guitar scale length playability

Classical Options – Córdoba C5 and Córdoba Protégé C1 In effect, if you went with something like a 9-1/2 on the top end of your 26-1/2 inch scale length guitar, it would feel fairly comparable to a 10. The capo acts more-or-less like a new nut, shortening the effective scale length of the strings to roughly that of a Les Paul. They both incorporate dual humbuckers and a solid body, so they should sound the same, right? Now, the good news is you don’t really have to worry about becoming a math expert or really trying to dial everything in perfectly, because most guitar string sets are already constructed in a way that’s going to echo this basic mathematical principle when you just go down a gauge. While the difference isn’t a total game changer, on these shorter scales 11-52 string sets will feel a bit looser and easier to handle than they do on longer scales. A good rule of thumb to keep in mind is that a 1/2 gauge difference in the overall gauge of a set, so here I’m talking about the difference between a general set of 10s and a general set of 9-1/2s or 10-1/2s, that 1/2 gauge difference, which of course would be balanced out over the entire set by the manufacturer, is going to be good enough to account for about a 1 to a 1-1/2 inch difference in scale length. The benefit of short scale guitar is that you don’t need to extend your arm much. The two pickups, arranged in … The scale length of a Stratocaster is 25.5"; the scale length of a Les Paul is 24.75". Scale length tends to be thought of as the distance from the nut to the bridge saddles – string length. But it also raises the pitches of the strings a half-step. The scale length of a Stratocaster is 25.5"; the scale length of a Les Paul is 24.75". I recently purchased a superstrat with 24 frets and neck scale of 25.5. Also, many rhythm guitarists, like Elvis Costello, John Lennon and Kurt Cobain, prefer (or preferred) shorter scales when comping or chording. we're open & shipping orders    //    see current lead times     //    free shipping on orders $20+ details. Scale Length Affects Feel, Playability AND Tone — Haze Guitars A guitar with a shorter scale length (like the Gibson Les Paul) requires less tension to reach concert pitch than a guitar with a longer scale (like the Fender Strat). To get your 26-1/2 inch scale length guitar to play the exact same as your 25-1/2 inch scale length guitar, you’re only going to need to make incremental changes when it comes to the plain strings, and you’ll be able to make larger changes when it comes to the wound strings. In this article, we are going to look at all the reasons why you might want to get a short neck guitar. Fender’s Mustang bass originated in the 1960s, but this modern edition offers a fresh spin on the vintage feel and sound. Actual scale length can be determined by doubling the distance between the nut and the center of the 12th fret. It’s a really fun guitar that is hard to put down. And voila – you’ve established the scale length. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. A small one may lose power, compared to the big one, but still have sparkling trebles and be handy to transport. How does your guitar’s scale length affect guitar string tension & playability? This measurement represents the distance between ... Playability Different scale lengths are characterized by different string tension at a given pitch. Top 5 Best Short Scale Electric Guitars: ... All in all, its tonal versatility far surpasses that of other basses in this scale length and price range. The FG800 has a scale length of 25 9/16” (650mm) and the FS800 is 25” (634mm), making them both longer than the Taylor Academy guitars. String tension and length operate together to determine harmonic content, as well as feel. Today, we’re going to solve that question for you, give you a few pointers as to how to pick the right set of strings for guitars at different scale lengths. Compared with a 25.5” scale length, switching to a 24” scale will make a very significant difference in the tension on your strings. I … Whereas, if you have a 27-inch scale guitar, you might be able to get away with something like 12s. Do you want to have a big guitar or a small one? Harley Benton’s ST-Travel guitar offers full scale-length playability at an insanely low $74 price tag. To do so, measure the distance from the saddle to the nut. That’s where things can get a little bit more complicated. Just curious. Re: Scale Length Playability I have both 25.5" and 24.75" scale guitars and play both regularly. So, then, why aren’t all guitars built with a shorter scale? The most common for larger bodies like Dreadnoughts and Jumbos is 25.5” but you can get these … Both of these guitars have a 1 11/16” (43mm) wide neck, but the scale lengths vary slightly. All this falls into the category of “tone.” Why doesn’t a PRS Custom 22 sound exactly like a Les Paul? This is true, as long as both are strung with the same gauge strings. Found on Stratocasters ®, Telecasters ®, and the huge variety of instruments inspired by them as well as the replacement, and custom parts available for them. Scale Length. When people talk about a short scale, it’s typically 24 3/4 inches, while long scale is over 25 inches. A scale length of a guitar can be defined as the distance between the nut and the saddle. I'd like to get an Epi Emperor Regent(don't think I swing a Peerless) but the scale length is 25.5. The capo acts more-or-less like a new nut, shortening the effective scale length of the strings to roughly that of a Les Paul. It’s a really fun guitar that is hard to put down. It’s only a matter of an inch or two, but the difference is massive in terms of playability.. A full-scale classical guitar has a scale length of about 650 mm, but this is not comfortable for some players, so scales ranging down to 630 mm also available. Short scale guitars with their lower string tension and closer fret spacing are easier to play, but longer scale lengths provide richer tone and may sound more in tune. What the debate seems to be is how this impacts a guitar’s tone, response, and playability. If you take one guitar with a longer scale length, you put the same set of strings on it as you do a guitar with a shorter scale length, which is going to have more tension? Does a different lenght affect playability or tone? Shorter scale guitars, though, tout that beautiful buttery tone which make Les Pauls and Jazz boxes such invaluable tools. So, there is a balance of scale length and playability. (Compared with other parameters such as strings or pickups). Some players find long-scale instruments physically harder to play because of the increased reach. Scale length is the next most crucial factor to consider when looking for your small-handed electric. Not a big difference, indeed, but this subtle increase of … In addition to the two most common scale lengths, many guitars have been built using other scale The scale length of a guitar, sometimes referred to simply as ‘scale’, is a distance measurement, usually expressed in either inches or millimeters. I bought a new Strat-type body for my guitar, to replace the old one. Does Scale Length Affect Playability? We talk about the effect of different scale lengths as well as how to adjust your strings to balance it out. A guitar’s scale length is length of string between the nut and the bridge. Let us know down in the comments. Maybe it does have something to do with the set up. So you can see how that variation can affect a guitar’s “feel.” A guitar’s feel is also affected by the tension of the strings. Here’s a chart of some common models and their scale lengths to help you along. Absolutely not. What is small scale? The scale length used by Gibson has caused some confusion. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with more great videos like this one: Have you ever wondered how scale length affects the tension of the strings on your guitar? Basic physic principles of wavelength and frequency dictate that the 12th fret of a guitar, which marks a pitch one octave above the open-string note, falls at the halfway point of the free-vibrating section of the spring. On the Fender style 25-1/2 inch scale length, let’s imagine you have just a standard set of 10s from 10 to 46. I can feel a little difference with the 25" scale length. If you get all the way down to, like, a 22-1/2 or another really, really short scale length, you’d want to go all the way up to 11s, again, if your desire is to overall balance out all the tension between all of those different scale length guitars in your arsenal. Les Paul + SG - 24 3/4" While some electric guitarists use a shorter scale instrument to achieve less string tension and easier playability, others see it as an opportunity to get a "thicker" tone utilizing heavier gauge strings. Many times people prefer one over another for playability and of these many speak of having more room on the fretboard. When talking about scale length we are referring to the string length from the saddle to the nut. A scale length of more than 35” begins to be uncomfortable to play unless you have huge hands. Common Scale Lengths of the Electric Guitar The most widely used scale lengths on the electric guitar are 25 ½” (647.7mm) –the traditional scale length of the Fender Stratocaster- and 24 ¾” (628.65mm) –the scale length of a Gibson Les Paul. The two most common scale lengths for electric guitars are 24¾ inch, found on many Gibson-style guitars, such as the Les Paul, and the longer 25½ inch, found on many Fender-style guitars, such as the Telecaster, Stratocaster and Jazzmaster models. If you have a guitar, and aren't sure of the scale length you can search for the scale length of your model online, or measure it yourself. Where things get more interesting is when we’re making more incremental changes to scale length, because every string on your guitar isn’t going to react exactly the same to a given change in scale length. Longer scale length sound and playability … All Gibson guitars, as we mentioned above, carry scales that measure 24.75” long. At the same time on the bottom end, going from a 46 on that 25-1/2 inch scale length, you could go all the way down to a 44 on the longer 26-1/2 inch scale length, and you’d be right in the ballpark of what that tension would be on both guitars. :) Now, is this a requirement when you have guitars at different scale lengths? Bradford’s small scale guitar from the video: check out my article and video on my new small scale guitar: My new 2018 Small Scale Douglass Scott Guitar. For a good-sounding low B string on a 5-string bass you should seriously consider a 35” scale … But it also raises the pitches of the strings a half-step. The screws are the right size and have the right spacing, but if I want to install the neck on it, the screws are a bit off, meaning I'll have to drill new holes and shorten the scale length by about 2 cm. How does your guitar’s scale length affect guitar string tension & playability? Scale Length. 24” (610mm) to 25.5” (648mm) Scale Lengths. SHOP STRINGJOY: https://www.stringjoy.comSUBSCRIBE: https://www.youtube.com/stringjoy?sub_confirmation=1DESCRIPTIONHow does your guitar's scale length … Taylor Guitars Product Specialist Marc Seal defines common acoustic guitar terms like “action” and “scale length,” both of which affect the playability of the guitar. All rights reserved. Your average Fender guitar sits around 25.5” in scale length, which may be too large and require too much of a stretch for the small-handed. These are generalities, and the scale length is just one factor in the sound and playability of a musical instrument. The two most common scale lengths for electric guitars are 24¾ inch, found on many Gibson-style guitars, such as the Les Paul, and the longer 25½ inch, found on many Fender-style guitars, such as the Telecaster, Stratocaster and Jazzmaster models. Body Size Commonly used short scales are 25, 24.9, 24.75, and 24.625 inches. In actuality, it would have a little bit too little tension, but at a certain point here we can only get so specific when it comes to gauge. A 34” scale bass is fine for a 4-string bass. Scale lengths can vary as much as three inches from the shortest to the longest, and that doesn’t even count basses. Many beginners and people without large hands use these guitars, and there’s no reason not to, if it makes playing more enjoyable. Longer scale lengths (greater than 25" in guitars and 34" basses) usually give more note definition and increased sustain. The treble strings are not only easier to bend than on a 25 … Its playability … Ive seen a lot posted over the years about preference regarding scale length. Fender’s Mustang bass originated in the 1960s, but this modern edition offers a fresh spin on the vintage feel and sound. If you really like to feel the difference in how your different guitar’s scale lengths affect the playability, keep your strings the same and just experience that difference for what it is. Your email address will not be published. You may or may not remember that PRS some years ago was tagged as a nu-metal brand. Luckily, it’s not really important unless you’re building your own neck from scratch. Measuring Scale Length. The bass strings on a 25" scale are fuller sounding than some 24-3/4" instruments, which can sometimes sound muddy. Different scale lengths for other guitars Fender. [QUESTION] Does shortening the scale length affect the playability? Conversely, if you have, like, a 22-1/2 inch scale guitar or something around there, a set of 10s is going to feel way, way lighter. Longer scale length sound and playability characteristics: quick response, crisp … Re: Scale Length Playability The scale length won't make much of a difference in playability. In a nutshell, the shorter the scale length, the closer the frets are together. The scale (length) of the neck (and, ultimately, the strings) determines two major aspects of a guitar’s personality: the distance between the frets, and the tension (or tightness) of the strings. Whatever the case may be, a short scale guitar is a perfect option to turn to if you’re really interested in playing. Scale length can be a confusing topic. That’s totally fine. This is a good question and there are many levels of complexity to answering it. As of right now I can’t decide between a telecaster or an SG. in scale-length difference can affect an acoustic guitar’s tone. A full-scale classical guitar has a scale length of about 650 mm, but this is not comfortable for some players, so scales ranging down to 630 mm also available. Scale length has nothing to do with playing scales and everything to do with the length of the strings from the nut (that white thing the strings go over, up there by the headstock) to the bridge. Comfort and Playability. A guitar’s scale length is length of string between the nut and the bridge. It’s commonly known that some guitars have shorter scales while others have longer scales, or, in other words, frets are closer together on some guitars and further apart on others. Strat + telecaster - 25 1/2" Jaguar - 24" Gibson. How does your guitar’s scale length affect guitar string tension & playability? Now, what if you’re using a different tuning on top of also using a different scale length on a given guitar? Scale length hugely influences the overall feel of a guitar. Required fields are marked *. This is often referred to as “twang.” Shorter scale guitars also have trouble accepting heavier gauged strings because the slackened tension causes wider vibration and fret buzz. Let's assume that you want to desig… Your guitar’s scale length matters because it can make a whole lot of difference to your performance. The scale length used by Gibson has caused some confusion. Does scale length really matter? The scale length of a guitar is, in common parlance, the distance from the nut to the saddle, and, more precisely, the distance from the nut to the 12th fret multiplied by two (don’t miss our post on measuring scale length if you need to take this measurement on your own guitar). 2) Regarding playability: with the 24"75 length, when I reach the upper frets, say fret 18, 19 etc, I feel somewhat uncomfy for my fingers almost don't fit. One might feel best at home with a 24,75″ scale length guitar with 4,5° neck angle, whereas another gets it going best with the 25,5″ scale length and a bolt-on neck without a tilted neck angle. Obviously we’d all benefit from that slinky feel, right? The tension on any given string on your guitar is a product of the scale length, the tuning, and the mass of that individual gauged string. What the debate seems to be is how this impacts a guitar’s tone, response, and playability. The tension of the strings plays a big part in playability. By Richard Bienstock 06 July 2020. With a 30-inch scale length, this bass guitar offers short-scale tone and playability with full-size style.

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