• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Fender Jazz only with 20 frets; why?

#121
I imagine that if Leo was still around and could have a do-over based on what we know NOW, he probably would have done some things differently. Most likely, all his basses would have 24 frets, and a zero fret. The P pickup on the Precision would probably be reversed. The necks would be quartersawn and not have the infamous Fender Dead Spot.

Or maybe he'd just say screw it, and buy a Lakland or Sadowsky. ;)

YMMV.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Liam Wald
#123
image.jpeg
40Hz said:
I've got a JB. I've got two PBs. I have a Jag...any of which I'll bring along when/if asked or told) to.
Left to my own devices, I mainly play Gibson or Peavey. ;)

I have no direct issue with 24 frets. (I seldom go up anywhere near that high.) But what I really don't care for are those beyind 20 frets they get by extending the fretboard with an overhang. I have yet to see a bass with one of those that didn't develop problems after a while.
Click to expand...
40Hz said:
I've got a JB. I've got two PBs. I have a Jag...any of which I'll bring along when/if asked or told) to.
Left to my own devices, I mainly play Gibson or Peavey. ;)

I have no direct issue with 24 frets. (I seldom go up anywhere near that high.) But what I really don't care for
image.jpeg
are those beyind 20 frets they get by extending the fretboard with an overhang. I have yet to see a bass with one of those that didn't develop problems after a while.
Click to expand...

Hopefully not, this bass is a 2008 and feels as solid as hell.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 40Hz
#126
Green Lantern said:
Your going way off topic. I did not ask if we need bass guitars with 21 or 24 frets. I never said anything negative about Fender. This comments like we just need to play the low notes and not be guitar players is not sticking to the topic either.

All I asked was why has Fender decided to stick with 20 frets on the Standard Jazz. The Deluxe and Elite have 21. As they did and are making basses with more than 20 I was wondering if their is any engineering or Tone difference that made them go back to 20.
Click to expand...
My post is not just in response to the OP.
 
#127
Somebody please "splain" me about this "dead spot". I must have owned twenty Fender basses in my life and never noticed one on any of them. Not trying to start another Leo argument, just never heard of this before TB.
NortyFiner said:
I imagine that if Leo was still around and could have a do-over based on what we know NOW, he probably would have done some things differently. Most likely, all his basses would have 24 frets, and a zero fret. The P pickup on the Precision would probably be reversed. The necks would be quartersawn and not have the infamous Fender Dead Spot.

Or maybe he'd just say screw it, and buy a Lakland or Sadowsky. ;)

YMMV.
Click to expand...
 
  • Like
Reactions: MobileHolmes
#128
Green Lantern said:
Why not 21 frets or 23? Is there a tone difference with only the 20 frets? Over the years they offered more than 20 but then they went back to 20. Is it just to keep with the tradition of the Jazz bass?
Click to expand...
Hey GL; don't know if you got your answer yet, but, here's my $0.019:
First, Leo started with that design, it remains popular, and business folks don't change successful products.

Second, there are some playing styles that do benefit from 20 frets. Slapping (a misnomer, should be thump and snap, but that doesn't sound as good LOL) in particular benefits for thumping as close to the middle of the stopped string length as possible (a la Marcus Miller). You can execute the technique on basses with more frets, but the sound is different as your right hand gets positioned closer to the bridge. So, many players prefer the 20 for that reason alone.

IME, 20 is more than sufficient for standard cover gig material. You can also get 21, 22, and 24 on the various Custom Shop , Deluxe, and Fender derivative designs, though; so if you play parts in the upper register, that is also available. You can also get a 5 and string it E to C with a HipShot on the E. There are many options now. I do like 24 frets on a 4 if I am playing heads for Jazz standards, like Take 5.

Hope that makes sense. There is no perfect bass one way or the other. Trade offs and depends on the gig. YMMV
 
  • Like
Reactions: Whippet and Green Lantern
#130
Stewie said:
Somebody please "splain" me about this "dead spot". I must have owned twenty Fender basses in my life and never noticed one on any of them. Not trying to start another Leo argument, just never heard of this before TB.
Click to expand...
In my personal experience (very limited, I know) the only bass I ever experienced a dead spot was my old Gibson EB 3L. Not one of the Fender or Fender clones I ever played had one. I think this rep about Fender being notorious for having dead spots is likely undeserved.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dale Griffith and MobileHolmes
#133
Thanks for the response Batman. I had a couple spots that buzzed on my fretless Jazz, but that was because I was using Rotosound rounds and they were eating the fingerboard like termites. Is the tone dead at certain spots? Is the spot quieter?
 
#135
BassRadiant said:
No one even really plays beyond the 15th fret anyways.
Click to expand...

Really? No one even really plays above the 15th fret?
Then why not just make basses with 15 frets?
If there are only 12 notes in an octave and all you need to play bass is the one and the five in any key (umpha-umpha-umpha) you might not even need 15 frets!
Maybe you don't even need to play the 1-5. Just pedal the root.
Then instead of umpha-umpha-umpha, you could just play ump-ump-ump and be done with it!
COOL!
 
#137
bucephylus said:
Hey GL; don't know if you got your answer yet, but, here's my $0.019:
First, Leo started with that design, it remains popular, and business folks don't change successful products.

Second, there are some playing styles that do benefit from 20 frets. Slapping (a misnomer, should be thump and snap, but that doesn't sound as good LOL) in particular benefits for thumping as close to the middle of the stopped string length as possible (a la Marcus Miller). You can execute the technique on basses with more frets, but the sound is different as your right hand gets positioned closer to the bridge. So, many players prefer the 20 for that reason alone.

IME, 20 is more than sufficient for standard cover gig material. You can also get 21, 22, and 24 on the various Custom Shop , Deluxe, and Fender derivative designs, though; so if you play parts in the upper register, that is also available. You can also get a 5 and string it E to C with a HipShot on the E. There are many options now. I do like 24 frets on a 4 if I am playing heads for Jazz standards, like Take 5.

Hope that makes sense. There is no perfect bass one way or the other. Trade offs and depends on the gig. YMMV
Click to expand...

FINALLY A GREAT RESPONSE.

This makes the most sense. Thank you for your response.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bassomane and bucephylus
#139
Stewie said:
Somebody please "splain" me about this "dead spot". I must have owned twenty Fender basses in my life and never noticed one on any of them. Not trying to start another Leo argument, just never heard of this before TB.
Click to expand...

One of the things about Fender/Squier basses is that some of them...not all, maybe not even a majority, but enough that it's become part of their rep...have a dead spot right around the 7th fret (give or take a fret or two) on the D and/or G string. I've owned a number of basses with such a dead spot. It also sometimes crops up on other Fender style instruments by other builders. I've heard that it has something to do with how Fender makes their necks, but I don't know the luthier type details.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back