Would you choose a 22 fret guitar as your main 7?

[TrevorT]

I wouldn't buy a 7-string with less than 24 frets personally. After playing 24-fret electrics exclusively for most of my life, I bought a 22-fret HSS 6-string and ended up selling it because it felt too limiting. I don't think about it very much while I play (because I didn't really need to), but it turns out I do go up past the 22nd fret quite a bit, both in songs I've learned and in ones I've written.

 

[Stan P]

Interesting .. 24-fret team it looks dominates.

 

[Mitri]

Don't have a lot of experience with longer scales. In theory, a 27" scale guitar is like adding two frets behind the nut of a 25.5 neck, so a pickup at the 24th fret of a 27" scale would be in about the same spot as the 22nd fret of a 25.5" scale.

While you're right about the actual approximate placement it's also important to keep in mind that these differences are tantamount to juxtaposing quality versus quantity.

The relevant harmonic nodes would be properly located in different places between the two scale length/neck pickup placement options you listed. The reason 21/22 fret guitars have a more preferable sounding neck pickup is because the harmonic node is either directly over the neck pickup, or close enough. A 24 fret guitar relocates the pickup to make room for more frets at the sacrifice of node worship/utilization.

After reviewing the above, it seems logical to me that more frets would be for people who have need for quantity of notes while less frets would be for those who have need for quality of note. Is that just me?

 

[Mitri]

Interesting .. 24-fret team it looks dominates.

Tbh, I though that with all the doom/stoner/sludge love on here that more people would be all about over distorting 22fret guitars EXCLUSIVELY on the neck pickup.

I guess people don't like wielding tone.

 

[MFB]

Tbh, I though that with all the doom/stoner/sludge love on here that more people would be all about over distorting 22fret guitars EXCLUSIVELY on the neck pickup.

I guess people don't like wielding tone.

That implies that us doomers not only acknowledge the existence of a neck pickups, but also USE one, which is decidedly false. Bridge pickup for life.

 

[cardinal]

While you're right about the actual approximate placement it's also important to keep in mind that these differences are tantamount to juxtaposing quality versus quantity.

The relevant harmonic nodes would be properly located in different places between the two scale length/neck pickup placement options you listed. The reason 21/22 fret guitars have a more preferable sounding neck pickup is because the harmonic node is either directly over the neck pickup, or close enough. A 24 fret guitar relocates the pickup to make room for more frets at the sacrifice of node worship/utilization.

After reviewing the above, it seems logical to me that more frets would be for people who have need for quantity of notes while less frets would be for those who have need for quality of note. Is that just me?

People argue over this ad nauseam. Once you fret, this harmonic node is out the window. Consider a 25.5" scale, 22 fret guitar in E Standard and a 27" scale, 24 fret guitar in D Standard. Fret the first one at 12 and the second one at 14. Should be the same thing relative to a pickup up to the end of the fretboard.

 

[Mathemagician]

I really wish I could have a 25.5 scale 22 feet guitar, but with like 2 more frets. Just that the 22nd ends at the 25.5 mark.

Did I just invent 26.5? Nah, because that pushes the nut further away from the body.

 

[odibrom]

I really wish I could have a 25.5 scale 22 feet guitar, but with like 2 more frets. Just that the 22nd ends at the 25.5 mark.

What??

 

[Stan P]

People argue over this ad nauseam. Once you fret, this harmonic node is out the window. Consider a 25.5" scale, 22 fret guitar in E Standard and a 27" scale, 24 fret guitar in D Standard. Fret the first one at 12 and the second one at 14. Should be the same thing relative to a pickup up to the end of the fretboard.

This is true. There is another thought - 1 nm away from the node you get maximum harmonics

 

[Ross82]

I will say that after getting my Aviator, I am 100% in favour of sacrificing 2 frets I never use for that magical neck pickup position, it sounds fucking gorgeous quite frankly.

If I do the 7 string build, it will be a 22 fret on a 26.22" scale.

 

[CanserDYI]

I use 24th fret in quite a few of my licks, I can't give it up, at least for my 7s. My baritone 6 is a 22 fret and it does annoy me, but not as much.

Has anyone ever built a pickup with a 2 frets built over top of it? I feel like i've asked this, but can't remember. I think that'd be cool!

 

[odibrom]

Digging graves seams to the new trend...?

 

[wheresthefbomb]

Has anyone ever built a pickup with a 2 frets built over top of it? I feel like i've asked this, but can't remember. I think that'd be cool!

No but if you push the strings into contact with the pole pieces it makes terrible/awesome howling feedback.

 

[Tuned]

Some thoughts … if the guitar is very nice, among the best, but has only 22 frets, would you choose it as your main 7? I tune step down and for some tunes use 24th fret… I could figure a workaround.. how about you? Could yoh live with a 22 fretter 7?

skipped many 7s that had 22 frets and will keep on skipping them, if that answers your question

 

[MaxOfMetal]

Has anyone ever built a pickup with a 2 frets built over top of it? I feel like i've asked this, but can't remember. I think that'd be cool!

ESP has done it on some 27+ fret guitars, basically extending the fretboard over the pickups.

Fodera also makes removable 23+ fret extensions for their basses.

 

[77zark77]

Nope ! I want to access to the E6 without bending

 

[4Bolt71]

Blue S7420FM is a guitar I've wanted for a long long time.

 

[Tuned]

While you're right about the actual approximate placement it's also important to keep in mind that these differences are tantamount to juxtaposing quality versus quantity.

The relevant harmonic nodes would be properly located in different places between the two scale length/neck pickup placement options you listed. The reason 21/22 fret guitars have a more preferable sounding neck pickup is because the harmonic node is either directly over the neck pickup, or close enough. A 24 fret guitar relocates the pickup to make room for more frets at the sacrifice of node worship/utilization.

After reviewing the above, it seems logical to me that more frets would be for people who have need for quantity of notes while less frets would be for those who have need for quality of note. Is that just me?

yeah but nope
pre 1993 PRS guitars only came with 24 frets and their neck pickup sounds better. It was only when mr. Smith decided to mount the gibson horsie and got the fired McCarty to pull the advertisement cart that they began to offer the 22, and that was the reason they started to offer 22. It was for the gibson fanbase, that's why.

 

[7stringDemon]

Ive had an AX7521 as my main 7 for a few years, and im not bothered by the lack of frets there. Though with the 24.75" scale length, bending up to whatever note you need is a breeze.

I am also a fiend for S series, so an MIJ S7420, or a 540s7 would be just fine for me.

TBH i would trade a lot of sweet 24 fret 7's for a 540s7. Thats a dream guitar right there.

 

[OldMate]

Digging graves seams to the new trend...?

The necro is strong with these ones