Tone difference between a 24.75 scale and a 24 scale
- Thread starter Wayne27
- Start date
I'm aware of that. I'm just wondering if two guitars had the exact same pickups, number of frets, and overall design, will they still sound different, even if one of them had a slightly smaller fretboard scale.
freefrog
Well-known member
Generally speaking, a difference of scale gives a different comb filtering of harmonics, making a longer scale a bit brighter in theory. Below is a useful tool to illustrate my answer, FWIW. HTH.
https://till.com/articles/PickupResponseDemo/
https://till.com/articles/PickupResponseDemo/
Chistopher
malapterurus electricus tonewood instigator
Scale length is one of the more important variables when it comes to designing a guitar. A shorter scale will make your instrument darker and easier to play.
GuitarStv
Sock Market Trader
My suspicion is that any difference you hear between scale lengths is down to exactly where the pickups are placed in relation to the location of harmonics on the taught string. If the pickups are located at exactly the same ratio along the string, then there may also be minor differences in width of pickup sensing window where shorter scale lengths would pick up slightly more of the string as a percentage of the whole.
It's not just due to relation of pup placement to string length (although that could have a slight influence on the tone), but a longer string needs to have more tension on it to reach the same pitch as a shorter string. That's why a LP has a fuller (less bright) tone and is easier to bend than a Strat.
So, theoretically, the 24" scale would be a bit less bright than the 24.75" scale and a little easier to bend. It should have at least as much effect as that of a LP compared to a Strat. Of course we're talking about scale length ONLY and all else being equal.
So, theoretically, the 24" scale would be a bit less bright than the 24.75" scale and a little easier to bend. It should have at least as much effect as that of a LP compared to a Strat. Of course we're talking about scale length ONLY and all else being equal.
Would an equalizer help brighten the sound?
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Rex_Rocker
Well-known member
Yes, but that won't get you 100% of the way there. Kinda like even if you have the same pickups on a Strat and a Les Paul, even if you EQ them to hell and back, they won't sound the same. You can get close, though.
Supernautilus
Active member
I don’t use one myself but I know that an EQ can address a lot of issues. Many musicians consider an EQ to be their “secret weapon”. Having a good EQ pedal is never a bad investment.
Ascension
Well-known member
Yes there are very noticeable difference is tone and harmonics between different scale lengths. Shorter scales will have a darker tone and different harmonics than longer scales. There are also very different feels to different scale lengths. A longer scale will produce a snappier brighter tone, a shorter a darker warmer to with different pick harmonics etc.
Everyone here is talking about the differences when using the same gauge strings.
Once you compensate with slightly larger gauges then the differences in all these things like tone and playability are much less.
And don't get sucked-into the LP vs Strat thing. Those are such different guitars that even using 10's on the LP and 9's on the Strat will still produce a much different tone, but it will be less about scale and more about construction and materials.
If you use the same gauge on both scales then yes, the shorter scale will in-general be easier to play and have a darker tone, but that's by choice because you can go up in gauge to largely compensate for the difference, or go down in gauge on the longer scale.
Once you compensate with slightly larger gauges then the differences in all these things like tone and playability are much less.
And don't get sucked-into the LP vs Strat thing. Those are such different guitars that even using 10's on the LP and 9's on the Strat will still produce a much different tone, but it will be less about scale and more about construction and materials.
If you use the same gauge on both scales then yes, the shorter scale will in-general be easier to play and have a darker tone, but that's by choice because you can go up in gauge to largely compensate for the difference, or go down in gauge on the longer scale.
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Rex_Rocker
Well-known member
If you go for higher gauge strings, though, won't that accentuate the tonal difference in some ways? In my experience, thicker strings sound rounder, fatter, and thuddier.
Also, I on the Strat Les Paul vs. Strat comparison, it's kinda hard to break away from it. When I hear 24" scale guitar, I think Jaguar or Mustang. When I think 24.75" I think Les Paul, SG, Explorer, etc. Those guitars are as equally different in construction, materials, etc. as Strats and Les Pauls are. I don't think you'll find someone who swaps the neck on his/her bolt-on guitar from a 24" to 24.75" to keep stuff as apples to apples as it can be. Do they even make scale conversion necks for 24" guitars? Nor do I think many people get Mahogany set neck singlecuts made with a 24" scale.
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Rex_Rocker
Well-known member
That, and I feel that with different scale lenghts, the placement and relative "windows" the pickups "sense" the strings vibrating shift as well. I think that has a HUGE impact on the amplified tone of the guitar too.
That is why I can't understand those classic slanted pickup guitars having the slant essentially going the "wrong" direction. I'd want the poles closer to the bridge under the big strings, and closer to the neck under the plain strings. Never could figure out why they slanted opposite.
Chistopher
malapterurus electricus tonewood instigator
10s on a 25.5" will have higher tension than 10s on a 24.75" unless I'm missing your point.
Chistopher
malapterurus electricus tonewood instigator
My guess is that the Tele bridge slant was a practical decision to get a lap steep pup to match the string spacing. Why he slanted it the way they did was likely it just looked better. Then Strats maintained the slanted bridge because it matched the body and control lines better.
In practice, it doesn't make that big a difference at least on a Strat. If I'm playing bridge pickup on my Strat, I'm not sitting in the mix somewhere you can hear the nuance of my hardware configuration.
