Which fretless bass guitar has the smoothest playing experience?
This page compares 5 fretless bass guitars with verified specifications and prices. Top options include ESP LTD B-205SM Fretless Bass Guitar Natural Satin, Sire Marcus Miller V7 Swamp Ash Reissue Fretless 5-string Bass Guitar Transparent Green Satin, Ibanez Bass Workshop SRF700 Fretless Bass Guitar Brown Burst Flat. Prices range from £493 to £214,002. All data is sourced from manufacturer documentation and specialist retailers.
| Product ⇅ | Price ⇅ | Number of Strings (none) ⇅ | Scale Length (inches) ⇅ | Body Material (none) ⇅ | Neck Material (none) ⇅ | Fingerboard Material (none) ⇅ | Pickup Configuration (none) ⇅ |
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ESP LTD B-205SM Fretless Bass Guitar Natural Satin
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£492.65 ≈ | 5 | 34 in | Ash | 5-piece Maple/Jatoba | Rosewood | HH |
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This fretless five-string bass features an ash body with a spalted maple top, a 34 in scale, and a 5-piece maple/jatoba neck. Its dual ESP-designed SB-5 pickups and active ABQ-3 three-band EQ suit players who need extended low-B range and flexible tone shaping for jazz, fusion, R&B, progressive music, or studio work. ★ Ideal forIt suits players seeking the smoothest fretless experience because its fretless rosewood fingerboard supports seamless slides, while the thin U-shaped 5-piece neck and 24 fret markers make pitch placement and movement easier.
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Sire Marcus Miller V7 Swamp Ash Reissue Fretless 5-string Bass Guitar Transparent Green Satin
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£738.98 ≈ | 5 | 34in | Swamp Ash with Poplar Burl Veneer | Hard Maple | Hard Maple Edgeless | 2 J single coil pickups |
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This fretless 5-string bass combines a Swamp Ash body with Poplar Burl Veneer, a Hard Maple Edgeless fingerboard, and Marcus Super-J Revolution pickups. Its active Marcus Heritage-3 preamp provides extensive tonal control, making it suitable for players who want extended low-end range and versatile fretless sounds. ★ Ideal forIt suits players seeking the smoothest fretless playing experience because its Hard Maple Edgeless fingerboard has rolled fretboard edges, while the 34in scale and Marcus Super-J Revolution pickup set support controlled, articulate playing. |
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Ibanez Bass Workshop SRF700 Fretless Bass Guitar Brown Burst Flat
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£705.69 ≈ | 4 | 34 in | Okoume | 5-piece Maple/Walnut | Panga Panga | Bartolini MK-1 passive neck and bridge pickups with Ibanez AeroSilk piezo system |
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This four-string fretless bass has a neck-through maple and walnut neck, Panga Panga fingerboard, Bartolini MK-1 pickups, and an AeroSilk piezo system for both modern and upright-style tones. It suits players who want extended upper-register access, broad tonal flexibility, and a smooth, expressive fretless instrument. ★ Ideal forIt suits the smoothest-playing-experience question because its fretless Panga Panga fingerboard, long 34 in scale, neck-through maple and walnut construction, and flatwound strings support a fluid feel and warm, controlled response.
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Sire Marcus Miller V7 Swamp Ash Reissue Fretless 4-string Bass Guitar Natural Satin
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£214001.61 ≈ | 4 | — | Ash | Maple | Maple | Jazz Bass single-coil |
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This fretless bass features an ash body, maple neck and fingerboard, Jazz Bass pickups, and an active/passive 3-band preamp. It suits players seeking vintage-inspired fretless tones with flexible sound shaping for jazz, blues, funk, and expressive melodic playing. ★ Ideal forIt suits players seeking the smoothest fretless experience because its maple fingerboard and fretless design provide a clean, fluid surface for gliding lines, while the Jazz Bass pickups deliver clear articulation.
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Ibanez GWB35 Gary Willis Signature Fretless 5-String Bass Flat Black
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£813.69 ≈ | 5 | 34in | American Basswood | 3-piece Maple | Ebony | 1 passive SFR-GWB bridge pickup |
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The Ibanez GWB35 is a fretless five-string bass with an American basswood body, three-piece maple neck, ebony fingerboard, and a passive SFR-GWB bridge pickup. Its EQB-GWII 2-band EQ and removable finger ramp make it well suited to players seeking expressive jazz, fusion, and controlled fretless articulation. ★ Ideal forIt suits players seeking the smoothest fretless playing experience because its fretless ebony fingerboard offers quick response and rich sustain, while the Gary Willis-designed removable finger ramp supports a consistent attack.
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