Vintage vs. Modern frets

Get Uppa · #1 04-10-2011, 08:36 AM

What are the advantages and disadvantages of both vintage and modern sized frets?

Nikoubis · #2 04-10-2011, 08:50 AM

Very subjective, that. If you ask 10 people, you'll probably get 11 different opinions.

LilloEsquilo · #3 04-10-2011, 09:11 AM

Yeah that's pretty much it, Nikoubis, all it will do is start a holy war. There won't be a definitive answer.

My God seriously on this site all you have to do to start a holy war is say you are happy with a bass you paid 300 bucks for, and all the snobs will leap on you like a pit bull on a steak pounding you with their Sadowsky that they paid 10 times that for is a billion times the bass your pathetic toy is. Doubt me? Just post it and see for yourself.

Get Uppa · #4 04-10-2011, 03:00 PM

I guess I shouldn't have used "vs." in the title, as I'm definitely not asking which is better. I'm just trying to understand from simply an objective and mechanical/physical standpoint what each type excels at, and why one type would be chosen over the other, all else being equal.

BigOldHarry · #5 04-10-2011, 03:06 PM

vintage fret sizes???

Lord, will someone ban the use of that word PLEASE!?!?!

JimmyKickButt · #6 04-10-2011, 03:07 PM

In short, what are the pros and cons of vintage and modern frets... Something I'd be interested knowing also.

TN WOODMAN · #7 04-10-2011, 03:25 PM

If we don't like vintage, shall we say traditional? I find the traditional fret shapes for bass very acceptable and actually preferable to more modern sizes. The big advantage to larger/taller frets to me is on guitars, which makes bending notes easier. Same goes for flatter radius fretboards.

Samsound · #8 04-10-2011, 03:36 PM

Yeah, that's the rub. With guitar frets, it's not so much vintage vs. modern frets, as it is vintage vs. 6105, vs. tall, vs. Medium Jumbo, vs. Jumbo, vs. Xtra Jumbo SIZED frets, etc. I would imagine fret sizing follows similar patterns for bass frets. So you'd need to be more specific. Are you wanting to compare to taller, narrow fret; or just a wider fret; taller and wider?

SMILEYSIXX · #9 04-10-2011, 03:37 PM

What is vintage or traditional? Smaller? As in old Fenders have smaller frets whereas newer basses tend to have medium to jumbo frets? I like my frets huge. Bigger lasts longer and makes bends easier. Just feels better to me. I had my '84 squier refretted because over the years, the frets were worn down so much and they justt didn't feel right being so small.

korotkov · #10 04-10-2011, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyKickButt

In short, what are the pros and cons of vintage and modern frets... Something I'd be interested knowing also.

to me an ultimate con of vintage frets is their wear

walterw · #11 04-10-2011, 03:46 PM

fret size just doesn't seem to be as big a deal for basses as it does for guitars.

i have to have big-ass guitar frets so i can solidly grip the strings for bending.

for bass, though, it seems like even small frets still keep my fingers off the wood, due to the string itself being so much thicker.

i'd love to try the banjo fret "almost fretless" idea, something that would never fly for me on guitar.

SMILEYSIXX · #12 04-10-2011, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by walterw

i'd love to try the banjo fret "almost fretless" idea, something that would never fly for me on guitar.

Lee Sklar used mandolin frets. I was interested until I found out that they would need refretted every five years or so.

**pacojas** · #13 04-10-2011, 03:52 PM

IMHO, biggest difference is, it's WAY easier to slap&pop with so-called modern frets.
vintage frets are short and thin.

on the other side, vintage frets make for a WAY faster neck!!!

Get Uppa · #14 04-10-2011, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigOldHarry

vintage fret sizes???

Lord, will someone ban the use of that word PLEASE!?!?!

I use that term because that's what Fender terms the frets on the bass I have:

Fender® Products

Fender*Vintage Bass Fret Wire (24) - Find the largest selection and guaranteed lowest prices at Musician's Friend.

Perhaps I should have used the term "vintage-style" ?

What is your objection?

I'm new to bass and just trying to learn....not trying to ruffle feathers. Thanks.

Felipe Brazil · #15 04-10-2011, 06:16 PM

Vintage frets + 7.25" = WIN

Turnaround · #16 04-10-2011, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Get Uppa

Perhaps I should have used the term "vintage-style" ?

What is your objection?

I suppose the problem is a linguistic one. By definition, the term "vintage" comes from wine making and indicates the year that the wine was made (vin=wine, age=year). So if we apply it to frets, the question is "what year are you talking about?" Manufacturers don't help the situation when they refer to a specific product as "vintage". If they said "1975 vintage" we would understand.

It's like the term "antique". You can't be sure what is meant by this. Any members of the Canadian Antique Dealers' Association in the 1980's as understood that "antique" only appied if the object was made using the methods in use BEFORE machine-age production. In general terms, the piece had to be made by hand before 1850.

Now "antique" just means "old". I'm old. My car is old. The cereal in my cupboard has past it's "best before" date, so I guess it's old and thus antique.

Antique, vintage, retro - can't actually be sure what you mean unless you define it. Darn - I though the language with the richest vocabulary in the entire world had terms specific enough that we could talk without having to define the nuance of each word we used. Silly me.

walterw · #17 04-10-2011, 10:31 PM

when someone says "vintage bass frets", does anyone really think it means anything besides "original old fender small frets"?

walterw · #18 04-10-2011, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SMILEYSIXX

Lee Sklar used mandolin frets. I was interested until I found out that they would need refretted every five years or so.

they would have to be stainless steel for just that reason, so they would last.

Turnaround · #19 04-11-2011, 05:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by walterw

when someone says "vintage bass frets", does anyone really think it means anything besides "original old fender small frets"?

Oh, sure. In 1966 Fender changed to larger frets. Some call a '66 vintage.

202dy · #20 04-11-2011, 07:03 AM

Semantics. Linguistics.
Just another sticky wicket.
.

The question that is being asked in the original post is about size. Most women, at least the one's who like you, will say that size does not matter. Of course, they're lying. But the whole truth is that it does not matter much.

The same thing goes for frets on a bass guitar. The effect on tone is minimal, if at all. However, the feel may be different. Small frets tend feel more like a fretless to some folks. And large frets will feel more like mountains under the fingers. It is less noticeable for those who employ a lighter fingering technique.

As far as how long the various sizes of frets will last, that is more dependent on hours of usage and original fret height rather than fret width. It is also dependent on how much the frets are abused. Bending and guitar vibrato cause significant wear.

Vintage, when used to describe anything other than age, is just so much marketing ka-ka.