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Topic: String length and tone? |
Tony Harris
From:
England
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Posted 1 Dec 2000 4:55 am |
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I find that my ears prefer the sound of a note down the bottom end of the neck (long thin string), to the SAME note higher up (shorter, slightly thicker string). It struck me that it might be because of the longer string length - I like the tone of a pedal steel - do they have a longer scale length than laps?
Are all lap steels the same, or does anyone make a longer one that might have this tone?
Or is it a pickup issue? My next move is to try lighter gauge strings...
Questions, questions... |
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Bobby Lee
From:
Cloverdale, California, USA
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Posted 1 Dec 2000 12:20 pm
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Scale lengths vary on both lap and pedal steels. The longer scales sound richer to my ear too. That's probably because there is more string vibrating.
On non-pedal steels, you have to abandon your adjacent bar slants on the low frets to use a longer scale, unless you have really wide string spacing (like the Sierra Laptop). In some kinds of music that isn't a problem, but Hawaiian music really requires those slants. That's why most of the Hawaiian players use very short scales. |
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Ian McLatchie
From:
Sechelt, British Columbia
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Posted 1 Dec 2000 3:15 pm
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Tony: The vast majority of lap steels have a string length in the range of 22-1/2," but there were models made with scale lengths anywhere from 17" or 18" to 26" and beyond.
As Bobby says, the primary advantage of a shorter scale is that it facilitates easier slants. On the other hand, longer scale instruments have both better sustain and clearer harmonics, and to most ears a fuller, more precise tone. You can easily hear the difference if you compare a short-scale (22-1/2") Fender Stringmaster to the 26" version. The long-neck instrument has a much crisper, almost bell-like tone, and markedly better harmonics. |
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Ron
From:
Hermiston, Oregon
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Posted 2 Dec 2000 2:32 pm
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I would guess the lingth of string would give a higher or less string tention. Some time I want to devise a # scale to check this out. In a regular guitar a small one has to have heavier strings to be able to tune because the tention is different on a short scale. I dont under this but if some one knowes clue me in.
RON |
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