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Topic: Ease of Playing Scale Length |
Ron Wendler
From:
Southern Minnesota, USA
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Posted 22 Jul 2017 6:59 am |
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I haven't seen anything on what scale length is easiest to play. Maybe there's no difference??? I built my first Lap Steel to a 24.5 scale and now thinking of another go at it. This time I'm thinking should I go with a 22" or stay with the middle of the road scale size. Any thoughts???
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A fine instrument is like a lady. Treat it nice and it will make lovely music. |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 22 Jul 2017 7:32 am
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| Jerry Byrd favored the 22 1/2" scale. |
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Jeff Mead
From:
London, England
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Posted 22 Jul 2017 7:33 am
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Not sure if it makes that much difference but 22.5" seems to be more common than 22".
All my non-pedal steels are 22.5" so maybe I'm just biased. |
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Ron Wendler
From:
Southern Minnesota, USA
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Posted 22 Jul 2017 11:05 am
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Yup Guys I ment 22.5" but I think I'm going with another 24.5" and maybe a 22.5" for a twin.
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A fine instrument is like a lady. Treat it nice and it will make lovely music. |
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Stefan Robertson
From:
Hertfordshire, UK
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Posted 22 Jul 2017 1:09 pm
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| Erv Niehaus wrote: |
| Jerry Byrd favored the 22 1/2" scale. |
Definitely 22.5 some of those split slants would be a nightmare on a longer scale for me.
And I already use a long, 12 string heavy 12.4 Oz Bar. But Bigger is better. So the ladies tell me. 
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Stefan
Bill Hatcher custom 12 string Lap Steel Guitar
E13#9/F secrets: https://thelapsteelguitarist.wordpress.com
"Give it up for The Lap Steel Guitarist" |
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Cartwright Thompson
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Posted 24 Jul 2017 2:51 am
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| I like the sound, sustain and feel of a 24 1/2" scale. Slants are more difficult lower on the neck but harmonics and slants are easier up high. |
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Tony Lombardo
From:
Alabama, USA
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Posted 24 Jul 2017 8:06 am
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| My steel's scale length is 22.5." I have tried longer ones a few times, but my slants are much more accurate with 22.5" scale length. |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 24 Jul 2017 8:12 am
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I did a lot of slants on a 26 1/2" scale Stringmaster but back then I didn't know better. 
The longer the scale, the longer the sustain.  |
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Andy DePaule
From:
Saigon, Viet Nam & Springfield, Oregon
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Posted 24 Jul 2017 1:19 pm Harmonics
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Some say the harmonics are easier on the longer scale.
I'm not very good at them, so I've been practicing on my new Clinesmith and slowly getting better at it, but still far from trusting myself to hit them right.
I've never had a longer lap steel but maybe some day I'll find one to borrow and see about that.
About the sustain, the Clinesmith has plenty. My Fender Duel 8 is okay, but not as good as the other. I also have another 8 string lap steel, a Morrell at my house overseas and it's sustain is not very good at all, so I'd say it has more to do with the construction and the pickups than the string length.
One thing about the Clinesmith is I don't get tired of practice. Everything short of the wrong fret for a chord or a bad note sounds so good.
Come to think of it, even the bad ones sound good on this steel. I'll just call it Jazz
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Inlaid Star Guitar 2006 by Mark Giles. SD-10 4+5 in E9th; http://luthiersupply.com/instrument-gallery.html
2017 Mullen SD-10, G2 5&5 Polished Aluminum covering. Custom Build for me. Great Steel.
Clinesmith Joaquin Murphy style Aluminum 8 String Lap Steel Short A6th.
Magnatone Jeweltone Series Lap Steel, Circa 1950? 6 String with F#minor7th Tuning.
1956 Dewey Kendrick D-8 4&3, Restoration Project.
1973 Sho~Bud Green SD-10 4&5 PSG, Restoration Project. |
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