Guitar scale lenghts and setups

[Econ]

Hello folks:

I currently own a Gibson Les Paul Custom and Fender HM Strat. These guitars have different scale lenghts. My question is: Does it make a difference the guitar's scale lenght in regards to the ease of setting it up? I just purchase the LP from another forum member and he did a fantastic job setting up that guitar. The action is low with no buzzing. I use standard tunning and with this LP and you actually don't feel much resistance from the strings. On the other hand, it has been a little challenge to set the action on that Fender as low as I have it on my Gibson. The action is not that high, but also not as low as the LP. I feel a little bit of resistance from the strings on the Fender. They don't feel as "loose" as the strings on the Gibson. Anyway, any comments on this subject will be greatly appreciated.

[jimbilly]

Re: Guitar scale lenghts and setups

The shorter scale does result in lower tension, a lot of guys use slightly bigger strings on their shorter scale guitars.
As far as the action being higher on the strat, the frets are probaby just a bit more evenly dressed on your LP. How's your truss rod/neck curve on the Strat?

[MountainDog]

Re: Guitar scale lenghts and setups

What Jimbilly said is correct. To answer your question, no, the scale length doesn't make a difference in ease of setting up. Before you try to set action height, make sure the trus rod/neck relief is correct. (and leveled frets help reduce buzzing).

Another area that affects the amount of pressure you put down (especially at the nut) is how the nut slots or floyd nut are cut. If the nut is holding the strings higher than it needs too off the board, then this will cause you to have to push harder at the first few frets.

Also, neck radius vs. the radius of the bridge can affect the way a guitar feels and how low you can go with the action without buzzing. For example if you have a neck radius of 10", but a bridge radius of 15", and then lower the action so the middle d and g strings feel the correct height off the board, you'll notice the outside e strings seem too high, which they would be in this example as the bridge radius was flatter than the neck radius. Of course your guitars came from the factory with mated parts, so hopefully this isn't an issue on your guitars. I'm just mentioning this as the neck radius to bridge radius helps play a part in the overall feel of a guitar, and most floyds/floyd-type kahlers come with just one radius, and this may or may not match the neck radius the manufacturer chose to use.

Anyway, the Gibson would be the 24.75" scale length, and the fender HM uses an oddball length of 25.1" ("normal" fender scale is 25.5").

So check your HM's neck relief first, then make sure the spring claw is set so your trem is level with the body/neck, check to see if the lock nut isn't causing the strings to be to high above the first fret, then play with the two bridge height screws to get the bridge as low as you want without buzzing.

The nice thing about having one guitar that 'feels' right, is that you can check how it is set up and compare each area to the other guitar for hints on how to adust the other one.

[jimbilly]

Re: Guitar scale lenghts and setups

Oh, so the Fender HM length is pretty much the same as PRS's 25"? That's pretty weird that they built the HM with a different scale.

[DonP]

Re: Guitar scale lenghts and setups

Make sure you have the same strings on each as well. Some might feel different than others.

They are both the same size, right? can't expect 9's and 10's to feel the same.

[MountainDog]

Re: Guitar scale lenghts and setups

[ QUOTE ]
Make sure you have the same strings on each as well. Some might feel different than others.

They are both the same size, right? can't expect 9's and 10's to feel the same.

[/ QUOTE ]

+1 Also make sure the strings are from the same manufacturer, ie don't put 9's from ernie ball on one and 9's from dean markly on the other. I've seen differing string tension from the same gauge based on the winding process of the E/A/D strings, different manufacturers use slightly different processes.

[MountainDog]

Re: Guitar scale lenghts and setups

Jimbilly, yes, the HM 25.1 is close to the PRS 25". Here's an old thread listing other 25.1/25" scale guitars:
http://www.jcfonline.com/ubbthreads/show...true#Post629476

[Chad]

Re: Guitar scale lenghts and setups

A lot of the difference in string feel from manufacturer to manfacturer is due to the size of the core. The bigger the core, the "tighter" the feel of the string.

[Econ]

Re: Guitar scale lenghts and setups

[ QUOTE ]
What Jimbilly said is correct. To answer your question, no, the scale length doesn't make a difference in ease of setting up. Before you try to set action height, make sure the trus rod/neck relief is correct. (and leveled frets help reduce buzzing).

What do I need to do in order to know if the neck relief on my Fender is appropriate?
Another area that affects the amount of pressure you put down (especially at the nut) is how the nut slots or floyd nut are cut. If the nut is holding the strings higher than it needs too off the board, then this will cause you to have to push harder at the first few frets.

Also, neck radius vs. the radius of the bridge can affect the way a guitar feels and how low you can go with the action without buzzing. For example if you have a neck radius of 10", but a bridge radius of 15", and then lower the action so the middle d and g strings feel the correct height off the board, you'll notice the outside e strings seem too high, which they would be in this example as the bridge radius was flatter than the neck radius. Of course your guitars came from the factory with mated parts, so hopefully this isn't an issue on your guitars. I'm just mentioning this as the neck radius to bridge radius helps play a part in the overall feel of a guitar, and most floyds/floyd-type kahlers come with just one radius, and this may or may not match the neck radius the manufacturer chose to use.

Anyway, the Gibson would be the 24.75" scale length, and the fender HM uses an oddball length of 25.1" ("normal" fender scale is 25.5").

So check your HM's neck relief first, then make sure the spring claw is set so your trem is level with the body/neck, check to see if the lock nut isn't causing the strings to be to high above the first fret, then play with the two bridge height screws to get the bridge as low as you want without buzzing.

The nice thing about having one guitar that 'feels' right, is that you can check how it is set up and compare each area to the other guitar for hints on how to adust the other one.

[/ QUOTE ]

[Econ]

Re: Guitar scale lenghts and setups

[ QUOTE ]
Make sure you have the same strings on each as well. Some might feel different than others.

They are both the same size, right? can't expect 9's and 10's to feel the same.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, the strings on both guitars are the same size.

[Econ]

Re: Guitar scale lenghts and setups

How do I know if thye neck relief is appropriate and do I set it up right?

[MountainDog]

Re: Guitar scale lenghts and setups

[ QUOTE ]
How do I know if thye neck relief is appropriate and do I set it up right?


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CLICK HERE!