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Scale Length


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On a guitar with a scale length of 25.5", how much adjustment in either direction do I need for the saddles when locating the bridge? Is +/- .125" about right or do I need more or less?

I have a gotoh modern tele bridge that is supposed to mount in vintage holes, however it seems 25.5" is my minimum scale length when I max out the saddle adjustment towards the nut. I would think I should be able to get the scale length down to 25.375" at least if needed to intonate, but that's not the case as I can only make my scale length longer.

Does this sound right?

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If the frets are located in the right position you never need to shorten the string to intonate, only to ingcrease length. As a very general rule of thumb I place the bridge in exactly that position, with maxed out saddles the scale length is the theoretically correct, allowing me to back the saddles to compensate for the rise in pitch that occur when the strings are stretched down to the frets.

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