BFR Fretless Ray Special sighting in my neighborhood

[RobertB]

Discovered a great shop a few miles from my house yesterday. This place keeps the nicer stuff in back - you look at their inventory online, and if you see something you want to play, they bring it out to you. Imagine my delight when I discovered they had this beauty:

Ball Family Reserve Fretless Stingray Special H | Bass Guitars, Ernie Ball Music Man | Wildwood Guitars

I'm not a fretless player, but I played it a bit anyway, just to see it. Amazing instrument.

 

[five7]

GC in englewood has one too. Amazing in person.

 

[KevinM]

It looks amazing.
I have a fretless Bongo and it plays sweet.

 

[teindo]

Great... Nice info... thanks

 

[danny-79]

Wow ! That’s some impressive grain pattern. It’s not a bass for me either but still stunning looking

 

[infinitychord]

That neck is insane. If I had $2.5k, I'd buy it right now.

 

[muggsy]

Wow. Nothing would be more wasted on me than an unlined fretless, but I'd buy that thing just to stare at it.

 

[RobertB]

Wow. Nothing would be more wasted on me than an unlined fretless, but I'd buy that thing just to stare at it.

Same here, and I went there just to stare at it. I did play it, but given my lack of fretless chops, I went there just to ogle over it. I'd seen it on their site.

 

[brash47]

Funny thing about fretless basses...

When you've played for years and you have those songs where your not even looking at your fret board to play, sit with a fretless and play one of those songs.

Its all about comfort and your hands already know where to go. Sit and play one. Don't look at the neck and just play the songs you know, even close your eyes.

You will hit the notes just like you do on your "normal" bass, but the tonal difference in when you move that hand will sound so much cooler.

Pick one up. Close your eyes. Play your favorites and have fun with it.

Sent from my SM-G988U using Tapatalk

 

[RobertB]

Yeah, I agree, it's not as alien as many people describe. When I played this one, it really was just the 3rd or 4th time I'd ever played a fretless, in about 25 years of playing. But I was pleasantly surprised by the fact that yeah, I could basically play it, and it sounded good. But I think it depends on what you're doing. When it went south was when I tried chordal stuff, because in that case, it's harder for the intonation to be spot on for all fingers. Without practice, that is. But yeah, it was fun to play. And just gorgeous.

 

[KevinM]

That bass is giving me gas.
I keep going back and drooling at it.
If I had the cash to burn just maybe, but it would be in a 10 bass harem at this point.

 

[RobertB]

That bass is giving me gas.
I keep going back and drooling at it.
If I had the cash to burn just maybe, but it would be in a 10 bass harem at this point.

Super sexy, huh ? Did you see that BFR SR5HH they've got? May be the most beautiful bass I've ever seen. And definitely the only EBMM I've ever seen with inlays (pearloid). Ugh.

 

[KevinM]

Super sexy, huh ? Did you see that BFR SR5HH they've got? May be the most beautiful bass I've ever seen. And definitely the only EBMM I've ever seen with inlays (pearloid). Ugh.

Not til you pointed it out. That one’s amazing too but I like the fretless better even though I am a 5-string player.
EBMM definitely outdoes themselves with these beautiful creations. That’s why I’ve only bought MM’s since switching to 5-string with my first Stingray.

 

[Golem]

Funny thing about fretless basses...

When you've played for years and you have those songs where your not even looking at your fret board to play, sit with a fretless and play one of those songs.

Its all about comfort and your hands already know where to go. Sit and play one. Don't look at the neck and just play the songs you know, even close your eyes.

You will hit the notes just like you do on your "normal" bass, but the tonal difference in when you move that hand will sound so much cooler.

Pick one up. Close your eyes. Play your favorites and have fun with it.

Sent from my SM-G988U using Tapatalk

What I do daily

Similar funny thing is when I try to play a new song my hands keep switching over to fave songs that I already know ... hands know what they like !