Removing Lacquer on Fretboard & Larger Frets

[drumbob]

Has anyone removed the lacquer on their fretboard and installed bigger frets on their Rick six-strings? Seems to me that would make them better solo instruments. Thoughts?

[sharkboy]

I've had a lot of guitars with a lot of different fretboards. Honestly, there is nothing better than a nicely lacquered Rickenbacker fretboard. I can assure you that on those occasions I have played my Rickenbacker that has an unfinished one, I wish it had been lacquered.

I always perceive a little more snap, spank, brightness in the response of the strings with the lacquer. Bends are a little smoother, etc. I also like the feeling that the fretboard will resist the ham fists and fingers of me and anyone to whom I allow to play the guitar, and the fretboard finish will look great for a loooong time.

This all said, I think that there is a chance that many of us (myself included) make too much hay about these differences.

[ken_j]

The 650 series are stock with larger frets. You should try one.

[sharkboy]

Sorry, I only mentioned the lacquer. I have my action a bit lower on my 660/6 than my 650C- they play with similar ease, but the 650C is a bit more of a string bending machine, due to the fatter frets.

If you want to try unfinished, fatter frets and a wider fretboard, you could try out a Dakota or Sierra (or a 380L if you can find one.)

[fatcat]

http://www.edroman.com/guitars/rickenba ... ardmod.htm

[jingle_jangle]

I think Ed was one of the most opinionated blowhards on the guitar scene, but his Rick "mods" are for the birds.

Ed knew, or cared, little about what makes Ricks unique. To him, they were cash cows, product, stuff to flog to the unwashed. And modifying them was an excuse to impose his will and preferences on people who didn't understand Ricks, but thought him to be an "authority", while collecting nice profits to boot.

Anyone who wants to get an idea of where Ed's head was at re: guitars, just troll his extensive website for the guitars he himself designed and had his staff build. 'Nuff said.

To answer the original question: Yes, I have seen unfinished fretboards and jumbo frets...on several modified Ricks which I've had the great pleasure of "unmodifying" by putting the correct frets back on and revarnishing the 'boards.

Then I breathe a sigh of relief...another *********** Rickenbacker given its identity back. Or something like that.

First P-90s, now this topic...if you want a Les Paul, Jr. or Sr., go out and get one.

[teb]

I think Ed must buy these ultra-jumbo frets from a "rails to trails" program. Look at the size of those mothers!



For the record, I own one Rickenbacker twelve with an unvarnished fingerboard (360/12WB - normal-sized frets though) and one with a standard, varnished board (330/12). There is no difference in playing speed or smoothness to be had by stripping the board that I can see and I don't believe it does anything that changes the tone. Ed is full of it (as usual).

[ken_j]

If you want to try unfinished, fatter frets and a wider fretboard, you could try out a Dakota or Sierra (or a 380L if you can find one.)

I have only played one 380L (belonging to Kevin Kuney). It did not have jumbo frets, most likely the same as most other Rick models. The fretboard is wider and bound. It has a total different feel than a 650.

[sharkboy]

I was doing that from memory, but I just looked. My 380L has considerably fatter frets than my 660. My 650C is about 500 miles away from me right now, so I can't check the differences between them. I agree that I have noticed a difference between the 380L and the 650C, but I'd say a good bit of it is the fretboard finish.

[paologregorio]

I really like the feel of a lacquered fretboard. Usually the option available for guitars is either lacquered maple, and unlacquered rosewood or ebony. Rickebackers are unique, so far as I know, in having a lacquered rosewood fretboard, which I really like.

I would like to have TALLER frets on my Rickenbackers, but not jumbo frets on my Rickenbackers. I have a Gretsch, a Tele(slightly less jumbo than the Strat or Gretsch), and a Strat with jumbo frets, which I like the feel of, but I don't think I'd do it to a Rick; the scale is different-shorter, and I think the fretbard is a bit narrower. The combination of these two factors would make jumbo frets on a Rick feel off IMHO. I do plan on installing taller frets every time one of my Ricks needs a refret, especially my `84 model, which will need one in the near future, as the frets cannot be dressed anymore. Dale is putting taller frets on a Rick that I have at his place for some work. My 381/6 has taller frets than the `84, and my `91 MG WB feels like it has a taller frets than the `381, as well as a flatter radius. I could probably do upward bends a little faster on the 381 if it had taller frets, which might be in order in another couple of years if I play it as often as I have been in the past few months. The MG WB with the taller frets and the flatter radius is really easy to do upward bends on, and just about anything else I want.

I would take ANYTHING Ed Roman says, with not just a grain of salt, but with the whole JAR of salt! Everytime I read anything on his website, I can just feel the sales bombast jumping out at me from the webpage. It's really obnoxious!

[jingle_jangle]

A typical Rick has had about 1/3-1/2 of the fret height removed at the factory in the levelling process. Rick frets are not crowned post-flattening, either. It's one of the brand's features/quirks. This is why players accustomed to other brands that do things the "standard" way, often think that Rick fretboards seem to be odd, but fast.

It's possible to refret a Rick to factory appearance, but not do such a drastic levelling job (the factory is doing production fretwork, all by hand...) so the frets retain most of their height.

[johnallg]

I love the way the ends of the frets are dressed out on the Ed modded neck. [removes tongue from cheek]

[paologregorio]

Yup. Then there's the fact that Ed Roman thinks Ricks come with nitro finishes.

[jingle_jangle]

I think I'd use the past tense with Ed. Sometime about mid-June, he was "eased out" of the Las Vegas store by his partners. Subsequently, a percentage of the stock was disposed of. His involvement in operations ceased at that time, although there was mention of him setting up business in another location back East (Iraq?).

Anyone with more current information is welcome to post. Has anyone visited ERG in the last couple of months, who can give us a rundown?

[paologregorio]

Oh that's right. There was a complete redesign of the website, and there was some sort of cryptic message on the company site that indicated that ERG was no longer affiliated with Ed Roman. Thanks for the reminder.