Downside(s) of skinny frets?

[SidNitzerglobin]

I'm thinking I'm going to wind up ordering up the bits for my first bass build some time soon here & got to considering fret size to go w/.

On the guitar side I've come to really like the vintage/6230 size, but I can't quite decide if it makes sense to go the same route for this bass or not.

Most of my basses have been fretted w/ somewhere in the medium jumbo/6105 neighborhood, the one exception being the JMJ Mustang. I can't quite decide if I've got any preference yet on the bass side so figured I'd ask here if anyone has encountered any disadvantages of a 6230 fret on bass. They'll be stainless steel which ever I go w/ & going on a 32" scale neck & will likely get flats to start w/.

Thanks for any feedback!

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Some people swear by them, like Leland Sklar, and he's no slouch, but I don't get it. A properly crowned fret has a similar razor thin line in contact with the fret, so it wouldn't intonate better or worse than standard frets. Maybe less finger contact feels "slinkier"? The downside would seem to be shorter fret life, but I've never owned one to compare.I like to bend strings a lot, so I tend to like Medium Jumbo on both basses and guitars.

 

[Camaro69]

I prefer them, by feel. I wouldn't be afraid to use the skinny frets unless you are ham fisted and using only stainless strings

 

[SidNitzerglobin]

OK, cool. Thanks for the replies!

I really enjoy the feel of the JMJ but most of my basses have alot of other significant differences going on between them so it's been hard to convince myself what parts of the feel are coming from which elements on each . On guitar my fretting seems a bit more consistent for me w/ a bit less tendency to overplay on the 6230s so that was my first instinct here, but then realized 6 of 7 of the basses I've got are medium jumbo fretted so figured it was worth an ask

 

[dwizum]

Go for it. I like smallish (but not tiny) frets on all of my instruments and see no disadvantages with that size on a bass. I have LMI size 74 on several of my recent basses which is essentially the same size as the 6230 you're talking about and I love it.

 

[Arie X]

you get a larger crown radius with the bigger wire because your typical crowning file is radiused to suit the width of the fret. this wider radius give a little more intonation latitude and you can see a bit more life out if the wire.

conversely the narrower fret has a smaller radius thusly produced by the correct file and with the corresponding need for better intonation and a potential for reduced fret life.

but, a lot of that goes out the window if you're crowing your frets with a triangular or flat file and putting or whatever approximated radius is the result. here the geometry isn't as controlled and symmetric because you are rolling the file as you work the frets and quality work is dependent upon skill.

playability is a personal preference issue. also, tone seekers claim more of it through jumbo frets and that may be true, but i couldn't tell if someone did a blind A-B test on me what fret made more music than the next one.

For me I like jumbos on electric guitar, med tall on a bass, and narrow tall on an acoustic.

 

[roller]

I've gone with 6230 stainless on a couple of builds... truly love 'em.

If I wasn't going stainless, I'd feel better with a slightly taller crown... like a 6105. But with stainless, it's not like you have to worry about wearing them down.

Send us a pic of the finished product!

I'm thinking I'm going to wind up ordering up the bits for my first bass build some time soon here & got to considering fret size to go w/.

On the guitar side I've come to really like the vintage/6230 size, but I can't quite decide if it makes sense to go the same route for this bass or not.

Most of my basses have been fretted w/ somewhere in the medium jumbo/6105 neighborhood, the one exception being the JMJ Mustang. I can't quite decide if I've got any preference yet on the bass side so figured I'd ask here if anyone has encountered any disadvantages of a 6230 fret on bass. They'll be stainless steel which ever I go w/ & going on a 32" scale neck & will likely get flats to start w/.

Thanks for any feedback!

 

[rudy4444]

I'm getting ready to start a new short scale for myself and I'll use medium EVO with either LaBella black tapes or half-rounds. That's just me, though...

 

[Arie X]

I'm getting ready to start a new short scale for myself and I'll use medium EVO with either LaBella black tapes or half-rounds. That's just me, though...

haven't had a chance to build with EVO yet. those tape wounds might give your ss some stability in tuning. i do a lot of "r&d" with short scale instruments. tuning stability is always a challenge under 30" scale.