scale length

[Tascosa]

no question is a stupid question if you don't know the answer!  Can someone please explain the relation of number of frets  compared to scale length? Why the difference and what is your preference. We talk a lot about tone woods, fret board choises,  even type of bracing and sizes.   PS I have enjoyed your music vida!

[Sgt. Pepper]

22 minutes ago, Tascosa said:

no question is a stupid question if you don't know the answer!  Can someone please explain the relation of number of frets  compared to scale length? Why the difference and what is your preference. We talk a lot about tone woods, fret board choises,  even type of bracing and sizes.   PS I have enjoyed your music vida!

Martin has 2 scale lengths 25.4"  and 24.9" I think both have 20 frets.

Gibson does 24.75" and 25.5". Not sure how many frets.

I guess you could have as many frets as the fretboard will allow to make intonation right.

[zombywoof]

The number of frets has absolutely nothing to do with scale length.   There is no relationship between the two.  So you can have a 19 or 20 fret Gibson with a 24.75" scale and a 12 fret Oscar Schmidt with a 26.5" scale.

Edited April 8, 2021 by zombywoof

[Jinder]

I like the comfort of a short scale neck, but can find them a little tight space wise for my large hands. All of my Gibsons are long scale, with the exception of my ‘67 J45 which also has the skinny ‘60s nut width. That one takes a spot of adjusting to, but I can play it no problem. I still lean towards long scale at every opportunity though.

[QuestionMark]

Here’s an informative explanation.
 

https://blog.andertons.co.uk/learn/understanding-guitar-scale-length#:~:text=What Are The Most Common Guitar Scale Lengths%3F, 625 9 more rows

 

QM aka “Jazzman” Jeff

[Tascosa]

  QM,      great read. very clear and understandable. Thank you! 

Edited April 8, 2021 by Tascosa

[Twang Gang]

I think it has a lot to too with comfort and what you are used to.  The longer scale (although not that much longer) requires that the strings have a little more tension in order to get them up to pitch.  And the frets are spaced just every so slightly farther apart.  I grew up playing 24.75 short scale guitars and so am most used to them.  I have had and currently own one longer scale and it is slightly more difficult for me to play, but I think that has as much to do with it's neck profile as the scale length.