Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hey FLolks,

So my July '08 4003FL gets here tomorrow and I wanted to ask you who know them a couple of quick questions.

1) It shipped from San Jose, CA on Friday (10/8) and will be here in Columbia, MO tomorrow (10/12). I think the temp has had a range of 40's to 70's along its route. The temp in my house is around 78 F. How long should I wait to open the case? When I got my January '10 4003, it was in the single digits temperature-wise and the house temp was around 70. I waited 48 hours to open it, but it was torture. I know I won't have to wait that long, but want be on the safe side.

2) I know that Ric FL's have had the fretboard & side dots in various places throughout their production. Mine was manufactured in July 2008. What will the "dot situation" on mine be, i.e. what will they indicate? I am not planning on relying on them, but this will be the first time I have played a FL in 17 years and that was only for a few minutes.

3) Any tips for a FL noob? I order Chris Kringel's FL book based on some comments Cassius made, but it won't be here for a few more days. How do I get started on the right foot in the meantime.

Thanks in advance for the help. I will post some pics if anyone's interested.

LEL (Jason)

3) Play octaves, harmonics, chromatic scales, things like that to just get used to the concept of fretless sound. For fun, hit a harmonic, say the fifth position on the G string, press down and slide the harmonic up the fingerboard.

jps wrote:For fun, hit a harmonic, say the fifth position on the G string, press down and slide the harmonic up the fingerboard.

For even more fun, at the same time, hit the harmonic over the A note of the D string and the D note of the G string (both where the 7th fret would be) press down and slide them both up the fingerboard. That's the way bassist Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam ends the intro of the song, "Even Flow".

The Kringel book uses simple but fun examples to teach you the fundamentals and really develop your vocabulary. You'll like it I'm sure.

The fret dot setup will be 3, 5, 7, 9, 12, 15, 17, 19 with the dots at the correct fingering location (as opposed to between as on fretted basses).

I'm not sure why you don't plan to rely on them; I sure do (along with my ears and experience with the bass I'm playing). Unlike an upright, body movements with an electric bass tend to make the dots move in relation to the hand-eye relationship you need to develop.

Another exercise you can do is to play some octave things such as the open E to A string E, open A to D string A, open D to G string D and start to add notes above and below and connect the E/A/Ds in a musical way. ThIs way, you have a series of reference points (the open strings) to root your ear to the proper intonation on the stopped notes.

FretlessOnly wrote:I'm not sure why you don't plan to rely on them; I sure do (along with my ears and experience with the bass I'm playing). Unlike an upright, body movements with an electric bass tend to make the dots move in relation to the hand-eye relationship you need to develop.

Good point. I just didn't know if it would hinder my learning proper intonation. Your point about it being an electric vs. an upright makes sense.

FretlessOnly wrote:Another exercise you can do is to play some octave things such as the open E to A string E, open A to D string A, open D to G string D and start to add notes above and below and connect the E/A/Ds in a musical way. ThIs way, you have a series of reference points (the open strings) to root your ear to the proper intonation on the stopped notes.

That, along with other tips posted so far, is quite helpful.

However, no one has responded to my first question. Given the info I provided in my first post in the thread... how long should I wait before opening the case after getting it?

LEL

If the temps in your area are mild overnight and your 4003FL is not delivered until sometime in the afternoon, you should be able to open it soon after delivery.

Low End Lover wrote: However, no one has responded to my first question. Given the info I provided in my first post in the thread... how long should I wait before opening the case after getting it?

LEL

You should wait at least a week...

cjj wrote:

Low End Lover wrote: However, no one has responded to my first question. Given the info I provided in my first post in the thread... how long should I wait before opening the case after getting it?

LEL

You should wait at least a week...

You are evil CJ!

I'm a bit on the paranoid side Jason, I give any and all basses a 24 hour resting time. I usually open up the top of the box after about 15 hours and then when the 24 hour mark hits...I take it out of the box. IF the case still feels cold to the touch, I let sit another 12 hours at least....but that's just me.

Well CJ has usually been nice and helpful so I will let that slide this time! Tony, I will probably wait until tomorrow to crack it open as I like to be on the safe side as well. BTW Tony, did you know that I had the choice betweem JG & MG and I went with MG. Now I have a JG 4003 & a MG 4003FL. That way I can stay on both you and Joey's good side!

Low End Lover wrote:Well CJ has usually been nice and helpful so I will let that slide this time! Tony, I will probably wait until tomorrow to crack it open as I like to be on the safe side as well. BTW Tony, did you know that I had the choice betweem JG & MG and I went with MG. Now I have a JG 4003 & a MG 4003FL. That way I can stay on both you and Joey's good side!

Too funny Jason!

IMHO, you made the PERFECT CHOICE!

I'm just OCD and although I HATE to admit it in front of Joey & Brian, I've kind of like black with gold trim, TO LOOK AT, not to play!

Jason, how is it? Where are the pictures?!

rickenbrother wrote:Jason, how is it? Where are the pictures?!

Joey,

Thanks for asking. It's been "one of those days". I will get a report and some pictures up tomorrow, I promise. I will say this, as much as I am a JG guy, this MG is a looker with some nice figuring. Also, I can already tell fretless is another world and I am excited and intimidated by it.

Jason

Don't be intimidated. Frets = constraining; fretless = freedom.

FretlessOnly wrote:Don't be intimidated. Frets = constraining; fretless = freedom.

So true. I really have a hard time going back to fretted; "speed bumps" is a really apt comparison. It's so much easier to sing and play with fretless too.