Scale length from nut to bridge...

[noonoo]

..how much difference does it make in tone and/or playability? Noticeable?

[markus]

I think it makes A LOT of difference, both sonically and also from a playability perspective.
Personally, I love the sound of short scale (24 3/4 inch) guitars, but I'm so used to the playability of a 25 1/2 inch scale guitar, that I cannot easily switch. :( A 24 3/4 inch scale guitar has a bit less string tension and is I guess a bit easier to play in general, but string bending is somewhat of a different feeling. You can try to compensate by going with higher gauge strings on the short scale compared to your long scale guitars, but it never really worked out for me. That's obviously a limitation of me and my playing and not the different scale lengths though. ;) :D
In the end, I'd say it all comes down to personal preference... as always there is no right or wrong.

[tom]

too often people compare guitars where everything including scale is different and conclude that the scale is mostly responsible for the different tone. think strat vs. les paul. everything is totally different.
if all else is the same, which it seldom is. the shorter scale will be just a bit fuller and like markus said, the feel will be a little slinkier. for me this translates into a more forgiving guitar, easier on my tired hands, and a little softer on my ears. that doesn't mean it can't be plenty aggressive when it needs to.
a good example of this was at the namm show. we had a short t there. hardly anyone who played it knew it was short scale, they just liked it. it didn't lose it's teleness.

[markus]

I sure like the more forgiving part of the shorter scale. This comes really handy if you play a lot of stretched chords and scales. But then again... I would always over-bend on my Les Paul, as I'm just so used to my Classic and Drop Top. Long story short - the LP had to go to make room for another Anderson. :D
However, speaking of NAMM... I think Tom has me in trouble again with the Bulldog. What a beauty she is!!! I can't wait to play one and maybe I'll finally throw my short scale objections overboard... we'll see.

[Pietro]

I used to put 11s on short scale and 10s on longer scale and they played the same to me.

These days I only have 11s on one guitar, my Godin. For some reason my Hollow Cobra likes 10s better.

I also think that scale length is an often over-stated factor.

That said, I'm a short-scale guy these days and longer-scale just doesn't work for me so much (I still have one 25.5 inch scale guitar). But that's me...

[mbrown3]

I far prefer the longer scale lengths. Still trying to convince Tom to make me an Atom with 25.5" scale. He says it would diminish the whole idea of what the Atom is about...psssh! Come on, Tom!

Truly, though, I love short scales just as much as the longer ones. I just prefer longer scales, all things considered, as they suit my playing style better. A little more articulate, a little more clarity and note definition (all other things truly being equal). Of course, these are all (mostly) subjective terms, but for me the longer scale just works a little better. I have guitars at 24.75-ish, 25.5, and 27" scales, and love them all.

As Tom said, the shorter the scale, the more "full" it sounds, but that will vary greatly depending on the guitar itself and the other factors (wood type, pickups used, etc). I've played 27" scale guitars that are "beefier" than many shorter scale guitars. All in all, scale length is one (relatively) minor characteristic of the whole.

I'm off for more tests today, y'all...keep me in your prayers.

[ducmike]

Dreaming of a 24.75" scale drop top with a floyd............:D

[markus]

It's always good to have dreams... they sometimes won't materialize, but still it's good to have them. :p :D

[noonoo]

both of my current guitars are 25's. I may be considering a Cobra or Drop Top and that is where this thread is coming from.