Stringmaster long versus short neck

David Doggett · Posted 7 Feb 2006 7:05 am

I have been wanting a D8 Stringmaster for a long time. I have an opportunity to buy one with a 22 1/2" neck, and a much more expensive one with a 24 1/2" neck. I understand the longer neck will have a little more sustain, but some people prefer the shorter neck for slants. How much difference do these things make? Considering the rarity and cost of Stringmasters these days, is this something I should be worrying about? I may just dabble with this thing - I currently play pedal steel for gigs. I doubt I will ever drop pedal steel, but I might bring along the Stringmaster sometimes.

By the way, I did some searches and didn't really find anything on this question.

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Student of the Steel: Zum uni, Fender tube amps, squareneck and roundneck resos, tenor sax, keyboards

[This message was edited by David Doggett on 07 February 2006 at 07:06 AM.]

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

If I was in your position, I think I would make an offer on both of them. The way the market is going of late, you could play both of them, decide on the one you like better, and sell the other.

Erv

David Doggett · Posted 7 Feb 2006 11:04 am

Did some more searches and found lots of stuff on this. But I'm still interested in opinions.

Billy Gilbert · From: Texas, USA

Unless you are a real Pro, you probably won't be able to tell much difference. I have a Dual Pro with the 22.5" scale and a Stringmaster with the 24.5" and it is no problem to go from one to the other. They sound a little different but I like them both.

Billy

Rick Collins · From: Claremont , CA USA

David, if you can get a better deal, buy the 22&1/2" scale. You can play just as much music on it as you can the 24&1/2". One day it also will be worth a lot of money.

I play a Fender Dual Eight Pro. for Hawaiian and a Fender 26" scale triple-neck for Hawaiian and western. I could not part with either.

My favorite of Jerry Byrd's sayings:

If you are a good player, it doesn't matter what kind of guitar you have. If you are not a good player, then IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT KIND OF GUITAR YOU HAVE.

Lee Jeffriess · From: Vallejo California

Rick, thats the truth, right there,and from one of the masters.
Shoot, it makes no difference to my ears, what the scale lengh is, its in your touch, and your ideas.
Lee

Jeff Au Hoy · From: Honolulu, Hawai'i

I was convinced that the long scale Stringmaster was better sound-wise until hearing Duke Ching at the HSGA Joliet Convention. Duke recently switched from long scale to short and the difference in sound is indiscernable. In a blind test, I doubt anyone can actually identify whether an instrument is long or short scale.

Jesse Pearson · From: San Diego , CA

From liking to play short scale Magnatones and putting the thickest strings I can get away with on em to fatten up the sound, I've hoped I’m successful in balancing out the tone a little compared to a longer scale steel with the recommended middle of the road gauges? I guess it's the tone/timbre your after in the end, because I've heard short scales with what I consider really light gauge strings and they have a different but very nice sound sometimes. Some short scales have fooled my ear because I thought they were long scales, and it turned out the gauges were pretty light? The individual pickups must have a lot to do with it I guess along with what tuning your using. I just go with 22.5 for the slants and try and make the sound beefy with heavy gauge strings. If I ever own a great short scale, I’ll try light gauge strings like some of my idols use. I guess the issue of short verses long comes down to doing slants.

[This message was edited by Jesse Pearson on 12 February 2006 at 09:48 AM.]

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