Question about scale length

[marty_the_westie]

If you take two guitars with the same scale length, say a Gibson Les Paul and a Schecter C1+, both with a scale of 24.75; the Gibson has 22 frets, while the Schecter has 24 frets, at what point on the neck would you start to notice that the Schecters frets were smaller that the Les Pauls? Do they start right at the first fret, or do they start at the 12th. Also, how much of a difference in fret size can you actually tell?

 

[danglybanger]

Re: Question about scale length

are you talking about the space between the frets? I'm not sure if I understand exactly what you mean, but the spaces between the frets should be exactly the same if the scale lengths are equal. The 24 inch neck just has extra frets tacked onto the bottom.

Scale length is not the length of the neck, it is the size from the nut to the bridge. So the frets are equal lengths apart, up til the point where the les paul has no frets.

 

[southadc]

Re: Question about scale length

A scale length is a scale length, the fret to fret spaces for a given fret number are calculated from it. The fret spacing for 2 guitars with the same scale length should be the same for the same fret numbers (at least to within manufacturing tolerances).

Generally, to get the extra couple of frets in you'd just extend the fretboard towards the bridge a little.

 

[theodie]

Re: Question about scale length

If I remember right, scale length is the measurement from the nut to the 12th fret multiplied by two. So the frets on the les paul and the schecter would be the same size up to the 22nd fret. The 23rd and the 24th are going to be smaller than the rest of the frets though. Schecter might use larger fret wire than gibson so it may look like it has smaller frets but, The area of the fret where the string contacts the fret would be the same because of the crown on the fret.

 

[marty_the_westie]

Re: Question about scale length

Thanks, that help alot!