Jump to content

Measuring The Guitar Scale Question


Recommended Posts

I know that the distance from the nut to the 12th fret should equal the distance between the bridge and the 12th fret… so if there was a guitar with a 25” scale, it would be 12.5 inches between the nut and 12th, and 12.5 inches between the bridge and 12th… that I understand, but where on the bridge and nut do you measure from… the blue or the yellow line?

neckandbridgearea.png

w681.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Scale length is from the nut to the 12th fret doubled. So that would be the yellow line in the first picture, where the string breaks from the nut.

Looking at the 2nd pic if the yellowline was straight that could be the scale length measurement i.e 25" but because the guitar needs to be intonated the saddles could end up being in the position marked by the blue line.

You measure from the nut to the 12th, then from the 12th toward the bridge, (not from the bridge to the 12th) I know on paper there is no difference but in practise it makes more sense to do it this way.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...
I know that the distance from the nut to the 12th fret should equal the distance between the bridge and the 12th fret… so if there was a guitar with a 25” scale, it would be 12.5 inches between the nut and 12th, and 12.5 inches between the bridge and 12th… that I understand, but where on the bridge and nut do you measure from… the blue or the yellow line?

neckandbridgearea.png

lol - did nobody else notice he used a picture of a compensated nut? :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So what is the question anyway.

First the assumption that the strings are equal to half the string length from the twelfth fret to the saddles is nonsense.. String compensation will put the saddles further back. So this measurement is inconclusive.

Since the nut is compensated we have no clue which one of those strings on the saddle has not been altered.

In general you measure from where the string breaks on the nut to the twelfth fret(front edge of the saddle). With the issue you have come up against try going to a fret calculator and measure the distance between several frets. Or gusetimate using the standard scale lenghts people use.

Most likey and with you not showing us the guitar (which would have been easier than all the lines) the style would suggest a 25.5" fender scale.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

The way I would look at this and answer this question

Measure along the 1st string where there is little or no compensation (assuming the intonation has been set correctly)

In the first picture you would not measure from either blue or yellow line but where you can see the string breaks from the nut (as Woodenspoke said)

Measure from the nut to the middle of the 12th fret and double the number. This will give you the scale length provided it is a standard scale

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...