Need a shorter scale?

[gdbird]

I have a new Taylor 414ce custom. Spruce/redwood, burst finish, lots of bling. I've owned a 414 before and love the playability...but...in attempting to play Him Croce's "Time in a Bottle", I'm having issues with the decending base line at the beginning of the tune. Dm, then adding my pinky at the 4th fret of the G string. I can't seem to get the "stretch" to cleanly fret the G string.

My question....the Taylor has a 25.5" scale length. Would a scale length more like a Gibson, or any other similar length, shorten the stretch and make it easier to fret properly. I'm not looking for a 12 fret....14 frets to the body in a shorter scale? Any other choices besides a Gibson at an affordable price? At a price point in the $1,500 range....

Sorry for the long post.

David

[mercy]

Halcyon will make any scale you want plus other custom features. Could be the scale length could just get you the stretch

[Tico]

Originally Posted by gdbird

I have a new Taylor 414ce custom. Spruce/redwood, burst finish, lots of bling. ...

Spruce/redwood?
Might this be a mistake?

The soundboard of your custom was made from two different woods, or is one of those the wood for the back and sides?

Taylor's website says the back and sides are ovangkol.

[gdbird]

Oops! Sitka spruce, rosewood back and sides. Taylor periodically mixes standard woods up with Limited Editions and Customs. My previous 414ce was a 2010 Spring Limited Edition....Sitka top/walnut back and sides.

[Birdbrain]

Shorter scale length means the frets are closer together. That helps most chording, in my experience. All my guitars are short-scale now, by choice. I'd recommend them all. Your budget would buy any three of them at the used prices I paid, but I'd suggest you investigate the Seagull SWS and Artist lines, or the Simon & Patrick Showcases. Hard to find in stores, like many fine things, but check their reviews here and elsewhere. Alas, Seagull is moving towards long-scale, so one more affordable short scale choice is disappearing.

[lowrider]

I think I have terrible left hand stretchability and I could make that move easily. Maybe you just need stretching exercises

If you just can't do it, I don't think going to 24.9 scale length is going to help, but maybe you should try the Martin Dread Jr with it's 24.0 scale length. I love mine; it feels like I'm playing a 00 and the tone is all Martin.

[ches]

I'm on the same quest, sort of, looking for a short scale, spruce top 000/OM that would be a good moderate strummer and ok for basic/beginner fingerpicking. I'm thinking about looking into having Larrivee build a short scale OM-40R. I'm not sure what kind of upcharge they have for a short scale build, but the standard guitar is in your price range.

As for stock guitars, have you checked out a x12 series Taylor? 24-7/8" scale length. A used 312 or 322 would fall into your budget. If you want new, the Academy series 12 is under $700. You could also look at a Martin 000-17. All of these are a hair longer than a Gibson, but we're talking 1/8", or so.

[eshrager]

By experimenting with a capo, you could see if having the frets closer together makes a difference in your ability to fret and how it feels. Not a perfect way to determine it (neck thickness, taper both come into play as you move down the neck) but it is a start.

[EdEd]

Larrivee Parlors are 24” scale. They have made OO’s with 24.75” scale.

(Add on): oops, the parlor doesn’t meet the 14 fret requirement.

Ed

[jazzguy]

Highly recommend anything from Taylor’s 12 series. I have moved to only short scale for playability, chord reach and sound - a bit warmer. I also have a Martin 00-18 with Performance Taper neck that is effortless to play. Highly recommend that too. One other note, in the Martin world, though the body shape of OM and 000’s are identical, only the 000 is short-scale (unless custom).

[Bob Womack]

Taylor make a 412ce-R with rosewood and spruce, in the same line as your guitar. It is HERE, but it isn't quote as inexpensive as your goal. A used one would be, though.


Bob

[steelvibe]

Originally Posted by lowrider

I think I have terrible left hand stretchability and I could make that move easily. Maybe you just need stretching exercises

If you just can't do it, I don't think going to 24.9 scale length is going to help, but maybe you should try the Martin Dread Jr with it's 24.0 scale length. I love mine; it feels like I'm playing a 00 and the tone is all Martin.

Couldn't agree more. Very comfortable guitar with a great neck and scale but sounds massive to my ears in comparison to guitars from other makers that are in the same size/ price point. Love these guitars but you gotta be a little patient and hunt for the one.

How Martin does it I don't know but the D Jr. does have 1/4" bracing, a feature found only on higher-end Martins

[FrankHudson]

Originally Posted by eshrager

By experimenting with a capo, you could see if having the frets closer together makes a difference in your ability to fret and how it feels. Not a perfect way to determine it (neck thickness, taper both come into play as you move down the neck) but it is a start.

I second this suggestion. It's a quick way to tell before you go on a guitar replacement search.

For some voicings I need the capo to allow my hand to do it, even on a short scale.

[donlyn]

Originally Posted by Bob Womack

Taylor make a 412ce-R with rosewood and spruce, in the same line as your guitar. It is HERE, but it isn't quote as inexpensive as your goal. A used one would be, though.
Bob

gdbird,

+1 on what Bob wrote.

Do try out a newer Taylor x12 guitar. I mention newer, because at some point they switched over from a 25.5" to the current 24 7/8" shorter scale. A call to Taylor might be in order to get more info.

Having said that, I got a used 412e-R at a really good price and love playing it. It is a 2016, so at least by that point Taylor made x12 models in shorter scale. Just bring a measuring device like a retractable ruler when you check them out. (My 2005 GC has a 25.5" scale.)

Just for the record, I will point out that my 412e-R does not have a cutaway, so that may have influenced the price I paid for it. But for me, a guitar's sound is essential; cutaways and pickups are not a factor.

Don