CU24 has tight fret spacing. Would CU22 solve the my problem?

CalvinF

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Sep 11, 2020
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Dear PRS owners,

I have a CE24 with pattern thin neck and I love it. I am planning to get a CU24. However, I am noticing a slight discomfort when I am sitting down with CE24 and accessing the higher frets 20+.

When I am standing, my left hand can be angled perfectly perpendicular to the neck on 20+ frets. If my fingers are perpendicular to the neck, the surface area of my finger tips touching the fret board is exactly the size my finger tip.

When I am sitting, due to the 25'' scale length, my fingers are angled slightly. This is requiring a greater fret distance/area to avoid my fingers accidentally touching other strings on high frets. I am experiencing a similar problem on Les Paul. But LP is worse because of the chunky design near the neck/body joint.

This problem goes away with Strat. Although PRS has a Silver Sky, I don't like its fret board radius, I'd prefer something flat.

Do you think CU22 would address my problem? Alternatively I can just stand and play CU24 but that may be tiring for a 2 hours long practice session.

My only concern with CU22 is that it doesn't have a pattern thin profile.

Thank you
 
https://reverb.com/item/10999695-prs-mark-tremonti-baritone-10-top-cherry-sunburst

This PRS tremonti is labeled a baritone due to it's 25.5" fret spacing. You can string it and tune it just like a regular guitar (most people use it for down tuning since longer scale length also adds string tension).

Also the SE Mark Holcomb is 25.5". Additionally older PRS bolt neck guitars are 25.25"...NF3, Brent mason, ect.

There may be more I'm not aware of, but these guitars will have more space between the frets.
 
When you’re sitting down, are you putting the guitar on your right leg? If so, try putting the guitar on your left leg so the lower bout is between your legs. This way, it’s a little more like where it is when you’re standing. If you can put it on a strap while you’re sitting, that can be even better. It’s an adjustment, to be sure, but it’s worth the effort.
 
The 513 & 509’s are 25.25” scale length as well But they do have a bit of a heel on the neck and they are pattern which isn’t as thin, or as wide as a pattern thin. Also only 22 frets.
 
This has me thinking. Standing or sitting, the frets on my CU24 never fall quite where I want them, even though this is my main gigging guitar and the one I have owned and played the most. The frets on my 22 fret 513, however, always seem to fall to hand perfectly. I have just measured both necks from the nut to the 22nd fret and the CU24 is 45.6cm, whereas the 513 is 46cm. The ergonomics of this is probably more to do with me (arm length/body width/hand size) than the guitars. For me, the 513 fits like a glove.
 
Thank you everyone for sharing your valuable experience with me. Looks like CU22 isn't going to help much. It seems to me that PRS discontinued 513 and Tremonti Baritone. But I can find a 509! It is a very attractive option. Also thanks for the suggesting the sitting posture, I have to try it for a bit. I have never put my guitar on the left leg (classical style) I need to dig a bit more into 509. But CU24 still got the look I like, that 35th Anniversary version with Aquamarine is just gorgeous...
 
When you’re sitting down, are you putting the guitar on your right leg? If so, try putting the guitar on your left leg so the lower bout is between your legs. This way, it’s a little more like where it is when you’re standing. If you can put it on a strap while you’re sitting, that can be even better. It’s an adjustment, to be sure, but it’s worth the effort.

I always play with a strap, sitting or standing - I noticed very early on that keeping the guitar on my right knee as most players do just didn't work for me - it's always felt awkward. Using the strap keeps it in roughly the same position as standing and makes everything easier to reach.
 
FWIW, and I know no-one asked, but:

I play standing 99% of the time. The only time I am sitting is when I am transcribing a new riff or song, and need to be able to scribble on a pad of paper or type into my computer.

I find sitting to be awkward, no matter which guitar - not just the high frets above 20, but the overall neck access seems weird. Cowboy chords are OK.
 
I always play with a strap, sitting or standing - I noticed very early on that keeping the guitar on my right knee as most players do just didn't work for me - it's always felt awkward. Using the strap keeps it in roughly the same position as standing and makes everything easier to reach.

Growing up, I played w/the guitar on my right leg. I know there are several pictures of that. But as I grew up - and more importantly, grew out, that became more problematic. A guy I took lessons from played sitting with a strap and said it helped him because it kept the guitar pretty much where it is when he stands.
 
Im having the same thing.
Could any fret change give some more confort playing on higher frets?
 
A 509 can be your bestest most bestest friend!!!!!

wNaN62G.jpeg
 
https://reverb.com/item/10999695-prs-mark-tremonti-baritone-10-top-cherry-sunburst

This PRS tremonti is labeled a baritone due to it's 25.5" fret spacing. You can string it and tune it just like a regular guitar (most people use it for down tuning since longer scale length also adds string tension).

Also the SE Mark Holcomb is 25.5". Additionally older PRS bolt neck guitars are 25.25"...NF3, Brent mason, ect.

There may be more I'm not aware of, but these guitars will have more space between the frets.
The 25.5” Tremonti baritone was a very limited release. The standard Tremonti model is 25” scale.
 
I support the previously mentioned method of playing with a strap at all time! I play without a strap, less than one percent of the time and it is when I am relaxing on couch with feet up. And in that position, I am really not trying to "play", I am just fumbling around, warming up fingers/sttings, breaking in new strings, etc. ;~)) Wearing a strap all the time has several advantages that I think could help, but not necessarily solve all issues. I love the feel of my CU24s because the frets are further away from my body, so accessing higher frets is more comfortable because I am not pushing my arm into my body as much when I reach for the highest frets. As for the spacing, I am NEVER playing up that high, so the spacing does not affect me. I do like my wrist and arm positions better on the CU24 neck compared to my McCarty 594 HBII. I also wear my guitar very high on chest (more like a classical player even though I have never been one). It again feels more comfortable for me with wrist/arm positions. And that includes electric guitar, acoustic guitar and electric bass guitar. I wear them all very high up for my comfort (it certainly does NOT look cool)! So this is another reason I wear a strap all the time, I could never get that comfort with a guitar on my leg, left or right, but when I have played that way, my wrist/arm were more comfortable with guitar on left leg (and I am a righty). When it was on the right leg, my body felt more comfortable, but wrist/arm not as much. Blah, blah, blah, I'm a ramplin' guy!!! Hope you can figure it out ;~)) That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!
 
Dear PRS owners,

I have a CE24 with pattern thin neck and I love it. I am planning to get a CU24. However, I am noticing a slight discomfort when I am sitting down with CE24 and accessing the higher frets 20+.

When I am standing, my left hand can be angled perfectly perpendicular to the neck on 20+ frets. If my fingers are perpendicular to the neck, the surface area of my finger tips touching the fret board is exactly the size my finger tip.

When I am sitting, due to the 25'' scale length, my fingers are angled slightly. This is requiring a greater fret distance/area to avoid my fingers accidentally touching other strings on high frets. I am experiencing a similar problem on Les Paul. But LP is worse because of the chunky design near the neck/body joint.

This problem goes away with Strat. Although PRS has a Silver Sky, I don't like its fret board radius, I'd prefer something flat.

Do you think CU22 would address my problem? Alternatively I can just stand and play CU24 but that may be tiring for a 2 hours long practice session.

My only concern with CU22 is that it doesn't have a pattern thin profile.

Thank you
I don't play 24 fret guitars for that reason. Also because the 23rd and 24th frets occupy space where the neck pickup needs to be to get the sound I like best. I've owned two CU22's. I like the sound I get with a bolt on neck of the CE's better than the sound of a glued mahogany neck og the CU22. Seems bouncier. Livlier.

All personal taste.
 
I skimmed through the new posts on this. I always play with a strap. I also tend to mostly play standing up. I will sit when learning new songs because those sessions are longer. I still wear a strap and set in a way that the guitar is actually hanging on me while setting. I use a Roc-N-Soc drum throne that is shaped like a bicycle seat so I am able to get the guitar to hang on the strap when setting on that.

I also gravitate to 22 fret guitars. I have I played 24 frets years ago for a decent amount of time but I have spent much more time on 22 fret guitars. There is a little more room in the upper frets on a 22 fret guitar. A guitar with a longer scale length will also give you a little more room up there. I find my CU22 easier to play the higher frets than my CU24.
 
I might be the odd one out, but ergonomically there is a huge diference between the 24 and the 22. Fret spacing cannot be helped, as pointed out, but the position of the neck on the 22 differs from the 24 by about 3-4 cm. This gives a different playing position on higher frets. Besides that: a fixed bridge (like my cu22) helps as well due to the neck angle
 
I might be the odd one out, but ergonomically there is a huge diference between the 24 and the 22. Fret spacing cannot be helped, as pointed out, but the position of the neck on the 22 differs from the 24 by about 3-4 cm. This gives a different playing position on higher frets. Besides that: a fixed bridge (like my cu22) helps as well due to the neck angle
I’m sure you know this but some here don’t know it.

Fret spacing is identical on borh since both use a 25” scale.

The 23 and 24 fret are close together on a 24 fret guitar but spacing of the 21st fret and 22nd are identical on both
 
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I’m sure you know this but some here don’t know it.

Fret spacing is identical on borh since both use a 25” scale.

The 23 and 24 fret are close together on a 24 fret guitar but spacing of the 21st fret and 22nd are identical on both
That is a great point. They do feel different though.
 
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