23 Frets - why not?

[Dirty_Boogie]

Ok, a silly question that I've been too embarrassed to ask my entire guitar-playing life... Do 23-fret guitars exist? If not, why not? I have a Strat with 21 frets, a couple of PRSi with 22, and a 24-fret Epi.

One of those life-long mysteries - enlighten me please.

 

[shimmilou]

For those times when 22 isn’t enough, and 24 is just too much? Sure, why not? lol

 

[Dusty Chalk]

That's odd.
snicker

 

[Andrew Paul]

Hmmmmmmmm never thought of that before... I prefer 24 frets, two octaves per string, funny thing is Don’t really use those two extra frets very often. A 25 inch scale 24 fret PRS I know where I’m at without looking, I’ve been playing one for so long.

 

[elvis]

21 is a vintage Fender thing. Probably for a practical manufacturing reason, knowing a bit about Leo.

Most have 22, which gets you D fretted and E or F bent.

24 gets you E fretted, up to G bent.

I have seen as many as 27. Actually, I think I saw 30 once.

What would be the purpose of a 23rd fret? Sounds like the 19th hole.

 

[bodia]

21 is a vintage Fender thing. Probably for a practical manufacturing reason, knowing a bit about Leo.

Most have 22, which gets you D fretted and E or F bent.

24 gets you E fretted, up to G bent.

I have seen as many as 27. Actually, I think I saw 30 once.

What would be the purpose of a 23rd fret? Sounds like the 19th hole.

I love the 19th hole. I don't mind going 2 over!

As for guitars, how about Uli Jon Roth's Sky Guitar....30 frets, I think. Half steps up to 35 frets.

 

[mojo1fan]

Because 23 is a prime number.

 

[RaySachs]

I've never given any thought to how many frets a guitar has. On my Strat, 21 works for me, on my tele and 594 22 work fine. I very rarely venture up past the 17th or 18th anyway. I guess it's the old lousy golfer in me. I've never really liked more than 22 because I don't like what it does to pickup spacing...

-Ray

 

[Dusty Chalk]

Because 23 is a prime number.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Number_23

 

[django49]

At least one.......
WalkerPhantom
There are a few fairly unique things about this one.

 

[Fullmoon 1971]

I love the 19th hole. I don't mind going 2 over!

As for guitars, how about Uli Jon Roth's Sky Guitar....30 frets, I think. Half steps up to 35 frets.

I used to have a hamer with 27 frets


I'll always wanted one of these though the late 80's early 90's washburn's
Washburn EC-29 & EC-36

 

[jak3af3r]

I heard or read somewhere that guitars used to have 21 frets because they were accompanying wind instruments that usually are in a "flat" key ab, Bb, Eb, etc. And when rock was becoming more popular 22 frets became the norm since keys like E, A, G, and D were more common.

I have an ovation with 22 full frets and a half neck width 23rd fret which seems odd and I never use it.

 

[JJJ]

curved board ends are cheating!

 

[eclecticsynergy]

At least one.......
WalkerPhantom
There are a few fairly unique things about this one.

Way cool guitar!

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Wait, isn't the number 23 sacred to Lovecraft's unholy ancient gods? You'd really need a thirteen-necked multidimensional guitar to do it justice...

 

[elvis]

Call of the Cthulhu...

 

[markd21]

Back in 2013 the Jackson Custom Shop (?!?!) built AND shipped a 23 fret Kelly to a dude. It was a screw-up. I don't remember if the guy kept it or not - there are threads out there about it.

 

[garrettb]

Little-known luthier Paul Reed Smith experimented with 26 and 27 frets in the early 80's.

23 seems awkward for some reason, but I feel the same about 21.

 

[garrettb]

I heard or read somewhere that guitars used to have 21 frets because they were accompanying wind instruments that usually are in a "flat" key ab, Bb, Eb, etc. And when rock was becoming more popular 22 frets became the norm since keys like E, A, G, and D were more common.

I have an ovation with 22 full frets and a half neck width 23rd fret which seems odd and I never use it.

I've been thinking about this all day! I've been learning a bunch of old blues lately and a ton of that stuff is in C or F, especially when there are horns. 21 frets would've made sense and been perfectly fine in those bands.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

I’ve a 25 fret guitar! I’m assuming that’s fairly unusual!

“You are unusual” says, Les, Howie, Scott etc. etc. The list goes on and on and on and on!