24.75' vs. 25.5'

[metalhed717]

i have a strat and two sg's, and when playing sitting down i dont notice as much, but when i play standing up i notice that my sg's neck are SO much easier to play on, like my fingers line up with the frets better. it kinda sucks because its so much harder to play on 25.5 scale necks, so it ruins a lot of great guitars for me... anyone else have this problem?

[JefferySmith]

I won't buy a 25.5" scale length guitar because of the string tension. I think people underestimate how much one inch can increase string tension) over a shorter scale guitar. That's why I stick to Gibson, Gretsch, and Epiphone. A scale length of 26.75 is the maximum I can stand. The shortest scale guitar out there (other than a child's 3/4 size guitar) is the Rickenbacker 325, which is unfortunate. It is a nice guitar, but the price is absurd because John Lennon played one for so long.

[carverman]

I guess it depends on what you are used to and how comfortable you feel on

a Gibson scale guitar. The fret board is a bit shorter and the frets are slightly closer.

 

here's some info from Stew-Mac on the very subject..

 

http://www.stewmac.com/fretscales

[lostindesert]

I never had any problem switching between longscale Fenders or shortscale Epiphone/Gibsons.

BTW i've got small hands, i do find the Stratocaster the most comfortable guitar there is.

 

Peter

[JefferySmith]

I have a disability that has left me with weak fingers and grip. So 24.75 is about the max scale length I can play. The easiest guitars for me are my Byrdlands, my short-scale Stratocaster, and my Jaguar. Here is a web site (though very incomplete) on short scale.

 

http://www.shortscale.org/

[raf66]

I love both my Epi LP and my Fender Strat. However, I find that the neck on my Strat is infinitely easier to play. The string tension of the long scale Strat, at least to some degree, is offset by the fact that I use lighter guage strings on the Strat than on the LP (9s vs. 10s).

 

Those are just my personal observations and clearly there are many different opinions as to this issue. Play what feels good and is the most comfortable as this will keep up your interest.

[lpdeluxe]

I've had two 25-1/2 scale electrics, both long gone: a '63 Gretsch Chet Atkins Country Gent and a mutt Strat. I played the Gretsch as my main axe for 15 years, and when I got a 24-3/4" Les Paul, it was a revelation. Much faster, better feel, it really worked for me. The Strat I didn't play that much, and now I think that's what I disliked about it (it sounded good, with a set of Fender Vintage single coils).

 

FWIW I always use .011-.052 with a wound 3rd.

 

Now I've got the LP and a Sheraton II, and I feel at home with them.

[carverman]

I've had two 25-1/2 scale electrics' date=' both long gone: a '63 Gretsch Chet Atkins Country Gent and a mutt Strat. I played the Gretsch as my main axe for 15 years, and when I got a 24-3/4" Les Paul, it was a revelation. Much faster, better feel, it really worked for me. The Strat I didn't play that much, and now I think that's what I disliked about it (it sounded good, with a set of Fender Vintage single coils).

 

Now I've got the LP and a Sheraton II, and I feel at home with them.[/quote']

 

The only 25.5 scale Epiphone/Gibson I have right now is the Broadway Elitist

and I have heavy guage strings on that one to try an approach the "Wes Montgomery

sound" when played with my thumb. All of my others are the Gibson short scale (24.75)

and I actually prefer these now.

 

I also have a full scale (25.5) piezo bridge Classic guitar with a cutaway, but this is nylon strings and the flat wide

fingerboard, so it is completely different from the steel string electrics..but I love them all and it doesn't

cause any problems for me to switch from one to the other. My fingers are big, so I don't notice it

as much as some others may.

[djroge1]

I've never had a problem with any size/neck. I love the way Gibson'ss/Epi's feel and I love the way Fender's feel. Man, I just love to play guitar... When it all comes down, I just want to play any guitar I can get my hands on.

 

Although, as I've grown older (like we all do), I have moved down to putting 10's on most of my electrics.

[oldpriest]

I have found that even though I have semi small hands and I fractured the crap out of my fretboard pinky, that with practice, I could play even a 34" scale bass pretty fair..not like John Etwistle..but good enough to to do some good blues runs...anyway my point is it just takes time..keep at it and none of them will bother you.

[MarkW]

I have big hands and the longer scale feels more natural for me, but I have short scale guitars I enjoy very much. I have a Riviera that I love to look at and love the sound of the mini hums, but just like he Casino I had, the neck is too skinny. But I ain't gettin rid of it! :-

[ssgfowler]

FWIW

I like both guitars equally well for different reasons,and I use .010 gauge strings on both guitars. I use my Strat mostly for playing Hendrix and SRV type stuff and always tune it 1/2 step down. That keeps the string tension between it and my Gibby/Epi guitars feeling pretty much the same.

When I look down at the fretboard when I play the Strat it looks different than when I play the Gibby/Epi guitars because of the different scale length.

The difference in fretboard radius between the 2 gives me the most problems switching between them, because I have large hands.