# Acoustic guitar with jumbo frets



## Elwood

Has anyone installed medium jobs or similar frets on their steel string acoustic?

I've never understood with the frets are so small so acoustics with 25.5" scales and 12s.


----------



## DudeManBrother

Just a guess: I think it has to do with intonation. I'd bet most acoustic manufacturers have players in mind that play chords mostly, and intonation can be a bit off with bigger frets, so they use the smaller wire at the sacrifice of bending over two semitones without serious effort.


----------



## Elwood

DudeManBrother said:


> Just a guess: I think it has to do with intonation. I'd bet most acoustic manufacturers have players in mind that play chords mostly, and intonation can be a bit off with bigger frets, so they use the smaller wire at the sacrifice of bending over two semitones without serious effort.



A properly crowned 6105 can't be have that much of an effect on intonation vs a vintage. I figure a better saddle design or compensated nut would be much better for intonation.


----------



## DudeManBrother

Elwood said:


> A properly crowned 6105 can't be have that much of an effect on intonation vs a vintage. I figure a better saddle design or compensated nut would be much better for intonation.


Yes I agree that the saddle is really the limiting factor with acoustic guitars, but until some one starts to build acoustics with individual adjustable saddles; we will continue to see "close enough" with smaller fret wire and the typical saddle form. Well, if that's even the reason for smaller fret wire that is.


----------



## Elwood

I see you mean - if PRS can do it with a single form bridge, i'm sure it could be done to an Acoustic without having an unconventional aesthetic


----------



## Drew

DudeManBrother said:


> Just a guess: I think it has to do with intonation. I'd bet most acoustic manufacturers have players in mind that play chords mostly, and intonation can be a bit off with bigger frets, so they use the smaller wire at the sacrifice of bending over two semitones without serious effort.


I'd imagine that has a lot more with the deflection of the string as it "bends" from the top of the fret to the fretboard, than it does the conventional bridge-positioning understanding of intonation. Considering acoustics are generally thought of as a chording/flatpicked melody line sort of instrument rather than one for bluesy bending (where the taller frets really start to matter, it kind of makes sense that they tend to ship with lower frets. 

That said, if I ever manage to wear the frets out on my Martin, then yeah, I'll want to throw something heavier on there. It may be an acoustic, but I'm still a shred guy at heart so I want a setup more conducive to low action and big bends.


----------



## tedtan

There are a lot of acoustic players who manhandle the instrument, smashing the strings all the way down to the fretboard, which throws their chords out of tune. Smaller frets are used to help offset this.

I did have one acoustic guitar with medium jumbo frets, though, and I preferred it over others playbility wise. That particular guitar didn't sound all that great, though, so I eventually moved it on.

If I ever refret one of my acoustics, I'll definitely use medium jumbo or jumbo EVO gold or stainless frets.


----------



## Sephiroth952

The tech at my store had to fix a refret job done on a Taylor. They installed jumbos but is was all jacked up, but once our tech worked his magic it played amazingly. If I ever get an acoustic I'll probably do the same to it one day.


----------

