Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I played on a mid-80s 4003 last week and the frets seemed much more narrow than on my 86, 80 and 79. There is no evidence that they had been filed or that a refin had been done on the neck. Anyone encounter such a thing?

Both my 73 4001's have 'skinny' frets. The same with my 77 4001 and my 83 4003.
However the frets on both my 89 4003S basses are larger and meatier!

There are two fret sizes used, as Ben mentions. I believe the changeover happened in '85 or '86.

I know John Hall has commented on this before. Has he ever said why the change was made? Are there examples of the factory going back to the narrower frets for select models since the mid-80s, like reissues or specialty models?

the 4003s5 basses have wonderful fat frets ...

And the 60's basses are very thin...

Most refrets I have seen from this period go a little larger to give more strength to those very thin necks.

I don't believe that frets contribute to neck strength either way, Wints...it comes down to accurate cutting of fret slots (not too deep, not too narrow or wide) so as not to compromise the strength of the fretboard, which is a good part of the total rigidity and torsional strength of a Rick bass' neck (essentially a tubular structure).

Too-narrow fret slots can cause backbow; too-wide ones can compromise the neck structure's resistance to the string pull, making the truss rods do too much work and possibly deadening tone. But this refers to mostly pretty extreme cases and is more theoretical than practical.

That sounds logical to me Paul!

That myth has been popular for many years then, based on what I have heard and seen, with the majority of jumbo refrets from this period.

The frets on my '73 4001 are much wider than those on my '67 4005WB, they seem like jumbos vs. mandolin-like almost.

I feel that the smaller frets, along with the tinier necks, give a nice precise feel to the earlier basses, especially with flatties. The bigger ones are better for more aggressive styles of playing, especially with roundwound strings, when firmer pressure requires a bigger fret to keep buzzing down.

I have always like the feel and sound of fat frets ...

That 60's fretwire fits the job perfectly for me.

That, along with the neck, makes playing these basses a joy.

After the Rotosounds ate my frets alive during the 70's, I had my Rick refretted in the mid-eighties. I believe the tech said he put medium jumbos on it. I always liked that term, "medium jumbo," it's so oxymoronic.

Fortunately, the Rotos had no ill affect on the neck. That sucker is straight and true to this day, and I've never been under the hood, truss rod cover-wise.