What difference does scale length make?

Gilesy

Inspired
I have seen 2 lovely PRS guitars - both left handed with very pretty violet '10' tops and similar uncovered humbucker pickup config, one of which is 22 and one of which is 24 fret.

On playing, what would the different scale lengths feel or sound like. I would really appreciate your views as to the playability, tension, stablity, whatever, the different scale lengths provide. Having only played strats or teles this is a voyage into the unknown.....and given the big price on each would love to understand what comes with the step up in price, and also what the difference scale lengths offer.

Would really appreciate your views.

All the best
Gilesy
 
If they are both Custom22 and Custom24 models, they have the same 25" scale length. The difference is the neck pickup placement. On 22 fret guitars, the neck pickup is generally further away from the bridge because the 2 extra frets are not in the way. I think the only 2 models PRS makes that have a shorter scale is the SC245 and the Santana models. There really isn't a huge difference in a PRS (25") and Gibson (24.75" supposedly...) scale length guitars. I have 2 custom made guitars, one Gibson scale length, and the other is PRS scale length. The shorter scale has a tad spongier feel to the strings, but not enough to really notice unless you are trying to pick it out. However, the difference from a Gibson scale length to a strat scale length would be more noticable since the strat is 25.5". In my experience, longer scaled strats have more string tension and snappier response. While the shorter scale has a much looser fatter response.
 
what Chris said and also-less tension ='s easier to bend strings on 24.75 than a Strat and a shorter stretch for some chords-
 
Chris provided an excellent overview. One tiny addition: I have only one 24 fret guitar, a PRS Custom (pictured in avatar), and find is momentary disorienting when switching between it and my other guitars during a gig.
 
Some people feel that on a 22 fret guitar you'll have a more 'classic' neck humbucker sound because it's further along the string, so warmer. So generally speaking the 22 fret PRS will have more of that 'woman' tone associated with Les Pauls etc.
In one of Satrianis recent Rig Rundown videos he talks about this as part of the reason that he currently uses a single-coil sized humbucker on his 24 fret guitars so that both coils are closer to that sweet spot.

When I chose my PRS I played 8 different ones we got in the shop where I worked and I preferred the lead tone I could get from the neck pickup of the 22 fret versions so I ended up getting a Custom 22. Unless 24 frets are really important to you that's most likely a popular choice, from a tone point of view.
 
The scale length has a lot more to do with the difference in sound between a Start and Les Paul than many other factors, and is a primary reason why tapping single coils on an LP doesn't sound like a Strat and putting a HB into a Strat doesn't sound like a Les Paul. I would guess going in-between the two locations on a PRS is meant to bridge the two, as my 513s can do a decent approximation of either but isn't quite either one... it has a slightly longer 25.25 scale.

The differences covered above are accurate, I just wanted to chime in and add that some of the Strat's ringy sound is in it's scale, as some of the LPs roundness is also found there. The length of vibrating string is surprisingly important to the playability and tone of a guitar, more so than many think.
 
Great insight - thanks fellas for your responses. I am now in the picture.

all the best Giles
 
Some people feel that on a 22 fret guitar you'll have a more 'classic' neck humbucker sound because it's further along the string, so warmer. So generally speaking the 22 fret PRS will have more of that 'woman' tone associated with Les Pauls etc.
In one of Satrianis recent Rig Rundown videos he talks about this as part of the reason that he currently uses a single-coil sized humbucker on his 24 fret guitars so that both coils are closer to that sweet spot.

When I chose my PRS I played 8 different ones we got in the shop where I worked and I preferred the lead tone I could get from the neck pickup of the 22 fret versions so I ended up getting a Custom 22. Unless 24 frets are really important to you that's most likely a popular choice, from a tone point of view.

PMing you regarding buying a PRS.
 
On the subject of scale length. I like the PRS 25" scale. I play Drop D with 11's, I have arthritis, and I still find I over bend a bit when I get over zealous with my playing.

I played on the standard "Gibson" scale, the weird slightly less than 24.5 scale they use, for about a decade, and always found it too sloppy feeling.

On the subject of frets. After over 20 years of playing guitar, I have only recently started using my neck pickup for anything serious. If you don't mess with your neck pickup much, or you just can't live without the extra 2 frets, then go for the 24. If you rely on your neck pickup a lot, Then it's just something you'll have to try out for yourself.


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On a 22 fret guitar the neck pickup falls under a node. On a 24 fret guitar the node is only heard by the one coil of a traditional humbucker, as the other is too far down the neck.
 
To BigD1977 - I can't reply to your PM as your inbox is full.

Just to say - I bought my PRS when I worked in Music Maker Dublin, back in 1998.. and at the time they were a PRS dealer but no longer. I don't know if there are any PRS dealers in Ireland currently
 
I play 26.5" scale guitar. There is more tension and less give. This sounds silly but you hear the strings more. People will say it sounds "stringy" haha. There certainly is more definition, but at the cost of note bloom. There's no free lunch, there's always a positive and negative.
 
To BigD1977 - I can't reply to your PM as your inbox is full.

Just to say - I bought my PRS when I worked in Music Maker Dublin, back in 1998.. and at the time they were a PRS dealer but no longer. I don't know if there are any PRS dealers in Ireland currently

Thanks dude! I only found out that that it's full a few mins ago. Thanks for the info! :)
 
On a 22 fret guitar the neck pickup falls under a node. On a 24 fret guitar the node is only heard by the one coil of a traditional humbucker, as the other is too far down the neck.

Like someone else said, this only applies to open strings (well, sort of, since in many ways "nodes" as Ed Roman defines them are really just an invention of his mind.) As you move up the neck, the "node" would move too, since in theory, it's has something to do with fractions of the string based on its vibrations. Some of what he says makes sense, according to physics, but on the whole his ideas are flawed. The truth is pickup position affects tone, in many ways, it's just a matter of what you like to hear.


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For the record my nodes knowledge comes from PRS not Ed Roman.
 
For the record my nodes knowledge comes from PRS not Ed Roman.

Just to be clear, nodes DO exist, just not exactly the way Ed Roman defines them. He kinda goes into pseudo-science territory with it.


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The biggest difference scale length makes, is just string tension, and pick up placement,

By changing the pickup placement the pickup picks up different natural harmonics in a string when it vibrates, the closer to the bridge the less harmonics, further away more harmonics

When a string vibrates it doesn't just vibrate in a perfect ark, it it has sub vibrations (harmonics) at different places along the string, depending on the length of the string (open or fretted)

However there is no perfect spot for a pickup, just lots of degrees of Meh...
 
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