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Permalink Reply by Titch the Clown on May 26, 2016 at 12:04am

Us uke builders say if you're using any more than 5 you are just showing off, to which I add if you are using any more than 3 you are betterer than me. GBGs on the other hand tend to utilise the octave and over octave notes so go for as many as you can fit.

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Permalink Reply by Lane Martin on May 26, 2016 at 5:35am

Agreed!

I only need more frets for the A string because of the alternate D (2225) and E shapes I use on soprano and concert scale ukes. Maybe I should practice more. ha

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Permalink Reply by Jim Morris on May 26, 2016 at 12:53am

In line with what Titch said, banjo player Stringbean used to say "ain't no money past the 5th fret" I usually put 15 frets on most of my 3 string CBG's and when I need notes higher than that I grab them with a slide or just play them like a fretless. I've made some with as few as 12 frets (well lots with no frets but that's not the question here) and if you're just playing 3 chord blues or folk songs on a 3 stringer you can get by with 7 frets. The I chord is open, the IV chord is the 5th fret and the V chord is the 7th fret. Still all the other notes are available either played fretless or with a slide.

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Permalink Reply by JL on May 26, 2016 at 1:58am

I try to do at least 17 frets, that lets you play the basic 5 fret stuff one octave higher.

Cause sometimes it sounds better to go up to G instead of down, but mostly because its easier to do some random picking in the boxes when you can go in both directions up and down the frets.

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Permalink Reply by jeff weins on May 26, 2016 at 10:13am

I stick with 12 frets, cause I just don't like doing frets that much.

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on May 26, 2016 at 5:54pm

At that Fender scale length, the typical fret at the body-neck join is 17 or 18. Unless you can shred like Yngwie, you don't really need anything above that.

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Permalink Reply by Barrie Collins on May 26, 2016 at 9:25pm

Thanks everyone it seems 18 is the number to go for , I will try that on my next build

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Permalink Reply by JL on May 26, 2016 at 11:34pm

I tend to stop when it looks like the frets are so close that my finger can't get between...

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Permalink Reply by jawbone on May 27, 2016 at 2:02am

I usually do 12 but have always wanted to just do 7, just for fun!!

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Permalink Reply by Fomhorach on May 27, 2016 at 6:37am

After 12 you can go with the aesthetics and combine it into the design.

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