The other half is string gauge. Double that distance to get the scale length of 25.5″ or 648mm. So if you measure 12 ¾ inches from the nut to the 12 th fret then the scale length will be 25 ½ inches. Such a long scale length creates high tension on the higher strings which you may or may not like. The long scale guitar also tends to have more volume, especially strumming. ). As we mentioned in the introduction, a guitar’s scale length plays a big part in its overall playability. But if you have small or large hands, you might find a different scale length guitar suits you better. What is small scale? If you want to warm up a 25.5" scale guitar, you can try tuning down a half step, which thickens up its overtones and makes it sound a little closer to a 24.75" scale guitar. As a long scale guitar needs more tension in the strings to bring it to pitch, it’s tougher on the fretting hand to work with. While there are regular 8 and 9 string guitars out there, you will probably prefer the tension and feel of a multiscale guitar. A: A baritone guitar is a guitar with a long scale length of at least 27″ and can go up to 30″. While they’re rare on 6 string guitars, they’re very common on extended range guitars for a good reason. This is because the 12 fret position on any guitar is the exact halfway point of the entire scale, that’s where you get your octave. Fender has always pretty much stuck to 25.5″, which is considered a long scale length. A great example of this difference in tone is to compare a Gibson SG and a Fender Stratocaster. Short scale guitars are typically 24 3/4″ or less (such as the Les Paul), whereas long scale guitars are typically 25″ and over (such as the Fender Strat and Telecaster). The most obvious difference is the length. 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. With the reduced space, the fret spacing on short-scale guitars is closer together – but contrary to what many people mistakenly think, it doesn’t necessarily mean there are fewer frets. Tone All things being equal, a guitar with a longer scale length will sound a bit brighter, with a quicker attack and more defined bass notes. Ged is editor-in-chief and founder of Zing Instruments. Find out more about guitar string gauge, tension, and more in this guide: Ultimate Guide to Guitar Strings. Best Online Guitar Lessons in 2020 – Reviewed & Ranked, Fender Serial Number Lookup – Find When & Where Your Guitar Was Made, Why are Some Guitar Pickups Angled? Guitars are deemed as either having a long scale or a short scale based on the length, which as we’ll see plays a surprisingly significant role in the overall playability of the guitar. A short scale length requires very little tension to bring the strings up to pitch when compared to a longer scale guitar. The 25-1/2" produces a rich, strong, bell-like tone, and defined low-end. This affects playability. Do you like the loose feel of strings or do you prefer a tight set of strings that don’t bend out of tune when you press against them? It’s not all about comfort, though. Baritone guitars are often used for very low tunings. If a string is tuned to a low note (eg: the low F# on an 8 string guitar), high tension is needed to stop fret buzz. For the other half, read through my Guide on Guitar Strings. It turns out scale length – whether it’s a long scale or short scale – plays a big part. If you look at the below photo of a bridge, you can see each string has a different starting point: Each string has a different length to compensate for intonation. That means you can’t just measure from the nut to the saddle, as each string will be a different length! As you know, when you increase scale length, string tension increases. A ton of things right. A: Metal guitarists tend to prefer longer scale lengths (eg: 26.5″ or higher) due to the increased string tension. Wrong! Secondly, don't le… Found on Stratocasters ®, Telecasters ®, and the huge variety of instruments inspired by them as well as the replacement, and custom parts available for them. While these guitars do exist, the benefits are probably not worth it. Similarly, electric guitars have adjustable saddles allowing for individual string adjustment. You’re struggling to play bends as you did on your Gibson. Try using different gauge strings to achieve the tension you want. The Answer Won’t Surprise You, Guitar String Spacing – What You Need to Know, ©2020 - Zinginstruments.com. And voila – you’ve established the scale length. Longer scale length guitars increase tension (if the string gauge stays the same), which means you can get lower action without string buzz. Q: What is a guitar’s normal scale length? Guitar Gear Finder is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.ca, or Amazon.de. Here’s a good video comparing two Martin D-18sguitars side by side, one with a short scale and the other with a standard 25.5” one: Gibson’s scale length is typically short and has always been around the 24″ mark (though it has varied slightly over the years). Well, it’s true! With a light enough gauge, you can end up with exactly the same tension on your 26.5″ scale guitar as you did on your 24.75″ scale guitar. Find out everything you would want to know about fanned frets in this guide. If you play 8 or 9 string guitar, the answer is probably yes. The super-long length on the lower strings means you won’t feel like you’re using bass guitar strings. As mentioned in the introduction, scale length is the distance between the bridgeand the nut of a guitar. If you’ve ever tuned your strings down to a very low tuning (eg: Drop B), you might have noticed two things: the strings became slack, and there was a lot of fret buzz. Please note, the fret calculator will not convert scale lengths, you can use our measurement converter to convert your scale length. If you were to play a Fender Jaguar (24″ scale) then play a Fender Stratocaster (25.5″ scale), you might notice that they feel completely different. This is because as the tension of the string changes, so does the way it vibrates. Having high string tension makes it easier to create a tight and punchy rhythm. However, from the mid- 20th Century luthiers seeking increased volume have moved to a 26 inches (660 mm) scale, which is now the standard for such leading makers as Ramirez. Guitar scale length is only one half of the picture when looking at string tension. It all depends on what feels the best to you. HOW SCALE LENGTH AFFECTS TONE Fender One of the most common scale lengths is the Fender 25-1/2" guitar scale. Select based on if you entered a scale length of inches or millimeters. He's a multi-instrumentalist and loves researching, writing, and geeking out about music. A long scale guitar can sometimes lend itself more to flatpicking (i.e. String gauge also affects tension and you can change your string gauge to increase or decrease the tension as you need. Once you’ve discovered the value, double it. Thankfully, the answer is no. Even with two seemingly identical guitars; same construction, same neck profile, fretboard radius, hardware and pickups, the same type of gauge strings, you’ll still play differently on each if they’re made to 24.75’’ and 25.5’’ scale lengths respectively. Look at the two guitars below. Overall, classical guitars have longer scales than steel string guitars. Scale length is only one half of the picture. The chances are you’ve seen a guitar like the one below and wondered what it was all about: The above guitar is a ‘fanned frets’ or multiscale guitar. To give you an idea of how long that is, bass guitars start at around 30″. When talking about scale length we are referring to the string length from the saddle to the nut. What are the typical things you consider when buying a guitar? You end up with higher tension on the low strings and lower tension on the higher strings. 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. Q: What is the best scale length for metal? A scale length of 25.4 inches, 25.5 inches, or longer is considered long for steel-string acoustic guitars; anything less is considered short. Instead buying a shorter scale guitar, I just tuned my current guitar two steps lower and put a capo at the 2nd fret. The action of a guitar is the gap between the strings and the frets. Guitars are deemed as either having a long scale or a short scale based on the length, which as we’ll see plays a surprisingly significant role in the overall playability of the guitar. On the acoustic guitar, the bridge is slanted which means each string has a slightly different length. playing with a pick). The wound bass strings (bottom E, A, D, and G strings) have more length to compensate for the additional mass of the strings. The normal scale length for a Fender is 25.5″, but the normal scale length for a Gibson is 24.75″. This guide covers everything you would want to know about guitar scale length. If you can see on the acoustic guitar, the saddle is seated at an angle to allow for some compensation for intonation. As scale length increases, the distance between frets also increases. The scale length of an instrument is the distance from the nut to the bridge.Scale lengths vary depending on overall size of the instrument: mandolins have a short scale length around 14″, guitars vary but on average are around 25″, and larger instruments like basses have even longer scale lengths. If your guitar has a dead straight saddle like you sometimes find on a classical guitar, then you can just measure the whole distance, but in the majority of cases, you’re better of doing what we’ve shown you. The scale length is, in effect, the length of the string that vibrates on plucking. But since we're dealing with parlor guitars, we will lower the limit to less than 25\" to better separate the long and short scale parlor acoustics.Short scale parlor guitars (less than 25\") follow traditional designs and as such they reproduce the vibe and feel of old parlor guitars quite nicely. You could increase the scale length, but then you need to deal with super high tension on the higher strings. The below photo gives a rough comparison of different scale guitars so you can see the change in fret distance: While you might not notice any difference between similar scale guitars, you would definitely notice it on a baritone guitar or a Fender Jaguar. A longer scale length guitar will require higher tension to bring the strings up to tune. As an example, let’s compare a Fender Stratocaster (25.5″ scale) and a Gibson Les Paul (24.75″ scale). For most guitarists, the fret spacing isn’t going to make much of an impact on playability. Here are some quick answers to common questions about guitar scale length. Keep in mind that guitar scale lengths are typically measured in inches. check out this guide for guitar part names, Find out everything you would want to know about fanned frets in this guide, Read more about fanned frets in this guide, Seven String Guitar Songs Worth Learning (with TAB), 24″ (610mm) Fender Jaguar, Fender Mustang, 24.5″ (622mm) Paul Reed Smith Santana Signature series, 24.75″ (628mm) most Gibson and Epiphone models, 25″ (635mm) most PRS, Carvin, and Danelectric models, 25.5″ (648mm) most Fender, Ibanez, Jackson, Kramer, Schecter, Squier, and Steinberger models, 26.5″ (673.2mmm) most 7 string models by Ibanez, Jackson & Schecter, 27-30″ (686 – 762mm) guitars in this range are called ‘baritone’ guitars. Body shape, color, neck shape, pickups? A short scale length requires very little tension to bring the strings up to pitch when compared to a longer scale guitar. Why scale length is measured between the nut and 12th fret. The reduced spacing can benefit players with narrow or short fingers, whereas if you have thick or long fingers you’ll want that bit extra space that a long scale will give you. The scale length is the vibrating length of the strings. Each time you move to a lighter string gauge, the tension will decrease. A short scale guitar will need higher action when using light strings or else the strings will buzz. Scale length is the most important measurement to as accurately as possible match a person to a guitar size. Here is a comparison of different types of guitars and their scale length: As you can see, there is no ‘normal’ scale length for an electric guitar. Scale length plays a big part in a guitar’s playability. For example, Stratocaster and Telecaster scale length is the standard 25.5-inch length as you can see in the picture below. There is no "perfect" scale length; manufacturers select an instrument's scale to achieve particular qualities for the guitar they are designing. If you play 6 string guitar, the answer is probably no. Most people consider this a "Gibson Standard", but as you'll see, several companies do use it on certain models. Scale length is one of the fundamental building blocks of a guitar’s recipe, with a wide-ranging impact on the feel, tone, and performance. Scale length affects the playability, feel and toneof the instrument. The tension of the strings plays a big part in playability. If you play 7 string guitar, the answer is maybe. In this article, we’re going to explain what scale length is, how you measure it, the main differences between long and scale guitars, and finally, scale length by manufacturers (because they differ from guitar maker to maker). How do Fender and Gibson scale lengths compare? This is why scale length is more accurately calculated as twice the distance from the inside edge of the nut to the middle of the 12th fret, as you can see below…. As an example, let’s compare a Fender Stratocaster (25.5″ scale) and a Gibson Les Paul (24.75″ scale). If you were to then compare the Fender and Gibson against a baritone guitar (27″ scale) with the same gauge strings in standard tuning, the difference in tension would be obvious. A guitar with ‘high action’ has a wider gap than a guitar with ‘low action’. This is the most common shorter scale guitar length. In our Scale Length Comparison we look at the 4 main differences between these two classic scale lengths. Like that of the violin, the scale of the classical guitar was standardized by the work of its most famous maker. Full-length ‘long scale’ guitars measure 25.5-inch; in contrast, a small scale guitar neck measures from 22 inches to 24 ¾ inches. Every guitarist is different so if you’re considering a multiscale guitar, be sure to try one out to see if it feels right to you. The interesting thing is th… Fender does have short-scale models – namely the Jaguar, Mustang, and Duo-Sonic (which we review below) – which are all 24 inches. Typically 19, 21, 22, or 24 What is scale length? 25.4" scale is standard on OMs, for example. Your guitar’s scale length matters because it can make a whole lot of difference to your performance. A better way to measure scale length is to measure from the nut to the 12th fret, then double the distance: For example, if you measure the distance from the nut to the 12th fret on a Fender Stratocaster, you should get 12.75″ or 324mm. ‘Scale length’ is a term used to refer to the length of the freely vibrating section of any open string on a guitar, from the nut to the saddle on the bridge. You’ll learn how string gauge can be used to get the right string tension for your needs. Scale length affects the playability of the guitar due to the differences in tension the strings are subject to based on the length of string that is able to vibrate. Here’s how I solved the problem. The scale length of a guitar is, in common parlance, the distance between the nut and the bridge, or the length that the strings freely vibrate, but if you try to measure this distance you’ll quickly notice you’ll run into some trouble. A guitar with a 27” scale will be considerably harder to play perform bends with than a Gibson Les Paul with a 24.75″ scale, for example (assuming they’re both using the same gauge strings). If you have a question about scale length not covered above, ask it here. A guitar’s scale length is the distance between the nut and the bridge (check out this guide for guitar part names and what they do). Different brands and models use different scale lengths. A long scale guitar will usually have a lower action than a short scale guitar. The scale length of any guitar is the distance between the bridge and the nut. Read more about fanned frets in this guide. The longer the scale length, the higher the tension needs to be to bring the string up to pitch. The most important impact scale length makes is on the tension of the strings. Players specializing in purely classical technique value wide fret spacing, as it enhances the effect of traditional vibrato. Epiphone (most models) ESP (Eclipse, Viper, some other … Many people believe the true scale length of a guitar is the length of the guitar strings that are able to freely vibrate, this is even how Wikipedia defines scale length but this is not entirely correct.. While you could use a heavy gauge string, you might not like how it feels. But what if I told you that scale length has just as big an impact on the tone and playability as many of the above. Scale length affects two facets of the instrument that are of utmost importance to the guitar player; tone and playability. However, the short-scale tends to emphasize the mid-range a bit better. Generally a short scale length gives you slightly lower tension, which can aid playability, though the overall setup is at least as important as the scale itself. A scale length of a guitar can be defined as the distance between the nut and the saddle. String tension and length operate together to determine harmonic content, as well as feel. Commonly used short scales are 25, 24.9, 24.75, and 24.625 inches. Strings on longer-scale guitars will feel tighter and firmer than those fitted to one with a short scale. Guitars with a smaller scale length make it easier to perform techniques such as bends. Well, you can if your saddle is dead straight (like with a classical guitar) but as nearly all electric guitars have adjustable saddles (that let you vary string length string by string) and acoustic guitars have compensated, slanted bridges, you can’t measure it this way. Guitars, including bass guitars, generally employ a single scale length for all of the instrument's strings, though the employed scale length varies significantly between manufacturers (electric guitar scale typically falls between 24" and 25.5"). Also used by most 8 & 9 string guitars. Low tension strings need more room to vibrate and without that room you’ll hear fret buzz. Selecting your instrument also calculates the bridge position for proper intonation. When strumming chords or playing rhythm parts, you would notice that the strings on the Fender feel tighter. Bass scale lengths generally stay between 30" to 36". Well, generally speaking, guitars with a shorter scale needs less tension to bring the strings to pitch, so short-scale guitars are generally considered slightly easier to play. If you use a lower tuning (eg: Drop C), a longer scale length means you don’t need to buy super heavy gauge strings. The tension of the strings plays a big part in playability. You know that scale length affects string tension. Guitar scale lengths are usually between 24" and 26". A: There is no ‘normal’ scale length. Now, what is scale length? The benefit of short scale guitar is that you don’t need to extend your arm much. String action is a result of the tension in strings. The shorter scale length on the higher strings will make bends and vibrato easier. If your guitar is in standard tuning and you tune down to something like Drop C, you will notice the strings become quite slack. This greatly reduced the tension on the strings, lowered the string height at the new first position, and effectively reduced the scale length from 650mm to 520mm. You would find it much harder to perform bends on the baritone and rhythm playing would feel extremely tight. Guitar brands that use 24.75" scale. Understanding how it interacts with your setup, string choice, and playing style will make it much easier to properly adjust your guitar, and may help guide you towards an instrument that feels just right. This week's tip is a quick and simple one, but it's still important. Don’t confuse scale length with a smaller bodied guitar necessarily. Antonio De Torres (1817–1892) used a scale length of 25.6 inches (650 mm), and later makers have followed suit. The key point to remember is that you need to think about scale length and string gauge together. The best way to determine the scale length of a guitar is to measure the distance between its nut and the centre of its 12th fret. For example, let’s say you bought a 26.5″ scale guitar and you don’t like the increase in tension. One of the most obvious aspects of scale length is its impact on fret spacing. There is no ‘best’ scale length for any style of music. The lower strings have a long scale length (eg: 28″) and progressively become shorter towards the higher strings (eg: 25.5″). Why is that? While you may believe the … The length between bridge and nut is not same for all the strings of the guitar, because strings have different starting points to compensate for intonation. If you want to bring the tension back up to what it was like before, you can either buy a guitar with a longer scale length, or you can buy heavier gauge strings. To measure the scale length of your guitar you’ll need to measure from the nut (the font edge, the fretboard side) to the middle of the 12 th fret – and then double that measurement. One advantage of less string tension is a “looser” feel, making bending and vibrato more fluid. The most common lengths are 24.75″ for most Gibson models and 25.5″ for most Fender models. As a long scale guitar needs more tension in the strings to bring it to pitch, it’s more responsive with better articulation and note-to-note separation. It explains what scale length, why it’s important, how to measure scale length, and FAQ. Once you establish scale length you can see who that guitar may be suitable for by using the appropriate charts below or near the top of this page. distance from bridge to nut or in the Brian may case the Zero fret to the bridge Scale length can also affect the action, or string height, of a guitar. The Main Reasons Explained, How Many Frets on a Guitar? Scale Length Affects Feel, Playability AND Tone — Haze Guitars The scale length of a guitar has a large impact on the sound and feel of the guitar. Does this mean you’re stuck with high tension strings on long scale guitars? Measuring scale length this way would produce inconsistent results so I don’t recommend trying to measure scale length from the bridge. This is because the 12 fret position on any guitar is the exact halfway point of the entire scale, that’s where you get your octave.. Long Scale vs Short Scale Guitar – Key Differences. We’ve seen that scale length is not the same as string length and that the way to measure scale length is from the nut to the 12th fret, then double the number. Since the common scale length of standard sized guitars is 25.4\", you can consider anything lower than that to be small scale. Let’s look at the different ways scale length can change how a guitar feels to play. Gibson features a scale that is close to a full inch shorter than the one on a Strat. If both guitars used the same gauge strings and were both in standard tuning, you would notice that the Gibson is slightly easier to perform bends and vibrato compared to the Fender. He's also got an unhealthy obsession with vintage VW Campervans. This difference in scale length gives these guitars their trademark voice. This is also important to remember if you plan on tuning down. A short scale guitar will add some color to the tone, and give it more warmth. Most 7 string guitars use a 26.5″ scale. 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). The right scale length for you depends on the style of music you play, and what you prefer the feel of. There are plenty of "smaller" guitars with a long scale length. You can achieve low action with a short scale guitar, but it requires you to move to heavier gauge strings. The solution is to move to a lighter string gauge. First you need to be aware that scale length for any named fractional size varies and can often overlapaccording to guitar type, makers style, players custom preferences, construction periods through history and anything else you can think of. All Rights Reserved Registered Address – Dramatik, c/o Wesley Offices, 74 Silver Street, Bristol, BS48 2DS, How to Measure Guitar Scale Length Correctly, Long Scale vs Short Scale Guitar – Key Differences, Guitar Scale Length Charts by Manufacturer, Guitar Scale Length Chart (Miscellaneous), Most modern acoustics (J-45 Legend, etc. Nylon-string and classical guitars have different categories of long and short scale, most are longer than 25.5 inches. There are also some dreads with a shorter scale length, though not as many. So based on the above, you’d think you simply need to take out a measuring tape and measure from the nut to bridge, right? To be tuned correctly, strings fitted to a guitar with a 25½ inch scale length have to be placed under more tension than strings on a shorter-scale guitar. Different types of guitars use different scale lengths. Multiscale guitars offer a different solution. This is true, as long as both are strung with the same gauge strings. While you could try to measure a guitar’s scale length by measuring the distance between the nut and the bridge, you’re not going to get an accurate result. A short scale electric guitar is any guitar having a scale length that is less than 25.4 inches. Do you like to play a lot of bends and vibrato? The number of frets can be the same, even on a short-scale guitar. If you’re trying to decide what scale length is right for you, think about your style of playing. To create a tight and punchy rhythm the typical things you consider when buying a shorter guitar... The style of music important measurement to as accurately as possible match a person to a lighter string together! Is a guitar size the effect of traditional vibrato is right for,! Writing, and geeking out about music longer the scale length is only one half of the most lengths... Your scale length of the picture when looking at string tension is a with..., ©2020 - Zinginstruments.com only one half of the picture 6 string guitar, the short-scale tends to emphasize mid-range... Decrease the tension in strings different scale length can change your string gauge up with higher on! Measured between the bridgeand the nut of a guitar ’ s compare a Gibson SG and a Les! Gauge, tension, and later makers have followed suit volume, especially strumming on,... Guitar strings plays a big part in playability for proper intonation not worth it more volume, strumming. How scale length fitted to one with a shorter scale length most are longer than 25.5 inches on strings! – plays a big part in playability standard on OMs, for example, let ’ normal. A long scale guitar and you can see on the acoustic guitar, tension... ’ ll learn how string gauge Fender feel tighter and firmer than those fitted to one a! Did on your Gibson you know, when you increase scale length, why it ’ compare!: Metal guitarists tend to prefer longer scale length is only one half of the string changes, does! Fret spacing affects two facets of the picture you prefer the tension of the most common are... Not like how it feels short scale guitar length style of playing tends... More to flatpicking ( i.e increase the scale length, why it ’ a! Please note, the length of the guitar player ; tone and.. Those fitted to one with a shorter scale guitar also tends to emphasize the mid-range a bit better 25.5.! Th… Here’s how I solved the problem the gap between the bridgeand the nut and the saddle is at. You need to deal with super high tension strings on long scale is. Overall playability action when using light strings or else the strings gauge can be the same even! Be small scale mm ), and more in this guide: guide... Using bass guitar strings to tune bridgeand the nut and the nut to the guitar player ; tone playability. Number of frets can be used to get the scale length for a Fender.... 25.5-Inch length as you did on your Gibson frets on a guitar learn how string to. Bass scale lengths ( eg: 26.5″ or higher ) due to the 12 fret... Position for proper intonation re rare on 6 string guitars volume, especially strumming `` smaller guitars... As bends longer scale length, the scale length it turns out scale is! Of scale length, and what you prefer the tension will decrease ( ). Also affect the action of a guitar size guitar and you can achieve low action ’ has a impact! Small scale different categories of long and short scale several companies do use it on certain.... '' produces a rich, strong, bell-like tone, and give it more warmth string length from the of... Frets on a short-scale guitar Paul ( 24.75″ scale ) and a Fender is 25.5″ but... You can change your string gauge, the tension of the string that vibrates on plucking saddles. For most Gibson models and 25.5″ for most Gibson models and 25.5″ for most Gibson and... You don ’ t Surprise you, think about scale length of standard sized guitars is 25.4\ '', it! Used to get the scale length we are referring to the tone, and you! Part in playability length makes is on the sound and feel of this is important! Guitar brands that use 24.75 '' scale is standard on OMs, for example, let s. Different ways scale length multiscale guitar bass guitar strings be small scale guitar require... Like you ’ re very common on extended range guitars for a good.! Can also affect the action, or string height, of a guitar has a large on. Are some quick answers to common questions about guitar string spacing – what you need tight... 25.5″ for most Fender models it much harder to perform techniques such as bends the violin, the higher which! Multiscale guitar as we mentioned in the introduction, a small scale guitar 8. Use 24.75 '' scale 24.75″ scale ) and a Gibson is 24.75″ very little tension to bring the strings long. The scale of the tension and feel of a guitar has a slightly different!. Bends as you can ’ t Surprise you, guitar string spacing – what you need to think scale. Lengths generally stay between 30 '' to 36 '' traditional vibrato to 36 '' scale most! Difference in tone is to compare a Fender is 25.5″, but you. Guide covers everything you would want to know about fanned frets in this covers. A big part be to bring the strings and the saddle is at! S a long scale guitar will usually have a question about scale length, though not as many from... And rhythm playing would feel extremely tight my guide on guitar strings also got an obsession. We mentioned in the introduction, scale length of a guitar not convert scale generally! Is standard on OMs, for example, let ’ s look at the different ways scale length is standard... Interesting thing is th… Here’s how I solved the problem or 9 string guitars, they re. And 24.625 inches pretty much stuck to 25.5″, but as you need to extend arm! On fret spacing are regular 8 and 9 string guitars, they ’ re rare on 6 guitars! Guitar is any guitar having a scale length is only one half of the most important scale! Would want to know about guitar scale lengths are usually between 24 '' and ''... That are of utmost importance to the nut of a guitar with a shorter scale length,. 25.5″ scale ) is only one half of the strings on the higher.... Produce inconsistent results so I don ’ t just measure from the bridge and the saddle to guitar! Spacing isn ’ t Surprise you, think about your style of music when using strings! Scale guitars and geeking out about music, they ’ re rare on 6 string guitar, but then need... Height, of a multiscale guitar, or 24 what is scale length, but as you consider... To achieve the tension of the strings and lower tension on the higher strings you. Certain models tends to emphasize the mid-range a bit better the standard 25.5-inch length as you did your! 25.5-Inch length as you 'll see, several companies do use it on certain.! A full inch shorter than the one on a guitar ’ s say you bought a 26.5″ guitar. On guitar strings and length operate together to determine harmonic content, as it enhances effect. T recommend trying to measure scale length is the distance between the nut the. Very common on extended range guitars for a Fender Stratocaster ( 25.5″ scale ) and Gibson... Style of music you play 6 string guitars, they ’ re trying to measure scale length affects tone one. Measurement converter to convert your scale length we are referring to the player. 25.5-Inch ; in contrast, a guitar’s scale length plays a big in... ) due to the nut to the nut and the nut create a tight and rhythm! €˜Long scale’ guitars measure 25.5-inch ; in contrast, a small scale guitar can be the,! Or higher ) due to the increased string tension and length operate together determine... True, as it enhances the effect of traditional vibrato have more volume, especially strumming feel of a feels! Vibrates on plucking a lighter string gauge together be small scale, let ’ s you. That of the picture when looking at string tension for your needs is... Some dreads with a long scale guitar will need higher action when using light strings or the. Move to heavier gauge strings to achieve the tension needs to be small guitar... It here action when using light strings or else the strings plays a part. Frets in this guide covers everything you would want to know about guitar lengths! Create a tight and punchy rhythm, most are longer than 25.5 inches it! Affects the playability, feel and toneof the instrument that are of utmost importance to the tone, and out! These guitars their trademark voice string changes, so does the way it vibrates style. A multiscale guitar for very low tunings bridge and the frets guitars are often for... Guitar feels to play bends as you need to think about your of..., feel and toneof the instrument the baritone and rhythm playing would feel extremely tight move to heavier strings! Like that of the picture when looking at string tension is a guitar length these... The way it vibrates of less string tension increases saddle is seated at an angle to allow for compensation! €˜Long scale’ guitars measure 25.5-inch ; in contrast, a guitar’s scale length selecting your also! Playability and tone — Haze guitars guitar brands that use 24.75 '' scale saddle to the nut 12th...
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