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ESP LTD B-204SM Fretless Bass Guitar - Natural Satin

4-string Electric Bass with Spalted Maple Top, Ash Body, 5-piece Maple/Jatoba Neck, Roasted Jatoba Fingerboard, and 2 SB-4 Humbucking Pickups - Natural Satin
10 Write review Item ID: LB204SMFLNS
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ESP LTD B-204SM Fretless Bass Guitar - Natural Satin
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Well-priced Fretless Bass with High-end Features

Players who are looking to get into a fretless bass without spending a fortune should look no further than the ESP LTD B-204SM Fretless Bass. This bass has a stunning natural satin-finished spalted maple top on an ergonomic ash body for a warm and cutting tone, good stage looks, and all-night comfort. A bolt-on five-piece maple/jatoba neck with ESP's Extra-Thin U profile and roasted jatoba fingerboard give the LTD B-204SM Fretless a solid response and effortless playability. With two humbucking pickups with active EQ, stable string-through bridge, and moody black nickel hardware, the ESP LTD B-204SM Fretless Bass delivers high-end features at an affordable price.

Related Videos: LTD B-204SM Fretless Bass Guitar - Natural Satin

Distinctive tonewoods for focused lows and a cutting edge

The LTD B-204SM Fretless has a look and sound that's unique among basses in this price range. The ash body and bolt-on maple/jatoba neck give this bass a decidedly American response: bright and punchy mids, a fast attack, and a focused low end. The stunning spalted maple top's natural satin finish gives this instrument an eye-catching look to suit modern styles of music.

Humbucking pickups with 3-band active EQ for modern color

ESP electronics have a sound that delivers for modern rock, metal, and fusion, and the LTD-204SM Fretless stays true to this reputation. Onboard SB-4 neck and bridge humbuckers give this bass fairly moderate output with low noise for clean stage amplification and accurate studio sound reproduction. A powerful 3-band active EQ section provides diverse tone-shaping options to help your groove find its place in a mix. Sweetwater ensemble players love the LTD B-204SM's power to cut through and be heard!

Pro-level appointments at an entry-level price

The LTD-204SM Fretless boasts a spalted maple top and headcap, normally found on more expensive instruments, along with cool black nickel hardware that really contrasts nicely with the stunning maple cap. The string-through LTD BB-604 bridge provides a solid intersection between the strings and the body, preserving tone and ensuring long-lasting, clean performance.

ESP LTD B-204SM Fretless Bass Features:

  • Distinctive tonewoods for focused lows with punchy mids and a gnarly bite
  • Attractive and unusual spalted maple in satin finish with black nickel hardware is visually stunning
  • SB-4N and SB-4B humbuckers with 3-band active EQ for modern color
  • LTD BB-604 black nickel bridge with string-thru-body design for worry-free performance
  • 24 fret markers aid hand positioning while empowering you to conjure that fretless magic

Why Buy Your Guitar from Sweetwater?

See how Sweetwater goes to great lengths to give you the very best online guitar buying experience. From our online Guitar Gallery that allows you to see and select the exact instrument you want to our 55-point Inspection process and our in-house guitar techs, we take the guesswork out of buying your next guitar online.

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Tech Specs

  • Number of Strings: 4
  • Left-/Right-handed: Right-handed
  • Body Shape: ESP B Series
  • Body Material: Ash with Spalted Maple
  • Body Finish: Satin
  • Color: Natural
  • Neck Material: 5-piece Maple/Jatoba
  • Neck Shape: Extra Thin U
  • Radius: 15.75"
  • Fingerboard Material: Roasted Jatoba
  • Fingerboard Inlay: 12th fret inlay
  • Number of Frets: Fretless (24)
  • Scale Length: 34"
  • Nut Width: 1.575"
  • Nut Material: Molded
  • Bridge/Tailpiece: LTD BB-604 string-thru
  • Tuners: LTD
  • Neck Pickup: ESP Designed SB-4N Humbucker
  • Bridge Pickup: ESP Designed SB-4B Humbucker
  • Controls: 1 x master volume, 1 x balance, 3-band Active EQ
  • Strings: D'Addario .045-.105
  • Case Included: Sold Separately
  • Manufacturer Part Number: LB204SMFLNS

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Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5

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A great choice for your first fretless bass guitar under 500$.

Beautiful guitar with high-quality parts.
Convenient "24 frets"(signs)neck.
The main disadvantage for me is its high weight (about 5Kg).

Try to choose your specific guitar, since the natural wood grain looks different on each guitar.
I took the risk and order blindly and I was lucky and I love my guitar.

Please note that recent models are with Jatoba Fingerboard (and not rosewood) and without the ESP model inlay on the neck.

It has an active preamp/tone (bass/mid/treble) circuit with passive pickups.

List of modifications I did to match my needs:

Strings - I changed to Ernie Ball Slinky Flatwound Bass Strings 45-100.

Electronics - I changed both PU's to two SD (NYC model) and push/pull active/passive switch on the volume pot, as well as 3 position switch (instead of the treble knob location) to choose between single/parallel/serial for the two SD PU.
I kept the treble knob in its center position in the electronic compartment (it is large enough).

I am very happy with this setup.
by Dave on

A fast action fretless with great sound

I had never played an ESP instrument before, so I was a little hesitant ordering. I have always loved thin and/ or narrow bass necks (Gibson EBO & thunderbird, fender jazz, etc..) this bass neck feels a lot like Gibson, narrow fretless board and rounded back .
I just put some Labella Low Tension Flat Wound strings on and it is an absolute pleasure to play.
The tonal range is quite impressive with the active pickups and the volume can send plenty of signal when turned up.
This is my first fretless bass and I am super excited to learn and keep playing for years to come, I see no reason to upgrade, this bass feels and sounds great.
by Patrick Loftus from Ca on

Great fretless bass

If you're looking for a great fretless bass without spending a fortune, then you'll want to check out the ESP Fretless Bass. Sweetwater did a full setup in addition to the 55-point inspection, and I fell in love with the look and tone of this bass. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned pro, you'll appreciate the quality of this bass.
by Steven Godlewski from Bloomington, IL on

A fretless bass for Heavy Metal and Modern Music.

First off, I am a Metal guy, specifically Black Metal and Doom Metal with some Death Metal influences. I do not play Jazz. Never really did. My main sound is heavy and fretted. But there are times when having a fretless bass for Metal in your arsenal would be a definite asset. I am not looking for a bass guitar version of an upright bass, not looking for flatwounds, and not paying 700 to 1000 dollars for a bass that does not deliver as far as Metal Music goes. But this bass has the goods. It is a genuine Heavy Metal bass. It comes specifically installed with and uses roundwounds, it does not try to sound like an upright even though it has that signature fretless "mwaah" sound that leaves no doubt that this is a fretless bass. And a thousand bucks? Hell no. 500 range for 4 string. Even though I use a lot of external EQ and other electronics, you can tailor, tweak and adjust your sound with the internal active electronics on the bass itself. The natural satin finish means no grubby fingerprints and no need for polishing. Now unfortunately, a drawback with many basses that offer a great sound with a great sustain like this one is that they tend to be very solid, or heavy. This is no exception, but it is often the "nature of the beast". I use an extra wide padded leather bass guitar strap and the weight is no longer an issue. If you are into modern music, specifically Metal, you simply cannot go wrong checking this bass out.
by Sven Rawlins from Hagerstown, MD on
Music background: Classical Black Metal, Doom and Avant-Garde Metal

Very nice

Been looking at this unit for quite awhile.
Finally made the jump.
Should have done it sooner but better late than never.

Mr. Williams was very knowledgeable and helpful.

Thank you
by Sweetwater Customer on
Music background: In home hack
See also: 4 String Bass Guitars, ESP, ESP 4-string Bass Guitars, ESP Fretless Bass Guitars
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