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Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2016 19:19:43 GMT
Thanks for that information ocarolan. I might have a go on the nut slots myself. Might use the strings that are on the guitar as abrasives to try to deepen slots then restring with new strings with same gauge.....or use some feeler gauges nearest to the individual string gauges and serrated them and use as impromptu nut files!! If/when I mess it up....then it's off to a local luthier!
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Post by creamburmese on Jul 15, 2016 19:27:57 GMT
I think most of the info has already been said here, but as someone who has researched this obsessively and bought and sold too many guitars in an attempt to find the easiest possible guitar to play, here are my personal conclusions...
1. Scale length most definitely makes a difference for people with small hands (and here you have to define small - my fingers are not especially short for a woman, but they are probably as short or shorter than every person of the male persuasion on this forum) 2. That being said, some short scale guitars are difficult to play because of other factors - for instance a chunky neck. Goodalls are a prime example. For me the easiest to play necks are C-shaped shallow necks that make it easier to reach around 3. Conversely some longer scale necks can also be relatively easy to play because - a) they are set up really well with low string height, b) they have low volume necks with sloping sides and c) you have put low tension strings on them 4, The other major factor is nut width - it's obviously harder to reach the bass strings on a wider nut. To some extent this can be mitigated by having a new nut built with tighter string spacing. My main classical is currently in the shop having the string spacing reduced from 43 mm to 41 mm. However this does not work if you have a thick D-shaped neck because you still can't reach around it (I tried that with a Goodall - unsuccessfully) 5. All things are relative I play a classical with almost full scale length ( 645) and a 52mm neck but is playable for me because of the sloping sides of the neck and low setup. However if I could find the exact same guitar (not a chance) with a 50 - 51 mm neck in 630 I would swap it in a heartbeat. However I absolutely could not play that size in a steel string.My steel string has a small-hand friendly neck and is 630 x 1 3/4( whatever that is in mm). 6. A capo on the first fret brings the scale length down from 650 to 615 ... however this is offset by the wider nut width. It's never really worked for me, YMMV. 6. Hand position and how much you can stretch makes a big difference. I have the same reach as some guys with bigger hands but tighter ligaments/tendons. This however can be improved with regular stretching, though sadly it has not worked to increase the length of my fingers ;( 7. It goes without saying that if your guitar is not set up properly and the strings are too far above the fretboard, the guitar will be difficult to play regardless of other factors. 8. Once everything else is optimized, lower gauge, and lower tension strings (Heritage or DR) will make things easier. 7. Whatever anyone tells you - 1mm difference in nut width or distance between frets really does make a difference, though it may not be noticeable to those who are not struggling to reach.
Cheers!
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Post by Deleted on Jul 16, 2016 12:37:44 GMT
That's an in depth appraisal of your quest to find your 'perfect' guitar. I am beginning to understand that it only takes very small measurements and differences in construction and guitar type. My one (and currently only) guitar was chosen on how it felt playing it over 3 or 4 visits to the shop. I didn't understand the specifications that I was being given at the time. Now I realise that it is 25.5 inches in scalelength (only because I didn't try any shorter length guitars)..43mm nut, great for my little/thin fingers, but the string spacings at the bridge is 53mm...not great for fingerpicking which is the way I prefer to play. Neck profile is 'C' which feels OK...as I have tried fatter necks since and just can't get on with them. I was happy with it anyway....but with the nut slots now deepened since I bought it, I'm really happy with it. All in all I think I got lucky on first purchase... but I'm still looking!
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Post by vikingblues on Jul 17, 2016 18:35:50 GMT
Nice to hear a happy ending to a story! I think only one of my 7 acoustic guitars didn't need a set up adjustment to make it playable ... well playable by me anyway. Usually nut slots or saddle height needing altered rather than the truss rod. 53mm at the bridge is on the narrow side. One of my parlour guitars has that but the others are more like 55mm. Doesn't sound much of a difference but as Julie says even 1mm can be noticeable if you're on the edge of a measurement starting to cause problems. I like your thinking Stan - you've fixed the guitar you have and you now are very happy with it but you're "still looking". Join the club. Mark
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Post by andyhowell on Jul 17, 2016 22:00:18 GMT
I still prefer 25 scales but this 12 feet and cut away design might give the scale but the feel no of something smaller.
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stringdriventhing
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Post by stringdriventhing on Jul 18, 2016 11:36:54 GMT
I have a Seagull S6 which has a 24.84 scale length. I do find it marginally easier to play than my Martin 000-15s, which is 25.4, but that might be more to do with the neck profile than the scale length. I used to have a Johnson guitar (can't remember the model) which had a shorter scale and that was also easy to play. I'm currently waiting for a Furch G20CM, which is 25.6 or thereabouts. I actually find nut width more of an issue when it comes to playability.. I prefer 1 3/4" or wider.
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Post by scorpiodog on Jul 18, 2016 13:21:50 GMT
I still prefer 25 scales but this 12 feet and cut away design might give the scale but the feel no of something smaller. That's a long scale, Andy.
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Post by andyhowell on Jul 18, 2016 20:07:48 GMT
I still prefer 25 scales but this 12 feet and cut away design might give the scale but the feel no of something smaller. That's a long scale, Andy. Predictive damn text Paul. SaveSave
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Post by scorpiodog on Jul 18, 2016 23:34:19 GMT
That's a long scale, Andy. Predictive damn text Paul. SaveSaveYou ever heard of poof reading?
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Post by andyhowell on Jul 19, 2016 20:35:12 GMT
You ever heard of poof reading? Yep. Time and place ;-) SaveSave
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edmond
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Post by edmond on Jul 25, 2016 12:06:59 GMT
I have a Martin 0028 slot-head 12 fret guitar, with a 24.9 scale. I don't gig it, it's my at-home pleasure and recording guitar, fitted with 12 gauge strings. The small body, and short scale and neck produce a wonderfully relaxed feel, but you can't thrash it (or want to), and there's not a lot of volume, but that's not what it's for. I do gig a National Reso Phonic Estralita Deluxe, with a 25 inch scale, like most National 12 frets. Projection and volume are not an issue with this one, of course.
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