Bass Number of Frets
20 vs. 21 Frets
Warmoth offers 20, 21, and 24 fret bass necks on our standard bass neck models. Our 21 and 24 fret over hung fretboard is a direct replacement for 20 fret Fender® bass necks. No modifications are necessary. The fretboard simply extends over the pickguard.
Standard 21 Fret
- Fretboard extends 1/4" beyond neck heel.
- A 1/8"(3mm) space between the fretboard overhang and the top of the body leaves enough room for a standard thickness pickguard.
- Switching from a 20 to 21 fret neck usually requires no modification to the bass.
20 Fret Option
- Fretboard ends flush with neck heel.
- No fretboard overhang makes pickguard installation and removal easier.
The 21 fret option is standard on 32" Short Scale bass necks.
The 20 fret option is standard on 30" Short Scale bass necks.
24 Fret Extension
Warmoth offers a 24 Fret Extension fretboard to create a full two-octave neck. This custom option is $25 extra.
24 Fret Extension with overhang
NOTE: All Gecko and Bass 6 necks are made standard with 24 frets.
Incompatibilities
Our fretboard extensions hang over the top of the body with a gap of about 1/8"(3mm) between the fretboard and the bass body. Most pickguards do not exceed .090"(2.3mm) in thickness. After installing a pickguard the gap is reduced to about .035"(0.8mm), or about 1/32".
