Jump to content
Why become a member? ×

How does fret height and width effect playability?


Greg.Bassman
 Share

Recommended Posts

Hi all. I’m just curious to know how fret height and width effects playability? 

Being a light-player, I require my action as low as I can get it; that way, I don’t have to press so hard on the board to fret notes. However, I can never get it low enough on my fender jazz without the associated spiking and buzzing. Would a change in fret height/width make a difference, and if so, what measurement would you recommend for someone (like myself) who is looking for a (very) low action?

Cheers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would think (though others might have to correct me) that ensuring the frets are correctly levelled and an appropriate amount of neck relief has been set is more important than the fret profile (height/width). When you have a really low action do you get fret buzz consistently along the whole fretboard or is it confined more to one area of the neck in particular?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, Greg.Bassman said:

Hi all. I’m just curious to know how fret height and width effects playability?

This is one detail that doesn't affect me at all.

I've had basses with fat, Gibson-style frets, thin, banjo frets, high and low and everything in between and I've not noticed any difference in the way any of these basses play.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 hours ago, HowieBass said:

I would think (though others might have to correct me) that ensuring the frets are correctly levelled and an appropriate amount of neck relief has been set is more important than the fret profile (height/width). When you have a really low action do you get fret buzz consistently along the whole fretboard or is it confined more to one area of the neck in particular?

Hi HowieBass. Sorry about my late response. Yes, I’m aware that there are other factors that come into play as far as action is concerned, I have other threads on here that focus on such. But for this particular thread, I was curious to know more about frets, as it is something that I think often gets over-looked. But thank you for the reminder, you are right, relief and levelling are very important. To answer your question, whenever I have had problems with buzzing, it is generally confined to one part of the neck...

 

Edited by Greg.Bassman
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi @Greg.Bassman - you probably know this already but usually if fret buzz is confined to the area near the nut then that suggests insufficient relief whereas fret buzz at the 'dusty end' suggests there's too much relief - where's it occurring with your jazz bass? Like others I've never noticed any difference in playability whatever the fret profiles on my basses though obviously when frets get too worn and flattened that's likely going to affect intonation.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...