BoyVader Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 Ok, so seeing the 50th anniversary 24 fret SG, it got me thinking, why are regular Gibsons 23 frets? Makes no sense when you think of it...24 is 2 octaves right? What's the thinking behind 23? Please can somebody smart explain? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryUK Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 I can't explain why. But there was a time when people didn't play above the 12th fret. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FennRx Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 my gibsons have 22 frets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G McBride Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 You got cheated one fret. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoyVader Posted February 13, 2011 Author Share Posted February 13, 2011 Yeah,I think he's counting fret wire...23 places to put yer fingers and make notes...1 short of 2 octave span...still no reasonable answer why this would be the design? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Plains Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 I'm just guessing here but maybe: 1. pickup spacing. Maybe they conducted a few tests and found the neck pickup sounded best where it is now. 2. they figured nobody would use a 24th fret. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Searcy Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 My SG only has 22 frets. My Les Paul Studio DC on the other hand has 24. I don't remember using the 24th fret all that much though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilpanda Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 thats why I use pinch harmonics Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riffster Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 Most Gibsons have 22 frets not 23. There are more than 2 octaves on a guitar really. 24 frets is a nice even number but does not mean a better or necessary design. In a Les Paul it would be useless, an SG on the other hand is cool because you can actually access and use the frets. I was eyeballing one of those 50th anniversary models but it comes only in black...that's a no go for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Versatile Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 It is known as the dusty end of the fretboard In my heart I believe it is a mere gimmick.... V Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FennRx Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 You got cheated one fret. angry email sent to henry j Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy R Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 There are a multitude of possible reasons why this is the case. I would imagine that it mostly was just a continuation of reproducing what and how earlier guitars were built and used. The guitar was never really a "Lead" instrument I would guess until maybe the 40's or 50's. It could also have something to do with tuning temperament and scale length. It could even be something as mundane as to what length wood was available or how the machines of the time could handle the material. Maybe they were using the cartoonist theory of only drawing 4 fingers instead of 5 to save time. Who knows... I would guess more in the range that it was assumed people didn't need it thus becoming the standard and tradition that has continued on. That's about all I got on the subject... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundergod Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 my gibsons have 22 frets I think mine are the same way... 22... wait, I'm in the studio right now, I'll go count. ... 22 frets for both the Robot LP and the melody maker... And I'm sure the standard and the studio I sold had 22 as well. Did Gibson rip me off? Or was it the guy at the store? As you were... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundergod Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 BTW there are 2 whole octaves between the 6th and 1st string (considering you fret the same fret or leave both strings unfreted). From E (6th string fret 0) to e (1st string fret 0) there are 2 octaves... then you go from fret 0 to 12... 1 more octave, then to fret 24 (on those guitars with one of those) and you have a 4th octave. I do miss that 24 fret on my favorite guitar (I forgot to ask the guy to build it with 24 frets) mostly because I play lots of metal and don't care to change guitars anymore, so I mainly use the one I like the best (and it's got 21 frets... ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketman Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I agree with R9. If you have 24 frets then the neck pup is closer to the bridge which gives it a more "treble" type sound. That's counter to what most Gibsons are about. There is also a lot of discussion on the harmonic "sweet spot" but I don't buy into that. The sweet spot will "move" with your finger placement and a good guitar should sound great no matter the finger placement. My PRS Custom 24 is the first 24 fret instrument I've owned. It's nice but my brain still hasn't figured where to move my fingers to the right fret in the higher register. I can do without the 24 frets but I love my PRS (they stopped making the Custom 22). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoyVader Posted February 14, 2011 Author Share Posted February 14, 2011 Some good ideas here...I just wikipedia 'd it, and you can get guitars with 27 frets!!! WTF... :unsure: I think the 22nd fret is about the highest I play at the moment so no biggie for me... I'm guessing it's a mixture of a few of the things already mentioned...history, materials, and music itself...no metal way back...do you think metal (call it what you will, shred etc) pushes the instrument? I mean also you have 7 strings? I'm more of a blues man myself so love the BB\Albert King school of stay on one fret and bend the crap out of it for several different notes on the same fret... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Versatile Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I regularly bend up from the 22nd fret :blink: V Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shnate McDuanus Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Just a quick point of order... The difference between 22 and 24 frets is a difference of two extra notes on each string... BUT: In standard tuning, the 23rd and 24th frets only add two notes to the actual range of the instrument. This is because the only notes that cannot be reached without the addition of the two extra frets are the last two notes on the high E string. The "extra" notes on the other strings can all be reached on the other strings. On a 22-fret neck, you can always bend up to those two extra tones. Of course, this does bring up a few questions about chord voicings, but...are you going to play an E-form barre chord in the very last position? I don't think my fingers will even fit like that... My best guesses about why guitars traditionally come with 22- or 21-fret necks are the same as all that have been mentioned already. Namely, practicality across the board. Most guitarists won't use frets 23 and 24. You need more material to make a 24-fret neck. Many guitar bodies don't even have reachable 22nd frets. And, of course (although this, to me, is no justification for keeping things the same as they used to be) there was a time when guitarists typically didn't play above the 12th fret. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MojoRedFoot Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I'm guessing it's a mixture of a few of the things already mentioned...history, materials, and music itself...no metal way back...do you think metal (call it what you will, shred etc) pushes the instrument? I mean also you have 7 strings? The singer from one of my fav bands uses a 7 string guitar with 29 frets :blink: Yes, he gets up very high on that neck. It's a progressive metal band so there you have it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Searcy Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 29 fret guitar are for pussies! Real men need 36 frets! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MojoRedFoot Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 29 fret guitar are for pussies! Real men need 36 frets! Yeah, I'll be sure to pass the message to my Viking friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Searcy Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Just messin' with ya man. If you can make music with the 45th fret then that's all that matters. I don't think I really need more than about 18. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MojoRedFoot Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Oh I know, guy. I use 24 once in a while but it's rare. I use up to 22 on a regular basis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zigzag Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 ...24 is 2 octaves right? 23 frets is two octaves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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