Differences in Music Man Fret sizes - reflex vs… ?

[dustpandave]

Hi everyone

I need some help with the differing fret sizes, to help me choose a new guitar… I have a Dark Lord that I’m wanting to sell - I find the frets a little too ‘jumbo’ for me - they are listed as “medium jumbo” - then I’m interested in a reflex - which says “Medium - High profile’

‘website seems to list these:

High Profile, Wide : JP models, Steve Morse models

Low Profile, Wide : Luke

High Profile, Medium Width: Albert Lee, Axis (and ASS), Silhouette (regular, Special, Gold Roller and Bass), 25th anniversary

im wanting something that fits in between the wide/ jumbo frets of the Dark Lord, and the rather small ‘medium’ frets of my Axis Sport.

reviews Say that the reflex is slightly bigger frets and neck than the axis, which sounds perfect but I can’t find any data to support this… I am unable to try out any models due to my location …

 

[beej]

I'm familiar with 3 sizes of MM fret wire - I'm assuming they match up. (Apologies if I'm getting this wrong.)

"Low Profile, Wide" (on the Luke models) is 0.039" H x 0.100" W

"High Profile, Medium Width" is 0.047" H x 0.095" W

"High profile, Wide" is 0.047" H x 0.104″ W

To my knowledge, the Medium Width frets have typically been used on most EBMM guitars. Note that High Profile Wide is also the size of the bass fretwire.

I've had guitars with all 3. The low profile ones are noticeable (I always get those changed out), but personally I don't find much a difference between the 0.095" W and 0.104" W ones.

 

[dustpandave]

I think I am getting confused between the width of the frets (distance between 2 frets) and the actual specs of the fret wire

I am not so concerned about the wire, more the width between frets

 

[beej]

The scale length (distance from nut to bridge) on most of the MM guitars (the ones you've mentioned at least) is 25 1/2", so the frets are all going to be about the same distance apart.

Various EBMM necks feel different because they're wider or deeper, not because they're longer or shorter. (With a few exceptions- the Kaizen, for example is multi-scale, the Armada had a shorter scale, the baritone models have a different scale, etc.)

 

[dustpandave]

interesting, thanks.... makes sense