Well, I'm thinking about getting my first electric (I have been playing acoustic for a while) and was wondering how important it was to have >= 22 frets. I really like the design/sound/looks of the strat but it only has 21 frets. I am not stuck on the strat and am willing to buy a different guitar if it is a big deal. The reason it worried me is because part of my logic in buying an electric is to play some songs that can't be played on acoustic guitars because of the high frets needed. I don't want to buy a new guitar that doesn't give me any new features.
Thanks,
(Btw, is it possible to play a 10 fret artificial harmonic instead of a 22 fret note?)
A hoopy frood knows where his towel is....
Depends on whose songs you want to play. Santana, Vai... those solos are going to need 24 frets to cover (although I've faked some high Santana notes with bends and harmonics). For the most part, 21 or 22 frets will play pretty much anything... not that many people are using the last third.
Also, if you're an acoustic player primarily, and you want the electric just for the extended range rather than the different overall sound, you might want to shop around. I picked up an Ibanez acoustic some years back with a cutaway and a 24 fret neck. (ok, the fretboard is funky looking - it has 19 full frets and 5 partial ones... it still does the job)
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