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rickenbacker will now not be putting finish on their fretboards… thoughts???
- Thread starter bon viesta
- Start date
Not defensive at all. More regretful. I really wish I'd had a chance to see a 4004Cii. God do I wish I'd had a chance!
Also Ric completely lost me when they went to some maple fingerboards.
I guess I'm a traditionalist, I don't care for that look.
Add in a satin fingerboard finish, it's just not for me.
If it were my decision, I'd say stick to the what you've been successful with for decades.
I guess I'm a traditionalist, I don't care for that look.
Add in a satin fingerboard finish, it's just not for me.
If it were my decision, I'd say stick to the what you've been successful with for decades.
I think you’re mistaken. The way that Rickenbacker was doing things, they spray the whole thing, UV cure it, and it’s done. You can see that process - Rickenbacker has a tour you can see online. The new way, they have to mask the fretboard, spray the whole thing, UV cure it, then unmask the fretboard, and finish it. There’s no way the new way saves them labor - it adds labor. Not gobs more, but undeniably it is more labor.
My guess is Rickenbacker was hedging their bets - with tropical hardwoods having restrictions put on them, building some business and experience with maple fretboards seems like a very good idea for the longevity of the business.
People accuse Rickenbacker of being slow to change. Here they’re being proactive, we should applaud this, not discourage it.
Better to be prepared for a very real possibility and get experience with that than wait until you’re forced to adjust in a hurry -decisions made in a crisis are often far worse than if you’d started working on things before you were forced to change.
I'm also very attracted to the classic Ric look because my heroes played them in the 70s. But it was more the sound. I heard them before I saw them. I actually remember when I first saw what they looked like and thinking, aw man, that's what that sound is coming from? That's the weird/ugly bass I have to buy to get that sound?
But over time, it grew on me. The sound was instant love, the looks were an acquired taste. So, their motives for changing some of the cosmetic features aside, as long as it doesn't change the ability to extract that classic Ric sound, I'm good with it. I actually like classic things with modern updates and twists.
I really like the noir or stealth(?) model. I like the dark, unfinished board with dots. This bass with the V2 bridge would be awesome. I wouldn't even mind a Rocklite ebano board. As long as it didn't affect the sound, which, I can't imagine it would. I think that would look sweet on this bass.
I think it would be awesome if they offered a Ric with a Wal- like preamp. Imagine the sounds you could get out of a bass like that.
I think the board being coated was only a cosmetic thing and won't make it stop sounding like a Ric if they stop doing it. And like many things Fender, it was just easier to spray the whole bass and not part of some genius, magical formula that made the bass what it is. If anything, it was one of the things that caused issues and grief for people, so I'm glad they're changing it.
But over time, it grew on me. The sound was instant love, the looks were an acquired taste. So, their motives for changing some of the cosmetic features aside, as long as it doesn't change the ability to extract that classic Ric sound, I'm good with it. I actually like classic things with modern updates and twists.
I really like the noir or stealth(?) model. I like the dark, unfinished board with dots. This bass with the V2 bridge would be awesome. I wouldn't even mind a Rocklite ebano board. As long as it didn't affect the sound, which, I can't imagine it would. I think that would look sweet on this bass.
I think it would be awesome if they offered a Ric with a Wal- like preamp. Imagine the sounds you could get out of a bass like that.
I think the board being coated was only a cosmetic thing and won't make it stop sounding like a Ric if they stop doing it. And like many things Fender, it was just easier to spray the whole bass and not part of some genius, magical formula that made the bass what it is. If anything, it was one of the things that caused issues and grief for people, so I'm glad they're changing it.
Almost all the jet black ebony boards you see now are either dyed or synthetic , the material just doesn’t exist anymore in large quantities. The Rocklite Ebano machines and feels almost exactly like ebony, if it sounds any different, I can’t hear it.
I ordered my two at an authorized dealer. Waited 10 months for the 4003 Fireglo and 24 months! for the 4003FL montezuma brown.
It occurs to me I dont know how Fender laquers maple boards, before or after fret install? I cant remember seeing any Fender maple boards with uncrowned frets, but I suppose they put it on way thinner.
With the shortage and protection of certain woods, I would think the Rocklite boards would be a better option than dying a board to make it solid black.
I'm surprised it hasn't caught on and become an option.
Do any manufacturers offer it on their instruments?
My 96 has this issue. The finish is lifting around each fret. No issue on my 71. Not sure why.
I have a 4003 on order so i am curious to see if it will be finished or not. I am ok either way.
A 4001 with classic bridge, laquered fretboard, etc. And keep the 4003 modern and changing a bit.
Rickenbacker no longer uses UV curing, they simply spray polyester. I also can’t say for certain but they probably use a grain filler for the pores on the fretboard wood. But even if they did still use uv curing, spraying the fretboard also entails at least one, usually multiple stages, of sanding and then buffing. Which would be a lot more labor and chances for error than simply taping the board off before production, taking the tape off afterwards, and then applying an oil for literally 10 seconds after assembly.
I am a professional guitar finisher and I can guarantee that finishing the fretboard in any material is more work than not finishing it.
That's odd. I bought a Rick in early 2021 before this announcement and fretboard looks not shiny to me at all? It was the matte black one tho so maybe the fretboard finish was also matte looking?
The matte black ones still had the lacquer tho didn't it but it was a matte lacquer finish to match the matte black.
For me the appeal of Rickenbacker is the fact they stick to their guns and in a way it's given Rickenbacker a mythical standing in the guitar world. The new bridge was a no brainer tho.
Here is a shot of my Rickenbacker 4003 with the matte lacquer finish and the other is the new, non finished fretboard. Honestly, I like the look of the new unfinished fretboard.
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