What are the Differences with 24 Frets
- Thread starter vashondan
- Start date
markintime
Wood Grain Devotee
Others may have some suggestions, but I would state the obvious. 24 frets give a 2 octave range. More if you can bend it. The strings are a personal preference; I use D'Addario or PRS strings (made by D'Addario) and they sound and hold up great. 24 frets on a scale length that is the same as other models works just fine. It is achieved by moving the neck pickup closer towards the bridge so the space between is decreased. Sound-wise I cannot tell any difference.
And oh yeah, congrats on the NGD!
And oh yeah, congrats on the NGD!
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jfine
New Member
24 frets on, say, a 25" scale, won't change string vibration vs. a 24-3/4" or a 25-1/2", other than adding two more high notes on each string. The longer the scale length, the more tension is required for a string to be at a given pitch, so a Fender-style 25-1/2" scale will feel a bit tighter and sound a bit snappier than a Gibson-type 24-3/4" scale given the same string gauges. The 25" scale on most PRSi is right in the middle. Where changes do occur is with the neck pickup on a 24-fret guitar being a bit closer to the bridge, which causes a slight change in the tone of the neck pickup, and a bigger change in the tone of the neck-and-bridge mix. This is how PRS is able to get Strat-like sounds out of guitars that don't have single-coils in the middle position. The same setting on a 22-fret guitar (assuming that the neck pickup is right against the end of the neck) is more like the two-pickup setting on a Tele (or a Les Paul if you're in humbucker mode). These are all pretty subtle differences, but you will notice a difference between a 22-fret guitar and a 24-fret one when using both pickups. My advice is to try each configuration and see if you have a preference.
edit: You said you've already got a 24. Don't worry about it then--it is what it is--and if you're trying to get a jazz tone on your neck pickup, just roll the tone control down some. Or if you're trying for Cream-era Clapton "woman tone", you'll actually get closer to that with your 24 than you would with a 22--Clapton used an SG for a lot of that stuff, and the neck pickup on those is in the same location as it would have been if '60's SG's had 24 frets (but they don't!)
edit: You said you've already got a 24. Don't worry about it then--it is what it is--and if you're trying to get a jazz tone on your neck pickup, just roll the tone control down some. Or if you're trying for Cream-era Clapton "woman tone", you'll actually get closer to that with your 24 than you would with a 22--Clapton used an SG for a lot of that stuff, and the neck pickup on those is in the same location as it would have been if '60's SG's had 24 frets (but they don't!)
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CHARISMAFIRE
INVISIBLE MAN
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Excellent explaination Mr. jfine
BrianC
more toys than talent
The issue of the neck pup tone is greatly reduced with the right neck pup. I have a REAL nice 5708, one of the originals, in the neck and it sounds great.
shinksma
What? I get a title?
- Joined
- Mar 20, 2014
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- 5,310
As mentioned, the string size doesn't change with 24 frets, because the scale length is the same on a CU22 and a CU24.
So use the string gauge you like. The factory-set of 10s (D'Addario10-46, IIRC) is usually pretty acceptable for most folks.
markintime
Wood Grain Devotee
+1^ What they said. I can add that I prefer the 10's, even though I changed the 9's on one SE 24 to 9.5's and liked them even better. But 10's are definitely better for me on my solid bodies. Now I do have 9's on my SE CU22 semi-hollow, and while they sound ok, I have admit that now I feel like I'm stretching rubber bands. And when I can pull a full 2 step bend that I could never do before... I am in a toss up as to whether I want to convert it to 10's, stay where I'm at, or go to 9.5's.
I feel like a squirrel in the middle of the road while the car bears down on me... which way, which way!
IRG
New Member
So the spacing between frets on a CU22 or CU24 is the same, correct? Difference being the CU24 has extended fingerboard for the two additional frets, which pushes the bass pickups two frets closer downwards towards the bridge.
I have a SE Clint Lowery which is 24 frets, but also a 25.5" scale neck, and on top of that 11-60 gauge strings, and I find at times it's a little trickier to finger higher up. I also just got a S2 Standard 22 and man I can play so much faster on this guitar than any of my others, just a delight to play. The SE CL does the heavy chugga chugga thing really well though. Both great guitars, just different enough from one another.
I now want a Core model, not sure which one yet.:rock:
I have a SE Clint Lowery which is 24 frets, but also a 25.5" scale neck, and on top of that 11-60 gauge strings, and I find at times it's a little trickier to finger higher up. I also just got a S2 Standard 22 and man I can play so much faster on this guitar than any of my others, just a delight to play. The SE CL does the heavy chugga chugga thing really well though. Both great guitars, just different enough from one another.
I now want a Core model, not sure which one yet.:rock:
Ovibos
Naughty Wood Librarian
I can tell you what the difference is not: the myth of the harmonic 'sweet spot' of the neck pickup on a 21/22-fret vs the 24. While it would be in the place where the harmonic is if you play open or 12th-fretted notes, any other fretting moves the placement of that harmonic.
The 9th fret harmonis is diminished on a 24 fret PRS as compared to a 22.
The 2 extra frets pushe the neck pickup closer to the bridge. The effect is some loss of fullness or roundness for the neck pickup - the neck pup on a 24 fretter will sound a bit thinner than it would if it were farther from the bridge. So you start with a slightly brighter tone on a 24 and a slightly darker tone on a 22.
On a 24, there will be a greatly diminished 9th fret pinch harmonic since one of the nodes (where the string is not vibration and thus not moving to produce a signal within a magnetic field) is sitting right over the neck pup. on a 22 fretter, that node is off of the neck pup by as much as an inch. The result is the 9th fret harmonic is noticeably louder on a 22 fretter than a 24 fretter.
Since most luthiers (including PRS) overlay about 2 frets on the body at the neck joint for electric guitars, your finger access to frets 21 and 22 will be easier on a 24 fretter because they are not overlaying the body.
The bridge on a 24 fretter will be farther from the heel of the guitar and closer to the neck because the entire bridge-fretboard-nut scale is laid to only have 2 frets overlaying the body. This leaves more room between the bridge and tail of the guitar. That can be good or bad depending on your personal build and playing style and/or where you prefer your controls.
All of these things are rather subjective for the feel and playability of the guitar and amount largely to personal perferences for the position of things and your desired tone.
The only thing that cannot be easily compensated for is the relative weakness of the 9th fret harmonic on a 24 fretter. Physics is a cold taskmaster.
ViperDoc
Plugged In.
Slightly contrary to the discussion, the neck pickup location relative to the body does not move at all. The bridge position on the body, however, is altered given that the scale lengths are the same. Compare cu22 and cu24 bridge positions. The cu24 bridge is closer to the neck, and the cu24 neck is slightly longer. You can see this mostly from n relation to the lower bout. It's true that the neck pickup is closer to the bridge, but not because the pickup moves. The bridge does.
Viper, 2 more frets means the neck pup has to move within the scale length. It appears to many not to move since most build their guitars with only 2 - 2 1/2 frets overlying the body for access and the neck pup ends up in the same place.
Now you and others can point out the neck pup position on the body all day long, but the culprit is the 2 extra frets chewing if the space between the end of the fretboard and the bridge.
However you look at it, the distance between the bridge and neck pup is compressed and that changes the tone.
Now you and others can point out the neck pup position on the body all day long, but the culprit is the 2 extra frets chewing if the space between the end of the fretboard and the bridge.
However you look at it, the distance between the bridge and neck pup is compressed and that changes the tone.
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Brad737
This space for rent...
It's two higher now, isn't it?
It might be 2 louder, but only if you play for Spinal Tap.
Suppalak Klabdee
PRSi in Black Gold with binding for life
Just to compare the difference between 22-24 fret guitar
The left most one, 408, is 22 fret
The second one from the left, Brushstroke 24 is, of course, 24 fret
The 3rd one is Paul's Guitar, 22 fret
The green one is Custom 24, of course, 24 fret.
you could see that the 24 fret have longer neck. The bridge on the 22 fret are closer to the bottom end of the guitar. And the distance between each pickup are much narrower in 24 fretter.
The left most one, 408, is 22 fret
The second one from the left, Brushstroke 24 is, of course, 24 fret
The 3rd one is Paul's Guitar, 22 fret
The green one is Custom 24, of course, 24 fret.
you could see that the 24 fret have longer neck. The bridge on the 22 fret are closer to the bottom end of the guitar. And the distance between each pickup are much narrower in 24 fretter.
