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Author
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Topic: long scale steels
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Bill Creller
Member From: Saginaw, Michigan, USA
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posted 11 January 2006 08:20 PM
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I have been thinking of building a long scale single neck, mostly because people say they sound better/different. I have played only one, and it was a Rick frypan that belonged to Pua Almeida. Of course being an old frypan, it sounded great.
I don't know how many different scales are termed "long neck" The figure of 24 1/2 sticks in my mind. Is this a common long scale length? Any info is very welcome
BILL |
HowardR
Member From: N.Y.C.,N.Y.
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posted 11 January 2006 08:41 PM
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Long scale Stringmasters are 26". |
Scott Thomas
Member From: Oregon, USA
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posted 11 January 2006 08:47 PM
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My '54 Stringmaster T-8 is a 26" scale. These were on the first models for a couple of years I believe, and then Fender changed to 24 1/2 and 22 on all later models. I have heard that the 24 1/2 inch scale is a nice compromise both for sound and slanting. I know that the one time I tried to put a high G on my 26", it snapped before I could bring it up to pitch, so that's something you might consider if you are considering anything over 24 1/2. |
Dan Tyack
Member From: Seattle, WA USA
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posted 11 January 2006 11:07 PM
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My English Electronics steel (built by Supro/Valco) is 25 1/2" and it's the best sounding lap steel I have ever played. ------------------
www.tyack.com |
Rick Aiello
Member From: Berryville, VA USA
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posted 12 January 2006 05:18 AM
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Ricky A25 frypans are 25.5" ... My long scale Dustpans are 25.625" ... ------------------
Aiello's Cast Steel Guitars
My wife and I don't think alike. She donates money to the homeless and I donate money to the topless! ... R. Dangerfield
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Loni Specter
Member From: West Hills, CA, USA
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posted 12 January 2006 07:32 AM
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RedNeck equipt Teles and Strats are 25.5" |
Jesse Pearson
Member From: San Diego , CA
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posted 12 January 2006 08:02 AM
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Rick, could you talk a little about the difference between the 25.6 and the 25.5. I'm interested because I'm so into Dick McIntire and I know you built a steel with 25.5 after playing one of Dicks old steels. Thanks... |
Rick Aiello
Member From: Berryville, VA USA
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posted 12 January 2006 08:43 AM
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It was a shrinkage issue ...   Aluminum shrinks when it solidifies ... and I had built in the "shrinkage" factor ... in the CAD drawings I sent to Terry Farmer. Well ... shrinkage is a tad un-predictable The 6 string versions came out a perfect 25.5" ... But the wide neck versions (7 to 10 strings) ... came out 25.625". Better a tad too long ... thats what I hear anyway  ------------------
Aiello's Cast Steel Guitars
My wife and I don't think alike. She donates money to the homeless and I donate money to the topless! ... R. Dangerfield
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Rick Collins
Member From: Claremont , CA USA
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posted 12 January 2006 09:11 AM
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The 26" Fender Stringmasters are the best sound I have heard to date for nonpedal steel guitars.They truly are the Emmons black push/pull of the nonpedals. |
Stephan Miller
Member From: Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
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posted 12 January 2006 10:04 AM
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FWIW, I think of "long-scale" as 24" on up.Sierra 24", LapDancer 24 1/2", West Coast WC-8 25", Goldtone 25 1/4", etc.
[This message was edited by Stephan Miller on 12 January 2006 at 10:10 AM.] |
Rick Garrett
Member From: Tyler, Texas
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posted 12 January 2006 10:26 AM
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My 53 Double 8 Stringmaster is 26 inches. Great tone and great sustain. Not great for bar slants unless your in Hughey land. Rick |
Bill Creller
Member From: Saginaw, Michigan, USA
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posted 12 January 2006 05:20 PM
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Thanks for all the info/lengths on long scales. Not sure what to try at this point, but longer sounds like better sound.
Regards BILL |
Dan Sawyer
Member From: Studio City, California, USA
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posted 13 January 2006 12:27 AM
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Stephan, It seems like you're keeping a little database of scale lengths of the various brands. Very cool. Keep it up so we can use you as our reference. |
Stephan Miller
Member From: Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
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posted 13 January 2006 04:58 PM
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Hey Dan! Actually the best database for the nut-to-bridge measurements of long-scale steels (that I know of) is THIS THREAD. Other than the ones listed so far, the only long-scale I can think of at the moment is made by Bill Asher, 25"? (Bill L., Steinar?)Bill C. was after this kind of info when he started this thread, so maybe we can compile most of the rest of it!?
Just for now, if we say "long-scale" means 24" or more... so far we know about the 26" Fender Stringmaster, the Rick Frypan, The Aiello Dustpan, English Electronics, RedNecks & LapDancers, Sierra, West Coast WC-8, and Oahu & Goldtone Tonemasters. And we have measurements for all of those. Any more long-scale electric steel guitars?
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Steinar Gregertsen
Member From: Arendal, Norway
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posted 13 January 2006 05:38 PM
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The Asher is 25", as is the new Lap King line of lap steels. Steinar ------------------
www.gregertsen.com
[This message was edited by Steinar Gregertsen on 13 January 2006 at 05:40 PM.]
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Rick Aiello
Member From: Berryville, VA USA
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posted 13 January 2006 06:16 PM
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Well, if this is gonna be the "Database" for longer scale steels ...The Sierra Laptop 8 is 24.25" ... Hey ... 1/4" matters to poor George Costanza ... ------------------
Aiello's Cast Steel Guitars
My wife and I don't think alike. She donates money to the homeless and I donate money to the topless! ... R. Dangerfield
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Scott Thomas
Member From: Oregon, USA
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posted 13 January 2006 06:34 PM
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Freeman Cowgar, who is no longer with us unfortunately, made a Cougar 30 1/2" scale 10 string for Claude Brownell who tuned it in the Eharp intervals, but down fourth. Bill, I doubt you are thinking about going to that extreme, just another on for the "data base". I understand the Gibson Console Grand is 25". Some Magnatone consoles are longscale too aren't they? |
Stephan Miller
Member From: Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
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posted 13 January 2006 06:43 PM
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Yeah...I re-measured the Sierra, 24 1/4" it is. Must have been "temporary shrinkage"...
that use-it-or-lose-it thing?  |
John Bechtel
Member From: Nashville, Tennessee,U.S.A.
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posted 13 January 2006 07:27 PM
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Scott;
To the best of my recollection, the Gibson Console Grande scale was 23”. (At least up until the early ’50's.) When the Humbucking 4–8–4 P/U came into use, the scale might have increased slightly, but; not by much! My memory stopped when I got that Model!  My next steel was a 24½” Fender D–8 Stringmaster until ’57. Then I went to a 25” D–8 Sho-Bud. I would suspect that if you want to go for a longer scale, you might also want to consider keeping a wide spacing of at least 3/8” between all strings from Bridge to Nut. (==== parallel)
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“Big John” Bechtel
’05 D–10 Derby – (6 & 8)
’65 Re-Issue Fender Twin–Reverb Custom™ 15”
Current Equipment
Newest Steel[This message was edited by John Bechtel on 13 January 2006 at 07:32 PM.] |
Wayne Cox
Member From: Chatham, Louisiana, USA
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posted 19 January 2006 10:02 PM
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FWIW, the new "Steel GitFiddle" features a 25" scale also. Hope to show them at the Dallas show!
~~W.C.~~ |
John Bechtel
Member From: Nashville, Tennessee,U.S.A.
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posted 20 January 2006 10:18 PM
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Bill;
If you’re going to build a looong~scale steel, you might want to consider using a Roller~Nut and maybe even a Roller~Bridge! I’ve never really seen it done, but; if you run the strings straight to the Keys over the Rollers, you might get the higher pitched strings to work OK on a long scale neck! Just a thought! I prefer a short~scale myself and I wish I had a Short~Scale PSG. I built a 22½” D–8 PSG in 1960 with Sho-Bud P/U's and Fender 8-str. Roller~Nuts and it really sounded good! I also built a Short~Scale 22½” D–8 PSG in ’89 w/o Roller~Nuts and it sounded good too! But. I think rollers are more desireable. You may as well use every advantage available! ------------------
“Big John”
a.k.a. {Keoni Nui}
’05 D–10 Derby
’65 Re-Issue Fender Twin–Reverb Custom™ 15”
Current Equipment |
Bill Creller
Member From: Saginaw, Michigan, USA
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posted 20 January 2006 10:26 PM
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Thanks John and all of you for the input. The roller bridge and nut sounds very interesting. I'll check it out.
Bill[This message was edited by Bill Creller on 20 January 2006 at 10:27 PM.] |
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