24 fret to 20 fret conversion

[RhysC]

Hi, this may come across as a newbie question however after a year of playing my 24 fret bass im getting a new 20 fret bass which is medium scale as I have tried these out and I prefer the shorter neck.

My question is that I have some riffs that are using the 21st fret of the bass, however this will not be possible on a 20 fret bass (for obvious reasons), so what could I do (if anything) to get this note, I have browsed the internet with this question many times and to my knowledge it has not been covered. My only guessing is bending the string on the 20th fret or tuning the bass differently. I was wandering what other peoples thoughts on this was.

And again im sorry if this is an awful and newbie question, this is the only place that I can think of on trying to get my question answered.

Thanks  :)

[Doctor J]

Your 20 fret neck may have enough overhang to install another fret. If not, you could get a luthier to add a small extension to the end of the fretboard to facilitate the extra fret. Or you could just get a short scale bass with the number of frets you’re looking for?

[Dad3353]

If this is a 'one-off' situation, I'd suggest a 20th-fret bend. If the situation is recurring, find a bass with the scale length you favour and the number of frets you need. 

[jacko]

Can you not play the 16th fret on the next string up?  

[Monkey Steve]

is the note one higher than the highest you can get to on the highest string?  i.e,. it's the 21st fret on the G string, not on the E, A or D string?

If it is, then as per @Dad3353 just bend it up half a tone on the 20th fret

If it's not then as per @jacko play it on the next string

Proper bass player's answer: get away from that end of the neck and play it an octave down at the 9th fret

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

Get the guitarist to play that note

[SpondonBassed]

If you really need the G5, you could replace the first string with an appropriate gauge and tune it to B3 instead of the conventional G3.  Then relearn your lines.

Why would you miss the top four semi-tones?  What tunes use them?

[EMG456]

Play it using a false harmonic?

[Hellzero]

Don't play it, suggest it.