Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

While browsing ebay this morning I noticed several Rics with slanted frets. What was the reasoning behind this? It seems unlikely to me that this would help with playability. And, since they have not been available for a long time, I can guess that it never caught on.

Thanks, dog

Ergonomics & better intonation.

The reasoning behind this was that Rickenbacker really wanted to improve the playability. John Hall once stated that without seeing the guitar most players liked the slanted frets, but as soon as they SAW the guitar they were playing they couldn't play it anymore... I think the slanted frets simply looked bizarre, that's why people didn't accept the design.

What's kinda funny is that the slanted-fret Ricks are almost always featured in guitar books because they look so wacky.

Some people still seek them out. Too weird for me, though. I guess slanted frets would help with chords, but I wonder how easy it is to play high-fret leads.

it is a matter of habit. all i can say is that if you switch back and forth between 481 and something else it takes bit to adjust. also i still haven't find optimal position for it after all these years. i love it but it is not my guitar to go to for leads - that position in my stable belogs to 660.

As you may expect, it makes some chords easier, and some chords harder.

I notice no difference re: frets and finger placement, but my issue is with the dead flat fretboard on my 481. Feels very strange...

jingle_jangle wrote:I notice no difference re: frets and finger placement, but my issue is with the dead flat fretboard on my 481. Feels very strange...

Don't C58's have a similar radius?

Not. Though I've not measured it, the specs say 7.25". Early Combo 400s, though, are dead flat, too. Not sure about Combo 600s and 800s.My experience with early Ricks indicates that a 6" radius was common throughout the '60s, on guitars, at least.

more on post 63 guitars. i have 63 425 that i like 10 radius or more. and yes the flat fingerboard of 480/481 can be challenging but they are great slide guitars. have you paul found comfortable position for 481? i tried all high/low/middle and it seems to be every day different with higher one being the most often used position.

jingle_jangle wrote:Not. Though I've not measured it, the specs say 7.25". Early Combo 400s, though, are dead flat, too. Not sure about Combo 600s and 800s.My experience with early Ricks indicates that a 6" radius was common throughout the '60s, on guitars, at least.

Really? I could've sworn I've seen people complain the C58's have way way flat radius's's's''ss's's, Not at all like the "common" Rick

Looks pretty flat to me... WAY flatter than a 6" Radius...

Wow Nick, THAT is a beauty!

Thanks all. I appreciate the education on slanted frets. At first, I thought there was something wrong with my eyes, or the photos. dog

Nick, specs say 7.25", not 6". And that photo is skewed. Look at how odd the pickups look, fer example.

Dusan, old buddy, my 480 has a slight radius; not flat. I'm guessing around 16-18" (no, I'm not kidding), but have not measured. But definitely not flat like my 481. My experience with '60s Ricks shows 6" to be very common. My '67 425 and 450 both have 7.25" (about) radii. I say, "about", because there is some variance; hand-finishing, I suppose.

yes my 480 has bit of radius there too - compare to 481 that is flat. as the old ones go i think i remember one of the oldtimers many years back when this was still alt.ric.group....describing how they radiused fretboards during 60's on long belt sander....so that would account for "accuracy"