Author |
Topic: Scale length list? |
Stu Schulman
From: Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)
|
Posted 16 Aug 2017 2:06 pm
|
|
I was wondering if there is a list anywhere of all pedal steel manufacturers present and past "Scale Length"" _________________ Steeltronics Z-pickup,Desert Rose S-10 4+5,Desert Rose Keyless S-10 3+5... Mullen G2 S-10 3+5,Telonics 206 pickups,Telonics volume pedal.,Blanton SD -10,Emmons GS_10...Zirctone bar,Bill Groner Bar...any amp that isn't broken.Steel Seat.Com seats...Licking paint chips off of Chinese Toys since 1952. |
|
|
|
Stu Schulman
From: Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)
|
Posted 23 Aug 2017 6:01 am
|
|
My Desert Rose guitars are 241/4"my GFI Is 24"wondering what others are using and why? _________________ Steeltronics Z-pickup,Desert Rose S-10 4+5,Desert Rose Keyless S-10 3+5... Mullen G2 S-10 3+5,Telonics 206 pickups,Telonics volume pedal.,Blanton SD -10,Emmons GS_10...Zirctone bar,Bill Groner Bar...any amp that isn't broken.Steel Seat.Com seats...Licking paint chips off of Chinese Toys since 1952. |
|
|
|
Larry Allen
From: Kapaa, Kauai,Hawaii
|
Posted 23 Aug 2017 10:36 am Scale
|
|
Hi Stu..my Sho-Bud is 24" and my Excels are 25 1/2"...Larry _________________ Excel steels & Peavey amps,Old Chevys & Motorcycles & Women on the Trashy Side |
|
|
|
Stu Schulman
From: Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)
|
Posted 23 Aug 2017 11:35 pm
|
|
Thanks Larry!! _________________ Steeltronics Z-pickup,Desert Rose S-10 4+5,Desert Rose Keyless S-10 3+5... Mullen G2 S-10 3+5,Telonics 206 pickups,Telonics volume pedal.,Blanton SD -10,Emmons GS_10...Zirctone bar,Bill Groner Bar...any amp that isn't broken.Steel Seat.Com seats...Licking paint chips off of Chinese Toys since 1952. |
|
|
|
Ian Rae
From: Redditch, England
|
Posted 23 Aug 2017 11:53 pm
|
|
Do manufacturers stick to a single length? I suspect not in all cases, as so many instruments are built to order. _________________ Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs |
|
|
|
Jim Palenscar
From: Oceanside, Calif, USA
|
Posted 24 Aug 2017 6:56 am
|
|
Carters are 24", Emmons 24 1/4", early Sierras 24" and later 25", Derby 24 1/4", Infinity 24 1/4", OnTrak 24 1/2", MSA 24" until the Legend which debuted at 24" then changed to 24 1/4". |
|
|
|
Jerry Overstreet
From: Louisville Ky
|
Posted 24 Aug 2017 7:03 am
|
|
I don't know if there's a comprehensive list like you're looking for rather than piece meal like this but:
I can add that ZumSteel, Williams and Mullen guitars are 24 1/4.
MCI 24.
I believe the new Sierra that Ross is building is 24 1/2 in. |
|
|
|
Erv Niehaus
From: Litchfield, MN, USA
|
Posted 24 Aug 2017 7:27 am
|
|
My Excel is 24 1/8". |
|
|
|
Bill Ford
From: Graniteville SC Aiken
|
Posted 24 Aug 2017 11:05 am
|
|
Lamar S12...25" _________________ Bill Ford S12 CLR, S12 Lamar keyless, Misc amps&toys Sharp Covers
Steeling for Jesus now!!! |
|
|
|
David Gertschen
From: Phoenix, Arizona
|
Posted 24 Aug 2017 11:11 am
|
|
That's a lot of variation between brands. Can someone explain the reason for this? |
|
|
|
Stu Schulman
From: Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)
|
Posted 24 Aug 2017 11:17 am
|
|
Thanks everyone,I have no idea why different manufacturers pick different scale lengths? _________________ Steeltronics Z-pickup,Desert Rose S-10 4+5,Desert Rose Keyless S-10 3+5... Mullen G2 S-10 3+5,Telonics 206 pickups,Telonics volume pedal.,Blanton SD -10,Emmons GS_10...Zirctone bar,Bill Groner Bar...any amp that isn't broken.Steel Seat.Com seats...Licking paint chips off of Chinese Toys since 1952. |
|
|
|
Erv Niehaus
From: Litchfield, MN, USA
|
Posted 24 Aug 2017 11:20 am
|
|
I'm not sure why Sho~Bud chose the 24" scale but Buddy Emmons experimented with scale lengths when he started building the Emmons guitar and he determined that 24 1/4" was the longest length he could have to minimize string breakage.
Some longer lengths are possible with keyless guitars because you don't have to deal with the extra length of string on the back side of the nut, particularly with the 5th and 6th strings. |
|
|
|
David Gertschen
From: Phoenix, Arizona
|
Posted 24 Aug 2017 11:36 am
|
|
That makes sense. Thanks, Erv! |
|
|
|
Erv Niehaus
From: Litchfield, MN, USA
|
Posted 24 Aug 2017 11:51 am
|
|
David,
I think the reason for the 24 1/8" scale on the Excel is because the Excel is built around the metric scale and 24 1/8" is converted from a more logical metric measurement.
Last edited by Erv Niehaus on 24 Aug 2017 11:51 am; edited 1 time in total |
|
|
|
Jerry Overstreet
From: Louisville Ky
|
Posted 24 Aug 2017 11:51 am
|
|
More stuff in this old thread. http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=310076&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
It would be nice if all this were condensed, combined into one topic if and when all the models have been covered if there's not one out there already.
I notice there are statements that some brands and models may have had different scale lengths at different times in their manufacture as if it wasn't confusing enough already. |
|
|
|
Chris Lucker
From: Los Angeles, California USA
|
Posted 24 Aug 2017 11:58 am
|
|
I may be wrong, but from my experience, the first 24 inch scale Sho-Buds were D8 guitars converted to D-9s and D-10s. The scale had to be shortened because a longer keyhead did not fit on the original cabinet.
Although i have never seen a 25 1/2 inch scale Sho-Bud, I have over a dozen 25 1/2 inch scale Sho-Bud fretboards for eight string necks. They are still in the packaging from the silk screen shop. Curiously, there is a zip code in the mailing address. Maybe the print shop had made them years earlier?
_________________ Chris Lucker
Red Bellies, Bigsbys and a lot of other guitars. |
|
|
|
Ian Rae
From: Redditch, England
|
Posted 24 Aug 2017 12:14 pm
|
|
Erv, 24 1/8" is 612.775 mm _________________ Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs |
|
|
|
Brett Day
From: Pickens, SC
|
Posted 24 Aug 2017 12:20 pm
|
|
My Jackson Blackjack Custom is 24 scale, like the Sho-Buds. |
|
|
|
Erv Niehaus
From: Litchfield, MN, USA
|
Posted 24 Aug 2017 12:31 pm
|
|
Ian,
That's an odder figure than 24 1/8". |
|
|
|
Gene Haugh
From: Arkansas, USA
|
Posted 24 Aug 2017 2:15 pm
|
|
Hey Guys,
I won't say that Sho~Bud never made a 25-1/2" Steel because I think Shot made whatever he thought of at the time. But I think you may be looking at a Sho~Bro fretboard. We made quite a few of them in the mid to late 1970s in Arkansas and they all had white 25-1/2" fretboards like the one Chris showed.
I have a 7 string with that fretboard on it.
Just a thought.
Gene Haugh |
|
|
|
Jerry Jones
From: Franklin, Tenn.
|
Posted 24 Aug 2017 2:57 pm
|
|
Chris Lucker wrote: |
I may be wrong, but from my experience, the first 24 inch scale Sho-Buds were D8 guitars converted to D-9s and D-10s. The scale had to be shortened because a longer keyhead did not fit on the original cabinet. |
This looks like evidence that manufacturing design decisions are sometimes made out of necessity rather than extensive research. _________________ Jerry Jones |
|
|
|
Jim Palenscar
From: Oceanside, Calif, USA
|
Posted 24 Aug 2017 3:16 pm
|
|
Stu- you are now the official compiler and purveyor of all things scale related on the pedal steel |
|
|
|
Jerry Jones
From: Franklin, Tenn.
|
Posted 24 Aug 2017 3:31 pm
|
|
Lloyd's LDG has a 24-1/2" scale. I had heard that the first few LDGs used this longer scale length but quickly switched to the common 24" scale.
Curious that no other 24-1/2" LDGs have surfaced (that I'm aware of), and I find it unlikely the McGhee Display would have screened only a handful of these longer boards. Where are those early Buds and where are the remaining 24-1/2" boards? _________________ Jerry Jones |
|
|
|
Chris Lucker
From: Los Angeles, California USA
|
Posted 24 Aug 2017 3:47 pm
|
|
More than a handful. Five handfuls. The wrapper says there were "25." I have fourteen or so left. _________________ Chris Lucker
Red Bellies, Bigsbys and a lot of other guitars. |
|
|
|
Larry Allen
From: Kapaa, Kauai,Hawaii
|
Posted 24 Aug 2017 4:31 pm Scale
|
|
Stu, here's one you gave me 20 years ago to restore..scale is 22 3/4"!! Larry
_________________ Excel steels & Peavey amps,Old Chevys & Motorcycles & Women on the Trashy Side |
|
|
|