I've been loving my Laklands lately, and a big reason is because I love the smaller frets on them. I was wondering what other basses have vintage style/small frets. Anybody know?
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Basses with vintage style / small frets
- Thread starter jive1
- Start date
Dingwall uses Banjo frets as a standard and Mandolin frets as an option on all of their basses.
I too am hooked on the small frets and am having them used in my next custom from another builder. Big ones feel like speedbumps now.
I too am hooked on the small frets and am having them used in my next custom from another builder. Big ones feel like speedbumps now.
The CIJ RI 57 P lefty I got last year from Ishibashi has small frets. I thought it was just made with cheaper frets and then one of my more knowledgeable friends explained that the smaller frets are correct for the '57 model year. Shows how much I know, but the bass plays great regardless and the frets are fine.
BurningSkies
CRAZY BALDHEAD
- Feb 20, 2005
- 27,956
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- Endorsing artist: Dingwall Guitars
I'm in.
I too have a Dingwall with banjo fretwire. It's great. Because they're not as tall, you can get a lower action, and theoretically, more precise intonation as they wear.
I too have a Dingwall with banjo fretwire. It's great. Because they're not as tall, you can get a lower action, and theoretically, more precise intonation as they wear.
bino said:but why does it matter since you're such a lakland ho?
Yup, I've been quite the Lakland Ho lately.
But, can you blame me?
BurningSkies said:
Fret size is really more a preference of "feel". Action is the distance from the top of the frets (or fingerboard for fretless). Therefore, you can get just as low action on large frets.
There are advantages to larger frets, too. You can generally play a little "sloppier" on finger placement, because you have more distance to push the string down and hence, don't have to be right on top of the fret.
But smaller frets DO feel nicer, IMO.
I guess what Burningskies is refering too is that with smaller frets you can get your strings closer to the fretboard than with larger frets. While technically not action as you point out, I describe is as action myself quite often.
As the nut would be cut more deeply and, as stated, the strings are closer to the actual board I would not hesitate to use the term "action" here, even though "string height" would be more accurate. I have a friend who feels that because the crown of the smaller frets have less surface area the action can be even lower without buzz, I keep telling him it has to do with his neck relief on the other bass but he won't let it go, any thoughts on that?Juneau said:
- Feb 8, 2005
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- Endorsing Artist: Bag End - Dean Markley - Thunderfunk
I've got 5 basses with the smaller (Dunlop 6230) size frets. While not quite as small as what Dingwall uses; they are pretty close (Vintage Fender size, IIRC). I like them quite a bit.
lowphatbass said:
I'd have to agree with you about the neck relief thing. I can't imagine how less surface area has anything to do with buzz. If it's touching, it's buzzing...no matter how little the surface area.
Again, I believe it comes down to "feel". Players with a lighter touch would definitely enjoy the better texture of smaller frets. But players who like to "dig in" would find smaller frets a tad annoying.
BTW This thread probably belongs in "setup", but the moderators have been rather liberal as of late.
I'm hooked on those Laklands too. The small frets just seem right. I also had an old G&L with wide/short frets which had a cool feel as well.
Doesn't fret size inffluence sound? Could imagine that; there's less metal involved when pressing down a note on a smaller fret. Think I noticed the difference although I didn't A/B it
As a Lakland and Fender owner, I have to say I like jumbo frets better. I like my Lakland but I don't love it.
Pre-EM Musicman basses have smaller frets; I don't know if they alter the tone in any way, but they are more 'invisible' to my fingers than big frets.
How does the size of the frets affect the tone? It could make a huge difference in the sound, but nobody ever noticed. There are so many other tone factors like body wood, strings, pickups etc. Maybe fret size is the one magic factor that has been overlooked in the great bass tone quest. I know a few people scoffed at the "blue light on the front of gear" theory. But so many testimonials and happy "blue light" converts can't be wrong. If changing the lights on the front of your gear can drastically improve your tone as well as your bass playing, then maybe there is something to the fret size question. We need to have an A/B test with two identical basses. One with small frets and the other with large. Then we will finally know if size really does matter. By the way, I'm working on a "blue light" conversion for the BMAX-T which will also include blue abalone knob caps to replace the original red ones. I can't wait to hear what that does for my tone!!!
Well smaller frets are supposedly able to produce a woodier tone. I cant comment on if thats true or not in my experience. I will have a kinda A/B test soon, as Im having Pete Skjold use banjo frets in my new bass from him, but it will also be fanned frets, so that will affect the tone as well and is not really an accurate comparison.
I'll see if Pete can post some comments about my bass compared to others he's built sound wise once its finished. Maybe he can give a more informed opinion since he commonly uses medium jumbos or jumbos I believe.
I'll see if Pete can post some comments about my bass compared to others he's built sound wise once its finished. Maybe he can give a more informed opinion since he commonly uses medium jumbos or jumbos I believe.
