Short Scale Guitars?

[bradly]

I was just wondering was your experiences have been with short scale guitar. What you like and don't like about them. Thanks.

-Bradly

 

[Phyl]

Are you talking about 24 3/4 inches (e.g. Gibson) versus 25 1/2 inches (e.g. fender), kids guitars (3/4 scale, et al), or.... what?

 

[bradly]

Are you talking about 24 3/4 inches (e.g. Gibson) versus 25 1/2 inches (e.g. fender), kids guitars (3/4 scale, et al), or.... what?

I'm asking in response to Taylor's short scale series [ info ]. I'm picking up a Taylor this weekend and I'm just wondering if I should look into the short scale models.

-Bradly

 

[Hard2Hear]

play them amd see. They feel different. The strings are easier for fingerpicking but they dont sound as good when banging out chords. It's just a different, kind of looser, feel. Play some and you'll feel it pretty quickly. The Dolye Dykes signature Taylor is a short scale model, and the new short scale guitars are kind of in response to its popularity.

h2H

 

[allrics]

John Lennon's Ric 325 was a short-scaled neck guitar. He was able to obtain some great sounds with it.

 

[apl]

I had a Fender Mustang (24"). It was cool and fun to play. I hot rodded it, since Strat pickups fit in it, with Seymour Duncans.

 

[Light]

The strings are easier for fingerpicking but they dont sound as good when banging out chords.

I must, politely, but completely, disagree. One of the places where you will see the most short scale guitars is the rhythm guitarists for old time fiddle players. These guys play nothing but chords, basically a different chord, or at least voicing, for every strum. A lot of changes, at any rate. These guys almost all play old Gibson Jumbos, which are all short scale guitars. The Les Paul is a short scale guitar, as are most of the archtops used for Big Band Jazz (again, complex and sophisticated chords, chopped on the quarter). Big Band stuff, by the way, is incredibly hard to do well. Listen to some old Freddie Greene, and you'll hear what I mean. That shit MOVES.

I love short scale guitars. They have a sort of "wonkiness" that is very appealing. That word doesn't really sound very appealing, but it is when I hear it. It may not be for you, but it is for me. It seems to convey more emotion (though of course, that is ridiculous. It still seems that way).


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[Sloan]

I've been playing a Fender Cyclone II for almost the past two years, I love it.
It's the short 24" scale me thinks.

Oh, I also have a nice Univox Hi-Flier bass that's short as well, it plays great!