Short scale. Standard scale. Multi-scale.
No, we’re not talking about music theory—we’re talking about guitar scale length. Though you may not think about your guitar’s scale length very often, it’s an important part of your guitar’s construction and has an impact on playability, tone, and more.
In this article, we’ll explain what guitar scale length is, why it matters, highlight different common scale lengths, and give you tips on choosing a guitar with a scale length that’s best for you.
What is Guitar Scale Length?
Guitar scale length is the distance between a guitar’s nut and bridge, usually represented in inches or millimeters. It’s an important measurement for the luthiers who build and repair guitars and the customers who buy them. Guitars with different scale lengths require different fret placement, have a different overall “feel,” and may work better with different string gauges.
How Do You Measure Scale Length?
The best way to measure scale length is by measuring the nut to the 12th fret and multiplying that number by two. The 12th fret is the halfway point of a guitar’s scale, and fretting there gives you the octave of the open string.
Measuring from the nut to the bridge should still give you the right answer, or close to it. The issue with measuring that way is that guitars have compensated saddles that are adjusted to fine-tune intonation. If you measure from the nut to the bridge, your measurements may be off by a few millimeters.
Why Scale Length Matters
Scale length is one of those factors that has a huge effect on your guitar. Two guitars with different scale lengths will have completely different feel, tuning possibilities, and more.
Fret Spacing and Reach
Fret spacing on stringed instruments is a matter of math and geometry. Historically, luthiers have used the Rule of 18 to determine proper fret placement, but you can also find calculators to place frets online.
As we’ll get into later, one of the main selling points of short-scale guitars was that the frets were closer together, which should be easier for smaller hands to navigate. While all players should be able to play a guitar with any scale length, some players may find certain chords, techniques, and riffs difficult to reach on guitars with longer scale lengths.
Tension, String Gauges, and Tuning Possibilities
Tension is a major element of playability and feel, and it is directly proportional to scale length. When a guitar is tuned to pitch, a longer scale length means greater string tension. With regards specifically to playability, less tension means strings are easier to bend, but you get less sustain.
Let’s say you have a set of light gauge guitar strings. These may feel perfect when tuned to E Standard on a guitar with a 25.5-inch scale length. However, these strings on a 24-inch scale length guitar could feel like rubber bands—you can bend them with ease, but they don’t ring out as long and, depending on your string height and pick attack, you could experience fret buzz.
On the other end of the spectrum—guitars with longer scale lengths—you could have difficulty tuning up to E Standard with these strings. Instead, you may tune your guitar lower to achieve that same balanced feel you’d get with a guitar that has a standard scale length.
In fact, achieving lower tunings without resorting to thicker string gauges is one of the reasons longer-scale guitars are so popular in heavy genres. With a standard-scale guitar, you’d need thicker, higher-tension strings to downtune. With a longer scale length, you can tune to C Standard or lower and maintain balanced string tension.
Intonation
Guitars with longer scale lengths are generally easier to keep intonated than short-scale guitars. But this has less to do with the actual length than it does with the tension.
A properly intonated guitar should be perfectly in tune no matter where it’s fretted. Fine-tuning intonation is part of a basic guitar setup and is achieved by adjusting the bridge saddle so that it is closer to or farther away from the nut.
But that’s only part of what makes a guitar sound well-intonated when it’s being played. The other element is how much strings bend when being fretted. And, as we mentioned earlier, guitars with shorter scale lengths have strings that are easier to bend. The thing is, you don’t want strings to bend all of the time. If your short-scale guitar isn’t intonated despite having a proper setup, consider using heavier strings to increase that tension.
Are There Common Scale Lengths for Different Types of Guitars?
Different types of guitars often have similar scale lengths, though exact scale lengths vary between builders, and often between models.
There are three primary classifications of guitar scale length: short, standard, and long/extended. Just to throw a little spice into the mix, there are also multi-scale guitars, but we’ll start with the three most common.
Standard Scale Length
Standard-scale guitars are known for having a balanced tension and being a comfortable size for most adults.
Calling a category of guitar scale lengths “standard” is a bit of a misnomer. There isn’t one, singular scale length that we’d call a universal standard. Instead, we can look to some of the most influential brands and their internal “standard” scale length.
Common Standard Scale Lengths
While there’s no one scale length that we can call the universal standard, we can define a general “standard” scale length as one between 24.5 inches and 25.5 inches.
25.5 Inches: Fender
As the first brand to mass-produce an electric guitar, Fender heavily influenced what we as guitarists consider a “standard” scale length—and Leo Fender settled on 25.5 inches. Countless other builders have similarly adopted the 25.5-inch scale length for many of their models, including Jackson, Schecter, ESP, Ibanez, and even the rare Gibson.
Guitars with a 25.5-inch scale length can be set up with lower string action than 24.75-inch scale length guitars without worrying about the strings vibrating and buzzing against the frets. There’s also more distance between the frets, which becomes advantageous when playing higher up on the fretboard.
These two factors make the 25.5-inch scale length a popular choice for those who favor faster playing styles higher up on the fretboard, like shred guitar. String bending is still relatively easy, but not quite as fluid as it is on guitars with shorter scale lengths.
24.75 Inches: Gibson
Gibson is, without a doubt, one of the most influential guitar brands in history. Though they’ve dabbled in longer scale lengths, their tried-and-true standard is 24.75 inches. Other brands that have used the 24.75-inch scale length include, once again, Jackson, Schecter, ESP, Ibanez, and sometimes Fender.
While you can’t always set string action as low on a guitar with a 24.75-inch scale length, you can still set up your guitar for comfortably low action. With a slight reduction in tension, techniques like string bends and vibrato are especially fluid.
Fret spacing might lead to feeling a little crowded on higher frets if you have larger hands, but many still find it easy to navigate the guitar’s highest notes. Those guitars may even find themselves having an easier time with reaching notes and forming chords lower on the fretboard that may have proved difficult with a longer scale length.
25 Inches: PRS and D’Angelico
Somewhere in between Fender’s longer standard and Gibson’s shorter standard, you’ll find PRS and D’Angelico. Both brands have been known to venture outside of that scale length, but their most well-known models boast a 25-inch scale length.
A tad closer to the Gibson side of scale lengths, the 25-inch scale guitar gives you just a little more wiggle room on string action and a tad more space on those higher frets. If you find that 25.5-inches makes string bends a little difficult and 24.75-inches doesn’t offer enough tension for setups, a guitar with a 25-inch scale length might be your answer.
24.6 Inches: Gretsch
Of major guitar brands, Gretsch uses one of the shorter scale lengths on their standard builds—24.6 inches. To be clear, not all Gretsch guitars have this 24.6-inch scale length, but many, including their popular Jet and Country Gentleman models, do. Other Gretsch guitars may boast a 25.5-inch scale length, including their G6136TG Players Edition Falcon™.
Players may find the 24.6-inch scale length fairly comparable to Gibson’s 24.75 scale length. It’s ideal for those who don’t need as much space between frets or low string action. If you don’t have a heavy strumming hand and want a guitar that isn’t technically short-scale and makes string bends and vibrato a breeze, give 24.6-inch scale guitars a try.
Pickups for Standard-Scale Guitars
When it comes to shopping for pickups for standard-scale six-string guitars, the world is your oyster—most pickups in production are geared for guitars in this “standard” range.
For example, a Seymour Duncan JB Model is going to sound just as good in the bridge position of a Gibson Les Paul (24.75-inch scale) as it will in an HSS Fender Stratocaster (25.5-inch scale). Ultimately, your pickup choice for a standard scale guitar will depend on your overall sonic vision. Do you want something vintage, something hot, something for lower tunings, something jangly? It’s up to you!
Short Scale Length and 3/4 Scale Guitars
Short-scale guitars were introduced as early as 1956, when Fender released the Musicmaster and Duo-Sonic. Both had a scale length of 22.5 inches, which would be considered especially short by today’s standards.
Short-scale guitars are very popular with players who have smaller hands, including younger players and women. However, players of all shapes and sizes may find that they prefer the closer frets, lower tension, and overall look, sound, and general affordability of short-scale guitars.
Common Guitars with Short Scale Lengths
Modern short-scale guitars typically have a scale length of 24 inches, a far cry from the 22.5-inch short scales of the early Fender days. However, you can still find scale lengths as short as 20 inches, though these are generally referred to as 3/4 scale guitars instead of short-scale.
Fender is a major player in the short-scale guitar market—including their Jaguar, Mustang, and Duo-Sonic models—but there are plenty of other great short-scale builders available. Reverend, Peavey, and Rickenbacker all build (or have built) guitars that would classify as short-scale.
Pickups for Short-Scale Guitars
Sonically, any pickup that will work for a standard-scale guitar should work for short-scale guitars. But as we mention in our article, “,” many short-scale guitars—especially Fender offset models—are known for their unique tonal characteristics and aesthetics.
Pickups for short-scale guitars should be bright, springy, and sparkly to counteract the lower tension, which makes short scales naturally darker and more mellow. For example, Jaguar pickups are known for being bright, articulate, and having a midrange bite, helping them cut through a mix. Mustang pickups have a low output and offer a warmer, springy, almost Strat-like sound, with a honkier midrange. Meanwhile, Duo Sonics pickups are famous for their clear, smooth, spanky tone.
With their unique look and sound in mind, many short-scale aficionados turn to our selection of Offset guitar pickups—many of which are geared toward short-scales. Whether you’re looking for true vintage flavor or something that retains that unique character, but with a higher output, we have something for you.
Extended Scale Length
Guitars with scale lengths of 26 inches or more are considered long- or extended-scale guitars. Guitars with these longer scales are ideal for lower tunings and drop tunings thanks to their increased tension.
Six-string guitars aren’t the only extended-scale-length guitars out there. Builders like Ibanez, ESP, Schecter, and Music Man build long-scale seven- and eight-string guitars that are hugely popular in heavier genres.
Are Long-Scale Guitars Harder to Play?
In some ways (and for some players), long-scale guitars are easier to play than short- or standard-scale guitars. The increased tension aids with certain playing styles, and guitarists with larger hands may find it easier to play chords and riffs higher on the neck.
On the flipside, those with smaller hands may indeed find long-scale guitars harder to play. Even players with average-sized hands may struggle with extended-scale guitars. These players may find the increased distance between the frets makes some reaches harder and that the additional tension can make bending strings more difficult.
Common Guitars with Long Scale Lengths
Any guitar sold as a baritone guitar will have a longer scale length. Brands known for their six-string baritone guitars include Fender, Gretsch, and Danelectro.
Similarly, seven- and eight-string guitars (also known as extended range guitars) often have longer scale lengths. You can find them from builders like ESP, Ibanez, Schecter, Strandberg, and more.
Pickups for Long-Scale Guitars
Whether they have six, seven, or eight strings, guitars with longer scale lengths are tuned lower than a standard guitar. Examples include B standard, which is common for baritone guitars, and Drop C, which is popular in metal.
To get the most out of your downtuned guitar, we recommend choosing pickups that were specifically voiced for lower tunings, which are designed to retain clarity and high end and reduce muddiness.
A lot of guitarists gravitate towards active sets like our alt.metal Blackout humbuckers. However, passives like our recently released Jeff Loomis Noumenon humbuckers and our Mark Holcomb Alpha and Omega sets are also great choices, especially if you’re looking for modern metal tones.
Multi-Scale Length Guitars
Multi-scale guitars, also known as fanned-fret guitars, are a subset of extended-scale guitars. As we’ve mentioned before, a longer scale length means more tension and more tension means you can use lower tunings more easily. However, more tension makes it harder to bend strings and the increased fret distance makes some reaches more difficult.
Multi-scale guitars split the difference. The lower strings, which are often downtuned, have a longer scale length while the higher strings have a relatively shorter scale length. This enables guitarists to rock low tunings and extra strings while still being able to easily accomplish bends and lead runs on the higher strings.
Common Multi-Scale Length Guitars
While multi-scale guitars are considered more of a niche instrument, several high-profile brands offer fanned-fret guitars, including Ibanez, Schecter, Jackson, Strandberg, and ESP. Specific models include the ESP LTD M-1000 (which comes loaded with our Nazgul and Sentient humbuckers).
Pickups for Multi-Scale Guitars
Because of their unique shape and slant, it’s not always easy to find drop-in replacements for multi-scale guitars. However, the Seymour Duncan Custom Shop is always more than happy to do its best to accommodate multi-scale guitars.
Let’s talk about voicings. Since most multi-scale guitars are built for lower tunings and even seven or eight strings, we recommend choosing pickups—usually humbuckers—designed for extended-range instruments. Low-output pickups are popular for vintage guitars, but tend to have a flubbier low-end and can ultimately sound muddy.
A good rule is to find medium- to high-output pickups that have a tight low-end and are more mid-focused.
For example, our Black Winter pickup features three high-output ceramic magnets—which are naturally brighter—while a custom overwound coil design keeps mids and highs clear, and lows controlled and focused.
Other popular passive options for downtuned, extended-range guitars include our Invader humbuckers and our Nazgul and Sentient set. For active setups, our alt.metal Blackouts and Retribution pickups are fan favorites.
How Do You Choose a Guitar Scale Length?
It’s easy to get overwhelmed with scale length options, but the choice ultimately comes down to personal preference and needs. Here are a few things to take into account when shopping for guitars.
Genre
You can play nearly any genre on any guitar. Nothing is keeping you from playing high-octane metal on a Fender Mustang or chicken pickin’ on an Ibanez RG8. But there are reasons certain genres prefer certain scale lengths.
For example, guitarists in genres that favor lower tunings—especially metal and its sub-genres—will likely find it easier to get the sound they’re looking for from extended-scale or multi-scale guitars. Some country players may even choose to have an extended-scale guitar handy so they can get that vintage tic-tac bass sound.
Short-scale guitars have been long-associated with punk, indie, and surfy styles of music (to name a few examples). Since short-scale guitars have less distance between frets, they’re not favored in genres that tend to have solos higher up on the fretboard—if they have solos at all. Players in these genres may also prefer the jangly sound afforded by the shorter scale length.
Meanwhile, rock, blues, and country guitarists have traditionally gravitated toward models with Fender or Gibson scale lengths, depending on the techniques they tend to implement while playing. Which leads us to…
Playing Style and Technique
While your choice in guitar won’t disqualify you from certain playing styles—same with genres—it could make it easier to accomplish your playing goals.
A lot of this comes down to—surprise!—tension. A longer guitar scale length means higher tension, and higher tension means you can get lower action without buzz. Lower action can make it easier to play certain styles, like lightning-fast arpeggios, and increased distance between frets can keep you from tripping over your fingers during tricky runs. Guitarists who need to downtune and want to play shred guitar may choose an extended-scale or even multi-scale guitar to help them achieve their paying goals.
But you don’t need a 28-inch scale length to get low action and uncramped fret spacing. Fender’s 25.5-inch scale length has historically been especially popular for guitarists whose playing styles call for a bit more tension but no downtuning. This includes shred guitar and country chicken pickin’. The increase in tension over Gibson enables lower string action and offers more space between frets so guitarists don’t feel “cramped” higher up on the fretboard—while still being able to easily achieve string bends. Plus, the chicken pickers will especially appreciate the extra “bite” and “snap” from the extra tension.
Blues and rock players who like to bend notes while playing may prefer a guitar with a Gibson 24.75-inch scale length because there’s less string tension than with extended scale lengths—or even Fender scale lengths, for that matter!
Short-scale guitars tend to be popular with rhythm players who play with a softer strumming hand, or lead guitarists who mainly play vibrato-laden riffs or leads on the low or mid sections of the fretboard. Think surfy riffs or jangly indie strumming!
Comfort and Ergonomics
Guitarists come in all shapes and sizes. A comfortable reach across frets for one player may be an impossible task for another. That’s why guitarists with smaller hands are more likely to prefer a guitar with a shorter scale length—it’s what short-scales were designed for, after all.
On the other hand (pun intended), guitarists with larger hands might feel cramped on short-scale or even standard-scale guitars, especially if they want to play higher up on the fretboard. Those guitarists are more likely to prefer a guitar with a longer scale.
Ultimately, your ideal guitar scale length is up to you and your own personal preferences.
Can the Scale Length of a Guitar Be Changed or Modified?
For the most part, scale length cannot be easily changed or modified. While you may be able to physically put a 25.5-inch neck on a guitar that was originally made with a 24-inch neck, you’d have to re-measure and redrill the bridge if you want it to be intonated.
The major exception to this rule is the baritone conversion neck. This is most common for Fender-style guitars, but it’s relatively easy to find guitar necks that were built to convert a standard-scale guitar into an extended-scale guitar. The most common conversion necks are made to be drop-in replacements for Fender Telecasters®.
Scale Length Matters
But it isn’t everything. There aren’t a lot of hard, fast rules in guitar, and that includes scale length. There’s no reason you can’t load your 24-inch guitar up with heavy strings and chug away, and there’s no reason you wouldn’t be able to nail those hot country licks on a multi-scale guitar.
No matter what scale length you prefer, Seymour Duncan makes pickups that can help you create the tone you hear in your head. Browse our ever-growing list of ready-to-order pickups or work with our Custom Shop to achieve the perfect look, feel, and sound you want.
