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  #16  
Old 03-16-2018, 12:22 PM
dneal dneal is offline
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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.
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  #17  
Old 03-16-2018, 01:03 PM
upsidedown upsidedown is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jaymarsch View Post
All this is to say that scale length cannot be meaningfully addressed without bringing other factors into the equation.
My experience very much falls under the umbrella of that statement. I find playing chords (especially F or Bb) up in the first position to be uncomfortable on a short scale guitar with narrow string spacing. My fretting arm feels like it's just - in between. But when the spacing is wider, I don't notice any discomfort.

And that's just one factor.
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  #18  
Old 03-16-2018, 01:37 PM
rct rct is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Willie Voltaire View Post
I find the opposite to be true. Whenever I switch between my short- and long-scale guitars, there's always a moment or two of adjustment. I vastly prefer short (24.75").
I do pause briefly, and wonder what is wrong. Then I remember it's a short scale and all is ok with the world!

rct
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  #19  
Old 03-16-2018, 02:28 PM
Earl49 Earl49 is offline
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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  
Old 03-16-2018, 03:09 PM
Br1ck Br1ck is offline
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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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  #21  
Old 03-17-2018, 07:01 PM
PhilNBend PhilNBend is offline
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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.
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  #22  
Old 03-18-2018, 03:55 AM
OliveCorduroy OliveCorduroy is offline
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great info...thank you for all the feedback and education
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  #23  
Old 03-18-2018, 05:09 AM
Silly Moustache Silly Moustache is offline
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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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Last edited by Silly Moustache; 03-18-2018 at 05:22 AM.
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  #24  
Old 03-18-2018, 07:58 PM
tkoehler1 tkoehler1 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jaymarsch View Post
How would you describe the difference in the sound? Is there a loss in projection and volume or something different with the shorter scale?

Best,
Jayne
To me the difference is the long scale has too much high frequency shimmer that gets fatiguing to the ear after a while. So I prefer the sound of lower tension strings on shorter scale guitars.

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
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  #25  
Old 03-19-2018, 09:58 AM
Boogie92801 Boogie92801 is offline
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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.
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  #26  
Old 03-19-2018, 10:18 PM
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blindboyjimi blindboyjimi is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rct View Post
Play them both regularly a little longer and you won't feel the difference.

rct
Quote:
Originally Posted by Willie Voltaire View Post
I find the opposite to be true. Whenever I switch between my short- and long-scale guitars, there's always a moment or two of adjustment. I vastly prefer short (24.75").
I’m with rct. I have 13 guitars that range from 24.75” to 25.5” and I switch effortlessly. My left hand feels zero difference in anything unless its a nut width below 1 3/4”. Afterall, if you play anything out of 1st position, you’re varying the effective width between the E strings (or capo gives you an effective nut width) AND if you capo anywhere you’re changing scale length. Now the right hand, I’m a 2 5/16” person give or take 1/16”. That I feel much more.

Tonally, long scale is about a quickness in tone, power and snap. Short scale sounds warmer, with a bloom. I prefer neither.
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  #27  
Old 03-23-2018, 12:30 PM
upsidedown upsidedown is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by upsidedown View Post
My experience very much falls under the umbrella of that statement. I find playing chords (especially F or Bb) up in the first position to be uncomfortable on a short scale guitar with narrow string spacing. My fretting arm feels like it's just - in between. But when the spacing is wider, I don't notice any discomfort.

And that's just one factor.
Another factor:

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.
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  #28  
Old 03-23-2018, 12:43 PM
jaymarsch jaymarsch is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by upsidedown View Post
Another factor:

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.
Yes, I have found that this is another important factor that contributes to the overall ergonomic equation. You change one piece of the puzzle and it can have a small or large impact depending.

Best,
Jayne
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  #29  
Old 01-15-2022, 02:15 AM
Aecon813 Aecon813 is offline
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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!
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  #30  
Old 01-15-2022, 02:41 AM
Peter Z Peter Z is offline
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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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