Does anyone here have any experience with the classic Pedulla Buzz fretless basses?  They were all the rage 10-15 years ago and were talked about as if they were the cream of the crop for fretless basses.  I'm not suggesting they in any shape compete with Alembics, but a friend has a used 4-string he's willing to sell me.  Does the polyester-coated fingerboard have any effect on the playability or sound?  I'm interested in your thoughts.

The coated fretboard emulates the Jaco sound, as he coated his converted fretless jazz bass wtih epoxy.  For a good recent sonic example of this sound, watch on Showtime The History of the Eagles.  Timothy B. Schmidt plays one on NY Minute.  I own 2 Buzz basses myself, a standard one with extra treble and bass in the preamp, and an EZ-Q equiped one.  They are very comfortable to play and the sound is still quite distinctive. Mike Pedulla is terrific with service as well.
 
I hope one day to own a 5 string Buzz, but first in Alembic land ....... a project yet to be started with woods reserved (and paid for).

It's tuned piccolo, but Jeff Schmidt plays a Pedulla fretless in the video below.  Sounds good to me!  
 

That is quite the awesome performance.  I am wowwed by the harmonic tones that he generates and the buzz, although it may also be due to the tenor stringing.  Thanks for sharing.  I do love my Pedullas, and of course my Alembics!

The thing I like about the Buzz is that it is intended to give you the best of both worlds (particularly with the EZ-Q) in terms of a dynamite fretless tone; and an equally dynamite fretted/slap tone.
 
This link features the fretless singing tone:
 

 
This one has some of the slapped sound:
 

Good grief - just listen to Doug Johns to know their sounds.  He plays fretted and fretless Pedullas - one on my personal wish list.
 

 
Steve

I own a Pedulla PJ Buzz 4 . I was first introduced to Pedulla Buzz bass's by  Mark Egan when he gave  a couple of his Bass clinics in California in the early 1990's. I Participated in a couple of them and really liked the sound and feel of the instrument. Recently I have been considering getting Alembic Activators for mine. Check out the video ;

Very cool sounds from Egan, and a doubleneck at that, but that is one of the cheesiest videos I have ever seen.

I've played them from time to time and always been impressed. Feel good, sound good. And the neck finish gives you lots of expressive variety.

not sure if it's a fretless but here's a gorgeous 6'er!
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pedulla-Hexabuzz-6-string-bass-1996-/230946089146?pt=Guitar&hash=item35c575a8ba
 
but I too have always been attracted to these basses and after seeing the video that Steve posted I'm convinced I need one!
 
~Taylor

Buzz = fretless in Pedulla speak

I had a Buzz 4 in the early 80s, mostly due to influence from Mark Egan, and it was a wonderful bass. It was the first bass that I had that was really high quality through and through. I sold it when I moved to a 5 string and really missed. It later popped up at Daddy's in Boston, but I was too broke to buy it back. Post a picture, maybe it's my old bass!

That bass on eBay looks fretted to me! I think they do have fretted basses they also call buzz -- it's the body shape, isn't it?

Unless someone converted it by adding frets, that is a fretless. HexaBuzz is the term Mike Pedulla uses for his 6 string fretless basses.  His white fret lines do stand out.  I would not rule out that someone may have added frets, as almost always the Pedulla fretless fretboards are coated with Polyester.  I can see based on the pitures why one may conclude that it is fretted.

You're right -- the fretted versions are called MVPs. And I'm a Pedulla owner myself. That bass does look fretted, though.