22 Frets vs. 24 Frets: What are the advantages?

I always thought the difference was where you placed the neck pup. On a 22 it normally halfway between the 12th fret and the bridge and so supposedly sweeter.

Plus with a 24 you get some extra notes and 'an owl...'

I have a 24 myself.
 
IMO it's all about what you are used to playing. Basically a 24 fret guitar only has two notes that the 22 fret guitar doesn't have so not much of a difference if you really think about it.

I feel like my big fingers do fit between the frets easier on a 22 fret guitar so in that sense it's better. Still for some reason both of my PRS guitars are 24 fret... I just can't live without the 24 frets without feeling restricted... I know it's just two notes.
 
I am clarifying the matter once and for all. The scale of a custom 22 and 24 is the same 25". The neck pickup is in the same spot on both gtrs, but the bridge and bridge pickup is closer to the neck pickup and the neck is longer on a 24fretter. The distance from the nut to the bridge is the same 25" for both gtrs. On a 22 fretter, the neck pickup is farther from the bridge because the bridge is in a different spot. Thus the neck pickup is "picking up" the strings vibrations in a less trebled, warmer spot. When a string is plucked closer to the bridge, the result is a brighter, more trebled sound. when you pluck it further from the bridge, the sound is bassier, warmer, dull and rounder, with less treble. The neck pickup on a 22fret sounds warmer because it is farther from the bridge, underneath a less trebled spot. This is not because the neck pickup moved, the entire bridge is moved farther from it. If you take a ruler and measure the distance between the bridge and neck pickup on a 22 and a 24, you will notice they are closer together on a 24, and farther apart on a 22. The distance between the frets on both gtrs is exactly the same, exept for the last two on a 24 which make the fretboard longer, not sqeezed together. 22 fret= shorter neck with bridge farther from the neck pickup. 24 fret= longer neck with the bridge closer to the neck pickup. The bridge pickup is the same distance from the bridge on both gtrs. The neck pickup is not, and sounds fatter on a 22fret gtr. Apart from this tonal differnce of the neck pickup, the difference in bridge placement and neck length is why the two feel completely different as far as playability goes. In my opinion, neither is better as to playability, its just what you are comfortable with. Other than this comfort issue, the advantage of the 22 is the sweeter sounding neck pickup, and for the 24 it is the two extra notes. ( and the owl )......Now to briefly addess the Roman arguement: It only makes sense for the open string. Once a string is fretted, the harmonic moves to a different location. Thus, the neck pickup placement error arguement due to harmonic overtones is a dead one. If every note had its own string and its own pickup, then maybe I could be convinced, but we are talking gtrs, not pianos. Thats just my opinion, and Ed had his too. May he, and this topic rest in peace......and for what its worth, I think the 24fret 25" scale length is worthy of a nobel prize, I love it!.......I think I need an aspirin, thankyou.
 
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I want an owl.
7677231040_8257ab962e_z.jpg


I forget who's pic this was from BaM, but I always loved it and had to save it. Hopefully someone can give him credit.
 
I kinda "grew up" with my CE24, and having a full two octaves helped me visualize the repeated patterns of scales on the fretboard a little easier,... and it just feels "right" to me.
 
A (moving) picture is worth a thousand words....

As others have said, the position of the neck pickup in relation to the bridge is closer on the 24 fret guitars which is easy to see in this gif. As such, many players say that the neck pickup is out of the "sweet spot" and that neck position tones do not sound as good on the 24 fret instruments. I have never owned a 24 fret instrument so I cannot comment on that.

prs22vs24.gif
 
THANKYOU ERIC T!!!! That pic should clear this all up way better than all my over-explaining.......I need to get a refund on my aspirin..... you ROCK, a million thanks man!
 
That GIF has been floating around for years. I think it originated back in the old PRS Forum days, before the Birds and Moons forum.

Your explanation made perfect sense to me. It's just easier to see it than describe it.
 
I had both 24 and 22 fret guitars. I prefer 22 frets because of the way the neck pickup sounds. To me, it sounds more "vintagey", more pleasant to the ear. True, the neck pickup will sometimes sound muddier on the 22 fret guitar, but if you have a decent pickup adjusted to the right height it should be fine.

Hello everyone - this is my first post here. :D Just wanted to say that I agree about the neck pickup sounding like what I'm used to hearing on a 22 fret PRS, but not on a PRS 24 fret. On my CE 24 the neck pickup doesn't sound as full and the polepieces are not directly under the second octave like they are on my ES-335.

I'm looking for a nice CE 22 because of this.
 
If it was up to me all guitars would have 24 frets.
 
It's been my experience that 24 fret guitars sound smoother on the bridge pickup than 22 fretters. Most 22 fret guitars have this harsh, buzzy, high end fizz that can't be dialed down. That trebly bite on the 22 definitely cuts through a band mix better than most 24 fret guitars from what I've heard.
 
I prefer the extra 2 frets, seeing how I actually use them on some stuff I play/wrote. I don't give a crap about the whole "ooh, the extra 2 frets and the different scale won't be the same as a 22 fret guitar" argument and stuff. Apart from the fact that PRS makes them both on the same scale (save for the Mardsen, Mushok, and prob. the Torero), I can adjust my playing accordingly.
That aside, given the extra fret marker on the 24th, I find it easier to relate everything I do on the first 12 frets to the next 12 as well. Plus, the owl inlay on the last fret is where it's at for PRS guitars. :p
 
]-[ @ n $ 0 |v| a T ! ©;56790 said:
Or is he...
"What will happen if you kill a leprechaun?

Killing a Leprechaun will undo whatever evil magic the offending leprechaun has afflicted upon you or your loved ones. There is a time limit to reverse the spell so act quickly. Rember the only way to kill a Leprechaun is to stab its brain(which is located in the foot, may be left or right, Stab both!)
This is the only reason to kill a leprechaun. You should never steal a Leprechauns gold or booze! Get your own! "
 
It's a small little owl, but an owl, nonetheless....

I'd like to think that this is how Nigel Tufnel would explain the advantages of a CU24:

Nigel Tufnel: Well, it's an owl, isn't it? It's not the usual bird. You see, most blokes, you know, will be playing a guitar with just birds. You're using as many birds as you have, all the way up, all the way up, all the way up, you're on the last bird on your guitar. Where can you go from there? Where?
Marty DiBergi: I don't know.
Nigel Tufnel: Nowhere. Exactly. What we do is, if we need that extra push over the cliff, you know what we do?
Marty DiBergi: Go for the owl.
Nigel Tufnel: The owl. Exactly. One more bird.
 
I'm rocking all 22's. I like the look. But I do like owls so maybe a 24 is in my future for variety.
 
Interesting... I guess it's different for different people... what really screws me up is the size of the neck... if it is too thin or too thick I will get lost... or if I have been playing a Strat and then switch to a Gibson the shorter scale will mess me up... but having 2 more frets with a Cu24, or one less with a Strat doesn't seem to matter

I'll tell you about getting lost or screwed up. Try playing a Steinberger GL; no headstock and the body joins the neck at the 23rd fret. Definately a challenge to switch to in the middle of a set immediately after playing a CU24, Stratocaster or Les Paul. It's difficult not to find yourself starting 2 frets higher due to the nut being the end of the neck.
 
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