However, from the mid- 20th Century luthiers seeking increased volume have moved to a 26 inches (660 mm) scale, which is now the standard for such leading makers as Ramirez. This adjustment is necessary to preserve intonation across the instrument, due to the variations in string weight and tension, and the fact that the neck will inevitably bow slightly more on the bass side of the fretboard than on the treble side. Nowadays, 650mm is standard which is also standard to many string manufacturers. Lengthening the vibrating portion of a guitar’s strings does not mean that more frets can be added, because the spaces between frets represent a certain percentage of the string’s vibrating length. Classical guitars, compared to electrics and steel strings, are generally the largest guitars out there when looking at a combined scale length and nut width, so don’t feel bad about using a non-standard sized nylon guitar. Notable concert grands include: Smaller grand pianos vary in naming. ). Most basses are 3/4 or 7/8, and younger players can use 1/2 or even 1/4 size instruments. Smaller scale instruments are used extensively to teach younger players. However, reduced string tension results in lack of sustain and loss of some of the high and low frequencies, which gives short scale guitars a warmer mid-range focused sound. The scale length of a string instrument is the maximum vibrating length of the strings that produce sound, and determines the range of tones that string can produce at a given tension. Not surprisingly, such guitars tend to have shorter scale lengths than their classical cousins. First, unlike that of the violin and the cello, the viola scale length has not standardised, but rather advanced players use whatever scale length best suits them. Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Lutherie Info – Measuring Scale Length of Stringed Instruments", Liutaio Mottola Lutherie Information Website, http://www.stewmac.com/How-To/Online_Resources/Learn_About_Guitar_and_Instrument_Fretting_and_Fretw/Scale_Length_Explained.html, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Scale_length_(string_instruments)&oldid=986563321, Articles needing additional references from January 2019, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, "Fender's 3/4 Scale Guitars", a two-part article by Tim Pershing in, This page was last edited on 1 November 2020, at 17:02. This is still often regarded as the standard length for a bass guitar. Theoretically, the same principles would apply to acoustic guitars. Instead buying a shorter scale guitar, I just tuned my current guitar two steps lower and put a capo at the 2nd fret. Baby grand pianos are the smallest, intended for homes, restaurants and similar applications where the grand style of piano is desired even at the expense of the longer scale and better sound that an upright format would permit in the available space. Secondly, student sizes are not as often required, as most viola players who start learning at a young age start on the violin. Be careful to ask for kid's guitar. The first electric basses were upright electric basses built in the 1930s by fitting an otherwise normal double bass with electric pickups, and so had a scale length of about 43" (109 cm). Based on 26.inches or 660.04 mm , 7/8 scale would be 577.85mm when calculated mathematicly or 22.75 in. Many guitarists mistakenly associate scale length with the number of frets on an acoustic guitar. A player with shorter, narrower fingers will tend to find short-scale guitars more comfortable, whereas one with long and/or thick fingers will often prefer the wider fret spacing of a long-scale instrument. There is some variation in the scale length of an orchestral double bass, generally in the range 41.3–43.3 inches (1,050–1,100 mm). So, if your hand is big or small enough to handle such standard, go for 650mm. With regard to tone, a longer scale favors "brightness" or cleaner overtones and more separated harmonics versus a shorter scales, which favors "warmth" or more muddy overtones. The large bulky body allows for a lot of sound to bounce around inside it meaning we get plenty of low end. A shorter scale length does not indicate fewer frets, just frets that are closer together. On a modern bass guitar, 30" (76 cm) or less is considered short scale, standard (also called long) scale is 34" (86 cm) for a 4-string and 35" (89 cm) for a B-E-A-D-G 5-string, and extra-long scale basses of 36" (91 cm) also exist. The reason that they don’t just measure the entire vibrating section of the string, from nut to bridge/saddle, becomes clear if you look carefully at the saddle of any acoustic guitar. Violas are commonly described in terms of their body length rather than—as with other violin-family instruments—by a fraction. The two most famous violin makers, Antonio Stradivari (1644–1737) and Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù (1698–1744), both used an open string length of 12.8 inches (330 mm) for their violins, which had already been established a generation before by Jacob Stainer (c. 1617–1683). As with the violin, the Stradivarius scale is regarded as standard for orchestral work; This is about 27.4 inches (700 mm). Overall, classical guitars have longer scales than steel string guitars. However, from the mid- 20th Century luthiers seeking increased volume have moved to a 26 inches (660 mm) scale, which is now the standard for such leading makers as Ramirez. Gibson has used other scale lengths on various models through the years. For example, most Bruce Thompson Classical Guitars are long-scale instruments, listed as having a 660mm scale length on the company’s website. As this is normally the lowest bass note, it is a single string. Your email address will not be published. The result is a crisper, clearer, brighter (and some would say thinner) tone. Fender has also built some 3/4-size student guitars with a scale length of 22.5 inches (570 mm) or shorter. Nowadays, 650mm is standard which is also standard to many string manufacturers. Players specializing in purely classical technique value wide fret spacing, as it enhances the effect of traditional vibrato. After reading posts on here yesterday, I stopped by the shop, and we discussed putting a 650mm on mine. Add Jazzy Chords and Progressions to Your Tunes. A mahogany guitar with an ultra-short scale length will still sound crisper than a long-scale rosewood dreadnought. Speaking of guitarists who do not specialize, “crossover guitars,” which have nylon strings but are similar in size and design to steel string instruments, are increasingly popular. The scale length of a piano is the length of the longest string. Other guitars like travel guitars and parlor guitars also have smaller overall length, but their scale length is adjusted to full size. According to Dave Hunter's Tone Manual (2011), each scale length has its characteristic sound and tone, which is individual from other sounds in the tone chain: strings, pickups, pedals, amplifiers, speakers, and cabinets. Classical Guitar Scale Length and Size Designation Standard classical guitar scale length is 26.0 inches. Guitars that have a scale length toward the upper end of the spectrum of common lengths are called long-scale guitars, while those toward the lower end of the spectrum are called short-scale guitars. However, the official specs list the scale length as 656mm (25.8”). It is also called string length. We use AA Sitka tops on all CÁDIZ models. At 662mm (26.06”) our scale length raises the tension just a little and helps deliver more energy into the soundbox for us to harness and shape. Cellos exist in a smaller range of sizes than violins, with 4/4, 3/4, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, and 1/10 being reasonably common. Small travel guitars and guitars specifically designed for children can have even shorter scales. (Tuning the guitar only one step lower, instead of two, would effectively shorten the scale length to 615mm.) The table below shows some of the standard scale lengths used by major steel string acoustic guitar manufacturers. He typically builds 660mm scale length. Most Fender electric guitars, including the Stratocaster, Telecaster, Esquire, and Jazzmaster use a scale length of 25.5 inches (650 mm). The scale length of that specific guitar will be twice as long as that length and also the maximum for the guitar you want to construct. That is why a Fender Telecaster (25.5” scale length) has very clean, clear bass tones and stinging treble, while a Gibson Les Paul (24.75”) is known for warm, full tone but some muddiness at the low end. There are current manufacturers whose specifications indicate a 660mm scale length, although many of them “cheat it” just a little to make their instruments feel more playable to modern players.

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