How important it is to have 24 frets?

[fingerguy]

I ask for my Fender P-Bass is a 24 fret bass and we have at least one song where I use all 24 frets.

Which has got me thinking:

1. How many if much songs require you to have 24 frets?
2. Should I just go with the 5 string?
3. if I do #2 wouldn't having a 4 string and a 5 string make things complicated.

I am more stuck on the importance on having 24 frets.

 

[bovinehost]

I could usually get by with about 5 or 6, so I'm not your huckleberry here.

 

[Mushroo]

1. No song absolutely requires 24 frets. Every song ever written can be played on a 20-fret, 4-string bass tuned EADG. You can always transpose a passage down an octave if you run out of frets.
2. A 5 string won't help unless you tune it EADGC (or you buy a 5 string with 24 frets).
3. Lots of players switch between 4 and 5, no problem.

 

[Stumbo]

IMO, if you can cover all your tunes with a 24 fret 4 string, why change?

And, if it's higher you want to go, with a 5 string, you can string it E-A-D-G-C.

 

[Pilgrim]

I could usually get by with about 5 or 6, so I'm not your huckleberry here.

Me neither. I don't think there's anything I play above the 9th fret.

 

[Matthew_84]

I only have one bass (a 4 string tuned to DGCF) and I’m very happy that it has 24 frets as there have been a piece or two I wouldn’t have been able to play properly had it only had 20.

Edit: I’ve also been playing more melodic stuff until I get a keyboard so I’m probably not in the norm.

 

[fingerguy]

Me neither. I don't think there's anything I play above the 9th fret.

You don't play Californication?

 

[fingerguy]

Thank you everyone. This makes me feel better. Going to stick to 4 string and will not worry about it having more than 20 frets. My NBD will stay.

 

[mark beem]

How important it is to have 24 frets?

Not necessary in my case. Although I've owned 24 fret basses in the past, I can't recall a time I've actually needed all 24 of them.

As always, YMMV.

 

[bearfoot]

It's handy for soloing , for instance I was messing about with "Scarborough Fair" , and it's not acceptable to drop an octave when going for a high E.
But, a harmonic can often be found.
Soloing, yes it's a real concern.
The highest note I've seen a traditional bassline call for is the C above 12th fret G in "Lean on Me", well within Fender bass range.

 

[lz4005]

1. How many if much songs require you to have 24 frets?
2. Should I just go with the 5 string?
3. if I do #2 wouldn't having a 4 string and a 5 string make things complicated.

1. There's one song I play in one of my bands that needs a 21st fret. I've never needed more than that in 30 years of playing.
2. Normally 5 strings give you 5 lower notes than a 4 string, not higher ones. You could tune it EADGC, but you would need to use different strings.
3. Having two of anything is more complicated than having one of anything.

Personally I don't like 24 frets because there's less room between the end of the fretboard and the front pickup. But that's me.

Other people like lots of frets, otherwise this wouldn't exist:

 

[TuneSalad666]

1. No song absolutely requires 24 frets. Every song ever written can be played on a 20-fret, 4-string bass tuned EADG. You can always transpose a passage down an octave if you run out of frets.
2. A 5 string won't help unless you tune it EADGC (or you buy a 5 string with 24 frets).
3. Lots of players switch between 4 and 5, no problem.

1. I seriously doubt that is an actual fact. Actually I know for sure cause I once had a 24 fret bass where I used the 24th fret high G string in a solo in a song we wrote, and I doubt that would be the only case.

 

[fingerguy]

1. There's one song I play in one of my bands that needs a 21st fret. I've never needed more than that in 30 years of playing.
2. Normally 5 strings give you 5 lower notes than a 4 string, not higher ones. You could tune it EADGC, but you would need to use different strings.
3. Having two of anything is more complicated than having one of anything.

Personally I don't like 24 frets because there's less room between the end of the fretboard and the front pickup. But that's me.

Other people like lots of frets, otherwise this wouldn't exist:
View attachment 3001614

 

[lz4005]

View attachment 3001615

If you look closely you'll see it has two output jacks, so I'm assuming you can send two strings to one amp and two to another. I've seen that arrangement on Conklin extended range instruments before.

 

[mark beem]

View attachment 3001615

Conklin Sidewinder 4 string 3 octave

 

[kimokeo]

Not important at all. Just ask all of the P & J bass players.

 

[Mushroo]

1. I seriously doubt that is an actual fact. Actually I know for sure cause I once had a 24 fret bass where I used the 24th fret high G string in a solo in a song we wrote, and I doubt that would be the only case.

Well sure, that makes sense, and I bet your solo sounded great. I guess my point was, there are plenty of bassists out there who could have soloed over the same song using a 20 fret bass.

 

[TuneSalad666]

Well sure, that makes sense, and I bet your solo sounded great. I guess my point was, there are plenty of bassists out there who could have soloed over the same song using a 20 fret bass.

Properly, but that was not the way my solo was written and played, and I seriously doubt that no other bass player ever used more than 20 frets, since there are plenty of basses out there with 21 or 22 frets and some with 24 as well.

You might be able to get away with playing another note than how a song was written, but it wouldn't necessarily sound as good and under all circumstances it wouldn't be right.

With that logic you might as well claim everything could be played on a 5 fret bass.

As for the question the headline asks the 24th fret would only be important if you got a song that calls for that high G (assuming we are talking a 4 string bass tuned standard E-G), if it does however I would claim that a 24 fret bass would be preferable, how important it would be however, as opposed to playing a G one octave lower or another harmonizing note, only you can tell.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

I do like playing in the high registers, but having less than 24 frets wouldn't be a deal breaker for me. I find most basses sound a little thin up there anyway. What I can't stomach is a bass with 24 frets but lousy access to them, it has to have deep lower horn cutaways, or some kind of ergonomic concession that lets you get up there without having to do the "reach over" double bass technique (must be a fancy name for that, what is it?)

 

[lz4005]

I do like playing in the high registers, but having less than 24 frets wouldn't be a deal breaker for me. I find most basses sound a little thin up there anyway. What I can't stomach is a bass with 24 frets but lousy access to them, it has to have deep lower horn cutaways, or some kind of ergonomic concession that lets you get up there without having to do the "reach over" double bass technique (must be a fancy name for that, what is it?)

Thumb position.

Or "the reach around".

Both equally correct.