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Topic: Lap steel scale, 24" or 22.5? |
Dennis Brown
From:
Gowen, Mi. USA
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Posted 6 Nov 2023 12:44 pm |
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Your choice? Which would it be and your (short answer) reason for it.
Thanks in advance. I like short scale myself. |
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Noah Miller
From:
Rocky Hill, CT
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Posted 6 Nov 2023 12:52 pm
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| Most of my favorite-sounding steels are in the 22-23" area, but longer scales make it easier to get the intonation sounding right. I also find it easier to slant on longer scales because I'm less likely to overshoot. |
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Joe A. Roberts
From:
Seoul, South Korea
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Posted 7 Nov 2023 12:38 am
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I definitely prefer short scale as the ease of slants on lower frets is appreciable.
It can be the difference between being able to play and not being able to play a chord cleanly.
For that reason, I also prefer 24" and 24.75" scale on armpit guitars.
Supposedly 24.5" and 26" scales have better harmonics, sustain, and bass string capabilities.
That may be true, but I don't notice a difference large enough to change over.
And its hard to ascribe differences in sound to the scale length vs. different pickups, woods, etc...
Finally, my favorite instruments, 7/8 string Rickenbackers and Fender trapezoid models are almost exclusively short scale.
I have never played greater than 24.5" scale. I have always been curious about the long scale 26" MK1 Stringmasters. |
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Cody Farwell
From:
Sunland, CA
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Posted 7 Nov 2023 2:49 am
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I used to play short scale, but really fell in love with long scale guitars.
My guitars are around 24.5". I think they sound a lot more in tune especially when performing live.
I do have a short scale Rickenbacker DW-16 that I can't seem to let go of. It sounds so good, I make an exception. I do think it would sound better if it was a longer scale though |
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D Schubert
From:
Columbia, MO, USA
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Posted 7 Nov 2023 5:35 am
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I have 24" Stringmaster and several 22 1/2" Supros. I play them both, but for me, the shorter scale is more comfortable, especially for slanting.
_________________
GFI Expo S-10PE, Sho-Bud 6139, Fender 2x8 Stringmaster, Supro consoles, Dobro. And more. |
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Dennis Brown
From:
Gowen, Mi. USA
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Posted 7 Nov 2023 5:48 am 22.5/24
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| Hey, thank you for your replies gentleman. I surely appreciate the great comments. |
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Tony Oresteen
From:
Georgia, USA
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Posted 7 Nov 2023 12:55 pm
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| D Schubert wrote: |
| I have 24" Stringmaster and several 22 1/2" Supros. I play them both, but for me, the shorter scale is more comfortable, especially for slanting. |
Actually, the medium scale Stringmaster is 24.5"
Here's how I group scale length:
Super Short Scale: 21.0" - Rogue, etc
Short Scale: 22.5 & 23.0 - Lots, Rickenbacker, Recording King, Stringmaster, etc.
Medium scale: 24.5" - Stringmaster etc.
Long scale: 26" & longer: Stringmaster MK1 etc.
PSG Scale: 24.0"
Spanish Guitar 24.75" & 25.5"
I prefer 24.5 medium scale and I like the 26" long scale for lower tones with fatter strings. I am building a 26" six string baritone. I need to spend more time with my short scale steel guitars.
_________________
Tony
Newnan, GA
Too many guitars, not enough time to play
'72 Sho-Bud 6139, '71 Marlen 210
'78 Fender Stringmaster Quad black
PedalMaster D8 |
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Nic Neufeld
From:
Kansas City, Missouri
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Posted 7 Nov 2023 1:06 pm
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I partly accidentally standardized on "medium" scale (sometimes called long scale) of about 24.5". My stringmaster, magnatone, SX, and Clinesmith all in that ballpark. A nice thing about it is that my acoustics (dobro and tricone) also match that scale. So its a nice standard for me. I don't think I would mind the semi-short scale (22.5, 23")...the difference is pretty small, but standardizing across my instruments at least means they will all feel similar in terms of scale (although with string spacing variances, slant angles will vary slightly). I do know that I mind the 20" scale of my first guitar, a Morrell. At least, it never sounded very good and I attributed at least some of that to its extremely short scale.
_________________
Waikīkī, at night when the shadows are falling
I hear the rolling surf calling
Calling and calling to me |
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Peter Jacobs
From:
Northern Virginia
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Posted 7 Nov 2023 2:47 pm
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My 3 steels are in the 22.5 - 23” range, and they work for me. I haven’t played a longer scale steel, but my reso is 25”. They all work about the same for me. I’m more conscious of string spacing, so I have them all the same.
Realistically, none of this helps my playing. 
_________________
Peter
---------
www.splinterville.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@splinterville6278/videos |
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Miles Lang
From:
Venturaloha
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Posted 7 Nov 2023 5:15 pm
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My 22.5” scale Stringmaster sounds better than the 24.5” Stringmaster I used to play. The sound is much richer.
_________________
Santo Fan Club - from the island of Coney to the sands of Rockaway
Jill Martini & The Shrunken Heads
All aloha, all the time |
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Tim Toberer
From:
Nebraska, USA
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Posted 22 Nov 2023 8:37 am
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| How much harder are behind the bar pulls on a 24” instrument compared with a 22.5? I have recently started doing a lot of these and my new guitar will be 24” as opposed to 22.5. I am considering that I could use lighter strings if they are too difficult. |
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Steven Pearce
From:
Port Orchard Washington, USA
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Posted 22 Nov 2023 9:10 am
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Always played 22.5 then I picked up a 6 string 24.5 scale practice board.
I played both for almost 2years. What hooked it for me was
I play open D and a 62 on the low D. The longer scale stays in tune better, and that 62 is tighter so it’s better
But then, all of this ‘in tune stuff depends on your bridge, nut, old strings/new strings, and on and on…
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http://www.fentonstwang.com/fr_home.cfm |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 22 Nov 2023 9:28 am
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I was always a long scale player, but these days I need both. Just like different guitars give different tonal options, having different scales (and string spacing) presents you with options, which is great because no one instrument can do it all. You can actually be a different player to some degree with each. The key is to play your instruments enough to know where the strengths lie and to maximize those strengths when playing them.
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Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 22 Nov 2023 9:31 am
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| Tim Toberer wrote: |
| How much harder are behind the bar pulls on a 24” instrument compared with a 22.5? I have recently started doing a lot of these and my new guitar will be 24” as opposed to 22.5. I am considering that I could use lighter strings if they are too difficult. |
If you use the same string gauges on a 22.5 and 24, the tension will be greater. You need to look at the string gauge charts for scale length and adjust gauges as necessary. Since in all likelihood you are not going to pulling all strings, buy a few singles in gauges close to what came with the set and see how it feels/sounds.
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Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
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