How many frets do *you* need on your 4-string?

[Koshchei]

I like 24, but find that 20 forces me to make more parsimonious choices that ultimately serve the music better, i.e. considering inversions and voice leading, rather than just moving a root position shape around.

 

[lokikallas]

The 19th is as high as I've ever "needed".

 

[jd56hawk]

Something I've never considered.
I always have more important things to think about when looking for a new bass...color, matching headstocks, proper pickguards, etc.

 

[Hurricane Jimmie]

So Anyway, the Band Leader activates my shock collar if I go above the 5th fret.
He told me if I want to be an artist, I'll have to suffer for it.

 

[Ric5]

Frets ???

We don't need no stinkin frets

 

[SemiDriven]

All of them.

 

[TexasHeat]

There are two cover songs I can think of where I needed just about every fret on a 24. RHCP's By The Way and Free's All Right Now. So, yeah, glad I have them.

 

[twinjet]

My bass has 24 frets, and this range is totally wasted on me. I wondering if I'm alone.

I used to play a six-string bass with 24 frets. I didn't really use those last four frets, but it was nice on the very rare occasion. I now play a 21 and 20 feet G&L and J build, respectively, and get along fine.

 

[BassikLee]

If it's a gig where I'm not singing much, zero frets will be fine. If I'm singing lots, most of my basses have 21

 

[TinIndian]

21 or more. 20 does not cut it.

 

[bassdude51]

Great question!

My Stingray has 21 frets. I got a Carvin LB90 fretless with 24 and a Carvin LBX75 five string with 22 frets.

But, I got a bunch of Fender Ps and a couple of Js with 20 frets.

I try my very best to never go any higher than fret #14 with open string and up to fret #9 or #10 making up about 90% of my playing.

Twenty frets is plenty!

 

[Rib 13]

Depends on the genre or even the particular song....

There are times/gigs/songs where I feel like I use the entire neck real estate on my 24 fret basses......there are other times, like covering Joan Jett songs, where I can probably use a bass with just five frets....................

 

[MegaSwing]

All of them, but only on the A, D and G strings.

 

[JTE]

Ya know how much I despise the ignorant muttering of "no money above the fifth fret"?

Jamerson- "I Was Made To Love Her"
Duck Dunn- "Knock On Wood"
Billy "Roar in the right key" Talbot" Down By The River"

 

[Manticore]

I'll use whatever is available occasionally, but far fewer usually.

 

[Wesley R]

Whatever it comes with

 

[growlypants]

Wow, nice bass Ric5!!!

 

[P. Aaron]

So far, Simandl II is rife with exercises up to G at the 24th fret (for playing on a fretted bass). My Dan Electro Longhorn is the only bass that makes it that far.

My Precision V & Dimension V sleep with the cases 'cause they lack that range.

 

[JW56789]

My personal fave is a neckthru 24: No awful block where the neck screws on, and usually a deep cutaway, so IF I want to roll up there it's just so much easier, even if only playing around the 12th fret, which on that style bass is just hanging out in mid-air.

 

[Aaron D]

My bass has 24 frets, and this range is totally wasted on me. I wondering if I'm alone.

Nope your not,my SR has 24 frets that I never use,once in a while ifn I'm playing some Metallica riffs,but that's only ONCE IN A WHILE