22 or 24 fret neck pickup position

[Sirion]

So, Warmoth did another test:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcqFB6KLYrk

I have to say that I am very surprised. I usually can't get a neck pickup to sound decent (I can enjoy their sound, just not in my hands!), so I assumed that I would prefer the 24 fret position as something that could be more usable. And yet I found the 22 fret position to be far more characteristic and interesting here. Perhaps I'll just have to try to learn how to make the dashed thing sound decent...

 

[Archer250]

This is exactly why I quit using 24 fret guitars altogether. Yeah neck pickups with 24 frets can sound good, but in 100% of those cases, putting the same neck pickup in a 22-fretter would sound better.

It took a while for me to accept that I don't need 24 frets, but someone told me that most of my influences use 22 frets and that "Yngwie goes by with just 21". That sealed the deal for me.

 

[Mincer]

This is exactly why I quit using 24 fret guitars altogether. Yeah neck pickups with 24 frets can sound good, but in 100% of those cases, putting the same neck pickup in a 22-fretter would sound better.

It took a while for me to accept that I don't need 24 frets, but someone told me that most of my influences use 22 frets and that "Yngwie goes by with just 21". That sealed the deal for me.

Exactly my thoughts, as someone who uses the neck pickup 80% of the time.

 

[Clint 55]

Perhaps I'll just have to try to learn how to make the dashed thing sound decent...

Use a mini humbucker..

 

[Demanic]

Use a mini humbucker..

Lace Alumitone single coil.

Sent from my SM-A115A using Tapatalk

 

[GuitarStv]

I use the neck pickup more than the bridge pickup, and there's no contest. 22 fret position sounds better than 24 fret position every time that I've compared them.

 

[Mr. 80's]

Not a big fan of the neck pup for much on either 22 or 24. But I far prefer the neck position on a 22 fretter. I feel I have a better harmonic range on a 22 fretter even with just using the bridge pup as well since the extra 2 frets are to close to the bridge for some. My only 24 fretter I removed the neck pup all together. I just try to avoid 24 fretters all together.

 

[donaldr]

So what about the neck pickup on a 24.75" scale? I would think it would be between a 22 fret and a 24 fret 25.5" scale?

 

[GuitarStv]

So what about the neck pickup on a 24.75" scale? I would think it would be between a 22 fret and a 24 fret 25.5" scale?

The pickup position is usually changed so that the neck pickup is pretty close to the same spot relative to the scale length.

 

[GuitarDoc]

I didn't notice much difference if any because my computer speakers aren't good enough. But I think that pup selection would have a much greater affect on tone than pup position.

On comparing guitars that I've made with 24 or even 21 frets I can definitely hear a difference, but they all sound great. So, it's just a matter of personal taste and type of music that you play...but it's not a biggy in my book.

 

[weepingminotaur]

I honestly can't say I notice any difference between my 24-fret and 22-fret guitars when it comes to neck pups. What is the tonal problem with a 24-fret guitar's neck pickup? I am curious.

 

[Mincer]

I honestly can't say I notice any difference between my 24-fret and 22-fret guitars when it comes to neck pups. What is the tonal problem with a 24-fret guitar's neck pickup? I am curious.

It is missing a certain 'throatiness' that you can't get when you move the pickup. I don't know how to explain it...it just doesn't sound the same. I wish I didn't hear it so obviously, but I've heard it for 30 years.

 

[Archer250]

I honestly can't say I notice any difference between my 24-fret and 22-fret guitars when it comes to neck pups. What is the tonal problem with a 24-fret guitar's neck pickup? I am curious.

It's like picking closer to the bridge.

There's a change in character that can't be EQ'd out

 

[Juanhanglo]

I'll be that guy and say that I like both for different reasons and applications.

HH I like 24 frets because the inner coils parallel sounds is like a cross between n/m and b/m on a strat. (Same distance between coils). You don't get this on a 22 fret. I prefer alot of neck buckers this way too. Less mud under gain.

I like 22 frets for SSS configurations.

I can use either one, really. Its a matter of choosing the right pickup to work in that position.

I agree with the throaty responses above. I thought the same thing when i heard it.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

I prefer 22-fret positioning for neck pickup by itself also. But I can deal with its placement on 24-fret models too.
Don't live on the neck pickup myself, use it for some leads and occasionally for rhythm but the bridge is my main tone.
I do agree with Juanhanglo - the inner-coils-parallel sound on a 24-fretter is just magic.

 

[weepingminotaur]

It is missing a certain 'throatiness' that you can't get when you move the pickup. I don't know how to explain it...it just doesn't sound the same. I wish I didn't hear it so obviously, but I've heard it for 30 years.

Interesting. I hadn't really thought about pickup placement, because my guitars have different pickups in the neck anyway, so I put down differences in tone to the individual character of the pickup and maybe the type of guitar it's in. In any case, if you hear it, you hear it, and you won't be able to unhear it.

 

[Bogner]

One can only wonder what our thoughts would be if all we ever had were 24 fret guitars and then all of a sudden a 22 fret guitar was introduced to the world.

 

[Mincer]

One can only wonder what our thoughts would be if all we ever had were 24 fret guitars and then all of a sudden a 22 fret guitar was introduced to the world.

I suppose we can say that about a lot of things. But this is the world we live in (oh oh oh).