I co-worker just had one of these delivered to the office.
 
http://www.nedsteinberger.com/instruments/nxtbass.php
 
I want one.

you looking for a 4 string or 5?

When I pull the triger, a 4.  Dependes on my tax situation this year (and if I opt for a new bass or a new preamp).

oh well
i have a 5 string cr model

Love my NS CR5M!

I bought their WAV electric upright about 2 years ago. Made in China, IIRC, but very high quality and playability. Mine was only $900 new. Includes a PASSIVE piezo pickup that sounds really good. It's way too much fun. and a gorgeous maple top and finish too.

I'd be very intrigued by the Omni bass . . . a typically clever Ned design combining electric bass guitar and bowed upright in the traditional 34 scale length . . . hell, you can even bow it!

The Omni f.k.a. the Bass Cello, now also available fretted.

i cant tell if they are actual frets or lined frets in the neck. but
i'm a purist- if you're playing upright bass- theres absolutely no reason to have frets on it.
theyre nice enough to put dots on it which alembic doesnt do.
frets would remove any of that special mwah sound
thats comes out of a fretless instrument.
playing fretless requires practice practice practice to get muscle memory to take over.
as a footnote
i contacted fret-ex to see if they could come up with side leds for uprights and was told they didnt have the technology for a 41 in scale

The pictures down the NS Omni Bass page clearly show metal frets.
 
Many gambas have frets in the form of strings of gut tied across the fingerboard, especially for the lower positions. IIRC, the origin of the double bass lies with the gamba, rather than the violin - so if you're a purist, you're not of the orthodox kind [].

for your information adriaan
 
the gamba was a member of the viol family having the same range as a cello- and it had no frets btw
 
for history of the double bass
http://www.doublebass.it/history.htm
 
as i said- im a purist- not someone who makes stuff up
:-p

Actually the Viola de Gamba does have frets. Here is a link to the The Viola da Gamba Society of America instrument page:  
http://vdgsa.org/pgs/the_viol.html  
 
The text:
What does the viol look like?
 
Historically, the viol has many shapes and sizes. By the 16th century, a standard shape for the viol did emerge with broad ribs, sloping shoulders and a fairly flat, fretted neck.
 
Keith

well i owe an apology
the photo i saw had no frets or was in poor lighting

wow  
i have really learned a lot here guys
i found this thread of a video slide show on the history of the double bass
according to this yes the gamba was the predecessor
of the upright. they were around eight foot tall with frets, they got as large as 15 ft tall and were known as octa-bass not to be confused with octo-mom-lol
around 1600 the frets were dropped and it more or less looks like your traditional upright
http://www.powershow.com/view.php?id=P1246990922qKZTA&t=The+History+of+the+Upright+Bass

now that its been cleared up
i still think your'e a pussy if you buy an upright with frets on it.
lmao