Lap Steel scale length for big hands?

Jacob Sudol · From: Florida, USA

Hi All,

First time poster!~ I know this has been discussed a lot, but I am wondering if anybody has any insights re: the best lap steel scale length for somebody with big hands?

I'm a longtime guitar player and have a degree in classical piano performance and recently just commissioned a new 8 String Melbert Deluxe Lap Steel. This said, I'm not quite sure what would be the best scale length for my hands. I was leaning towards a 24" or so, but after reading a bunch of posts here, I'm not so sure.

For context, on the guitar I usually prefer a 25.5" scale and find the upper registers useless for my fingers on any scale from 24.75 and down. I also have a reach of about a #11 (C to F#) on the piano and, as such, often have a more trouble with small quick scale passages than the bigger chords and leaps that most people with smaller hands struggle with.

I've read re: the greater ease of slants for smaller scales, but I'm just not sure if that'll be much easier for someone like me, and I haven't seen any discussions re: scale that address hand size here before.

Any insights would be really appreciated and thanks in advance!~

Brian Evans · From: Nova Scotia, Canada

My take, as a guy with size XL hands, is that scale length on a steel guitar doesn't matter much, and hand size isn't what makes the difference. I play a 25" Dobro, and a 23" National, and I find the National needs more precision but is faster. The Dobro is lazy in comparision, is how it feels to me. As far as hand size is concerned, no difference, but comfort on which steel bar you end up with does depend on hand size, and I imagine string spacing at the bridge might have an impact too.

As far as regular guitars go, I used to have the same idea as you but something made me measure once. I have a 24.25" Silvertone and a 25.5" Epiphone out right now, and I can't tell the difference. When I measure, the difference is almost exactly one fret - the short scale Silvertone is the same as the long scale Epiphone capo'd at first fret. So it's like playing one fret higher, and I really can't tell the difference in fret spacing since I almost never play in open position, usually playing in Bb in third position or in C fifth position. I guess I routinely play up to the 15th fret. My fuss about scale length turned out to be a pre-conception, all in my imagination. There is a difference in string tension and hence string feel though.

Noah Miller · From: Rocky Hill, CT

Yeah, scale length on a steel really has no connection to the size of one's hands. The key issue is being able to intonate precisely, and 23" vs 25" has minimal bearing on that. It can have an enormous impact on the feel of a guitar or other fretted instrument, but it's not like you're cramming your fingers in between the frets on a steel.

Jacob Sudol · From: Florida, USA

Thanks Brian and Noah for your replies and insights. They're really helpful

I think I'll mull this over a little before deciding.

Brian, it's good to know that smaller just feels quicker and I'll surely keep in mind your advice re: tone bar and get a pretty big one for my paws.

It's funny, I have only a few guitars and the 25.5" Fenders just feel right. I can play them all the way to the top with no issues. I have a 24.75" Epiphone and I can't play above the 15" because a feel too cramped. Even chords in first position feel kind of off to me.

All this said, I can see how scale length could matter a lot less on steel given what Noah mentions re: not having to cram my fingers between frets and on the fretboard. Very Happy

Michael Butler · From: California, USA

jacob: welcome to the forum.

radius and width at the nut and bridge may have more to do with your difference in guitars than the scale length altho that is part of the equation.

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D Schubert · From: Columbia, MO, USA

Jacob, you might want to take a minute and play a few more of other people's guitars before ordering a bespoke outfit.

Scale length, string spacing at nut and 24th fret, heavy or light string tension. Even if you are not doing a lot with bar slanting and behind-the-bar bends right now, you probably will be.

You may find that you're indifferent to all these things. Many of us are. Or, you may find a parameter that makes all the difference in the world to you.

Jeff Highland · From: New South Wales, Australia

For me, I prefer a long scale, because I play solo and to accompany myself singing. I like the fuller and more solid tone I get with a low D on a long scale. In a full band setting, different style, that becomes less important.
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Nic Neufeld · From: Kansas City, Missouri

I seemed to standardize on medium/long scale (24.5, 25") partly by accident (first "real" steel being a Stringmaster of that scale) and partly by preference. My preferred 8 string tuning is Jules Ah See C13 which has a low C, so it's basically like a bass guitar string (70 gauge). The more scale length the better for that string...you want a kind of piano like depth and clarity there. That said, I imagine (with the string spacing that is somewhat tight on my magnatone and fender) the low fret slants are trickier on my instrument than on a short scale instrument. Those would be my considerations, I don't think hand size will matter much for scale length.
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Jeff Highland · From: New South Wales, Australia

Jacob Sudol · From: Florida, USA

Thanks everyone for the replies, this has been really informative!

Thinking some re: the relationship between scale and string width, although I'm abroad and away from my guitars now, I recall that my 24.75" scale guitars are much narrower than my 25.5" ones. Mathematically, it seems just a matter of a ratio re: scale length and string width re: ease of slants etc.

This said, I'll just confirm with my luthier (Melbert's lapsteels) to confirm the ratios are intact before he etches my lap steel and maybe lean towards a bit longer (e.g. 24" or 24.25") given that one just gets familiar with whatever one knows, and how I've usually favored slighter bigger instruments over the years.

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