Scale length - which one.

diminishedrun

Hi all

I’m going to see a le Voi guitar very soon and the thought struck me regarding scale length. Basically, I am leaning towards an F hole chorus style guitar and on my list of guitar makers to try they seem to have different scale lengths. I’m used to a 650mm on my acoustics but that said up at the 12th fret things get a bit tight.

Has anyone got any advice on the pros and cons of scale length on a gypsy guitar.

Buco

That's hard to give advice on because I could guess that everybody who was used to shorter scale on flat tops and electrics had to go through adjustment period and a little bit of struggle with 670mm scale of Selmer style guitars. But that's a part of their uniqueness.
So, my best guess would be unless you know how the 670mm feels and think that it isn't going to work for you and you specifically want something a little shorter, I would stay with 670mm.

diminishedrun

Thanks.

The ones I have been looking at are all 670 but I’m used to 650. That said, I do find 650 guitars tight up at the 12th - 14th fret so when I try the 670s they may be perfect.

Buco

These days on the rare occasion I pick up my Stratocaster, the neck feels like a toy guitar.

diminishedrun

Luckily I don’t have an electric - wouldn’t know what to do with it.

Jazzaferri

I play on both short and long scale guitars. Clean chord fretting on the more complex chord fingerings is the biggest challenge of changing between the two for me. It only takes a few minutes for me to get used to the difference on single string stuff

juanderer

Go with 670 for the full experience.

wim

Only consider a short scale if you're solely a rhythm player, IMO. Short scale doesn't cut it for lead, too weak above the 12th fret.

diminishedrun

I’ve gone for a 670mm. I’ll post about it.