4003 fretless vs. frets

[the_aardvark]

I’m about to pull the trigger on a 4003. However I’m trying to decide between a fretless or a fretted one. What I want is a fretless bass that sounds like a regular 4003. I don’t want to use rounds ‘cause I don’t want to chew up the fingerboard. If I use flats that say they sound like rounds will my fretless have the growl, sustain and near piano like quality of a regular Ric? If so, what strings would be best? My second issue is the dot markers. Does anyone know when Rickenbacker is switching back to having the dot markers on the frets for the 4003FL instead of in between? The fretless I’m thinking about getting was ordered in December 2005 but hasn’t come in yet. Is there any way I can find out what the position of the dot markers will be for this bass? Thanks for the help.

[rickfan60]

Hi Clint and welcome. The sounds of fretted and fretless basses are fundamentally different. Fingered notes on a fretless will always have that warm, woody sound and not the sharp bite of a fretted bass. It is just the nature of the beast. Playing technique can bring out more of a piano-like sound but it will never equal the tone of a fretted bass in that regard. Likewise, a fretted bass cannot produce the smooth swells and luscious tones of a good fretless.

As far as I know, RIC has gone back to the traditional dot placement on the FL models.

[bobcat]

I think the best you can do is go for some very bright, atypical flats, like D'addario Chromes or Rotosound RS77 Jazz Flats. I know a lot of people here like the Chromes . . . you'd still never get the whole growly fretted-ness, but with the bridge pickup on full and bright strings, you could certainly approach it. You might also wanna look at compressed nickel roundwounds . . . they'd eat a fretboard more than a set of flats would, but apparently something like DR Sunbeams are very very easy on fretless basses. They sure don't wreck fretted basses. They also last forever.

[rictified]

The fretlesses are very growly with flatwound strings on them much more so than a fretted bass, they are not piano-like but are growly, big difference in those two tones. A Dec. 05 may have the in between dots, I would call their service dept to see if they are doing old orders with the traditional placement. They do sound different and actually the new ones come with round wounds on them, although I had them taken off mine before I got it. You can still get a very cutting in your face sound sound if you want though by playing hard and near the bridge. A basses' sound is much more in the way it is played, it is like a canvass although of course they all have their inherent sounds. I myself think fretless basses sound better with flatwounds, much more presence. GHS bright flats have a very bright sound, especially the light gauge set. I would not recommend Rots, I bought two sets and both had dead G strings right out of the box. They've been having that kind of trouble now for at least 15 years which is why I changed in the first place.

[wints]

Welcome Clint.

I have D'Addario's on my fretless and although sounding bright for a fretless, it's nothing like a 4001/3 with rounds. Basically, all that has been said above.

Sounds like you need a fretless AND a fretted bass

[the_aardvark]

Thanks for all the responses! I probably overstated what I'm really looking for. I know a fretless will never sound exactly like a fretted bass (my main bass right now is a fretless Jazz). I'm just wanting to get as close as possible while keeping the character of a fretless. Sounds like bright flats will do what I'm looking for. 'Cause while it's true I'd love to have a 4003 fretless and a 4003 fretted bass, if I tried to do that anytime soon I'd wind up without a wife!

[jnbass]

solution?

get both-let the creditors decide!