Fretless Worries

mikes123 · Post by **mikes123** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 10:51 am

I own a 76 4001 FL and it is stating to show some fretboard wear caused by the use of round wound strings. I'm kind of in a pickle because I love my roto swig bass's but I don't want to ruin my Rickenbacker. So if any one has any ideas or tips for my problem that would be just great.
Thank you.

Mike

rickfan60 · Post by **rickfan60** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 12:23 pm

Hi Mike and welcome to the Rickresource forum! One of our forum members, Bill Henshell did the Jaco trick with his 4001FL and coated the fingerboard with marine epoxy. The epoxy is hard as hell and has not worn much at all since he applied it some years ago. Let me see if I can get him to chime in on the subject.

spamegg · Post by **spamegg** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 12:26 pm

Mike... I had the same problem with my fretless (alas, not a Rick). I've been using Dean Markley "Fret Master" strings. They're a "press wound string". Basically, they're round wound over the pickup area but the winding are pressed (flattened) over the fret board. So you get a round wound tone without the damage on your fret board. Here's the link:

http://www.juststrings.com/dms-2644.html

I've been using these for over 20 years (they used to be called "Half & Halfs") and have been very happy with the tone and longevity.

mikes123 · Post by **mikes123** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 12:53 pm

Thanks for the tip Don. Next time I need to change my strings I'll get a set of those Fret Masters. Do you get any finger noise when you use them by any chance?

cwk · Post by **cwk** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 1:41 pm

Mike,
I was going to suggest this guy. http://www.woodwiz.com/epoxy/

I looked at his site and there is a 2+yr waiting list..oh well,perhaps in the future.
Bill

byu · Post by **byu** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 3:00 pm

Mike,
I had the finish on my 4001S/FL taken off by a local reputable shop. I then coated it w/6 coats of Petits Poly Poxy per Jaco. It took 24 hours or so for a coat to dry, then I sanded and steel wooled it between coats. I did this around 1990 or so and I've used Rotosound on it exclusively since then. It's still smooth as glass with no eating through to the wood. I'm not sure Petits is still being made but I'm sure you could find something comparable.

That bass was featured in the forum calandar for Jan. '06.
Cheers,
Bill

wints · Post by **wints** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 3:18 pm

Welcome Mike.

If you use Roto's on the standard fretless board, then wear is certain. You have the option of switching out to flats, which is a tough one if you love rounds or going down Bill's route of epoxy.

I love rounds on a FL, but love my board more...

byu · Post by **byu** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 3:39 pm

Looks very much like mine after 17 years of Rotosounds.

rickenbrother · Post by **rickenbrother** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 4:23 pm

I was lucky when I got my '75 4001FL, it only had minor wear on the fingerboard. Now that I'm happy with the set of D'Addario Chromes on it, that fingerboard should be fine for a long time. Now it's time to put a set of Chromes on my 4003FL.

rickfan60 · Post by **rickfan60** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 4:26 pm

Bill's fingerboard looks perfectly stock and the bass plays like a dream. Thanks for chiming in Bill. I was just about to e-mail you.

byu · Post by **byu** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 6:49 pm

No prob. I've actually got time to read the forum since I'm on vacation. Stayed in Cal. after NAMM.
Cheers.

njvolz · Post by **njvolz** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 8:01 am

Mike;

You've had it 30 years and NOW it's showing fret wear? I had an ebony board put on my 77 4001FL in 1982 or 83 after eating grooves in it doing the jazz-fusion bit in college. I like the sound better. The fret marks for every single fr-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-ret was a little confusing for shifting. Just a pure black board, with the standard fret marks at 3, 5, 7, 9, 12 now!

John in NJ

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 12:46 pm

I took the finish off the neck and put some two part epoxy on an early 80's 4001FL for Rotosounds years ago and the sound changed and not for the good. It sounded unbelievable with the Rots and the original finish but sounded dull afterward, I am in no way a professional painter though so maybe I applied it wrong, not sure. I do know that they sound (to me) better with flats anyway, they have more growl than with roundwounds. I have a 72 4001FL with the original fingerboard and finish on it and as far as I know it's never had RW's on it and it sounds great with TI flats. Also have a new Blueboy 4003FL which sounds even better with Pyramids (I may change to a lighter gauge of string, maybe light gauge GHS bright flats), I always get compliments on the sound of that bass unless I play flat (with my flats, very punny I think) of course.

wints · Post by **wints** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 1:37 pm

One of my custom basses would be a 21 or 24 fret ebony board Ric fretless...

mikes123 · Post by **mikes123** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 4:12 pm

Thanks for all of your guys' tips. I ordered some of those fret master strings that Don was talking about. I plan on coating my fretboard w/ epoxy PROFESSIONLY because I dont want to screw up my baby. I'm in college now and I don't have the money for that now but maybe down the road when I graduate.