Follow up to question about scale length

[marty_the_westie]

Thanks for your responces. I understand that now. But I have another question. What kind of tonal difference do the extra 2 frets have on the guitar, and are there any advantages, other than just having 2 extra frets. Also, what tonal differences would you get from 2 guitars, everything the same, except one has a 24.75 scale, and the other has a 25.5 scale?

 

[danglybanger]

Re: Follow up to question about scale length

25.5 inch scale would be snappier, more string tension, harder bends. 24.75 would be easier bends, smoother sound, maybe less sustain though (not in the case of an lp and a strat however... that's down to other things).

Some say the neck pickup's best spot is right where the 24th fret of a guitar would be and thus that spot should not be occupied by frets, others (like ed roman) say that the neck pickup should not be placed where the 24 fret harmonic exists, so a 24 fret neck would be preferred. It's all preference really... play them yourself to find the differences.
dan

 

[Artie]

Re: Follow up to question about scale length

Some say the neck pickup's best spot is right where the 24th fret of a guitar would be and thus that spot should not be occupied by frets, others (like ed roman) say that the neck pickup should not be placed where the 24 fret harmonic exists, so a 24 fret neck would be preferred.
dan

I, like some others, can't say I really buy this. Obviously, it would only matter concerning open strings.

I could, however, see where the scale length might matter relative to the distance from the nut to the neck joint. When a string is "plucked", one end of the string initiates a wavefront from the bridge, the other end does the same from the nut. Depending on the length of the neck, those two wavefronts will meet in some degree of phase with each other at the neck joint. Whether they meet in or out of phase could have some signifigance on the tonal characteristics of the guitar.

 

[seafoamer]

Re: Follow up to question about scale length

There are not necessarily anymore frets on a longer scale gtr, than a shorter scale one. The term "scale" is used like in the model world. The string length is just "scaled down" on a shorter scale gtr by having a shorter distance between the nut and the saddle and mathmatically keeping the correct fret to fret ratios. I use 24 3/4 conversion necks from a parts manufacturer because my hands are small, I have a jazz background where I at times love to play tones of crazy chord voicings, and I have a bit of an ulner nerve prob in my left arm.