Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

The stingray is great beats the Jazz imho. But I use a fretted 4003 much of the time and I just reckon a fretless Rickenbacker would be great for the sake of consistency! Would you say the Cheyenne II is the only Ric suitable for defretting?

jps wrote:

StevieDee wrote:...the look of horror on my band mates faces as I ventured up an unlined neck has convinced me it's...

...the way to go! I would love to make my band mates have that look all the time!

I know that look,but it's usually me that's making it when i don't manage the correct "autotune" fingering on my fretless. I seem to have more of that issue with the higher notes on the G string than anywhere else.

woodyng wrote:

jps wrote:

StevieDee wrote:...the look of horror on my band mates faces as I ventured up an unlined neck has convinced me it's...

...the way to go! I would love to make my band mates have that look all the time!

I know that look,but it's usually me that's making it when i don't manage the correct "autotune" fingering on my fretless. I seem to have more of that issue with the higher notes on the G string than anywhere else.

Flip the strings around so the G is where the E would normally be, then you could see it easier.

StevieDee wrote:The stingray is great beats the Jazz imho. But I use a fretted 4003 much of the time and I just reckon a fretless Rickenbacker would be great for the sake of consistency! Would you say the Cheyenne II is the only Ric suitable for defretting?

Maybe not,but I would stick to models that were of the S variety. (Not having to deal with neck binding.)
Also if you want to defret a moedel that has a finished fingerboard,that will involve the decision of refinishing the board,or taking it down to the wood....
When i was contemplating my defret,i needed to choose between doing that to my Cii,or my cheyenne 1,which has an oiled maple fretboard. I went with the Cii,primarily because it had the "dropped" position pickups,which i thought would enhance the fretless tones.....

I know that look,but it's usually me that's making it when i don't manage the correct "autotune" fingering on my fretless. I seem to have more of that issue with the higher notes on the G string than anywhere else.[/quote]

Flip the strings around so the G is where the E would normally be, then you could see it easier. [/quote]

You're......So.......Helpful!

woodyng wrote:You're......So.......Helpful!

woodyng wrote:I seem to have more of that issue with the higher notes on the G string than anywhere else.

That upper register G string does take a little more practice, especially to be good enough to improvise up there and get the intonation right on a tricky solo. Be sure your strings are intonated like you expect them to be. Also, there's nothing wrong with intonating the G string a bit "offset" if that's how you like to play it.

This issue is why I prefer unlined fingerboards. It forces your ears to do the work that they would have had to do anyway, considering the fret lines aren't all that accurate. Eventually you just learn to play by a combination of feel and what you're hearing, at least the material you rehearse (that's how you can sing and play with a fretless). But, when I play an improvised jazz standard I definitely look at my fingers more.

The first three fretless basses I had were actually fretted basses that I had turned into fretless so they had lines, '72 Fender Telecaster Bass, '87 Yamaha BX-5, and an '84 Alembic Exploiter. As nice, and fun as they were, I did feel really at home until I played my first unlined fretless ZON; Except for the two Rick Turner fretless basses I had (they were lined but that was what was available when I got them) I have not looked back. In a way, the fretlines sort of forced me to look at the fingerboard, strange as that seems.

The 1977 4001FL BG I had posted for sale is still available:

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=410640

Hey Gary, haven't seen you in quite a while, how my fretless friend doing?

jps wrote:The first three fretless basses I had were actually fretted basses that I had turned into fretless so they had lines, '72 Fender Telecaster Bass, '87 Yamaha BX-5, and an '84 Alembic Exploiter. As nice, and fun as they were, I did feel really at home until I played my first unlined fretless ZON; Except for the two Rick Turner fretless basses I had (they were lined but that was what was available when I got them) I have not looked back. In a way, the fretlines sort of forced me to look at the fingerboard, strange as that seems.

...I did feel really at home until I played... should have read: ...I did not feel really at home until I played... me!

jps wrote:Hey Gary, haven't seen you in quite a while, how my fretless friend doing?

Howdy friend, I'm O.K., still trying to juggle things now that I am back in an apartment and working as a consultant in Quality Assurance (instead of as an analytical chemist in a lab!). I am still a hack bass player, of course, but I did play bass on We Got To Get Out Of This Place at the last local jam!

doctorwho wrote:The 1977 4001FL BG I had posted for sale is still available:

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=410640

PM sent ...

doctorwho wrote:

jps wrote:Hey Gary, haven't seen you in quite a while, how my fretless friend doing?

Howdy friend, I'm O.K., still trying to juggle things now that I am back in an apartment and working as a consultant in Quality Assurance (instead of as an analytical chemist in a lab!). I am still a hack bass player, of course, but I did play bass on We Got To Get Out Of This Place at the last local jam!

Job and career change, eh? I did that 3 years ago, and I may be having to do so again, currently. Through this coming Winter I will find out who/what I am going to be this time 'round.

cassius987 wrote:

jps wrote:Fretless Stingrays do sound great, too; Patrick O'Hearn used one (I don't know if he still does or not) and it sounded wonderful in his music.

I really liked the one I owned for a week before returning, the tone was great and probably would have improved with better strings, but I didn't like the thick body.

The Pre EB '80 Stingray I used to own with factory ebony board was a tone monster. One of the very few I regret letting go. Hey, Stevie's in the UK, so it actually pretty easy.

It's called a Wal...