GOING FULL FRETLESS, THE CORTEX WAY
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 “Remco”
A Cortex Napoleon Deluxe 4 String Fretless, so called “The Remco”, because the first model was made for Remco Hendriks. It has evolved slightly 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.
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 – Remco / Remco “Dark”
- 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 Remco and the Remco “Dark”
The Fretless 6
Specs:
- Napoleon Deluxe Fretless 6
- 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
Octave 6 string fretless
Nordstrand Audio Dual Coil
Glockenklang 3 band
Zebrano neck
Walnut body
Quilt maple top
“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