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I'm contemplating buiding an L-00. I have a template for the Martin 24.9" scale length. Other than not being "authentic", does it really matter if I use the Martin scale length rather than the Gibson? I'd have to spend $40 to buy the 24.75" template...

Any thoughts or comments are welcome...
Thanks,
Steve

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Steve Sollod (pronounced sorta like "Solid")
www.swiftcreekguitars.com

That's plenty close enough for all practical purposes. As far as being "authentic", Gibson was not terribly consistent over the years, so they probably built at least one with whatever scale you decide to use. Some of the early L-00 probably have scale lengths based on the "rule of 18" instead of the 12th root of 2.
If you're working from plans with a 24.75" scale length, you may want to add the 0.15" difference to the length of the neck.

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A man hears what he wants to hear, and disreguards the rest. Paul Simon

You could calculate the fret spacing for the 24.75" scale and make your own template. I believe Kamamoto's guitar repair book also gives fret spacings for that scale in the back of the book.

This came in pretty handy when I was designing a 16-5/8" scale uke recently:

http://www.stewmac.com/FretCalculator

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Regards,
Phillip Patton

http://www.pattonblades.com

The bitterness of poor quality lingers long after the sweetness of low price has faded.

https://hoosierbladesmith.wordpress.com

Difference between Martin 24.9" and Gibson 24.75" Scale = 0.150"

Use what you've got if you like, just be sure your bridge plate catches all your bridge pin holes. I've built a couple 12th fret 00s with a 24.75" scale.

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Aaron Craig

I'm thinking all I need to do is make sure my bridge plate is in the right place. I could shift the bracing 0.15" toward the end wedge... or leave the bracing where it would be on a L-00 template and shift the bridge patch toward the end wedge... Would that make it "forward shifted" bracing?

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Steve Sollod (pronounced sorta like "Solid")
www.swiftcreekguitars.com

The bridge position won't shift 0.15". Some of the added scale length is in the neck. Nut to 14th fret with a 24.75" scale is 13.725". Nut to 14th fret on a 24.9 scale is 13.808". So 0.083" of the 0.15" difference in actually in the neck, not the body. The actual location of the bridge is only .067" different.

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I didn't mean to say it, but I meant what I said.
http://www.brackettinstruments.com/

The difference in tension is 2.4 lbs or 1.3% between the two with medium gauge strings. Not much.

I already have a copy of wfret but do you have an active link for those that don't? The MIMF link and the others I had don't work anymore.

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Another day, another dollar.

Based on what Woody said, it doesn't appear I need to make any adjustments to compensate for the difference in scale length... The bridge patch should be okay where it's located in the template (maybe nudged ~ 0.060"). It appears that the difference is inconsequential.

(Thanks Woody.)

Do others agree?

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Steve Sollod (pronounced sorta like "Solid")
www.swiftcreekguitars.com

If you want a true Gibson replica you should make sure your pins don't hit the bridge plate LOL.

Yeah Woody is right

Actually it is less than that. Martin's scales include the compensation, while Gibson's do not.

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John

http://api.ning.com/files/cyeJKQVrcVTRo ... /wfret.zip

cheers

I suppose most of the Gibson scales I have measured have been from the period from the late-1930's to the early-1950's. Most of those are 12 3/8" from the nut to the 12th fret.

I generally add 0.060" to 0.070" for the first string compensation.

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John