More 22.75" scale length options

[gcvsa]

I like to tune my guitars up five half-steps to A, but in order to do this on a regular scale length guitar, I have to use .008 gauge strings in order to avoid breakage. While this works fine, it does lead to some loss of output in the upper register, since there just isn't that much metal in the pickup's magnetic field.

I have discovered, however, the Squier Mini Strat, which is 22.75" scale length, and is very comfortable to play, plus has the benefit of being more compact for travel. The problem, of course, is that the Squier Mini is a very low quality guitar, and while it is possible to upgrade the electronics, its not possible to upgrade the wood. I suppose it might be possible to go to the Fender Custom Shop and pay a zillion dollars for an American Deluxe quality level Mini Strat, but I'd love to be able to buy one from Warmoth, instead.

With the shorter scale, I can move back up to heavier gauge strings and get that higher output and better tone back without worrying about broken strings all the time.

Another possibility is the Rickenbacker 320 series, with its 20.75" or 21" scale length, but Rickenbackers aren't really guitars that one tends to customise much. The really nice thing about the 22.75" scale length is that it's a Fender standard (albeit an uncommon one), and it also happens to lend itself very well to conversion to octave mandolin tuning, since that is a common scale length for octave mandolin. I actually have my Squier Mini setup with GDAE tuning on the middle four strings, like an octave mandolin, at the moment.

If I could get a nicer 22.75" scale guitar from Warmoth, I'd want four of them: two as guitars in standard tuning and A tuning, and two as octave mandolin (GDAE) and mandocello (CGDA).

Which reminds me, I also want a 24.75" or 25.5" scale fretless guitar set up as a cello, using a 4-string bass guitar bridge. Because I'm weird like that, and I've discovered my custom Warwick at 30" scale is actually a bit too long for cello tuning.

 

[Cagey]

Welcome to the forum! If you haven't yet, be sure to enter the Unofficial Warmoth "ROCK Like an Egyptian" Giveaway. It's gonna be a beautiful piece when finished, done by our own Great Ape (Greg), whose reputation for custom body faces is second to none.

You play some interesting instruments. I'm sure I don't speak for myself when I say it would be good to hear some examples of your work.

Warmoth will do fretless 24.75" and 25.5" scale necks all day long, but I doubt you'll ever get a 22.75" part out of them. You're the first person I've ever heard even mention them, let alone want one, so I suspect the market may be fairly small. But, I went looking around on your behalf and found this guy out in California who does highly customized one-off necks. I know nothing about him so this isn't any kind of recommendation, but it sounds like he's runs the kind of shop you're looking for.

Good luck!

 

[Logrinn]

I too bid you welcome to the forum. A great place for all things guitar related.

I'm also one that likes shorter necks - although not as short as 22,75", my preference is a 24" neck - and have here at Warmoth found the guitars I've always wanted.
So far I've ordered a 7/8 Strat body with a Mustang neck and a 7/8 Tele body also with a Mustang neck.

[youtube]s3UhgTTEwA0[/youtube]

[youtube]XFOpQanlj20[/youtube]

 

[Axkoa]

I too bid you welcome to the forum. A great place for all things guitar related.

I'm also one that likes shorter necks - although not as short as 22,75", my preference is a 24" neck - and have here at Warmoth found the guitars I've always wanted.
So far I've ordered a 7/8 Strat body with a Mustang neck and a 7/8 Tele body also with a Mustang neck.

[youtube]s3UhgTTEwA0[/youtube]

[youtube]XFOpQanlj20[/youtube]

Finally, I can reply to you somewhere with something relevant without making a whole topic!

I tried out one of those 24" Fender Duo Sonic's today. Wow...It felt amazing to play. I definitely have to make a Warmoth Mustang one day though...

Also, about the 22.75" scale. I really wouldn't mind trying it. Though what instrument is the 22.75" scale most like?

 

[Logrinn]

The first versions of Fender's Duo-Sonic's and Mustang's were 22,5".

I don't believe I've ever tried one of those (I can't remember), but I think I tried one of those really short Rickenbacker's. To me, that felt too short.

I believe that the scale length should dictate your choice when buying a guitar to a larger extent than, let's say model or color.
Compare it to shoes. After you find the model and color you like, you then try them on to see if they fit. If they don't perhaps you decide on a pair of shoes that does fit, but are of a slightly different model.

A guitar - that's often quite a bit more expensive than shoes - shouldn't be that much different. If it doesn't fit (your hands, that is), will you be content or happy playing it?

Just my 2 cents ...

 

[mayfly]

Welcome to the forum!

I agree with others that the scale length, then the neck size/shape are the most important things for matching the instrument to the player.  One of my musical heroes, Neco Case, usually plays 4 string tenor guitars because (as she says) "my hands are just too fr*aking small!" 

Warmoth might not go for the scale length that you're looking for, but there are others out there.  I wonder if USACG might touch it.

 

[T89Rex]

Another option is the Warren Ellis signature tenor from Eastwood Guitars. That's a 23" bolt on.

http://www.eastwoodguitars.com/warren-ellis-signature-tenor-sonic-blue/

Has the advantage of being associated with one of the greatest musicians this country has ever produced.

 

[gcvsa]

Also, about the 22.75" scale. I really wouldn't mind trying it. Though what instrument is the 22.75" scale most like?

22.75" was the scale length of the Gibson Melody Maker. It's also the scale length of the current Squier Mini Strat.

If you take a 25.5" scale neck and move the nut to the 1st fret, you get about a 24" scale. If you move the nut to the 2nd fret, you get about a 22.75" scale.

The Rickenbacker 320 series is either 20.75" or 21", depending on the year/model. I have seen 320s that are 21", and 325V59s that are 20.75".

24" scale length might be short enough for my needs. I might be able to use .009 gauge strings and tune up to A, but I haven't checked D'Addario's string tension charts to see. I've found that 22.75" scale length works well for me, and for my purposes, shorter is better, since it enables heavier strings, and that equals more vibrating metal in the magnetic field, so higher output.

 

[gcvsa]

Also, I had no idea that Warmoth even made the 7/8 bodies. A 7/8 Strat body with a 24" neck sounds really great for a travel guitar or four. But, as things stand, right now, I'm thinking of a VIP with a 24" neck. I just wish it was available with the Warmoth headstock, and not just the Strat headstock.

 

[weezingthejuicebodhi]

I couldn't imagine playing such short scale guitars. I found a handful of gorgeous Mustangs and Jaguars over the years, but I couldn't play them without feeling like an ogre holding a toy. Then again you're presumably not ogres with sausage fingered meatclaws!

I'm a Fender-style loyalist based on no good reason other than it is what I was brought up on, but I find the Gibson scale to be the sweet spot for me.

I've never seen one of these four string tenor guitars, they're pretty neat looking.

 

[kgk9000]

I like to tune my guitars up five half-steps to A, but in order to do this on a regular scale length guitar, I have to use .008 gauge strings in order to avoid breakage. While this works fine, it does lead to some loss of output in the upper register, since there just isn't that much metal in the pickup's magnetic field.

You're attacking this problem from the "physics" side, using a shorter scale, and lighter wound strings, and that makes perfect sense.  For unwound strings, I'm currently confused about why 0.008" would break less than other unwound strings, but I can certainly see how it would have a lot less tension on your guitar neck, and be more playable.

But can something help on the electronics side, because you mentioned low output?  I have a standard tuning (except the thickest four strings are tuned down a semitone), play 0.008" to 0.038", and have gobs of output, and this is likely due to using active pickups (with a battery), like those from EMG.  I wonder if that would help?

Another option is to look at strings with different steel.  I'd consider calling Ernie Ball and asking if something like these would help

https://www.ernieball.com/guitar-strings/electric-guitar-strings/slinky-m-steel-electric-guitar-strings#P02921

 

[Cagey]

Actually, for a given pickup design, the gauge set of the strings has less to do with pickup output level than is commonly assumed. It has more to do with frequency and displacement, where displacement is the distance the string is travelling from peak to peak, not string diameter. That's why guys like Billy Gibbons can play spiderwebs on his Les Paul while SRV played guy wires on his Strat, and they both had roughly the same output. Acoustically, the heavier gauge strings will sound louder to the ear, but the pickups don't hear the strings acoustically. They sense the disruption in a magnetic field.

 

[gcvsa]

I'm currently confused about why 0.008" would break less than other unwound strings, but I can certainly see how it would have a lot less tension on your guitar neck, and be more playable.

Because I'm tuning up five semitones to A. While I have discovered that I can do this on a 3+3 headstock guitar with a 25.5" scale length, I have not tried it with a 6-inline headstock, which would make that .008 string about 3" longer. The only reason I haven't tried it is because I have never owned a Strat or Tele, or any other guitar with a 25.5" scale and a 6-inline headstock.

I suppose I could try a D'Addario .007 string.

 

[DustyCat]

I'm gonna throw my $.02 in and 2nd any votes for comfort and play-ability.

I am curious myself about my next guitar being a 24 3/4" conversion strat, chambered and with f-hole...and maybe just a little scared that it will make all my 25.5" scale necks obsolete  :doh:

Does 7/8th style affect the scale of the neck? If it doesn't, seems like the reduced weight of the body would contribute to more neck dive when playing standing up.

Also...is it possible to do a Z body chambered? And with 'f' hole? I think that be  :headbang5

 

[Logrinn]

Does 7/8th style affect the scale of the neck? If it doesn't, seems like the reduced weight of the body would contribute to more neck dive when playing standing up.

You can only use the 24 3/4" Warhead and 24" Mustang necks:
http://www.warmoth.com/Guitar/7-8th/Body/Strat/[/b]]http://www.warmoth.com/Guitar/7-8th/Body/Strat/
(a bit down on this page under the Compatability information).
And neck dive wasn't a problem with my 7/8 Strat and a roasted maple neck, but there was a bit of neck dive with my 7/8 Tele equipped with a rather heavy bloodwood/ebony neck.

Also...is it possible to do a Z body chambered? And with 'f' hole? I think that be  :headbang5

No, only solid.