How big a diference does fret size make?

[colcifer]

Observations, preferences, hopefully not too much bickering. I've not tried enough basses to form an opinion of my own.

thanks,
c

[old-fashioned]

Supporting bump!

[SMILEYSIXX]

It's like this. 99.9% of the population won't hear or feel a thing. It's like fretboard wood or bridge style. I'd wager that most bassists don't even feel a big difference. It's all preference the way I see it. I personally prefer massive frets.

[plangentmusic]

There's a difference. Now fingerboard wood -- I doubt anyone could tell the difference blindfolded, but the difference between jumbos and regulars? Absolutely.

I used to like jumbos back in the 90's where I was going for a more metallic sound, more attack and a sharper snap. Now, I don't like it as much. Too clanky.

[electracoyote]

Originally Posted by SMILEYSIXX

It's like this. 99.9% of the population won't hear or feel a thing. It's like fretboard wood or bridge style. I'd wager that most bassists don't even feel a big difference. It's all preference the way I see it. I personally prefer massive frets.

This.

Think about it: Regardless of how large or small the fret material is, the string only makes contact with the very top.

I have a couple of basses with very small "vintage" fretwire, and I think maybe I can dial in lower action, but I have a couple of others with medium to large wire that also allow low action, so who knows?

Now fret WIDTH may have a subtle impact on things like tone and intonation, and if you have very tall wire and like to put a death grip on your fretted notes you will surely screw up the intonation.

[plangentmusic]

Originally Posted by electracoyote

This.

Think about it: Regardless of how large or small the fret material is, the string only makes contact with the very top.

I have a couple of basses with very small "vintage" fretwire, and I think maybe I can dial in lower action, but I have a couple of others with medium to large wire that also allow low action, so who knows?

Now fret WIDTH may have a subtle impact on things like tone and intonation, and if you have very tall wire and like to put a death grip on your fretted notes you will surely screw up the intonation.

That is incorrect. That's like saying if a hammer hits a metal sheet or an anvil, it's still only the head of the hammer that makes contact so it'll sound the same. It will not.

[michael_atw]

Do they possibly affect slides? I'm a big slider, some basses I find slide smoother than others.

[walterw]

this is actually a good question.

with guitars, i gotta have big-ass frets to facilitate bending. otherwise, my fingers drag on the fretboard wood making it hard to grip the string.

on bass, though, the thickness of the strings means that even with little frets the fingers don't really hit fretboard wood.

i suppose that the smaller the fret, the more conscious you have to be about fingering right up behind the fret for a clear note, but since lots of bass players are just fine with frets that are so small they don't exist at all (fretless), that might not be such an obstacle.

i've only played basses with modern big wire and vintage fender small wire, and haven't noticed a big difference. i would love to try out the mandolin fret idea (super-small wire).

[Nev375]

The frets have practically zero effect on tone. The fingerboard material they reside in has a small effect on tone (the harder or denser the material... the brighter) The strings you use has a massive effect on tone as does your playing technique.

[DrSmaggs]

In my opinion, frets have some, but not a significant effect on your tone.... a lot of it is the way you play and the body and neck woods. Strings play a huge factor as well.

[FunkyMan]

My warwick have large frets, and honestly, i can go faster on my Ibanez with regular fret wire! But somehow, slap is more consistent on large frets! IMO

[electracoyote]

Originally Posted by plangentmusic

That is incorrect. That's like saying if a hammer hits a metal sheet or an anvil, it's still only the head of the hammer that makes contact so it'll sound the same. It will not.

Hmmm...maybe it's the analogy that's throwing me off, so you'll need to explain this another way. I have two basses with vintage fret wire, then several others with medium to large fret wire. If the fret material is the same, same hardness, and the set-ups are the same, how can the results be so different? My basses do not sound all that different, the larger frets are not more "clanky" than the vintage wire.

[darkstorm]

Frets with the exception of stainless steal or brass have no significant effect on tone. To me stainless steel frets lend an unpleasant qaulity to the sound. Brass lends a more metalic but still musical qaulity to my ears. I prefer qaulity regular frets (nickel). I like jumbos best for fretting ease. Thats perhaps the guitar side of me applying itself to bass. As I notice guitar players say the same about jumbo versus small frets. I also believe jumbo frets would wear less then thin ones. As strings are going over a little bit larger area instead of focussing on smaller one. Perhaps that and the soft nickel fender used in the past along with the thin frets help create the legends of rotosounds wearing down frets faster? Ive owned basses with jumbo and medium frets (never bought and never will buy one with little or banjo size frets). While I can play the medium ones fine, theres a small subtle but more enjoyable qaulity for me useing jumbos.

When I listen to instruments unamplified to deduce its sound qaulity diff to another bass, I use a Stethoscope placed on the instrument body. I find it unreasonable to think human ears can hear the little but significant diff full freq wise etc unaided with a solid wood bass thats not plugged in to an amp.

[Pilgrim]

I have a dozen basses of ages and brands that cover 40+ years. I couldn't tell you what kind of frets are on any of them. Doesn't make a bit of difference to me.

The bottom line is this: each bass sounds like itself.

[plangentmusic]

Originally Posted by electracoyote

Hmmm...maybe it's the analogy that's throwing me off, so you'll need to explain this another way. I have two basses with vintage fret wire, then several others with medium to large fret wire. If the fret material is the same, same hardness, and the set-ups are the same, how can the results be so different? My basses do not sound all that different, the larger frets are not more "clanky" than the vintage wire.

But they CAN be. : )

[dmusic148]

Originally Posted by plangentmusic

But they CAN be. : )

Nah, not a chance. In the overall scheme of things, the frets are such a small percentage of the overall mass of the instrument that they cannot possibly make a difference. Small, big, stainless, whatever- no difference. It's physically impossible, seriously.
And before someone says "my J bass with small bell brass frets is mellower sounding than my J bass with stainless jumbos"...B.S. It's not the same bass, so all bets are off. If you'd like to record a bass, defret it and refret it with other wire, and record again, we have something to talk about.

To the OP: Feel. They feel different, that's all.

[MUSHROOMSeAcOw]

The biggest difference is that it is IMPOSSIBLE to tap and somewhat harder to do hammer-ons on a very small banjo fret, like the CV Squiers. I like both styles, but the smaller frets allow for lower action and comfier play IMHO.

[Metal Mitch]

Fret size does indeed make a big difference in tone - when you utilize the fret clank. If you play to avoid clank and buzz you won't hear the difference.

What makes an even bigger difference is crowned vs. uncrowned frets. Wide uncrowned frets will give you maximum clank and metal-on-metal high harmonic content, that you just can't get out of small crowned frets.

[old-fashioned]

Originally Posted by Metal Mitch

Fret size does indeed make a big difference in tone - when you utilize the fret clank. If you play to avoid clank and buzz you won't hear the difference.

This one gave me an idea about the difference they make... I really don't want any clank and planning to play my jbass strung with flats. So I feel being closer to smaller fret wire for now.

[walterw]

Originally Posted by Metal Mitch

What makes an even bigger difference is crowned vs. uncrowned frets. Wide uncrowned frets will give you maximum clank and metal-on-metal high harmonic content, that you just can't get out of small crowned frets.

huh?

"un-crowned" frets will also buzz oddly and throw off the intonation, due to the string vibrating off of the edge of the flat fret top instead of the rounded center like it should.

more importantly, who is going to be playing un-crowned frets? that's like, i dunno, driving away from the tire store with un-balanced wheels. it's a basic step in repair or maintenance that no technician is going to skip.

oh, and next time someone complains to me about fret buzz, i'm gonna tell 'em that it's "metal-on-metal high harmonic content" (i love that, and i'm stealing it )