MichaelDH Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 I recently bought a new Epi LP Standard Plus Top Pro, and so far love it. For awhile I've also thought about picking up a Telecaster as it was something different than I've played before, and the few I tried I really liked, so today I picked up a used one. '08 with a Seymour Duncan mini humbucker at the bridge, and so far I'm pretty happy with it. One thing I wasn't expecting though was the difference in scale length, and it threw me off a bit. With standard tuning, it seems I need to play one fret higher than usual on the Tele. So I guess I either detune the Tele, or get a capo and remember to play a fret higher than on the LP. Anyone else go through this bit of learning, and which way do you adjust your set up for playing? Or is there something really simple here that I'm just overlooking? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitmore Willy Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 Anyone else go through this bit of learning, and which way do you adjust your set up for playing? Or is there something really simple here that I'm just overlooking? Everyone is a bit different. I have both long and shot scale guitars. For me the only adjustment in going from an Epi to a Fender is in ME! I do find that I play a bit different (style wise) going from one to the other. Aside from that I tune and play them the same. Part of the fun for me. Willy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vomer Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 I don't understand what you mean by "play one fret higher". You do mention standard tuning, are your guitars in standard tuning and tuned to the same reference note? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurt Vonnegut Fan Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 I don't understand your "fret higher/detune" question. That said, the scale length difference is not, for me, a problem. Lots of us have both types, and it doesn't seem to be a problem. Maybe just you need to get used to the differences, and not overthink it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelDH Posted March 8, 2014 Author Share Posted March 8, 2014 I tune the LP and the Tele to standard "E" with a tuner, then I pick the corresponding string on each guitar or strum the same chord on each guitar, and the Tele is actually like a step or half-step lower than the LP. That is what is throwing me off and what I'm questioning. I'm guessing it has to do with the nut to bridge length being different between the two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingfrets Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 I tune the LP and the Tele to standard "E" with a tuner, then I pick the corresponding string on each guitar or strum the same chord on each guitar, and the Tele is actually like a step or half-step lower than the LP. That is what is throwing me off and what I'm questioning. I'm guessing it has to do with the nut to bridge length being different between the two. Then something's off with your tuning. I play Gibsons, Epiphones, Fenders & from 2010 to last December, had been playing bass in a Beatles cover band so I'd also been playing a short-scale Hofner bass & a long-scale Ric (talk about scale hopping!). "E" is "E' on all of them or they'd never play in tune with one another. What I notice is the shorter scale guitars/basses seem to have lower string tension, not tuning. Don't know what's going south on you there, but something isn't cricket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonnyg Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 What I notice is the longer scale guitars/basses seem to have lower string tension, not tuning. Assuming you're using the same gauge strings, that should be the other way round surely. A set of 10 gauge strings on a 25.5" Fender scale guitar are much tauter than the same set of 10's on a 24.75" Gibson scale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brad1 Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 FF, Jonny is right, Longer scale = more tension Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 "E" is "E' on all of them or they'd never play in tune with one another. That's right, and the chords should be in the right places, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingfrets Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 Assuming you're using the same gauge strings, that should be the other way round surely. A set of 10 gauge strings on a 25.5" Fender scale guitar are much tauter than the same set of 10's on a 24.75" Gibson scale. FF, Jonny is right, Longer scale = more tension Right you are. I mis-spoke. Fixed it as I don't want to mislead anyone with incorrect info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelDH Posted March 9, 2014 Author Share Posted March 9, 2014 I discovered the issue, based on an assumption I made. My amp has a built-in tuner, and I assumed that when tuning, even though it's somewhat automatic, it tuned the guitar to standard E. Apparently, it seems like it tries to detect the closest note of the string you're tuning, not the note the string should actually be. If that makes sense. So even though the guitar was tuned a step down, the tuner was telling me that each string was in tune, not necessarily in E standard, but to the note the string was already closest to. So after trying to tune the guitar up to match my other guitar then putting it on the tuner again, it was showing again that it was in tune, however this time it was actually correct. So all is fine, just me making a mistake on what the tuner was actually doing and not what I thought it was doing. I'll say thanks for all the responses while I wipe the egg off my face.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitmore Willy Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 My amp has a built-in tuner, and I assumed that when tuning..... tries to detect the closest note of the string you're tuning, not the note the string should actually be. If that makes sense. Makes perfect sense and certainly explains the mystery. Willy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vomer Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 Wow, technology, where would we be without it? Glad you found the issue Michael, that had me puzzled for a while there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurt Vonnegut Fan Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 Longer scale = more tension......but longer sacle = more leverage, too. Think about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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