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| Author: | Neil Gardiner [ Mon Jun 13, 2011 9:08 am ] |
| Post subject: | 24" Scale Saddle Compensation |
I'm building a 24" scale steel string. Do I need to adjust the saddle compensation? If so, how do I calculate that? Neil |
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| Author: | jac68984 [ Mon Jun 13, 2011 9:38 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: 24" Scale Saddle Compensation |
Yes, you will need to compensate. Try Stewmac's fret position calculator. It is straight forward and should get you close. Here's the link: http://www.stewmac.com/FretCalculator Aaron |
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| Author: | Blanchard [ Mon Jun 13, 2011 10:53 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: 24" Scale Saddle Compensation |
I have some numbers on compensation for scale lengths of 24" , 25" and 25.5". I will dig them up in the shop today and post them later. M |
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| Author: | Blanchard [ Mon Jun 13, 2011 4:33 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: 24" Scale Saddle Compensation |
Blanchard wrote: I have some numbers on compensation for scale lengths of 24" , 25" and 25.5". I will dig them up in the shop today and post them later. M On my 24" scale length guitars I add 1/32" to the amount of compensation that I use on my 25.5" scale length guitars. This has worked well for me. M |
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| Author: | meddlingfool [ Mon Jun 13, 2011 5:38 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: 24" Scale Saddle Compensation |
You add more compensation on the shorter scale guitar? |
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| Author: | Blanchard [ Mon Jun 13, 2011 8:02 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: 24" Scale Saddle Compensation |
meddlingfool wrote: You add more compensation on the shorter scale guitar? Yes, more compensation on shorter scales. The shorter strings sharp out more when fretted than longer strings. M |
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| Author: | Neil Gardiner [ Tue Jun 14, 2011 6:56 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: 24" Scale Saddle Compensation |
Hey, glad I asked. I would have thought less compensation too. Thanks M. |
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| Author: | Eric Reid [ Tue Jun 14, 2011 12:27 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: 24" Scale Saddle Compensation |
Blanchard wrote: meddlingfool wrote: You add more compensation on the shorter scale guitar? Yes, more compensation on shorter scales. The shorter strings sharp out more when fretted than longer strings. M That's certainly been my experience as well. The Stew Mac calculator seems to do the opposite. Any idea what's going on there? |
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| Author: | Blanchard [ Tue Jun 14, 2011 2:48 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: 24" Scale Saddle Compensation |
Another thing that really helps with shorter scales is shortening the distance from the nut to the first fret. It helps prevent the first 2 or 3 frets from playing sharp. I actually do this on all my guitars regardless of the scale length. I take off about .020" on scale lengths over 25" and .030 on scale lengths of 25" or less. I also recommend tuners with at least 16:1 gear ratios on scales less than 25". 18:1 or 21:1 is better. Tuning a short string with a 12:1 tuner can be really touchy. M |
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| Author: | DennisK [ Wed Jun 15, 2011 2:30 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: 24" Scale Saddle Compensation |
Blanchard wrote: Another thing that really helps with shorter scales is shortening the distance from the nut to the first fret. It helps prevent the first 2 or 3 frets from playing sharp. I actually do this on all my guitars regardless of the scale length. I take off about .020" on scale lengths over 25" and .030 on scale lengths of 25" or less. I also recommend tuners with at least 16:1 gear ratios on scales less than 25". 18:1 or 21:1 is better. Tuning a short string with a 12:1 tuner can be really touchy. M +1 to a bit of shortening at the nut end. You can always add some length back by shaping the nut, but much more annoying to try to shorten it (which I think my first one, 24.75" scale, needs). On my last one (25.5") I cut it 1/16" short and added some nut compensation ramps, which seems to have helped. It does confuse things for the measure-nut-to-12th-fret-and-multiply-by-two method of finding scale length, however. |
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