Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I guess my J bass does have dots on the side above the 12th at 15-17-19...just didn't see it in the shadows of my den yesterday! And it's a double dot at 12. The standard. Those stretches between the dots that are 3 "frets" apart are the most troublesome, but you're supposed to hear what you are playing with a FL. When I'm playing fretless a lot I start to not look much at my left hand.

Yeah, I thought you just meant for us to extrapolate Ed, all of us old timers that started on Fenders knew that. I have a 72 fretless P bass and had a 68 fretless Candy Apple Red P bass at one time, would be worth a fortune now as their first factory fretlesses weren't made until 1970 I believe although I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

Thoughtless frets:

Hi, I have the 4003FL and I like the fret dots. Most important for my playing are the sidedots. However, if you play fretless a lot you will not look much at any of the dots is my experience.
I have never seen a fretless RIC without any dots or fretlines.

In the end it is a matter of personal taste an likings, just do what your gut tells you.

Good luck!!

Ralph

I never look at the dots on the fretboard either. The side dots are handy, but I agree with Ralph that after awhile you don't even look at the neck anymore while you are playing. When I switch basses during a gig, I do look at the side dots for about the first 30 seconds, until I adjust to the feel of the new bass, then I stop looking. The same is true of my double basses - never had dots, never needed them.

Rickenbacker has never made a bass with fretlines, any Ric bass that has them has been modified, S necks with regular S dots yes, but fretlines no.

Hey Ed, why are you still intermediate with 1119 posts? Wow, they really changed this place, used to be a senior member with 100 posts.