#16
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I've got a jacked up pinky finger. A shorter scale (25" or under) helps with some of the reaches I couldn't do otherwise.
There's so much variation among builders that you can't really generalize about any effect on tone. |
#17
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And that's just one factor. |
#18
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rct |
#19
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When switching between scale lengths, there is always a couple of minutes of adjustment period. But it soon sorts itself out, just like fret spacing does when using a capo. That is different than picking the "best" scale length for most of your playing, and standardizing there.
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#20
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The shorter scale tension softens the tone a bit, longer has more snap. The short scale J 45 has a very pleasing roundness of tone compared to a somewhat punchier D 18.
When I was shopping 60s J 45s, I ended up trying and buying an Epiphone Texan which has the longer scale. I felt it gave the identical body Epi a snapier bass thump. All things being equal, the string tension of a long neck will produce more volume. If you want to simulate a short scale on a long scale guitar, tune down a half step and capo at the first fret. My standard answer is you need one or two of each.
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2007 Martin D 35 Custom 1970 Guild D 35 1965 Epiphone Texan 2011 Santa Cruz D P/W Pono OP 30 D parlor Pono OP12-30 Pono MT uke Goldtone Paul Beard squareneck resophonic Fluke tenor ukulele Boatload of home rolled telecasters "Shut up and play ur guitar" Frank Zappa |
#21
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There are three main scale lengths on standard guitars:
24 3/4" Gibson (most of the Gibsons) 25 1/2" Martin (most of the Martins) 25" Yamahas and many parlor sized from a variety of manufactures. Some people can switch between any string scale without problem. Many people can't. (That's why people play so badly at guitar stores.) It's really a matter of personal preference and is very important to some guitarists. Personally, I won't go longer than 25" (all my acoustics are 25" and all my electrics are 24 3/4"). Someone mentioned string tension being heavier on 25 1/2". This is why lighter gauge strings are on found Fenders (25 1/2") and slightly heavier on Gibsons (24 3/4"). A couple of years ago, I asked the owner of a local guitar store the string scale of a guitar I was interested in. Got back a blank stare. Yes, it is that bad out there. |
#22
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great info...thank you for all the feedback and education
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#23
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Scale Length i.e. the distance between the nut and the 12th fret x 2 is most commonly about 24.75" (known as short scale and common on many Gibsons), and 25.4" known as standard scale (common on larger Martin guitars).
The shorter scale give less tension and shorter spacing between frets making it a little easier to play (for most) whereas the standard scale with slightly higher tension tends to give more power to project. I have both including a "Roy Smeck" model built in the Gibson style - big deep body and short scale, andI find that when performing with it in my trio, I tend to over play it getting buzzes, whereas playing my standard scale (25.5") dreadnoughts - the slight extra tension - is necessary for me to play quickly and cleanly. This is probably why Dreadnoughts are the ideal tool for the job in bluegrass and not the shorter scale Gibson Jumbos (J-45 etc) with the shorter scale, but may well be considered superior for solo strumming/picking. Historically, all Martin guitars smaller than size 000 were short scale, and the 000, and thence later , larger instruments were standard scale. Gibson flat tops like the fabled L-1 were even shorter with a 24.25" scale, but all but their later models apart from (I believe) the AJ and the faux dreadnought models (the dove, hummingbird etc) were standard scale. I stand to be corrected if I've got something wrong. Neither is better than the other, simply a matter of the right tool for the job.
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Silly Moustache, Just an old Limey acoustic guitarist, Dobrolist, mandolier and singer. I'm here to try to help and advise and I offer one to one lessons/meetings/mentoring via Zoom! Last edited by Silly Moustache; 03-18-2018 at 05:22 AM. |
#24
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One guitar that I played had what I thought was the perfect compromise. It was 640mm scale - 25.2" - easy to play with power but not so much high pitch drone. If I were ever to commission a steel string guitar again I would get this scale. TK |
#25
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I have owned both and prefer the shorter scale. I think its all personal preference and not so much about the science behind it.
I have both Gibson and Fender electrics and have no issue going back and forth but for acoustics I prefer the short scale. |
#26
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Tonally, long scale is about a quickness in tone, power and snap. Short scale sounds warmer, with a bloom. I prefer neither. |
#27
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It's kind of sad that I just figured this out, but the size of the body is what's contributing to that "in between" feeling in my fretting arm, more than the short scale. The waist to shoulder distance on my OM* is at least an inch shorter than on my dread. A late "ah ha" moment! *(Eastman's "OMs" are short scale) Last edited by upsidedown; 03-23-2018 at 12:36 PM. |
#28
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Best, Jayne |
#29
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I can't seem to find an answer for this on the Internet so maybe somebody here can quickly answer this for me.
A standard scale length is 25.5 and is naturally in the key of G/Em. So would a 24.75 scale length be compatable to tuning the guitar half a step up, or half a step down? Thanks in advance! |
#30
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I might feel the higher string tension on a long scaler guitar a little bit. Still a well set up long scale is easier to fret than a short scale with a bad setup.
Differences in the fret spacing is only important if you stay on the first 3 frets most of the time. And then you might mostly use cowboy chord and it doesn’t matter much. Going higher up the neck a long scale is more comfortable because you get a tiny bit more space for your fingers. Soundwise my long scales sound a little more brassy (more high end harmonics) and a little louder. But the woods and the built have much more effect than the scale length. All in all I don’t think it matters a lot.
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