Fretless basses were rarities during the mid-to-late 1960s: the highest profile model then in circulation was Ampeg’s AUB-1, introduced, along with its fretted cousin, the AEB-1, in 1966.

Ampeg aimed the AUB-1 primarily at stand-up players who wanted to make the transition to bass guitar, but it was also adopted by a handul of rock performers, including Rick Danko of The Band.

Though still small, the fretless market was one that Fender soon decided to involve itself in, and it introduced a fretless option on it’s classic Precision bass in 1970.

Shown in an example from the mid-1970s, the guitar received a boost in 72′ when John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin used one onstage.