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How important it is to have 24 frets?

#224
Imaginary Pony said:
Nice colour on that bass, what’s it called?
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Transparent green, with an Alder body so it is pretty light weight.

Its funny because I had actually considered getting a custom 24 fret jazz neck from Warmoth to put on this bass so it would get played more because I like the bass and tone but find the 21 frets limiting at times.
 
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#225
BassHappy said:
I found that because my #1 for over 20 years had 24 frets, I went up there quite a bit. It's the nature of the music I play. That means that on our tours I would have to have 24 frets to be sure I could duplicate and cover all the parts I created on the records over the years:

View attachment 3006812

The PRS became too valuable to take out of the house - so I retired it for stage use. My #1 and #2 stage basses became two identical Roscoe's that Keith made for me, both of course with 24 frets. Keith measured and duplicated the PRS neck precisely for me on the top bass - due to the birdseye maple top I call it "Birdy":

View attachment 3006796

With the buckeye burl top, I call the back-up "Bucky":

View attachment 3006800

Both basses have a built in midi out with a 13 pin jack to trigger the sounds I programmed in the VBass for "live" use, including very believable versions of upright and fretless sounds:

View attachment 3006808

This allows me to duplicate all the previously recorded sounds over really 40 years. The Roscoe's turned out to be very admirable replacements.

So yes, for my stage bass(es) it is absolutely critical for me to have 24 frets.
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Wow, those Roscoe's are stunning as well.
 
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#228
absolutely critical. 5 strings beadg 21 frets is minimum and 6 strings beadgc 24 is preferred.

More the merrier. More the better. One day in the very far distant future, I might learn to play better and I will regret not having those strings and frets.

Maybe next year, you are going to regret your choice when you start soloing like Nathan East or one of those other superstars. Heck you could be regretting tomorrow when you noodle around the high notes.

All jokes aside, You probably don't need it.
 
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#230
Duanestuermer said:
When I read a large proportion of responses to this thread, I can see why there are also many threads about bass and bass players getting little, to no respect.
Being proud to use only a small potential of your instruments ability, and scope seems to feed that sort of low expectation attitude.
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I play the full range of my instrument regularly. I’m often above the 12th fret, especially on the E and A strings, because the tone is fatter there. I also prefer to play low Bb to high D in the middle range of the neck versus the lower range for the same reason, and because I’m faster and more fluid there.
I just don’t see three really high notes being a good reason to not buy a killer standard P or J bass.
 
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#234
For me It's about symmetry.
Six even strings.
24 frets.
Each string gets two full octaves.

And I do play way up there!
Snapshot_20181116_1.JPG
 
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#236
Stumbo said:
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.
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....or if you want to go higher using a 4 string you can play a 26 fret bass...
B6852B7C-B7A6-4DD8-8659-5B37DF434B01.jpeg
 
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#237
Well, it's important if you need it, if you don't, well, then it's obviously not important at all, simple as that.

I like the option for going higher though, even if I don't need it.

As of currently I don't really need to go above the 12th fret, but I can imagine I might write something that would require of me to go higher at some point in the future.

When that is said both my 4 and 5 string "only" got 22 frets, but as my 5 string, which I use for more melodic and chord oriented stuff, is tuned 2 half steps above standard E tuning, F# to D, like the 5 lower strings of an 8 string guitar, I do get the same upper range as a 24 fret 5 string tuned E to C.

My 4 string is tuned in standard E tuning.
 
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#239
Jason Hollar said:
I downsized from a Yamaha 35” beadg w/24 frets to a standard Precision 4 string and 20 frets.

I do miss the range. 24 frets gives me a lot more comfortable chordal & solo options - perfect for certain gigs. Otherwise enjoying the simplicity of a regular 4 banger for now.
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Quoting my post from last year. I did miss the extended range so I’ve been playing a Lakland vintage jazz 5 sting (35” scale) w/22 frets. Much better for Latin jazz and pop cover gigs. I still prefer the Fender as a surrogate for upright on cocktail jazz sets.
 

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