Medium Jumbo vs. Jumbo Frets

Toopy14

Toopy14

Axe-Master
Is there a noticeable difference between the two?

I have a Strat with Medium Jumbo frets and I really like it. I'm looking to build a Strat, but the neck I want, in terms of all the other specs., only comes with Jumbo frets.

Thanks
 
The difference is noticeable. I have guitars that vary from one another from one fret size to another (vintage, medium jumbo, jumbo, super jumbo) and the difference is noticeable to me from one fret size to another. Whether it distracts you from playing or not will be something you just have to experience for yourself by trying guitars with different size frets. I go back and forth between a Yngwie Strat with a scalloped neck/super jumbo frets and a Les Paul standard with frets so low I can feel the rosewood of the fingerboard. That change doesn't bother me, but it might bother some people.

In addition to height you have to consider the overall shape of the fret and how it will feel under your fingers. The best approach may be to look for a production guitar with the same size frets as the neck you are looking at and then going somewhere and trying that guitar.
 
As I've played so many different instruments, I have no problems adjusting to fret size....to me it's secondary to how the guitar sounds and plays. Caveat: Super low frets are easy to play and for some reason make me sloppy...it's TOO easy. Scalloping I could never get along with, it's like it was designed for speed play, and had very little use for me. IMO.

Wish there was a 'magic formula'. I've played jumbo frets on baseball bat necks that felt great to me....then another guitar with the same basic configuration that fought me at every turn. Medium frets on a 6k guitar, which never felt in tune.

It's up to you. If you feel like you have a 'fret size' that works for you, then go with it. These days you can customize to your heart's content.
 
I've tried both, but I put medium jumbos on my guitars. I have small hands and use .008s. If I had larger hands and used heavier strings, I might go for jumbos.
 
I have guitars with both. i prefer the super jumbos. Easier string bends. Hopefully, your guitar will come with stainless steel frets. They hold up much longer.
 
steadystate said:
I have small hands and use .008s.
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I have small hands, with short, thick fingers...definitely not made for playing guitar! :(

I do like the Medium Jumbos on my signature Strat, with a 9.5" radius. I also have an American Strat with vintage frets and a 7.25" radius. It's not bad, but I do prefer the other specs.

I believe my Gibson Explorer has Jumbo frets, don't know for certain, but they do seem to be higher than the Medium Jumbos. Width wise, they are both about the same, according to this diagram.

frets_01.jpg



If I find I don't like the Jumbo frets, I have the tools to lower them and re-crown them. Easier than replacing them.
 
steadystate said:
If you are comfortable with medium jumbos, my guess is that you will adapt to jumbos quickly.
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You're probably right. When I look at the difference in height, in millimeters, it works out to be 0.254 mm, about 1/4 of a mm. That's not a lot.

Doesn't mean I won't notice it, but shouldn't be an issue.
 
Toopy14 said:
I'm looking at a Fender American Special neck, so I believe it should have steel frets???
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I would check the specs Toopy. Hopefully it has SS, but Fender might be using Nickel. Better to check than be sorry, especially on such an investment. Just my $0.2 amigo.
 
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Toopy14 said:
I have small hands, with short, thick fingers...definitely not made for playing guitar! :(
.
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s0c9 said:
SAME here.. now try those on a 5-string 19mm spaced BASS !!
That's ONE reason why I bought a 5-str 17mm bass...
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I am in the same boat as you gents. The pain is real.

It took me 20 years to find a Fender bass or guitar that didn't give me carpal tunnel and it turned out to be a Squier Short Scale VM Jaguar bass and VM Jazzmaster.

Both are some of the most comfortable instruments for people with short scale bass player hands.

The things I have to go through to find a guitar that doesn't kill my finger & wrist tendons is just ridiculous.
 
People seem to have different definitions of "medium jumbo."

The Warmoth info that @Toopy14 posted above shows a .036"-high fret, and claims "often referred to as 'Medium Jumbo'. This is the size often found on Gibson necks."

According to Jescar, "medium jumbo" is .047" tall (30% taller than Warmoth's "medium jumbo"), and they say it's the "standard Gibson electric guitar size."


In my experience, Jescar's medium jumbo (.047") is a whole lot closer to what you'll find on a Gibson. Warmoth's .036" is a very short fret—like vintage-short.
 
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Toopy14 said:
Is there a noticeable difference between the two?

I have a Strat with Medium Jumbo frets and I really like it. I'm looking to build a Strat, but the neck I want, in terms of all the other specs., only comes with Jumbo frets.

Thanks
Click to expand...
You can always lower the taller frets.
 
steadystate said:
I'll never go back to nickel. I've found the negative comments about stainless to be myths. They sound and feel great. And I'm tired of re-fretting my guitars every three years. A set of jumbo stainless frets will last a lifetime.
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It's a matter of preference. I wish I liked SS frets so try a guitar with SS before you buy the neck. A new alternative is cryogenic treated nickel frets(harder than nickel, softer than SS) but sound and feel like nickel.
 
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