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

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.

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.

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.

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

Sweetwater delivered as promised. The bass arrived in perfect playing condition and I haven't needed to make any adjustments 4 weeks in. The tone cuts through and the preamp can dial in "your" sound. If your interested in this bass buy it. You won't be disappointed.

If you're looking for a non-Squier or non-Epiphone option for a well made great sounding bass in that price range then this is it. Out of the box neck relief was spot on. String action was spot on. Intonation was spot on. The nut was set in perfectly. No sharp frets. No high frets. I cannot remember the last time I recieved a Fender American that way. The neck is slim and fast as is the fretboard which is like glass on mine. The pickups are nice and strong with controls that make sense and are fairly intuative. I was able to dial in the sound I needed quickly and reliabley. The bridge is nice, solid and high mass. String through is a nice option. The six bolt neck isn't going anywhere. The spalted top is flawless and though it may be a bit heavier than other basses I liked that. This bass doesn't feel like a toy in any way. You've decided to play bass. Don't whine about the weight. This bass is well balanced and a pleasure to play. The only thing that I will personaly have to get used to is the flatness of the fretboard. I am used to a little radius but I feel that will work itself out quickly. I could not see anyone buying this bass and not be completely happy about the purchase.

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.

I've only had my ESP fretless bass for two days at this point, but have barely been able to put it down. This is my first fretless after playing bass off and on for 20+ years, and it does not disappoint! If you like the way Ibanez and sleeker Fender necks play, you'll love the feel of this one. It looks, sounds, and PLAYS like a much more expensive bass. It came with standard round-wound strings, instead of flat-wound like many fretless basses. They keep the tone bright, but I may have to experiment with flat-wounds next.

PROS:
- sleek and flawless fingerboard/neck
- thinnest, fastest neck I've ever played on a bass
- the spalted maple top looks great in person
- craftsmanship
- nice, "woody" tone from the neck pickup for thicker sounds a la Roger Waters (Pink Floyd) or Jeff Ament (Pearl Jam)
- punchy "lead" tone from the bridge pickup; with the right preamp/amp, you can get a great Les Claypool sound, or something suited for a jazzy bass solo

CONS:
- The pickups sound great individually, but they don't blend well together; summing/blending the two leaves the tone feeling lacking and less full. I just fully use one or the other and then adjust EQ to get the sound I'm looking for.
- a little heavier than I'd like

Bottom line: I am very happy with my purchase. It provides tremendous value for the money, and if it was stolen tomorrow, I'd replace it with the same thing immediately.

Considered a lot of options prior to settling on this bass- I wanted to go fretless to find that rich, spitting, sliding tone. I was definitely wary of this product considering its place on the low end of the price spectrum. The instrument has really met and exceeded my needs.

First of all, it looks amazing. That's obviously one of the major draws for this bass, and it delivers. It's breathtaking in person. The spalted maple finish is simple and elegant, and it's pretty hefty and solid in feel.

In terms of playability, I find that it stands out higher up on the fretboard- which isn't to say that it muddies up on the lower end. Obviously a fretless bass requires precise finger placement, and I took the plunge without having played a fretless bass before. I would say it took me about a week to start to feel comfortable and competent in terms of coaxing an in-tune sound out of it, but it's a fun challenge and the payoff is a fantastic brassy tone that punches a hole in the mix in the right way. You can really play "lead bass" melodies that carry a song if you're up past the 12th fret with great results.

I can't pretend to have a broad scope of experience with bass ownership- this is my second bass that I've owned. I will say that I'm confident that it punches above its weight class and it's a fun addition to any arrangement. If you're looking to be a fretless owner, I don't feel as though you're going to miss out on anything with this product, and the price can't be beaten. Great value- pick it up!

I've been wanting a fretless bass, but I didn't want to spend big dollars and the ESP Ltd B-204 is just the thing! Pleasantly surprised at this bass...plays real smooth right out of the box.If your looking for a fretless bass to start with this one could be it.