Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by ILL GREEN on January 14, 2019 at 1:36pm

I've chopped a 23" scale fret board to a 20.825" scale for an electric guitar. I just cutted off the first two frets to accommodate the size and scale. The tone is a much darker growl. You would think it would go higher at a short scale but it gets deeper. Also depends on your caps, knowing it gets dark, a .010upf might brighten it up more.

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Permalink Reply by ILL GREEN on January 14, 2019 at 1:46pm

I've always felt that scales are best measured from the nut to the tailpiece instead because bridge placements like you mentioned.

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Permalink Reply by JL on January 15, 2019 at 12:17am

Same string, tuned to the same note, on a shorter scale, is under less tension, floppier, so yeah a 'darker' instead of brighter tone, it sustains less of the higher order harmonics.
Scale is always the length of the 'active' part of the string (nut to bridge before compensation).

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Permalink Reply by JL on January 15, 2019 at 12:18am

Same string, tuned to the same note, on a shorter scale, is under less tension, floppier, so yeah a 'darker' instead of brighter tone, it sustains less of the higher order harmonics.
Scale is always the length of the 'active' part of the string (nut to bridge before compensation).

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Permalink Reply by Tim Castagnola on January 16, 2019 at 2:42am

I want to thank everyone for their input and advise.  This is a wonderful community.  My schedule is tough for the next couple of weeks but I will post pictures when the build is done.

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Permalink Reply by Taffy Evans on January 16, 2019 at 12:11pm

Hi, I was going through my photo library and came across a series of photos on the intonation subject.

In the photo you can see that I have not glued down the bridge at this stage. I string up the guitar, in this case just the two 'E's I move the bridge checking the intonation as I go on my tuner.

The devise that is also shown is one I made up to make the bridge moving task easier to fine tune.

Use the gauge strings and action height that you intend to play. I have different saddles with different areas of contact.  

I've used it for years electric or acoustic.

Cheers Taff

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Permalink Reply by Paul Craig on January 19, 2019 at 8:11am

Coming from the electric 6 string guitar world, I was used to the Fender 25.5" scale and the Gibson 24.5" to 24.75" scale. The 25.5" scale tends to have better harmonics while the Gibson scales were better with string bends and more warmth in tone.

Then I got a PRS type guitar with the 25" scale and everything felt right to me. I get good harmonics, warmer tone, good string bends without finger pain and the spacing between the frets "fits" my fingers well.

All my CBG builds have been 25" since then with the exception of a couple Baritones. I don't see myself making or buying anything in the guitar range over 25" scale. I'm even considering a short scale bass in the future.

The shorter scale guitars often require bigger gauge strings that can change the tone.

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