interest because of personal connections and am nowhere near as into it all as @Bucket.

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  • BucketBucket Frets: 7751
    DLM said:

    I told him that he'd likely get more than €250 for it around here, given the popularity of fretless in the (death) metal scene around here

    Most death metal bassists I've seen play around could get away with a five-string fretless bass too, as all they seem to do is chug the open low B...
    Stephan Fimmers laughs at your assertion.


    - "I'm going to write a very stiff letter. A VERY stiff letter. On cardboard."
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  • Bucket said:
    DLM said:

    I told him that he'd likely get more than €250 for it around here, given the popularity of fretless in the (death) metal scene around here

    Most death metal bassists I've seen play around could get away with a five-string fretless bass too, as all they seem to do is chug the open low B...
    Stephan Fimmers laughs at your assertion.


    Fine pick there @Bucket. ;

    Really enjoyed listening to that and a few other of their tracks.  Immense creativity and totally bonkers.
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