Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Tim on January 19, 2010 at 1:12pm

just plug in a number you know is too big then see how many fit.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates on January 19, 2010 at 2:47pm

How many frets? How many you got?

;-)

-WY

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Josh Gayou (SmokehouseGuitars) on January 20, 2010 at 9:03am

Hey,

The number of frets you'll see on most guitars is either 21 or 22 frets. I don't know the exact reason for this other than it saves money and gives you more real estate to cram pickups between the neck and the bridge.

More expensive guitars have 24 frets. 24 is significant because it gives you access to a full octave range on each string.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Wichita Sam on January 21, 2010 at 1:36pm

how may frets depends on how long you box is, vs your scale length...

you said your scale "seems to be 28" Does this mean you let the project chose its own scale? Selecting the scale length is probably the most important design parameter that the builder can control... Then depending upon the length of the box and were on the box you want to place the bridge, you design and build the neck to achieve that scale length... Any other process leaves you not in control of the most important parameter of the guitar.....

Where you place the bridge is important to the tone quality of your CBG... I generally place the bridge between 1/2 the length of the box all the way to 1/5th the length of the box from the tail... the closer to the center, the more "banjo-y" the CBG will sound, the closer to the tail, the more "guitarish" it will sound....

Now to your question "How many frets"... that depends on how many it takes to fill the fretboard from nut to box/body... unless of course you don't want to fill all the space....I've seen several builds where the builder settled on 12 or 15 or 18 frets and left the remaining space blank or filled with a design graphic or inlay... or ????

You see, it is really up to you....

hope this helps,
the best,

Wichita Sam

• ▶ Reply