I decided that the guitar I’m building for my better half is going to be a small bodied steel string with 14 open frets and built from my head rather than from a plan. Alas, my head is empty when it comes to how the scale length with impact on the sound. When I drew it out I used a 650 scale length, but this was done more from habit because it is what I’ve used before rather than with any thought to how it will influence the sound of the guitar.
So my question is… How do you decide what scale length to use and how will this influence the sound?
Cheers
James
Scale length questions
Very big question, which I shall avoid answering!
From experience of building for the better-half species, they have all gone for the 24.9 (632mm) scale length when given the choice. For myself I generally use 25.4 (645mm) for my own 14 fret guitars and 24.9 for the 12 fretters. The exception is for 00 and smaller 14 fret guitars where I again use the 24.9 scale.
As to what this does to the sound? Too many variables to be definitive, but of course you need more tension in the longer scale to come up to pitch using the same string gauge and generally that will mean a greater energy input from the string to the top. so a possibly a louder guitar (can you really tell?). The man who decided though that a loud guitar is a good guitar should in my opinion be dug up and shot! A loud guitar is often a rather dull sounding one lacking in the subtlty that a better balanced instrument can give, if tone is what your after (should be) then the 24.9 will hande it just fine. The best bet though is to take better half to a guitar store and try a few guitars out for comfort and playability, then let her decide.
By the way I only ever use light strings on my guitars.
I only use 650mm for classical guitars, due to the lower energy available from the nylon or gut strings.
Colin
From experience of building for the better-half species, they have all gone for the 24.9 (632mm) scale length when given the choice. For myself I generally use 25.4 (645mm) for my own 14 fret guitars and 24.9 for the 12 fretters. The exception is for 00 and smaller 14 fret guitars where I again use the 24.9 scale.
As to what this does to the sound? Too many variables to be definitive, but of course you need more tension in the longer scale to come up to pitch using the same string gauge and generally that will mean a greater energy input from the string to the top. so a possibly a louder guitar (can you really tell?). The man who decided though that a loud guitar is a good guitar should in my opinion be dug up and shot! A loud guitar is often a rather dull sounding one lacking in the subtlty that a better balanced instrument can give, if tone is what your after (should be) then the 24.9 will hande it just fine. The best bet though is to take better half to a guitar store and try a few guitars out for comfort and playability, then let her decide.
By the way I only ever use light strings on my guitars.
I only use 650mm for classical guitars, due to the lower energy available from the nylon or gut strings.
Colin
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