Scale Length and tone, lets chat

[BluesGuyJ]

Hey guys, so I am really interested in a PRS SC245, I am yet to play one though. I love my McCarty but cant help but feel a little disapointed in the upper mid range of the guitar. From what I can tell, the PRS SC245 and Santana models have that upper mid range I dig. I am curious if the scale length plays an important role in this tonal difference? I do like the tone and sound of an LP but not the feel of the traditional body and bulk of neck, thus my interest in PRS. I like guitars with a hardtail and set neck more than bolt ons and floating bridges and 25.5 scale necks.

[phil_104]

I feel like the scale length makes a huge difference in those PRS models. To me, the 2.45 scale sounds more vintage than the 25 inch scale, which sounds more modern. For some reason though, I prefer the 25 scale, even though I play a lot of older rock, just because it feels more natural to me, more dynamic.

[BluesGuyJ]

I am thinking about having a custom singlecut made for me by a local lutheir and the scale length is a huge concern of mine. I enjoy the feel of the 25 inch scle neck, but also want the deeper, thicker more sustaining tone known in Gibsons scale guitars. Surely selection of wood plays a role and neck joint and headstock angle/thickness do as well, but I just wonder how much is due to scale length.

[super rad stuff]

when the scale length is shortened, the harmonic nodes are closer together, and kind of meld together creating a sort or warmth from a loss of higher pitch harmonics(or somesuch) when the length is longer, those harmonics ring out more clearly since they aren't so close together, creating a high end shimmer and harmonic complexity not apparent in shorter scales.