software

So what's the argument, a lot of people say the neck humbucker on a LP style guitar sounds better with a 22 fret neck because it's not pushed back farther like on a 24 fret neck. Is this bogus? Is the difference neglibible or is it a real phenomenon?

I noticed this in a 24 fret PRS and a 22 fret PRS that I owned. I seem to not agree with Ed Roman on this one. (Never thought those words would come out of my mouth). I think 22 fret guitars sound better in the neck pup position.

from : localhost/www.edromanguitars.com/tech/22vs24.htm


Originally Posted by Scott_FI noticed this in a 24 fret PRS and a 22 fret PRS that I owned. I seem to not agree with Ed Roman on this one. (Never thought those words would come out of my mouth). I think 22 fret guitars sound better in the neck pup position.

from : localhost/I went to see the Rolling Stones recently. I would love to spend an afternoon with Keith Richards, He is using the most antiquated gear on the planet. I understand that maybe he has a retro image to hold, but that's no reason to play a guitar that is obviously limiting his capabilities.quot;

This guy is good...


Originally Posted by Scott_F

I seem to not agree with Ed Roman on this one. (Never thought those words would come out of my mouth).

Is that a joke?

...and remember kids Ed Roman sez: quot;A typical Les Paul will always sound muddy when you play chords !!!!!quot;


Originally Posted by n00bIs that a joke?

yeah, should have put a smilie in there.

Yeah, but it's all preference. It's not just on LP's though. Strat style guitars (IMO) also sound a lot better with the neck p/up on 22 fret models. The 24 fret models don't sound bad, but it can be harder to get that Hendrix/SRV neck twang sound with 24 fret models.


Originally Posted by Scott_Fyeah, should have put a smilie in there.

Whew. I got scared for a second there.

Anyway I prefer 24 fret necks, but not for the reasons Ed Roman says. It depends on the pickup. For overly bassy pickups, 24 fret necks help to soften the bass a little by keeping the pickup closer to the bridge. For not-so-bassy pickups, 22 fret necks might be a little bit better by letting a bit more contrast show through, but I still prefer 24 frets.

there's a reason why necks are 22 frets or 21 frets long-the exact spot where the neck pickup should be is the beginning of the 3rd octave. It's where the 24th fret should be, and being an octave higher than the 12th fret, it is harmonically rich. Lightly touch above that spot and pick and you'll hear a harmonic. That's a reason why neck pickups are placed there so often.

I just read that garbage from ed roman. It's not sheer coincidence that all the great classic guitars have their neck pickups at the 24th fret area, this guy's just trying to sell his stuff.

The harmonic placement argument is a complete load of bogus crap to me. It only applies on open strings and harmonics. If you fret a note, the harmonic spectrum changes, taking that node off of the neck pickup.

im a fan of 24 fret necks

To settle this argument all you really have to do is compare the tone of the neck pickup in a 22 fret PRS to the neck pickup in a 24 fret PRS. I did.

The neck pickup in the 22 fret guitar always sounds better to me.

Deeper...richer...better.

Lew


Originally Posted by LewguitarTo settle this argument all you really have to do is compare the tone of the neck pickup in a 22 fret PRS to the neck pickup in a 24 fret PRS. I did.
The neck pickup in the 22 fret guitar always sounds better to me.
Deeper...richer...better.
Lew

I've done it too...with different results. Were the pickups the same in the 22 and the 24 that you tried? quot;Deeper...richer...betterquot; sounds like the difference between the D2 neck and the VB than the difference caused by the 1/2quot; difference in pickup position.
I have a CE22 with Dragon IIs and a CU24 with the same pickups (special ordered that way). Okay, one has a maple bolt neck and the other has an IRW set neck but I'd attribute the slight difference in tone much more to materials than to pickup location.
You're welcome to trek down to Parker to try 'em yourself.
My $0.02, IMHO, FWIW, YMMV, etc.

Ya pickup placement effects tone huge! I like the sound of a neck postion humbucker on 22 fret 25 1/2 scale guitars myself.... I do enjoy my Jacksons with their 24 fret neck but the neck postion seems to fall short in sweet bass tone..... But i also thought that could be because around the neck joint area there is a lot less wood then my Fender style guitars. The Jacksons body is small and has a thinned out heel area on the back of the neck plate area so you can reach those notes up high without hitting a huge heel. This works graet for comfort but not that great for tone.

I;m really picky about the bidge postion pickup placement more so then the neck!!!! I have bought a few WD strat pickguards with a humbucker bridge slot and they seem to rout too close to the bridge! Makes for a thin tone.... Remember that when you are buying pickguards that some WD pickguards are routed with the slott too far back....

WhoFan

Ed Roman: quot;Ed Roman will be selling off all the traded in 22 fret PRS guitars on Ebay! Seeing as how much I hate Ebay and how much I hate 22 fret PRS guitars that's a perfect way to get rid of them. My salespeople have all been instructed to show our normal customers all the benefits of the 24 fret model.quot;

Yeah, Ebay is just the devil. I mean I only saved about $500 on a mint rectoverb by buying on ebay instead of new at GC. I also really hate ebay for allowing me to sell all the gear I don't want anymore to someone who does and replace it with gear I do want.

Ed Roman has got to be the most pompous pretentious a$$h0le in the entire guitar world.


Originally Posted by DeadSkinSlayer3The harmonic placement argument is a complete load of bogus crap to me. It only applies on open strings and harmonics. If you fret a note, the harmonic spectrum changes, taking that node off of the neck pickup.
While it's true that the rich overtone only really applies at the octave node, the principle is quot;sound (no pun intended). I think it's actually more about the distance from the bridge as the closer you get, the tone starts to brighten and thin out, but the distance from the octave node to the bridge also mathematically adds up to octaves stacked upon progressively higher octaves, the distance between the nodes dividing by two continuously, the closer you get to the bridge. The princilpe still holds, though.

Brett

Non of my guitars have the neck pup placed were the 24th fret should be (like a 22 fret guitar) and I can perfectly get the SRV, Hendrix hollow, quack tone out of them. I think that type of tone comes more from plucking the string over this area more than the positon of the pickup.

If you select the bridge pup and play the Eminor pentatonic over the 12 fret and plucking the strings were the 24 fret should be (or were atually it's if you have a 24 fret guitar) you'll get that effect too.

Check it!!


Originally Posted by Lewguitar...

The neck pickup in the 22 fret guitar always sounds better to me.

Deeper...richer...better.

Lew

1

Made the same experience. I just like it more. I throw the neck in for the warm sound and that's what the 22 fret position gives me better/more than the 24fret pos. There's also a slightly bigger difference to the bridge pup...


Originally Posted by Brett ValentineWhile it's true that the rich overtone only really applies at the octave node, the principle is quot;sound (no pun intended). I think it's actually more about the distance from the bridge as the closer you get, the tone starts to brighten and thin out...
Brett

That is exactly correct. Period!

It's kind of silly to argue this point. Everyone knows that the middle pickup on a Strat sounds way differant than the neck pickup...even if the two are identical pickups.

Same deal with humbuckers: Move the neck pickup of any guitar closer to the bridge (even by an inch or less) and it starts to take on more of the tone of a middle pickup.

And, using a Strat as an example, most Strat players rarely use the middle pickup by itself because it sounds kind of blah!

Lew

I guess I'm the only one that really prefers the neck pup being closer to the bridge. I really feel that way about buckers but on singles I could go either way. I just think that all 22 fret guitar neck slots seem too dark.

Luke

PS I use the strat #3 position as well!