A Guide to Guitar Scale Length

What is Scale Length?

A guitar’s scale length is the distance from the nut (located at the end of the fretboard) to the saddle (on the bridge). Between these two points is the length of the guitar’s strings able to freely vibrate.

Two aspects of a guitar are influenced by the scale length:

1. Playability: A longer scale requires the strings to have greater tension. This results in a stiffer string feel, which can be challenging for some players, especially during bends or playing complex chords. Alternatively, a shorter scale length gives the strings a looser feel and is often preferred for its ease of play.
2. Tone: Guitars with a more extended scale produce a brighter, crisper tone with pronounced sustain. In contrast, instruments with a shorter scale tend to have a richer, warmer sound. For example, Fender guitars typically have a longer scale length than Gibson. this longer scalelength is one of the reasons Fenders tend to sound a little brighter than Gibsons, all things being equal.

We’ll explore both of these aspects in greater detail below, and explain why understanding the scale length is important, especially if ordering a custom guitar as it influences the playing experience and tonal output of the guitar, whether acoustic or electric.

How is Scale Length Measured?

If you own a guitar but are unsure of its scale length, follow the steps below.

To accurately measure the scale length of a guitar:

1. Position the Guitar: Place the guitar on a flat surface, ensuring that you can view and access the neck and body.
2. Identify the 12th Fret: Find the 12th fret on your guitar, which is typically the one at the midpoint of the fretboard.
3. Measure to the 12th Fret: Using a ruler, measure the distance from the front edge of the nut to the center of the 12th fret. Keep in mind the fret is the distance between the fret wires, not the metal fret wire itself.
4. Double the Measurement: The length from the nut to the 12th fret represents half of the guitar’s scale length. To find the full-scale length, simply double this measurement.

The resulting number is the scale length of your guitar.

Understanding Scale Length

How Scale Length Influences Playability

We’ve already touched on how a longer scale length results in greater tension being placed on the strings, but scale length plays an even greater role in terms of playability, influencing the following:

1. Fret Spacing: Scale length directly impacts the spacing between frets. A longer scale length means the frets are spaced further apart, which can be challenging for players with smaller hands or those more accustomed to close fret spacing. Alternatively, a shorter scale length results in narrower fret spacing, making it easier for fast chord transitions but can make the guitar more challenging to play for guitarists with larger hands.
2. Finger Stretch and Reach: The longer the scale length, the wider the reach required, especially when playing chords that span several frets. For those with smaller hands or shorter fingers, a longer scale might make some chord shapes uncomfortable to play.
3. Response and Feel: Guitars with a shorter scale length tend to have a “slinkier” feel due to the reduced string tension. This can make vibrato, bends, and hammer-ons/pull-offs easier to pull off (no pun intended). In contrast, the increased tension of a longer-scale guitar might offer greater resistance but can also provide a faster response (speed of attack) from the guitar which some guitarists prefer.

With this in mind, it’s fair to say scale length significantly influences the physical interaction a player has with the guitar. There’s really no right or wrong scale it varies from player to player, depending on their preferences, hand size, playing style, and the genres they play. Understanding how scale length affects playability can empower guitarists in terms of choosing a guitar that feels most natural and comfortable for them.

How Scale Length Influences Tone

Scale length also heavily influences a guitar’s tone. Here’s a breakdown of how this occurs:

1. Tonal Brightness: As mentioned already, guitars with a longer scale length tend to produce a brighter, more resonant sound. This is due to the increased tension on the strings, which results in a more pronounced high-frequency response.
2. Harmonic Content: The tension imparted by different scale lengths influences the harmonic content or overtones produced when a string is played. A string under higher tension (due to a longer scale length) will generate more pronounced upper harmonics, leading to a sound that’s considered clearer or sharper. A string under less tension, however (shorter scale length) will emphasize fundamental frequencies more, resulting in a warmer or muddier tone.
3. Sustain: Higher string tension generally leads to increased sustain. That means notes played on guitars with longer scale lengths might ring out longer compared to those on shorter scale length guitars. This prolonged resonance can be great for lead guitarists or those looking to achieve a more ambient sound.
4. String Gauge Interaction: The scale length’s effect on tone is also interrelated with string gauge. On a shorter-scale guitar, a player might opt for thicker strings to counterbalance the reduced tension and maintain tonal clarity. Meanwhile, longer scale lengths might accommodate lighter strings without sacrificing tonal definition.
5. Warmth and Thickness: Guitars with shorter scale lengths, like the Gibson Les Paul, tend to produce tones that are warmer, thicker, and sometimes described as “creamy.” The reduced string tension emphasizes the midrange frequencies, often preferred for rhythm playing or jazz genres.

Well-Known Guitar Scale Lengths

Wondering what the scale length of some of your favorite guitars are? The table below shows 20 well-known guitar models and their respective scale lengths.

Choosing the Right Scale Length For You

When choosing your guitar’s scale length (which you can do on all the guitars we offer), consider your musical preferences, playing style, and physical comfort.

Firstly, consider the genre and tone you desire. For instance, if you lean towards brighter tones often found in rock or country, a longer scale length, such as that on a Fender Stratocaster, may be suitable. On the other hand, those inclined towards warmer sounds or jazz might gravitate to shorter scales like the Gibson Les Paul.

Physical comfort is paramount, as it has a knock-on effect on your playing, which in turn affects tone. Players with smaller hands or shorter fingers might find guitars with shorter scale lengths easier to navigate, especially when forming difficult chord voicings or stretching across several frets. While those with larger hands might prefer the space offered by longer scale lengths. Remember, comfort can significantly influence your playing endurance and overall enjoyment of the instrument.

Final Thoughts

To summarize, the scale length of a guitar is the distance between the nut and the saddle and plays a pivotal role in the instrument’s playability and tonal characteristics. Longer scale lengths result in greater string tension, leading to a stiffer feel but also a brighter tone. In contrast, shorter scale lengths offer a more relaxed string feel and produce a warmer, mellower sound. This variance is evident in the tonal differences between brands like Fender, known for its longer scales, and Gibson, which typically uses shorter scales.

Remember, when choosing a guitar, understanding scale length is crucial, as it influences the player’s comfort and their ability to comfortably play the instrument. Guitarists should prioritize both their musical preferences and physical comfort when deciding on the right scale length.