Scale Length , long vs short

[Big Harry]

Good Morning Guys !
OK, this is probably beaten to its proper death :D , but I am still wondering about pros and cons in 25 1/2 " vs 24 3/4 " scale length issue.

Your insights will be very appreciated ,thanks.

(even my first TAG (DT, long scale ) is still in production I am thinking about TAG number 2 , and first thing in specification to decide will be scale length , what obviously means Cobra or Classic )

Cheers,
Zoran

[replayboy]

Dont forget the option of a short T as well !!!

[Big Harry]

Oups, more things to consider .
What might be a feeling of playing Short T ?
Recent Short T discussion (the guy is busy selling his Short T ) went to 7 strings thing :mad: :)

Actually , I am rising this scale length thing because of very practical reason .
My 20+ years old hand made guitar (super strat style ) hes not been played for almost 7 years .
Than I decided to do some modes , the biggest one was refreting with Jescar Jumbo SS frets .
I never even thought to measure scale length , but amazing effortless of playing tells me this is not just about SS frets .
So I measured it and I was stunned , it is short scale 24 3/4 " !!!!
With Floyd Rose , with full plain two piece Wenge body .

I don't play my other guitars anymore , I am playing only this guitar in a waiting for my first Tag.

Somehow , this is kinda turbo Strat/ Cobra with very old OFR , more than 30 years old Dimarzio Super Distorsioin humbucker, Vai's neck Evo and crystal clear Neshville Saymor Duncan in the middle , stunning and crazy combination he , he , he ....
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm38/Zormar/bruspravno.jpg

[Jimmy-Sekshun8]

If you'll forgive my pun here, allow me to give you the "long and short" of it.

The shorter scale guitar will have a more focused, aggressive sound. I am the owner of a Drop Top and a Cobra (with a second Cobra on the UPS truck as of this typing). Both guitars have the same body wood and top. The neck wood is different but more importantly the scale length is different. The Cobra sounds more aggressive and focused in the lower mid range area, very Les Paul'ish sounding without feeling like I'm holding a boat anchor on my shoulder. The Drop Top on the other hand offers a less focused tone (not saying it's a bad thing because I do like the sound). It tends to sound more like a super strat with a mahogany body if you can relate. Hope this helps.

[Ray K.]

I agree with Jimmy - well said.

Ray K.

[Big Harry]

I forgive you Jimmy and I think I exactly understand your point about different temperaments ! :)
I'm afraid my second TAG might have a short scale .
ps
congrats on second Cobra !

[Jimmy-Sekshun8]

Thanks Harry, I look forward to her getting here. Cobras are short-scale instruments. I love the one I currently have and am very excited about the second one arriving. If you want the seriously "aggressive" tone I would recommend a Cobra. They are absolutely remarkable guitars.

[Pietro]

Ever since I got my Cobra and my PRS (which is 25" scale), I'm not sure I need or want another "long scale" instrument ever again. I only have one, my US Masters Strat and I never seem to play it much.

[strat56]

My experience has been the same with just a little additional info. If you're planning to do any chicken picking or want to be able to twang, you can't beat a 25.5" scale guitar.

[tom]

it's pretty hard to compare apples to apples when you talk about scale length because there are usually many other differences in the two guitars.
we have had many people compare similarly equipped hollow t and short t, and not one instantly said "oh this is short scale". everyone said something about the shorter one being fatter, chunckier or just sweeter.
you have to be careful about assuming the scale is responsible for all that you're hearing or feeling.

[mdrs]

Yes, it is pretty complicated.

Most say that a long scale is cleaner and clearer, and better for chicken picken or country multistring bends. However, much of the tone difference could easily be the single coil pu's typically found on most long scale instruments, or their maple necks, etc. etc. etc..

Personally, I think that the biggest difference in scale length relates to string tension.

Tuned to the same pitch, a long scale instrument's strings will have greater string tension, and to me the strings feel stiffer and more "strident". A short scale instrument's strings are under lower tension, and bend easier.

[dannopelli]

I have to agree with Tom and Don. We have had long discussions here about the elements of tone, and how simple things like changing tuning heads impacts tone. I think in general longer scales do sound a bit snappier, but you can get some of that if you spec an ash vs alder body. I had a chance to speak to Johnny A once about why he spec'd his signature guitar with a 25.5 scale and he said it had a snappier tone but also a snappier "feel" when playing.

Regardless, I personally never take scale lenght into account with my guitars. If I switch from one of my Classics to my Cobra, or any of my longer scale to shorter scale guitars, I kind of veiw it as a different experience. I kind of take it as a whole. One of the nice things about having a bunch of guitars I guess.

[Pick]

Zoran,

I don't know why I've always gravitated to the Strat scale length, but I think it's more a combination of feel, your hand shape and what you want to do with the instrument. I like the lush, micro distortion of 25.5 soothed by the sonority of my old classic 4-16-96N. Also, I think it's more about the particular instrument too. But I have never played anything as perfect, as beautiful every day to my ear, as my Classic.

I guess, listen to your ear.

Vincent

[c-dub]

Gosh, I wish I could decide.

Ive always felt more comfortable on a short scale, obviously, not just tension but also reach for weird chords or that extra note during wankery . . .


But 25.5 always to me just seems more expressive, more tension makes the bends sing a little more, the chords have more individual definition among the notes, just havin' to fight the guitar a little to me makes me play, well certainly not technically better or faster, but more emotional and expressive which people seem to enjoy more live.

24.75 vs. 25.5 has been the root of much of my incessant trading and selling. Maybe I need to write on a short and play a long with a band.

OTOH, I think the extra tension of the acoustic strings on the crowdster I have coming will be perfect. I love short scale in an acoustic, especially if you're plugging it in.

Bottom line? YMMV.

[Big Harry]

thanks guys , very helpfully answers
yes ,the beauty of all of this is when one can afford both short and long scale :cool:
Cheers,
Zoran

[guitarzan]

I picked up my Short T the second week of September and have been playing it almost exclusively since then. Having been a die-hard strat guy, it was a very slight adjustment but the way I describe it now is that it's just MORE. I feel like it's more easy to play, more buxom on the low notes, more full on the high notes, more slippery when I'm serving up steaming bowls of notemeal, and more comfortable on my hand.

The only downfall for me has been getting used to bending strings. If you play the same scale length and the same size strings for years, your bends can be out of tune if you switch scale length. I'm finding that I go sharp a lot more easily when bending.

I uploaded a live track of my short t in another thread (http://andersonforum.com/board/showthread.php?t=6911)

...and I'm uploading a studio tune that I was working on the other day. It's unmixed and unedited so please extend some grace, but you can hear the fatness of the melody contrasted with those wonky bends. I have to go back and retrack those if I can match the tones well enough. I should also add that a better guitar player than I could probably make the adjustment quickly and keep the bends in tune. My buddy Justin switches back and forth often and everything I've heard on his tracks bending-wise are spot-on. What can I say- I'm slower. haha.
The track is here. (http://www.dognmoon.com/anderson/london_nov26.mp3)

[Ray K.]

Quite nice, Corey! Almost "Larry Carlton'ish" in tone and style, especially in parts of the second solo.

At the risk of derailing the thread, is that pure amp drive or pedal(s) and amp?

I've been having a blast playing my standard scale Hollow T with the same pickups. It's hard to put down!

Thanks,
Ray K.