Evolution: 12 to 14 fret, long & short scale

zohn

Sometimes a confusing subject - explained in detail as only Paul Hostetter can:

Q: So why did some of the early flattops have such short scales? Why did Martin convert their 000 from a 25.4" scale to a 24.9"?

A: Simple. The longer scales carried over from the era of gut strings. As makers went to steel strings (Gibson was well ahead of Martin on this one) the engineering had to change, and so did the scales. Until the mid 1960's, all strings were basically mediums and heavies. There was no light gauge. A shorter scale made them easier to play. A case in point is Martin's 000 models which originated with a 25.4" scale, and a 12-fret body. See above. When they first converted the 000 to a 14-fret body, they called it an OM, and it retained the 25.4" scale. Soon they discovered players were finding the long scale a bit too much of a handful with steel strings, and they reconfigured the model with a 24.(" scale. And dropped the OM appellation as well. It was just a 000 again.

Today the short scale is back again, partly to met the needs of people who need the frets closer together for playing ease, partly for the softer sound that comes with lower tension. It may also be a nostalgia thing. Ultimately people like guitars that kick butt, and no 24.75" or 24.9" scale guitar will really do that the way a 25.4" scale guitar will. The longer scales also help improve intonation.

Read the whole article here:
http://www.lutherie.net/12-14-evolution.html

singemonkey

I must say, I love the look of a parlour sized guitar with a slotted headstock like that. As the article says, you can just slap heavier strings on for the shorter scale length.

Is part of the appeal of longer scale dreadnoughts the stronger bass response? One thing I really hate on records is when an acoustic produces so little bass and mids in the mix that all you really hear are the harmonics - almost like a washboard rather than a guitar. You can't really hear the principal notes of the strings at all. In contrast, take the tone of say, Keif's guitars on Beggar's Banquet which really cover a lot of dynamic range.

I could imagine in bigger venues you'd have this problem with 000 style guitars too (unamplified). Towards the back you'd just hear the *chikachikachika* of the harmonics and miss the actual chords themselves?

Does anyone understand what the heck I mean? ?

zohn

There's more to a guitar sounding thin than just less string tension.
Yes, I do think the appeal is for more bass - it gets stronger with heavier strings as well. Longer scale naturally means more tension which excites more vibration in the top for the same amount of effort when plucking or strumming.
I agree I like (no, I love) the full spectrum of the frequency range represented in a guitar with string to string and note to note balance all the way up the neck. I also know that only the "pleasing frequencies" (to the producer and the sound engineer) are more than often "allowed' through on recordings, and hence not so pleasing to you and me, meaning they can make a cheap guitar sound kinda good in a limited spectrum and vice-versa.
The shorter scaled 000 guitars generally have the full compliment of this frequency range when strumming or playing finger style - actually, that is where they stand out I think being less boomy. The smaller bodied Gibsons like the L-00, LG-01 and LG-02 as well as Martin's 00 and 000 bodies are excellent blues/fingerpickers.
The great 000-28EC (Eric Clapton) model and my personal favourite the 000-18GE are short scale and play like butter with lots of mojo and a very sweet tone - so too the 000-42.
Not all OM's are "regular" (long) scale length either. Morgan makes them in both options whereas all Larrivee OM's and 000's are long scale models.

singemonkey wrote: In contrast, take the tone of say, Keif's guitars on Beggar's Banquet which really cover a lot of dynamic range.

Care to share some more info/links? ?

singemonkey

zohn wrote:
singemonkey wrote: In contrast, take the tone of say, Keif's guitars on Beggar's Banquet which really cover a lot of dynamic range.
Care to share some more info/links? ?