Napoleon Fretless

GOING FULL FRETLESS, THE CORTEX WAY

Play

The concept here is to make the best sounding fretless possible. In order to do this we have established simple rules: One pickup only, a 2 band preamp and off you go, in 4, 5 or 6 strings. It’s simple, it’s beautiful… It’s all you need.

So where lies your choice? Coating your fretboard with a thin layer of epoxy… or not…? As it is a deeply personal choice, we will simply say that the epoxy option allows you to play roundwounds, whereas we will provide flats or nylons for the purist.

Alongside the concept lies also the custom line… We build it the way you want it…!

Concept Line

The “Basso Voce”

A Cortex Napoleon Deluxe 4 String Fretless, so called “Basso Voce”, because its fretless qualities. The first model was made for Remco Hendriks. It has known three minor evolutions since the first ever made, but its main attributes remain the same since the beginning:

Epoxy coating of the fret board, allowing you to play roundwounds on ayour fretless for a punchier more dynamic sound. The epoxy coating gives it a very special voice (hence the name).

Full on Maple neck and Fretboard to insure good highs, a Walnut body to enjoy a faster attack of the note.

Spalted Maple top for decoration.

Specs:

  • Napoleon Deluxe Fretless 4 – Basso Voce / Bassissimo Voce
  • Bolt-on Neck, 34″ Scale Length
  • Spalted Maple / Stained Spalted Beech Top
  • Walnut Body with a dark Laminate & Satin Finish
  • Gold Hardware
  • Hipshot USA Ultralite Bass Tuning Machines
  • Chocolate Flame Maple Neck
  • Flamed Maple / Ebony Fret Board
  • Delano Times Square SBC 4 TF (incl. Simple-Double Switch)
  • Noll / Glockenklang 2 Band Preamp
  • Average Weight 3.7Kg / 8.2lbs

 

Check the complete specs for the Basso Voce and the Bassisimo Voce

 

 

The Axiom

Specs:

  • Napoleon Deluxe Fretless 6 “The Axiom”
  • Bolt-on Neck, 34″ Scale Length
  • Coloured “Linen” Type Ash Top
  • Walnut Body with a dark Laminate & High Gloss Finish
  • Black / Gold / Chrome Hardware
  • Gotoh GB 707 / Hipshot USA Ultralite Bass Tuning Machines
  • Walnut Neck
  • Flamed Maple / Ebony / Ziricote / Macassar Fret Board
  • Choice of Epoxy Coating on the Fret Board
  • Delano Times Square SBC 6 TF (incl. Simple-Double Switch)
  • Matching Headstock & Pickup Cover
  • Noll / Glockenklang 2 Band Preamp
  • LaBella Black Nylon / Dogal Carbonsteel Flats / Round wounds
  • Average Weight 4.5Kg / 10lbs

 

Check out whole Specs, for example here

 

Preamplification

The 2 band preamp by Glockenklang, with the active/passive push/pull switch our classic choice for fretless.

Another German alternative, still 2 band and with the active/passive feature by Noll Electronic.

Please notice the possibility of using a 2 way switch with the Delano Times Square SBC Series, giving optimum versatility to your fretless bass. The switch allows you to choose single coil or double with parallel wiring.

The Custom Line

We simply follow your lead… Wood composition, number of pickups & switches, preamps, colours, whatever your dreams, we will do everything to make it reality…

EPOXY COATING

Allows you to play with all types of bass strings, including roundwounds. Often players refer to it as the “Jaco sound”, but we need to point out that our fretless are “naturally fretless and not defretted basses. The epoxy coating of the fretboard is a deeply personal choice, there is no accounting for taste.

FRETBOARD MARKERS

Basically it is all about dots and lines (full or partial). The big debate is how and where to place them…! Here are our suggestions:

  • Basic: dots on the side, on the fret.
  • Octave: dots on the side, on the fret; dots on the right of the fretboard, second octave.
  • Partial lines: dots on the side, in the middle of two frets; Fret lines visible on the side and 2mm on the left of the fretboard.
  • Lined: lines instead of frets, dots on the fretboard.

WOOD

We generally offer to make the body and neck either with mahogany, for a rounder, warmer tone or with walnut, for a faster attack and wreckless precison. Again, it is a simple matter of taste, and if you contact us , we will build a fretless to your specifications.

Lined 5 string fretless

Nordstrand Audio Big Blade

Glockenklang 2 band

Walnut neck

Mahogany body

Curly Red wood top

Napoleon Deluxe 6 Fretless - Quilt Maple Greenburst

Octave 6 string fretless

Nordstrand Audio Dual Coil

Glockenklang 3 band

Zebrano neck

Walnut body

Quilt maple top

 

Napoleon Deluxe 4 Fretless - Koa

“Basic” 4 string fretless

Duvoisin split coil humbucker

Duvoisin 3 volt 2 band

Walnut neck & body

Koa top

Macassar fretboard

“Basic” 6 string fretless

Nordstrand Audio Big Singles

Noll 3 Band

Chocolate Maple Neck

Flame Maple Top

Rosewood fretboard