Neck size for 7/8 scale LP?

[young guitarist father]

My young son is a very good guitarist and deserves a quality instrument. All mass produced childrens guitars are junk. I've decided to make a 7/8 scale Les Paul style I will make the body my self and use a Warmoth neck. The full scale LP body is 25-1/2" long, my body will be 22-3/8" long. Does any body know what length the neck needs to be so it intonates correctly? I am a good woodworker but this will be my first guitar build.

 

[NonsenseTele]

:icon_scratch:
If you're using 22-3/8" you'll have to build it from scratch or ask someone to build it for you... Never heard of a company doing something in that scale... How is he?

Personally I think you should pass the ball on the ground (brazilian footballistic slang for play easy, no shinny things) and get a 24-3/4" LP with hollow option (I would more worried about weight than size)... There is many guys who began played about 6, 8 years and played in the normal size one...

 

[tfarny]

If you really want to shrink down a les paul in every dimension, I (we) would love to hear about it but that's a big project well beyond the reach of all but a few of us here. Especially if you want to make a les paul with a carved top, set neck, etc. I also think that scale lengths less than about 24" don't work very well and that your kid would be better served with something approaching a 'normal' scale length, like 24". That's probably one reason those little guitars don't sound good. I already mentioned a mustang with 24" scale, that would make a great kids guitar. USACG also makes scaled-down 'dinky' strat and tele type bodies.

 

[Tempest]

I agree with tfarny a mustang would be a great choice for him.

 

[Justinginn]

"Personally I think you should pass the ball on the ground (brazilian footballistic slang for play easy, no shinny things) and get a 24-3/4" LP with hollow option (I would more worried about weight than size)... There is many guys who began played about 6, 8 years and played in the normal size one..."

Like me.  :icon_biggrin: Just feed him lots of protein and encourage him to stretch and he'll be big enough in no time.  :icon_thumright:

Quite seriously though, I was playing a full size acoustic when I was 8 and a Les Paul has both a shorter scale length and much smaller body than my acoustic so he should be ok.

 

[dbw]

Yeah like I said on the other thread, building him a guitar he'll grow out of in a few years is silly.  Just give him a full-sized guitar and let him grow into it.  He'll have monster reach when he grows up, from stretching tiny hands on a full-sized neck

 

[tfarny]

Fender at least makes these two which would bridge the gap between tiny junk guitars and full-scale guitars, if you don't want to make your own. The jag has a TOM and 2 HBs.  I'm sure that by the time he's 7 1/2 he'll be asking for a full size axe anyhow. If he doesn't think these are cool then show him the "smells like teen spirit" video a couple times.

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fender-Jaguar-HH-Electric-Guitar?sku=511323
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fender-65-Mustang-Reissue?sku=512763

 

[callaway]

Someone mentioned USACG "dinky" bodies, which use the standard necks, by the way. So they have full 25.5" scale.

I'd think about making your 7/8 size body, but putting a 24.75" neck on it. So it essentially would be a dinky-LP. Could even be cool much later in life, as it would turn out pretty unique yet have the familiar scale length LP players know and love.

Or... you could go with a Baby Taylor if an acoustic guitar is an option. I've been pretty impressed with the few Baby Taylors I've played. Seems like they skimped in all the right areas in order to get such a good bang:buck ratio.

 

[blue313]

Someone mentioned USACG "dinky" bodies, which use the standard necks, by the way. So they have full 25.5" scale.

I'd think about making your 7/8 size body, but putting a 24.75" neck on it. So it essentially would be a dinky-LP. Could even be cool much later in life, as it would turn out pretty unique yet have the familiar scale length LP players know and love.

I found exactly what I was looking for earlier.  http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=222.0