How does scale length affect acoustic guitar?

We find that using a short scale will most often make a guitar’s tone softer and warmer. The shorter scale also makes the guitar feel easier to play due to less string tension (when compared to a long-scale instrument).

What difference does scale length make on a guitar?

The most important impact scale length makes is on the tension of the strings. The longer the scale length, the higher the tension needs to be to bring the string up to pitch. A short scale length requires very little tension to bring the strings up to pitch when compared to a longer scale guitar.

Are shorter scale length guitars easier to play?

All factors being equal (string gauge, string length beyond the nut and saddle, break angles, and so on), shorter scales produce lower string tension, are more elastic, easier to fret, and require less arm extension.

How much does scale length affect tone?

The big one: TONE Where all of the overtones and harmonics sit on a string is determined by its scale length. With a longer scale, and more room for the harmonics to breath, you end up with a more clear, ringing tone. Think of the shimmer of a Strat here. That increase in tension brings more focus too.

Is a longer scale guitar harder to play?

Because the strings on a shorter-scale are under less tension, they are easier to bend and fret. The wider fret spacing on longer-scale guitars also means that, depending on the size of your hands, they can be a little more difficult to play than those with a shorter scale.

What is the difference between a 12 and 14 fret guitar?

A big difference between 12-fret and 14-fret guitars is the location of the bridge. 12-fret guitar guitars tend to be warmer, fuller sounding, because of where the bridge is located.” On the other hand, a 14-fret guitar, with the bridge closer to the soundhole, can be brighter, with more attack on the highs.

Do short scale guitars sound different?

Guitars with short scale lengths tend to sound warmer and a tad fuller than guitars with longer scales, as the lower amount of tension allows their strings to vibrate more freely.

What is the average scale length of an acoustic guitar?

25.5 inches
Among acoustic guitars, the most common scales are clustered around 25.4–25.5 inches and 24.75 inches.

Does scale length affect tuning?

To be tuned correctly, strings fitted to a guitar with a 25½ inch scale length have to be placed under more tension than strings on a shorter-scale guitar. Strings on longer-scale guitars will feel tighter and firmer than those fitted to one with a short scale. This affects playability.

Why are there 2 dots on the 12th fret?

What is this? There are two dots on the 12th fret on a guitar because that’s the point where the notes start repeating from the open string. This is handy to know when you start learning scales because you can reuse the same scale shapes below and above the 12th fret.

What is the advantage of a 12-fret guitar?

A 12-fret guitar has its bridge further from the soundhole, closer to the lower bout, allowing it to sit on a more flexible place on the top and offering more sustain on smaller bodies.

What is the difference between short scale and full scale guitar?

Short-scale guitars, as the name suggests, have a smaller scale length. Guitars with a ‘long scale” or full scale-length guitars have a 25.5-inch scale length, give or take an inch. Short scale guitars, on the other hand, range from 22 to 24.75-inches depending on the make/model of the guitar.

Does the scale length of a guitar matter?

The scale length of a guitar does matter. It impacts both how a guitar feels in the hands of the player as well as how the strings themselves feel when played. Since scale length affects string tension it also affects the suitability of certain guitars for certain styles of play.

How much does the length of a guitar string affect tension?

Therefore, a three-percent change in scale length can result in a six-percent change in tension. By comparison, a set of .011–.052 strings adds up to 148.6 pounds. The result is that the tension of .012s on the shorter scale will be very comparable to the .011s on the longer scale.

Do different scale lengths make a difference?

That’s a good question. Different scale lengths make for quite a different guitar in terms of playability and tone. Firstly, a guitar with a shorter scale length will have less space between the frets – because they still have to fit 12 frets but they have to fit those frets in within a shorter amount of space.

What is the scale length of a Stratocaster?

To keep using the Stratocaster above as an example, if you were to measure from the nut to the 12th fret you would (hopefully!) get a measurement of 12.75″ (or 324mm). Now, multiply that by two and we’ll arrive at the correct scale length of 25.5″ (or 648mm).