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String Buzz Vs Scale Length


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I have three different scale guitars, all with the same fretboard radius of 12". the scales are Fender (25.5"), PRS (25") and Les Paul (24.75").

After having done fret work on 25.5" scale guitars and having played them almost all my guitar playing life, I've gotten used to a certain amount of tension in the string and buzzing depending on the playing style.

When I built my 25" scale guitar, I got more buzzing compared to my 25.5" scale guitar. I checked everything out. Relief, high spots on the frets - Everything checks out fine but I get more buzz out of the strings compared to the longer scale guitar.

I then get a Les Paul and realize that the buzzing is more present than on the 25" or the 25.5" scale guitars I've owned.

Action is set the same on all my instruments at a little over 1/16" for the high e at the 17th fret, 3/32" for the low e, relief is about 0.009".

My question is: Is there a correlation between how clean the strings will ring out and the scale length?

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The shorter the scale length the less tension they have.

Check out Stew Mac http://www.stewmac.com/fretscales

The less tension would mean more string vibration so I guess a little more clearance is needed on short scales.

You need to raise your strings until they only buzz if you hit the strings hard.

My last axe I built was 25" scale length solid body, and they do feel soft with 10 gauge strings so on my 24-9/16" scale ES335 I am constructing at present, I think I will go to 11 gauge strings to raise the string tension.

Edited by Acousticraft
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