Time to order the Fretless

[TheAntMan]

Hey Ladies & Gentlemen,

I will hopefully be ordering my fretless bass next weekend.

I would like to ask your input into which bass I should get. Of course, I will still pick the one I want, but, I have been know to be persuaded in the past.

Please provide your reasoning for your vote. This will help be better understand the results.

Below is a summary of options behind the basses I am considering.

1. EBMM Bongo HP
Specs: unlined, Piezo option
Pro: 4EQ, reputation, tried and ordered fretted 4HH
Con: not sure about Pau ferro fingerboard (look, feel or sound)

2. EBMM Bongo HHP
Specs: unlined, Piezo option
Pro: 4EQ, reputation, extra pup for more variance, tried and ordered fretted 4HH
con: not sure about Pau ferro fingerboard (look, feel or sound)

3. G&L L-1500
Specs: Unlined, Active/Passive switch, single Humbucker pickup (bridge pup only)
Pro: Fender history, reputation, Ebony fingerboard
Con: Have not tried one
http://www.glguitars.com/instruments/instruments.asp?prcode=l1500

4. G&L L-2000
Specs: Unlined, Active/Passive switch, Dual Humbucker pickups
Pro: Fender history, reputation, Ebony fingerboard
Con: Have not tried one
http://www.glguitars.com/instruments/instruments.asp?prcode=l2000

Also, color options (I guess this could/should be separate poll). Ordered by preference.
Bongo
A. Graphite Pearl
B. Desert Gold
C. Medallion Gold
D. Lava Pearl

G&L
A. 3-Tone Sunburst with matching headstock
http://www.glguitars.com/instruments/bigpic.asp?pic=32

Thank in advance for your input

p.s. Can you tell by the A-retentive nature of this poll that I'm a software developer by day?!? eeeeeeeK!

 

[midopa]

So you really haven't tried any of them, have you? Hm... If I were me, and I am (shock!), I would do my best to at least try one fretless Bongo and one fretless G&L. If your location/situation prevents you from doing so, I understand.

Here're my $0.02:
Bongo 4HHP. I played the "speedbumped" (hats off to the Monkee ) version and loved it!

 

[oddjob]

Good luck finding an instock fretless... they seem to be currently nonexistent. I have played my share of Pau fingerboards and I really don't think that it is too much to worry about. Yeah it isn't ebony, but then again, what is. It is a nice sounding fretboard wood that does justice to the fretless tone.

Bongo vs. GL... Bongo hands down. Before I ordered mine I tried out about 15 varieties of bass and the Bongo stomped them all (but I was kinda torn over the Lakland). And if you have the cash get an HHP. I currently have a sigle H (with an HHP on order) and it rocks. The tones you can get out of an H are great the tones you can get out of an HHP or HSP are just amazing (with a fretless, I would be tempted to go with the HSP to get that "mellow" jazz tone from the neck pup).

Color-wise... any color Bongo is a good Bongo!!!!

Just my 2 cents.

 

[TheAntMan]

Keep those pennies coming

Midopa,
Nearest G&L dealer is about a 2 hour drive. Well, can't think of a better road trip

Oddjob,
I'm glad you can give me the experienced view point on the pau ferro tone. I am thinking that the Bongo EQ will help me dial in a great fretless tone. As for the HSP, I tried an HS and found the S neck pup kind of noisey (might just have been a bad apple). Agreed, any Bongo is a great Bass

Good points and advise from both of you. Thanks.