Scale Length and Drop Tuning

[Addisonbrady]

Hello Everyone,

Is there an advantage to using a 25.5 scale length vs. a 24 3/4 when drop tuning? Does the extra scale length help the strings feel less floppy? I plan to use a medium to medium heavy gauge string set to accommodate the drop tuning.

Thanks
Addison

[Long Jon]

Originally Posted by Addisonbrady

Hello Everyone,

Is there an advantage to using a 25.5 scale length vs. a 24 3/4 when drop tuning? Does the extra scale length help the strings feel less floppy? I plan to use a medium to medium heavy gauge string set to accommodate the drop tuning.

Thanks
Addison

I occasionally do a drop tuning on my GS mini, namely open G . I think they are 23. 3/4 scale, or something close. Low action too, works fine.

[Wade Hampton]

To me it's more a matter of matching up the string gauges you're using to the tuning on THAT individual guitar, regardless of its scale length. One of the best-sounding guitars for tuning a step low that I've ever owned was a Gibson WM-45, which has the same short 24.75" scale as the J-45. I did use a pretty beefy set of strings on it, however.

I wish there was one infallible formula that I could give you that would work for this every time on every guitar, but the sad truth is that every time I've dedicated a guitar to a dropped tuning, or chosen an instrument for going in and out of various dropped tunings a lot, I've had to figure it out by a process of trial and error to discover what works for that one guitar. It doesn't just transfer from one guitar to another, however much I might have wanted it to.

So, short version: you can use either short or long scale guitars for dropped tuning, but will have to experiment for yourself to find the best string sets for the task.

For what it's worth, the guitars I've owned that worked best for this have been instruments with a really strong treble response when in standard tuning. That may seem counter-intuitive, but when you go a step low or lower, you'll still have some high end.

Hope that makes sense.


Wade Hampton Miller

[sdelsolray]

Originally Posted by Addisonbrady

Hello Everyone,

Is there an advantage to using a 25.5 scale length vs. a 24 3/4 when drop tuning? Does the extra scale length help the strings feel less floppy?
…

I don't know if it is an advantage, but a longer scale length (e.g., 25.5") will result in more string tension than shorter scale length (e.g., 24.75") will, all other things being equal (particularly string gauge used).

Originally Posted by Addisonbrady

…
I plan to use a medium to medium heavy gauge string set to accommodate the drop tuning.

Thanks
Addison

For a short scale instrument (e.g., 24.75"), using medium gauge strings will mitigate the "floppiness", and will be similar to a longer scale (e.g., 25.5") using light gauge strings.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Addisonbrady

Hello Everyone,

Is there an advantage to using a 25.5 scale length vs. a 24 3/4 when drop tuning? Does the extra scale length help the strings feel less floppy? I plan to use a medium to medium heavy gauge string set to accommodate the drop tuning.

Thanks
Addison

Hi Addison...

There is no advantage if you choose your string, and gauge, and then have the setup done with the guitar tuned to the alternate tuning (or to an average one).

I play so much in Dropped D that all my guitar's 6th strings are always intonated and the action set with it tuned to D. I know guys who have the action set (and intonation) with their guitars tuned to DADGAD.

In comparing notes, we all feel the guitar's intonation and action work better when setup this way.