PierceOkken
New member
Re: Will multi-scale guitars take over?
that being said, a good multiscale is quite an experience to play
that being said, a good multiscale is quite an experience to play
Will multi-scale guitars take over?
- Thread starter Willy25
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blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: Will multi-scale guitars take over?
If that's the case, it would be a deal breaker for a lot of players.
If that's the case, it would be a deal breaker for a lot of players.
BleedingFingertips
New member
Re: Will multi-scale guitars take over?
I think there're music genres in which one can expect multiscale guitars to reign supreme bur for many others they aren't necessary at all. I wondered how one plays (barre) chords on those?
I think there're music genres in which one can expect multiscale guitars to reign supreme bur for many others they aren't necessary at all. I wondered how one plays (barre) chords on those?
Re: Will multi-scale guitars take over?
I would think you build one, like on most guitars.
But for those that haven't tried one, it isn't that strange to play. They aren't that different- the fan isn't that big. And for a standard tuned guitar, the fan is barely there. I don't hear enough of a difference on a standard tuned guitar (Oh!!! The lows are so much...lower!) to consider it. Extreme tuning ranges, sure. But just because I don't use those tunings doesn't make it a bad idea.
I would think you build one, like on most guitars.
But for those that haven't tried one, it isn't that strange to play. They aren't that different- the fan isn't that big. And for a standard tuned guitar, the fan is barely there. I don't hear enough of a difference on a standard tuned guitar (Oh!!! The lows are so much...lower!) to consider it. Extreme tuning ranges, sure. But just because I don't use those tunings doesn't make it a bad idea.
6stringerguy
New member
Re: Will multi-scale guitars take over?
I’ve got an ormsby multiscale (25.5 to 27.5) and the ergonomic advantages are fantastic plus the ability to use lighter gauges is nice plus companies such as schecter, esp, ibanez, jackson And prs are jumping on the fan fret guitar bandwagon
I personally believe a slight fan (less than 1 inch) doesn’t make much difference but a huge fan can be uncomfortable for some people
Do I think they will replace standard scale length guitars?
No
The guitar industry has a huge market for traditionalists and there is a niche for everything, whether a company can fill that niche for a acceptable price and provide a high quality instrument is much more a important discussion
At the end of the day more is more and the more options are available the better
I really want to see true temperant fanned frets and the evertune system for multiscales but that will probably be a long way off
I’ve got an ormsby multiscale (25.5 to 27.5) and the ergonomic advantages are fantastic plus the ability to use lighter gauges is nice plus companies such as schecter, esp, ibanez, jackson And prs are jumping on the fan fret guitar bandwagon
I personally believe a slight fan (less than 1 inch) doesn’t make much difference but a huge fan can be uncomfortable for some people
Do I think they will replace standard scale length guitars?
No
The guitar industry has a huge market for traditionalists and there is a niche for everything, whether a company can fill that niche for a acceptable price and provide a high quality instrument is much more a important discussion
At the end of the day more is more and the more options are available the better
I really want to see true temperant fanned frets and the evertune system for multiscales but that will probably be a long way off
Pierre
Stratologist
Re: Will multi-scale guitars take over?
Just like everything else on a guitar, multi-scale is a means to an end.
In this particular case, those ends are:
* More ergonomic positioning of the wrist (somehow subjective)
* Higher tensions on lower strings reduces requirements for thicker strings for equivalent tension, which could be a good thing
* Improved intonation
Then there are good and bad ways to do it... For example, Strandberg's 6 strings have a half-inch fan, with the nut being the parallel fret. This is not great since:
* It negates the ergonomics advantage available with a better fan
* It slants the bridge and pickups more than needed, which causes hardware incompatibility
To my mind, if going with a half-fan fingerboard, I'd think it better to have the parallel fret be the bridge. This keeps the fan on the low notes, which keeps the ergonomics advantage.
A 2-inch fan on a 6 string guitar like the Ormsbys is supremely uncomfortable for me. I think 1 inch for 6 strings, and 1.5 for 7 is perfect.
For 6 strings it gives two options:
* 24.5 to 25.5 for more vintagey tones (as per what Jeremy said)
* 25.5 to 26.5 for down-tuning, what I have on my Kiesel
* 25 to 26 would be a decent compromise between the two, but with a half-inch extra only on the bass, it wouldn't really be used for super-low tunings, hence a compromise isn't necessary for most use-cases I feel
(obviously what I mentioned is subjective and based on my own experiences)
Just like everything else on a guitar, multi-scale is a means to an end.
In this particular case, those ends are:
* More ergonomic positioning of the wrist (somehow subjective)
* Higher tensions on lower strings reduces requirements for thicker strings for equivalent tension, which could be a good thing
* Improved intonation
Then there are good and bad ways to do it... For example, Strandberg's 6 strings have a half-inch fan, with the nut being the parallel fret. This is not great since:
* It negates the ergonomics advantage available with a better fan
* It slants the bridge and pickups more than needed, which causes hardware incompatibility
To my mind, if going with a half-fan fingerboard, I'd think it better to have the parallel fret be the bridge. This keeps the fan on the low notes, which keeps the ergonomics advantage.
A 2-inch fan on a 6 string guitar like the Ormsbys is supremely uncomfortable for me. I think 1 inch for 6 strings, and 1.5 for 7 is perfect.
For 6 strings it gives two options:
* 24.5 to 25.5 for more vintagey tones (as per what Jeremy said)
* 25.5 to 26.5 for down-tuning, what I have on my Kiesel
* 25 to 26 would be a decent compromise between the two, but with a half-inch extra only on the bass, it wouldn't really be used for super-low tunings, hence a compromise isn't necessary for most use-cases I feel
(obviously what I mentioned is subjective and based on my own experiences)
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