21 or 22 frets?

ZZDoc · **Posted:** Thu Jul 15, 2010 10:52 am

BMW-KTM wrote:

:Leo was constantly improving his models so what's wrong with continuing his tradition?

There's no arguing this point. But Leo would have explained why he felt the improvement was warranted. In this case, the question is begging a response with respect to the '88 Clapton Signature guitar's 21 fret neck being swapped out for a 22 and remaining as such. There must be someone out there who has the skinny on it. Nothing in the traditional sources...Duchossoir, Wheeler, seem to.

Blertles · **Posted:** Thu Jul 15, 2010 11:09 am

The last fret bent up a tone will complete an octave- that is why there are 22 fret necks these days. It just makes sense to add the last fret

Rebelsoul · **Posted:** Thu Jul 15, 2010 12:07 pm

ZZDoc wrote:

fhopkins wrote:

I guess I fall into the old geezer category myself Doc!!

I'm not cranky though!!!

Probably because you don't recycle your Depends. :oops:

I hate to wash those depends in the kitchen sink.

...might try the dishwasher.

sfmelo1980 · **Posted:** Thu Jul 15, 2010 12:24 pm

BMW-KTM wrote:

:lol:

I'm a geezer myself so I have the right to use that word.

I just laugh sometimes when I see people saying it's not a "real Strat" or it's an "abomination" or whatever just because it's not EXACTLY the same as the first Strat to ever come off the assembly line. Leo was constantly improving his models so what's wrong with continuing his tradition? Harley Davidsons don't leak oil any more and that's a good thing. Strats evolve too, it's just that not all of the Stat players evolve along with them. Kinda like how some bikers say a new 96 inch 6 speed ain't a real Harley. I laugh at them too.

I disagree.... everything should be like the first one including the retail price of $249.50 :wink:

BMW-KTM · **Posted:** Thu Jul 15, 2010 12:47 pm

sfmelo1980 wrote:

I disagree.... everything should be like the first one including the retail price of $249.50 :wink:

OK. I'll talk to your employer about rolling back your wages to be equivalent to 1954 wages as well.

:wink:

Winkin' right back atcha!

sfmelo1980 · **Posted:** Thu Jul 15, 2010 1:01 pm

BMW-KTM wrote:

sfmelo1980 wrote:

I disagree.... everything should be like the first one including the retail price of $249.50 :wink:

OK. I'll talk to your employer about rolling back your wages to be equivalent to 1954 wages as well.

:wink:

Winkin' right back atcha!

and the bank holding my mortgage right?

ZZDoc · **Posted:** Thu Jul 15, 2010 2:53 pm

Blertles wrote:

The last fret bent up a tone will complete an octave- that is why there are 22 fret necks these days. It just makes sense to add the last fret

.......so let me see....before 1988 we've been playing Strats with an incomplete octave neck including the Blackie, a main axe whose replica went for 5 figures a pop, and whose incomplete octave range the great Eric Clapton doesn't seem to have missed either in IT, the SG, or the 335. And now, we have all been, so to speak, set right :?:

When was the last time anyone ever saw EC bend a full tone up at the 22nd fret.

ZZDoc · **Posted:** Thu Jul 15, 2010 2:56 pm

......

Quote:

everything should be like the first one including the retail price of $249.50 :wink:

.......I'm given to understand that, in 2010 dollars, we are just about par iwith that in the pricing of a custom shop guitar. [/quote]

sfmelo1980 · **Posted:** Thu Jul 15, 2010 3:15 pm

according to an online inflation calculator
What cost $249 in 1954 would cost $1968 in 2009

either way, for the quality, I think strats are amazingly affordable especially the standards. Even some signatures go for way less than $2000

If this calculator is somewhat accurate, it seems the price of a standard strat has gone down in price

markara · **Joined:** Wed Feb 03, 2010 1:00 am **Posts:** 310

22 vs 21 frets and why the change?

I can't remember exactly where I read it, however, it was said that the addition of the 22nd fret "completed" the upper position of the Strats center key which is C major or A minor, depending on how you look at it.

egon-jg · **Joined:** Thu Jul 15, 2010 3:30 pm **Posts:** 1

fender makes the firs 22 fret's gutiar in 1973, and some strs has them, i prefer it, cuz' the Em scale it's uncomplete, and it's easer to play for me...

ZZDoc · **Posted:** Thu Jul 15, 2010 4:35 pm

markara wrote:

22 vs 21 frets and why the change?

I can't remember exactly where I read it, however, it was said that the addition of the 22nd fret "completed" the upper position of the Strats center key which is C major or A minor, depending on how you look at it.

.............and that made a difference to EC and his music because?????

markara · **Joined:** Wed Feb 03, 2010 1:00 am **Posts:** 310

ZZDoc wrote:

markara wrote:

22 vs 21 frets and why the change?

I can't remember exactly where I read it, however, it was said that the addition of the 22nd fret "completed" the upper position of the Strats center key which is C major or A minor, depending on how you look at it.

.............and that made a difference to EC and his music because?????

I had to re-read my post because I thought I must have put something there I didn't.

I never said it made a difference to Eric Clapton. I only pointed out what I read about the reason FENDER added the extra fret. The article I read, to the best of my memory, did not even mentioin EC. You would have to ask Eric if it made a difference to him.

ZZDoc · **Posted:** Fri Jul 16, 2010 5:44 am

Quote:

I only pointed out what I read about the reason FENDER added the extra fret.

The music theory and physics are certainly appreciated. What I'm suggesting is that it doesn't seem to make much of a difference in the playing and I wonder that a 21 fret, one piece maple neck would not be preferable over the construction necessary to extend the fingerboard to accommodate the 22nd fret considering that the prototype Clapton original carried and has been photographed with a 21 fret neck. It appears to have done well for him for a long time.

orvilleowner · **Posted:** Fri Jul 16, 2010 7:23 am

ZZDoc wrote:

... why the Clapton guitar, which started out in prototype with a 21 fret neck, ended up with 22 ...

I'm afraid none of us can answer that one.

We'd have to ask the good folks at Fender (ME perhaps) or Mr. Clapton himself.

The whims of an artist are something I wouldn't dare to explain. Even if he told me.

Look at the changes made to the Yngwie strat over the years.

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21 or 22 frets?

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