26” scale for trebles?

[Jimi2]

My 7 string build by Ed from Halcyon is coming up, hopefully within the next few months, and I’m trying to hammer out as many details as possible before the work commences. My primary motivation for getting the guitar made was the lack of bass and bass clarity in the inexpensive Korean 7 strings I was playing. I realize that I’m not going to get upright bass rumble out of an acoustic guitar, but I’m trying to maximize the bass by getting a jumbo body and increasing the scale length of the bass strings. I’ve experimented with tuning the 7th string on the cheap guitars I have down to A or even G, so I figure the longer I can make that string the better. My Agile 7 string is 25-27” scale, so I’m pretty sure that a 2” spread is doable for me.

So I’m wondering if you guys have any input on whether I should do 25.5-27.5”, leaving the trebles at a “normal” length, or whether it would be feasible to go to 26-28”. I’d like to be able to tune the first string up to E, though it’ll spend some time tuned down a step as well. I have another cheap 7 by Legator, that is a straight 26.5” scale, and the trebles are kind of thin sounding - I’m not sure if this is due to the scale, or the guitar, or both. I should also mention that on my standard 6 strings, I often like to use a .013 for the first string for a fatter tone, and would probably like to continue that.

Anyone play a guitar with longer than normal scale and can you comment on the tone of the trebles?

[Malcolm Kindnes]

I have a small bodied guitar made by Michael Hauver with a 26.5" scale and the trebles sound fine to me in standard tuning.

[PineMarten]

I think the Selmer type guitars that the Django crowd use are somewhere just over 26" scale, so clearly it can be done and sound good, with some thought to string gauges.

[Jimi2]

Thanks guys, sounds like 26-28” may be doable.

I plugged some numbers into a string tension calculator, and at 26” and E, a .013 is about 31lb tension. For comparison, I have one guitar with a .014 E at 25.5”, and that comes out to 35lbs, which feels really tight and doesn’t sound good. I guess that should be enough of a difference.

[Forest Dweller]

I think this is a discussion you should have with your builder, as they will know best. There are a lot of variables at play. A 13 tuned to standard E but at a 26" scale length will be hard to play and will put a lot of stress on the top for instance, so if you insist on using a 13 your builder will have to consider the bracing on the treble side.

Robbie

[Jimi2]

Originally Posted by Forest Dweller

I think this is a discussion you should have with your builder, as they will know best. There are a lot of variables at play. A 13 tuned to standard E but at a 26" scale length will be hard to play and will put a lot of stress on the top for instance, so if you insist on using a 13 your builder will have to consider the bracing on the treble side.

Robbie

Yes, for sure, I’m going to discuss this with him. He’s just super busy generally, and also in the middle of a shop upgrade, so I’m trying to gather as much info as possible before having that discussion. He did say at one point that Halcyons are lightly built, so that may be an issue with increased string tension, but as you say, he would know best. I guess I was just wondering about people’s experience as far as tone with the longer scale.

[Forest Dweller]

Whilst I’ve never owned a multi scale guitar I have owned (from custom builds) two 26” scale guitars for playing in Dadgad and c sus 2 tuning. I used a 14 for the top string but it was always tuned to D. Sounded brilliant but I would never ever consider tuning it to E- the tension is far too great.

Robbie

[Forest Dweller]

Originally Posted by guitar344

E is doable on a 26. You can even tune up to E on a 30 with 8's. D is better for 26-28.

Yep, I now its doable with the right gauge, but not a 14!! I wouldn't even want to do it with a 13 tbh