dumb question from an old fart

[darnright]

How can there be so many scale lengths...and they all be in tune with one another. I remember being told once (perhaps incorrectly), that a neck I had found for an old Fender wouldn't work, because it wouldn't be the correct scale length. But there are guitars with 24.5 to 27" scale length and they all work together...All the notes are the same if tuned the same....how can this be? How can the notes on a 25.5" scale guitar be the same as on a 24.75" scale guitar? For some reason, I cannot put my mind around that. Can someone please explain this to me in terms even I can understand?

-dave....confused or senile...you be the judge....

 

[bungalowbill]

Re: dumb question from an old fart

How can there be so many scale lengths...and they all be in tune with one another. I remember being told once (perhaps incorrectly), that a neck I had found for an old Fender wouldn't work, because it wouldn't be the correct scale length. But there are guitars with 24.5 to 27" scale length and they all work together...All the notes are the same if tuned the same....how can this be? How can the notes on a 25.5" scale guitar be the same as on a 24.75" scale guitar? For some reason, I cannot put my mind around that. Can someone please explain this to me in terms even I can understand?

-dave....confused or senile...you be the judge....

Dave ....I believe it all depends on bridge placement and distance between the frets.

A Les Paul neck won't work on a Strat (if it would fit)... because of the distance between the frets is shorter on the Les Paul neck....the scale is shorter and it wouldn't play in tune.

 

[beandip]

Re: dumb question from an old fart

Bill hit it on the head. For a a different scale length, you have different fret placement on the fretboard. Bridge placement can be made to work where it's at, no matter what the scale length, so long as the frets are put in the correct spot.

 

[darnright]

Re: dumb question from an old fart

Alright...it's starting to make some sense now...the frets on a longer scale guitar are farther apart than on a shorter scale guitar, so the string makes essentially the same tone in the same fret.... If the frets were the same open tuning would be ok, but as soon as you fretted a string..it would get ugly.. Am I close?

-dave

 

[blueman335]

Re: dumb question from an old fart

Alright...it's starting to make some sense now...the frets on a longer scale guitar are farther apart than on a shorter scale guitar, so the string makes essentially the same tone in the same fret.... If the frets were the same open tuning would be ok, but as soon as you fretted a string..it would get ugly.. Am I close?

-dave

Yep.

 

[uOpt]

Re: dumb question from an old fart

Given one body with one bridge position you can of course make necks for different scale lengths if you just put the frets in the right position. The frets are mounted on the neck, so you just place them appropriately. You can order scale conversion necks for longer and shorter than Strat from Warmoth.

 

[Will S-T]

Re: dumb question from an old fart

Dave, I just recieved my Warmoth Tele Baritone neck today. She's beautiful!
It's the 28 5/8 scale length with 24 frets and designed to fit any standard tele body.
From the 4th fret down it feels like a conventional tele neck but with 3 extra frets in the lower register.

 

[uOpt]

Re: dumb question from an old fart

Dave, I just recieved my Warmoth Tele Baritone neck today. She's beautiful!
It's the 28 5/8 scale length with 24 frets and designed to fit any standard tele body.
From the 4th fret down it feels like a conventional tele neck but with 3 extra frets in the lower register.

GAS

[burns credit cards]

Photos?

 

[shawkey]

Re: dumb question from an old fart

RULE OF 18 (17.817 to be more exact) just divide total scale length by 17.817 , this # gives you 1st fret placement, repeate with new scale length(1st fret to bridge) this # gives you placement of 2nd fret . 20 more times and your ready to pull your hair out! go phills

 

[Will S-T]

Re: dumb question from an old fart

Sorry about the quality of the pics, from a cell phone in my office.
The grain on the fretboard is beautiful, nice clay dots and medium jumbo frets with compound radius.

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: dumb question from an old fart

please plug that baritone telecaster into a big muff and a full stack.

please.

think of the children.

 

[Will S-T]

Re: dumb question from an old fart

please plug that baritone telecaster into a big muff and a full stack.

please.

think of the children.

She'll be sporting STK2 bridge, SM-2 neck and a Bigsby with 14 to 68's......YUM!!!
I'll post a thread when I start the build, stay tuned!

 

[Lazarus1140]

Re: dumb question from an old fart

Sorry about the quality of the pics, from a cell phone in my office.
The grain on the fretboard is beautiful, nice clay dots and medium jumbo frets with compound radius.

That looks great .... can't wait to see the build in progress!

When using a conversion neck with an existing body set up for another scale length will the pickups still be in their ideal locations?

 

[Will S-T]

Re: dumb question from an old fart

That looks great .... can't wait to see the build in progress!

When using a conversion neck with an existing body set up for another scale length will the pickups still be in their ideal locations?

As best as they can be given that it's a 24 fret neck that aligns with the
body like a 22 fret neck. In comparisom to a conventional neck, the pickups
seem a little closer to the bridge, but not a real big difference..

More importantly, my mate Dave is gonna want more neck options
and I've got his bail money covered!! Shop Bro!!!! Luv Ya Dave you MOFO!!!

 

[uOpt]

Re: dumb question from an old fart

Look like a fun project weekend ahead for you

 

[apj]

Re: dumb question from an old fart

Dave, I just recieved my Warmoth Tele Baritone neck today. She's beautiful!
It's the 28 5/8 scale length with 24 frets and designed to fit any standard tele body.
From the 4th fret down it feels like a conventional tele neck but with 3 extra frets in the lower register.

I wondered about the fret distance on a baritone, so the distance isn't distributed evenly? Is it just the first 3 frets that are farther apart?

 

[David Collins]

Re: dumb question from an old fart

It works the way it does because everything is relative. ignoring compensation for a moment, if you have a 24" scale instrument, the 12th fret is at 12". If you have a 28" scale, the 12th fret is at 14". Both cases leave 1/2 of the open string ringing, resulting in the same change in pitch. The 1st fret on each will leave about 94.4% of the open string ringing. The 2nd fret will leave approximately 89.1% of the open length, then about 84.1% for the 3rd fret, and so on.

Relative pitches are about ratios, not absolute values. It makes no difference how long an open string is, just so long as the ratios are the same. Make sense?

 

[GoldenVulture]

Re: dumb question from an old fart

How many necks have you got Will?
I remember seeing a couple at the get-together.How many different projects?:friday:

 

[Will S-T]

Re: dumb question from an old fart

How many necks have you got Will?
I remember seeing a couple at the get-together.How many different projects?:friday:

9 that have never been fitted and 7 bodies.
Can't wait till I'm in the new house.......dedicated gear room plus a workshop!

I reckon we build a guitar at our next Forum get together?:friday:

 

[PoorMan]

Re: dumb question from an old fart

I always read threads with titles like these, because they are usually very good questions that a lot of people don't know the answer to.

It's not a stupid question and I bet a lot of bros here will benefit by your asking.