hi sam, thats the thing about the new 4003,s they are all individual instruments with different characteristics, i have seen other fireglo 2011 models and they have a very light coloured fret board , the fret board on my bass is very dark, i actually watched some footage on you tube it was a tour of the rickenbacker factory it was made around nov, thats when my bass was produced there was a rck full of 4003 fireglo and they all had light coloured necks, i am happy to have something unusual and it sounds great. geo