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PostPosted: Sun Sep 13, 2015 7:54 am 
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Cocobolo
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First name: Mark
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Just wondering if anybody has any experience playing with "SUPER Jumbo" sized frets? Do you like them? do you prefer hem to regular jumbo? any disadvantages? Thinking of using them on my current build, but can't find any reviews on them.
thanks


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PostPosted: Sun Sep 13, 2015 8:17 am 
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The biggest frets I install is Jim Dunlop 6100 - wide and tall. Very popular with bassists and the metal crowd.

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PostPosted: Sun Sep 13, 2015 11:11 am 
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Koa
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Location: Austin, Texas
Jackson Guitars uses 6100 on their soloists and a lot of other models...

review


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PostPosted: Sun Sep 13, 2015 11:50 am 
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Old Growth Brazilian Rosewood
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Don't know your age Mark but we've noticed that lots of older folks like me, I'm 58 hate jumbo frets with a passion. We've had a number of older players pop over $400 to have them ripped out and replaced with something more traditional in size. My Strat came with jumbos and it was not until we milled nearly half the height off them that I could stand the thing.... I seem to like wider frets but nothing over .040ish in height. Go figure...

You might want to try before you buy if you are very used to traditional fret wire sizes.


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PostPosted: Sun Sep 13, 2015 11:56 am 
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Koa
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I'm 52...and absolutely LOVE the Dunlop 6230 frets on my '84 Jackson Rhoads...never really liked the big ones...


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PostPosted: Sun Sep 13, 2015 12:02 pm 
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Mike_P wrote:
I'm 52...and absolutely LOVE the Dunlop 6230 frets on my '84 Jackson Rhoads...never really liked the big ones...


Yeah I can relate and see what I mean there seems to be an age thing happening with jumbo wire.

Thanks Mike hope you are doing well too!


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PostPosted: Sun Sep 13, 2015 12:44 pm 
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Cocobolo
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I usually go with a medium/highest, but Ive got several guitars with Jumbos that I love the feel of. Just seems like a super jumbo might make the fretboard feel a little crowded in the upper register, so I was wondering if anyone could confirm or reject that theory. I'm 30, I have one instrument, a 1968 Pan hollowbody that has old school smaller frets. while the guitar plays amazingly, probably faster and more comfortable than most of my other guitars, I'm more at home with the bigger frets I think. I never grab the Pan as a plug in guitar, I just play it when I'm feeling bluesy, and want something louder than my unplugged electrics, yet not as loud as my 5150


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PostPosted: Sun Sep 13, 2015 2:31 pm 
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I agree with everyone saying that this is very much a personal taste issue.

I absolutely love huge frets and I've had no issues with the feel of the upper register.

I play with a very light touch and jumbo frets give the same feel for me as scalloped necks do. My fingertips never touch the wood of the fretboard and I don't want them to.

From a design & building point of view I'd way rather use a huge fret size than a traditional smaller fret plus scalloping the fretboard.


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PostPosted: Sun Sep 13, 2015 6:16 pm 
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Koa
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Well I'm seventy in two weeks. Don't really have anything with jumbos on it. I did however bid on some jumbo fret material. Thought they'd be good on a ukulele


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PostPosted: Sun Sep 13, 2015 11:27 pm 
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Quote:
Don't really have anything with jumbos on it. I did however bid on some jumbo fret material. Thought they'd be good on a ukulele


In my experience, the shorter the scale length, the narrower the fretwire should be. Intonation gets pretty finicky on shorter scale lengths. You don't see jumbo stuff on mandolins (for instance).... might be a reason for that.

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PostPosted: Tue Sep 15, 2015 7:36 pm 
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Koa
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Chris your more then likely right. But I bought a bunch of it. I'll find something for it.


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PostPosted: Wed Sep 16, 2015 7:18 pm 
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I build with medium.
However, I sure miss my '69 Custom LP with the "Fretless Wonder" nubs.
I played with a light touch and could really shread on it.
Not sure I'd still dig it or could play it these days.

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PostPosted: Sun Oct 04, 2015 5:14 pm 
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I quite like a jumbo fret for widdling with on an electric but they can become a problem for me when playing chords. I end up sounding like an out of tune ice cream van because I'm pressing too hard and bending the strings. It's a very personal thing tho.


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PostPosted: Sun Oct 04, 2015 5:20 pm 
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Dan these are for you then. '53 pre production no serial no custom with p90s. Frets feel like they aren't even there...
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These users thanked the author mechanix for the post: dzsmith (Sun Oct 04, 2015 5:42 pm)
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