Short scale vs long scale playability?

[lowrider]

My hands have taken a turn for the worst this winter and I've been taking ibuprophen almost every morning. I still practice about an hour and a half in the morning and again before dinner.

I started playing four years ago to strengthen my left hand after dupetrens contracture surgery and one of the reasons that I retired in 2011 was the problems I was having with my hands.

I was good for a long time but this winter things have gotten bad again. My hands feel weak and stiff. I know I have arthritis but I don't want to go to the hand specialist until my wife and I are vaccinated.

I'm thinking that maybe I should switch to short scale. I've never noticed a difference playing but it has to be there. I'm thinking of selling my 5 long scale Martins and getting a 000-28 and a Gibson J-45. I do like the tone I'm getting but if I get rid of all of them and get the two short scales, I'll just used to the new sound.

What do you think, will it help?

[AndrewG]

Originally Posted by lowrider

My hands have taken a turn for the worst this winter and I've been taking ibuprophen almost every morning. I still practice about an hour and a half in the morning and again before dinner.

I started playing four years ago to strengthen my left hand after dupetrens contracture surgery and one of the reasons that I retired in 2011 was the problems I was having with my hands.

I was good for a long time but this winter things have gotten bad again. My hands feel weak and stiff. I know I have arthritis but I don't want to go to the hand specialist until my wife and I are vaccinated.

I'm thinking that maybe I should switch to short scale. I've never noticed a difference playing but it has to be there. I'm thinking of selling my 5 long scale Martins and getting a 000-28 and a Gibson J-45. I do like the tone I'm getting but if I get rid of all of them and get the two short scales, I'll just used to the new sound.

What do you think, will it help?

Hi, and I feel for your dilemma. I don't think a relatively small difference in scale length, as you mentioned, would help much. Maybe get a little more extreme and find a true short-scale guitar? My Faith Mercury is a 12-fret, deep body parlour with a scale length of 24" and is not only physically compact but is very comfortable for my ageing fingers (less tension, shorter stretches), and sounds a lot bigger than its dimensions might suggest. Comes with a very decent arch-topped hardshell case too. Here's a demo:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAaLYTzTELo
More:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d90eS-WpOy0

[Bob Womack]

I had a reaction to Statin drugs resulting in joint pain in the hands and hand muscles that lasted for a couple of years. Applying pressure to fret was excruciating, so I know of your difficulties. During that time I discovered that two things helped: lower string tension and higher frets. Both of these factors reduced the fretting pressure required, which caused me less pain. Jumbo frets REQUIRE you to ease up or you pull the strings sharp. As the pain got worse I tried these things for relief. At the very bottom of the experience of pain I was restricted to playing an extremely well-set-up Gibson ES-335 electric (short scale) that had .054 jumbo frets and was strung with my usual electric gauge extra-light (.009) strings.

You can experiment with all these factors. Go with a short-scale guitar. If that doesn't do it all, have it set up with a low nut height by a really good luthier/tech. If that doesn't cover it all, have it re-fretted with jumbo frets. And finally, try reducing string gauge. You can try them in various orders to see if you get relief. I hope you find some combination that helps.

Bob

[Kh1967]

I am in a similar boat. I have found short scale to help a good bit, along with a slightly wider neck. For me, that means 1 3/4” and the right neck carve.

I do have a full scale guitar and it is a very easy playing guitar, but I do reach for short scale more often.

Good luck!

[Tannin]

The other possibilities are to tune down to Eb or D, or to switch to a lighter gauge of strings, or even combine the two.

I'm sure that you have thought of these things already, but perhaps you could try them out (if you haven't already). One costs nothing and the other just a few dollars, and they are both easy. If there is a possibility that one or the other could save you having to get rid of five lovely guitars, they they are worth trying first.

[KenL]

You might be on to something with the short scale. I have arthritis in my hands too.

I bought a Martin D-18SS about 6 months ago, and it is the easiest playing guitar I've ever owned. Glorious tone, too. The "SS" means short scale. They are scarce, though. But I can play it all day without pain.

And you might try LaBella Silk & Steel Light strings. I have them on my Eastman parlor (also short scale), and that guitar plays very easily too. And it really sounds great. The string tension feels greatly reduced.

I'm with you on the chunky necks. I can play one of those all day, whereas a slender neck causes my left hand to hurt, and then it seems the right hand begins to hurt in sympathy. I found a nice Mossman recently, but am probably going to let it go because the neck is just a bit too slender for me.

[Picker1]

You might try playing lighter. My guitar requires much less pressure to fret than I use. It's something that I'm working on but is hard to get used to

[Bob from Brooklyn]

If you want to experiment with a short scale, try one of the $500 Eastmans, either the E1 or E2. It's a tradeoff for me. I appreciate the improved reach on the lower frets but things can get a little tight as I move up the neck. Good luck.

[Rpt50]

Like others have noted, I can't imagine that the scale length you are talking about will make any difference at all. For scale length to make a difference, you need to get into GS mini territory. The frets are noticeably closer together, and the string tension is noticeably less. You can get an approximation of the mini scale by tuning down a whole step, and putting a capo at the second fret.

The other obvious solution is to get an electric guitar. Maybe not jump to a strat with 9s, but something like a nice Eastman hollow body with strings that are a little thicker.

If you are determined to stick with an acoustic with standard tuning, there are some acoustics that really stand out in terms of playability. For me, the Yamaha A5 and AC5 models have also seemed to almost play themselves when you are just comparing stuff off the wall at a music shop. There's a lot of instruments out there besides Martins and Gibsons.

[Rogerblair]

Yes, short scale guitars are easier to play. Also, as someone above noted, try tuning down a half step. My J45 is tuned down a half step and sports light gauge Monels and it is a breeze to play. The neck carve is perfect for my 75 year old hands.

Best of luck to you. Aging ain’t for sissies.
Rb

[The Bard Rocks]

Make your changes incrementally and the order of what they cost. Don't just switch out all your guitars. First, tune down. that doesn't cost a cent. then try easier-playing strings. Cheap.

Then see if you can play something with jumbo frets. Try different necks. Try out short scale. Try wide necks. All without buying - I am assuming you have stores in a reasonable distancing here you can do these things. Play them long enough so if there is pain, it will surface.

If you don't have stores nearby, think long and hard before making the jump to a new guitar. You have something you used to like. Now it hurts. If you have to buy, try first the one guitar that seems like the best bet for you and play it for a while. If it solves your problems, then you can think about the switch.

[donlyn]

Short scale vs long scale playability?

Short scale standard tuning was the answer for me. A few years back I got my only short scale guitar, a Taylor 412e-R Grand Concert, because my hands were hurting. And that came strung with Elixir PB HD Light gauge, .013 - .053, which uses a +.001 (from Light gauge) to all three treble strings. I previously had played Mediums on my larger body guitars. I have since have swapped out to using mostly all HD gauges from those Mediums on my 6 string guitars. Except for occasional bouts of hand issues, this did the trick, and have gone back to playing standard scale guitars at standard and DADGAD tunings. I have also gone back to my 12 string guitars, but they are tuned down to 'D#' and always have been.

Edit > Something which may not be known by all readers is that a 'short' (circa 24.9") scale reduces the amount of tension from the strings when tuned to the same pitch. Thus standard tuning on a short scale guitar would be a ballpark equivalent of tuning a 'standard' (circa 25.5") scaled guitar down from standard tuning to D#, and then using a capo 1 (at the first fret) to bring it back up to standard tuning. Other people have specifically mentioned this, so I figured mentioning it again here wouldn't hurt. I believe that this, combined with using a lighter string gauge (Medium gauge to Elixir HD Light gauge) are the basis for why it worked so well for me. I will also note that Taylor makes many of their instruments with 1.75" nuts. And a ballpark way to determine the scale length is to measure the fretboard from the nut to the 12th fret and doubling it.

"Circa", abbreviated 'c.', is Latin for 'about' and is maybe a tad closer than a 'ballpark figure' ?

I wonder if the Romans had an expression like a 'coliseum figure' ?


I count myself fortunate so far on this hand issue.

Don
.

[raysd]

I tune my S6 (25.5 scale) tuned down half a step, and play a lot with a capo on the second fret- so it's kind of a "custom short scale" if you will. That would be a simple thing to try first while you're considering other guitars.

[jaymarsch]

I also have some hand issues due to injury and aging. I have two short scale guitars and two long scale guitars. For me, it is a combination of scale length, nut width, neck shape and string spacing. I was fortunate enough to have a guitar made for me a few years back that checks all those specs for me. I had the necks shaved on the two long scale guitars which helped and I play those in dropped tunings with round core strings which also helps. Using dropped tunings and capos can help you find a more comfortable way to enjoy still playing your long scale guitars but it is great to have a short scale guitar.
Best,
Jayne

[bluesmandan]

Originally Posted by raysd

I tune my S6 (25.5 scale) tuned down half a step, and play a lot with a capo on the second fret- so it's kind of a "custom short scale" if you will. That would be a simple thing to try first while you're considering other guitars.

Exactly what I was going to suggest. Tuning all strings a half step flat will ease the string tension. Using a capo will make your fingers stretch less.

Also, make sure you take a good magnesium supplement.