NGD but thinking of exchanging - 22 vs 24 frets

[Seraphial]

Guys, recently purchased a 22 fret S2 satin PRS. Great guitar, well constructed, nice weight...if I wasn't having doubts it'd be a keeper.

The doubt is - for the same price - I could get the 24 fret. Internal logic suggests:

I don't play that high anyway.

You lose the apparent sweet spot for the neck pickup because it no longer sits under the node

It's a nice guitar, why mess with something you'd keep?

But I can't quite convince myself that it wouldn't be a good thing to have in my (currently 24 fret-less) arsenal. Ok, the neck sound might not be 'traditional' but in all honesty I tried the S2 24 fret in store and sound differences was minimal at best.

What say you?

 

[DavidRavenMoon]

NGD but thinking of exchanging - 22 vs 24 frets

Regarding the pickup position: once you fret a note the harmonic node moves towards the bridge. So that’s a fallacy. It does move the pickup slightly closer to the bridge, which makes it slightly less bassy. I’d think if you weren’t A/B’ing them you might not even notice.

So the question is: do you need the extra notes?

I don’t own any 24 fret guitars. But all my basses are 24 frets. Personally if I had 24 frets I’d probably use them at some point. [emoji16]


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[Blille]

Re: NGD but thinking of exchanging - 22 vs 24 frets

At the end of the day it’s a personal choice.

My first “good” guitar was 24 frets and I’ve been playing it for 25 or so years. The rest of my guitars are 21 or 22 frets.

I never play the extra frets and I vastly prefer the sound of the pickup in the “sweet spot” so the choice is a no brainer for me but some people prefer the sound in the other position. So my recommendation would be to stay 22 unless you prefer the other sound.

 

[danee940]

Re: NGD but thinking of exchanging - 22 vs 24 frets

I guess it's better safe than sorry.. what genre do you play?

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[Gtrjunior]

Re: NGD but thinking of exchanging - 22 vs 24 frets

I’ve never owned a 24 fretter. I can see the logic of having a full 2 octaves but for me, I’ve never missed not having them.
OTOH, my Strat and Tele with only 21 frets irks the crap out of me.
Even though I seldom use the 22nd fret, it looks “off” visually and I tend to grab the wrong notes when up in that register.

 

[orpheo]

Re: NGD but thinking of exchanging - 22 vs 24 frets

Brian May's Red Special has 24 frets. I can't say that his tone on the neck pickup isn't sweet as fudge.

Unless I've got a really, really good reason not to, for example being historically correct, I opt for 24 frets.

 

[Seraphial]

Re: NGD but thinking of exchanging - 22 vs 24 frets

I guess it's better safe than sorry.. what genre do you play?

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Mainly classic rock, 80s, grunge. I dabble a bit trying to learn Vai and Satch, so 24 frets could come in handy. However I have an RG550 in my sights specifically for that in the future.

I think from what the general feelin is 24 frets is nice to have, so why not go for it?

 

[orpheo]

Re: NGD but thinking of exchanging - 22 vs 24 frets

'why not go for it'

Because it is not historically correct and having 24 frets will get the panties in a twist from way too many guitarists, self proclaimed experts, weekend warriors and bedroom rockstars. 'EvH did it with 21 frets', 'Jimmy Page did it with 22 frets', etc etc.

Those comments will be thrown around. the argument that the pickup sits in the perfect spot under the 24th fret is 'kinda' true, but by pointing out Brian May's tone, their argument is rendered moot.

The only reason NOT to go with 24 frets:

-not enough space for three humbuckers
-upper fret access is insufficient for the last 2 frets

No other reasons


OH and one other, great nay epic reason:

the 24 fretter guitar sounds worse than its 22 fret sibling just because the 22 fret version is absolutely better because it's a better guitar.

 

[Mincer]

Re: NGD but thinking of exchanging - 22 vs 24 frets

Well, I have to be the dissenting voice...as someone who uses a neck pickup about 80% of the time, a 24-fret guitar's neck pickup isn't just a little less bassy. There is a whole lot that is different to me...bass, certainly, but there is a certain complexity in the mids that just isn't there on a 24 fret neck pickup. I never stuck with a guitar with 24 frets, and I certainly do play up that high. It just isn't worth the trade off for the sound I like and how I play.

 

[dystrust]

Re: NGD but thinking of exchanging - 22 vs 24 frets

Well, I have to be the dissenting voice...as someone who uses a neck pickup about 80% of the time, a 24-fret guitar's neck pickup isn't just a little less bassy. There is a whole lot that is different to me...bass, certainly, but there is a certain complexity in the mids that just isn't there on a 24 fret neck pickup. I never stuck with a guitar with 24 frets, and I certainly do play up that high. It just isn't worth the trade off for the sound I like and how I play.

+1

In addition to being less bassy the attack also has a sharper feel that I don't care for. I've owned a couple 24-fret guitars and sold them all for that reason.

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: NGD but thinking of exchanging - 22 vs 24 frets

Another +1.

I just don't like the tone of the neck pickup in most 24-fret guitars. I'm good with 22 frets.

IDK...maybe if you did a lot of drop tuning stuff....???

Bill

 

[Jacew]

Re: NGD but thinking of exchanging - 22 vs 24 frets

'why not go for it'

Because it is not historically correct and having 24 frets will get the panties in a twist from way too many guitarists, self proclaimed experts, weekend warriors and bedroom rockstars. 'EvH did it with 21 frets', 'Jimmy Page did it with 22 frets', etc etc.

Those comments will be thrown around. the argument that the pickup sits in the perfect spot under the 24th fret is 'kinda' true, but by pointing out Brian May's tone, their argument is rendered moot.

The only reason NOT to go with 24 frets:

-not enough space for three humbuckers
-upper fret access is insufficient for the last 2 frets

No other reasons


OH and one other, great nay epic reason:

the 24 fretter guitar sounds worse than its 22 fret sibling just because the 22 fret version is absolutely better because it's a better guitar.

Brian Mays tone is not the classic strat neck tone.

In fact I don't like his tone much at all. For some specific parts it sounds great but mostly it's awful woolly mess to me.

I do greatly appreciate and respect uniqueness and specialty of it though.

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: NGD but thinking of exchanging - 22 vs 24 frets

Brian Mays tone is not the classic strat neck tone.

In fact I don't like his tone much at all. For some specific parts it sounds great but mostly it's awful woolly mess to me.

I do greatly appreciate and respect uniqueness and specialty of it though.

I mostly agree with you. It’s cool because it is unique. And I love the tone when he emulates strings/flute with it. But as a stand alone guitar tone, it’s not my cup of tea.

 

[danee940]

Re: NGD but thinking of exchanging - 22 vs 24 frets

Mainly classic rock, 80s, grunge. I dabble a bit trying to learn Vai and Satch, so 24 frets could come in handy. However I have an RG550 in my sights specifically for that in the future.

I think from what the general feelin is 24 frets is nice to have, so why not go for it?

I have only one guitar so that's why I like to have 24 frets (versatility). Although I didn't use the frets above 22 on any other things than those that you mentioned (yet), it's a really nice feeling to know that they are there (for me at least).
So I guess on this case there is no right answer.. You might as well just go with your guts..
I have no idea about the tone, I have no experience but I wouldn't think there should be such a difference.. and even if there was, you could get the "proper" neck tone from the other guitars that you have when you need it (I'm only assuming you have more guitars btw)

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: NGD but thinking of exchanging - 22 vs 24 frets

Well, I have to be the dissenting voice...as someone who uses a neck pickup about 80% of the time, a 24-fret guitar's neck pickup isn't just a little less bassy. There is a whole lot that is different to me...bass, certainly, but there is a certain complexity in the mids that just isn't there on a 24 fret neck pickup. I never stuck with a guitar with 24 frets, and I certainly do play up that high. It just isn't worth the trade off for the sound I like and how I play.

I hear this in my 24 fret guitars too. To mee, it's a more sterile tone with more attack than normal, even when using pickups that are supposed to beef up a guitar's sound. In my case,I use a PATB-1n in a Carvin DC127T. It sounds good, but the tone and *feel* are different than on my 22 fret guitars.

 

[Discharged]

Re: NGD but thinking of exchanging - 22 vs 24 frets

I've acquired several 24-fretters throughout the years when I didn't know better, and I couldn't find out why they didn't get played as much as the others... so, eventually, off they went. All of'em. Problem solved!

That's literally learning the lesson the hard way.

/Peter

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: NGD but thinking of exchanging - 22 vs 24 frets

I'm with Mincer. The neck pickup sounds wrong on a 24 fret guitar. There's a very, very noticeable loss of sweetness. I spend well over half my time playing using the neck pickup though, so maybe am more sensitive to how it sounds than others.

 

[Nagisa]

Re: NGD but thinking of exchanging - 22 vs 24 frets

I agree with Mincer. 22 frets gives a special sound I wouldn’t want to trade away. I play a lot of Vai type stuff and have never had a problem with 22 and bending. 21 is limiting, since a lot of songs bend up to the high E. But I only know of one Satch song for example that goes up to the high G. Though he said he liked going 24 fret guitars - but also started using a single coil size humbucker to compensate for the sound.

At the very least, remember: you can’t make legal money by doing covers unless you are rich and actually get permission, so any song you make you can just ignore the 2 high frets. It is 0 problem for a lot of players