Bass Guitars & Amplification Buying Guide

Fretless Bass: A Realistic Second Instrument, or a Different Skill Entirely?

V Rated by Vincent Vandegans · Updated Sep 2026

Fretless bass demands genuinely new technique — without frets to guide intonation, your ear and finger placement carry the full burden of playing in tune, a skill that takes real dedicated practice regardless of how long you've played fretted bass. The reward is an expressive, vocal-like tone with smooth glides between notes that fretted bass simply can't produce.

The ten basses below are real, currently-listed fretless bass guitars, checked for seller reliability and priced against comparable recent sales.

At a Glance — Our Top Picks

Editor's Top Pick

New Burlywood Fretless Basswood Right Handed Electric Bass Guitar

Score 95/100 · $73.98 · New

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Best New

Fretless 5 string electric bass Guitar Millettia Laurentii Top Okoume body

Score 95/100 · $299.99 · New

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Best Used

IBANEZ SRF700 BBF Fretless / Electric Bass Guitar

Score 92/100 · $1,100.00 · Used

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Top 10 Bass Guitars & Amplifications on eBay & Amazon

Ranked and rated by Vincent Vandegans — verified you can buy.

Rogue Series III 5 string bass guitar converted fretless

Rating Score: 75/100 · $120.00 Used

4 photos

Body Type: Solid
Size: 4/4
Body Color: Blue
Neck Material: Maple
Number of Frets: 24
Brand: Rogue

•Condition: Used
•Seller rating: 100.0% positive (3 ratings)
•Shipping: $60.00
•No returns accepted

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Customer reviews on eBay ›

Merlos Trium 5 Headless Fretless Bass Guitar

Rating Score: 87/100 · $3,300.00 Used

4 photos

Brand: Merlos
Handedness: Right-Handed
Type: Electric Bass Guitar
Body Type: Headless
Performance Level: Professional
String Configuration: 5 String

•Condition: Used
•Seller rating: 100.0% positive (137 ratings)
•Shipping: $100.00
•No returns accepted

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Customer reviews on eBay ›

Yamaha BBVIS Fretless Electric Bass Guitar Fine Red USED

Rating Score: 89/100 · $658.04 Used

4 photos

Brand: Yamaha
MPN: NA
Type: Electric Bass Guitar

•Condition: Used
•Seller rating: 100.0% positive (259 ratings)
•Shipping: $74.99
•Returns accepted (30 calendar day)

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Customer reviews on eBay ›

IBANEZ SRF700 BBF Fretless / Electric Bass Guitar

Rating Score: 92/100 · $1,100.00 Used

3 photos

Brand: Ibanez
Type: Electric Bass Guitar
Country of Origin: Japan

•Condition: Used
•Seller rating: 98.9% positive (624 ratings)
•Shipping: $25.00
•Returns accepted (30 calendar day)

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Customer reviews on eBay ›

Stagg Fretless Bass Guitar

Rating Score: 72/100 · $225.00 Used

4 photos

Body Type: Solid
Size: 4/4
Body Color: Sunburst
Neck Material: Maple
MPN: SBF-40 NAT FL
Set Includes: Gig Bag

•Condition: Used
•Seller rating: 100.0% positive (1 ratings)
•No returns accepted

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Customer reviews on eBay ›

New Burlywood Fretless Basswood Right Handed Electric Bass Guitar

Rating Score: 95/100 · $73.98 New

4 photos

Brand: Glarry
Type: Acoustic-Electric Bass Guitar

•Condition: New
•Seller rating: 99.6% positive (1147811 ratings)
•eBay Top Rated Seller
•Free shipping
•Returns accepted (30 calendar day)

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Customer reviews on eBay ›

Fretless 5 string electric bass Guitar Millettia Laurentii Top Okoume body

Rating Score: 95/100 · $299.99 New

4 photos

Country of Origin: China
MPN: YG110-5
String Configuration: 5 String
Series: Standard
Dexterity: Right-Handed
Model Year: 2024

•Condition: New
•Seller rating: 99.5% positive (3335 ratings)
•Shipping: $29.99
•Returns accepted (30 calendar day)

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Customer reviews on eBay ›

Right-hand Fretless Pocket Bass 4 String. Poplar Wood Festival Bass 30" Scale

Rating Score: 94/100 · $200.00 New

4 photos

Body Type: Fretless
Body Color: Natural
Custom Bundle: No
Neck Material: Poplar
MPN: Standard
Materials sourced from: United States

•Condition: New
•Seller rating: 98.4% positive (1623 ratings)
•Shipping: $75.00
•Returns accepted (30 calendar day)

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Customer reviews on eBay ›

Right-hand Fretless Pocket Bass 4 String. Poplar Wood Festival Bass 28" Scale

Rating Score: 94/100 · $200.00 New

4 photos

Body Type: Fretless
Body Color: Natural
Custom Bundle: No
Neck Material: Poplar
MPN: Standard
Materials sourced from: United States

•Condition: New
•Seller rating: 98.4% positive (1623 ratings)
•Shipping: $75.00
•Returns accepted (30 calendar day)

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Customer reviews on eBay ›

Fretless 5 String Electric Bass Guitar Millettia Laurentii+Okoume body w / bag

Rating Score: 95/100 · $289.99 New

4 photos

Country of Origin: China
Features: With Pickup
MPN: YG100-5
String Configuration: 5 String
Series: Standard
Dexterity: Right-Handed

•Condition: New
•Seller rating: 99.5% positive (3335 ratings)
•Shipping: $29.99
•Returns accepted (30 calendar day)

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Buyer's Guide: How to Pick the Best Bass Guitars & Amplification

What to know before adding a fretless bass to your collection.

Fretless Markers

Most fretless basses include side and/or top position markers (lines instead of dots) to aid intonation while you develop your ear — these are a practical aid, not a shortcut around developing real fretless technique.

Fingerboard Wear Protection

Unlacquered or bare wood fingerboards wear from string contact over time — some fretless basses use a lacquered or epoxy-coated board for durability, which also brightens the tone slightly. Both are legitimate choices.

String Choice Matters More Here

Flatwound strings are traditional for fretless, giving a smoother, warmer tone and reducing fingerboard wear compared to roundwound strings — a meaningful choice affecting both feel and longevity.

Bass Guitars & Amplification FAQs

How long does it take to play fretless in tune reliably? +

Genuinely varies, but most experienced fretted bassists report weeks to a few months of dedicated practice to develop reliable intonation — it's a real skill investment, not an instant transition.

Is fretless bass good for all musical styles? +

It particularly suits jazz, fusion, and any style valuing expressive, vocal-like phrasing — less commonly the first choice for genres demanding very precise, percussive attack, though it's used across many contexts.

What should I check on a used fretless bass? +

Fingerboard wear (grooves from string contact, particularly on unlacquered boards), overall setup and action, and whether position markers are present and clear.

Do I need roundwound or flatwound strings? +

Flatwound is the traditional choice for smoother tone and less fingerboard wear; roundwound gives brighter tone but wears an unlacquered board faster — the choice depends on your tonal preference and board type.

Top Sellers Rank

Rank	Seller	Price vs. average	Rating
#1	yallstock	-89% vs. avg	★ 5
#2	echoho_56	-54% vs. avg	★ 5
#3	wishbass	-69% vs. avg	★ 4.9

Why Should You Trust Us?

Every bass here is cross-checked against live eBay listings, with fingerboard material and construction confirmed from the listing description before inclusion.

Written by Vincent Vandegans

Vincent has spent years buying, selling, and researching gear across live marketplaces. He personally tests a portion of the products featured on this site — hands-on with the exact model, checking build quality, sound, and feel for himself. For the rest of the lineup, each pick goes through the same in-depth research process rather than being taken at face value from a listing photo.

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How this guide was researched

Hands-on testing, when possible

Whenever Vincent owns or can source the exact model, he tests it directly — evaluating build quality, sound, playability, and how it holds up against the manufacturer claims.

Technical spec sheets, compared side by side

For every other pick, the manufacturer datasheets, manuals, and published specifications are read in full and compared against competing models in the same price range — not just skimmed from a listing summary.

Real owner reviews, mined from blogs and forums

Vincent digs through long-running gear forums, owner blogs, and marketplace review threads to find recurring, repeated feedback from real buyers after months of actual use — not just the top review snippet or a manufacturer-friendly quote.

Live marketplace data, checked at publish time

Price, seller reputation, condition, and availability shown on this site are cross-checked directly against live eBay and Amazon listings, so the ranking reflects what is actually being sold, not a historical average.

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