WA's Scale Lengths page

WA's Scale Lengths - for guitar, bass guitar, mandolin and other stringed instruments - Dec 1997. Last edited 18 March 2008

WA's Encyclopedia of Alternate Guitar Tunings

All measurements are from nut to saddle -- for the 1st string*, presumably. When tunings are listed, string 6 (lowest) is at left.

Martin Backpacker ukelele................................13.614"...345.8mm RISA Uke-Electric-Soprano mandolin.......................13.8".....350mm

standard mandolin scale.......................13-7/8"....13.875"...352.425mm - D'Addario string tension brochure
Mid-Missouri M-4 mandolin.....................13-7/8"....13.875"...352.425mm
Martin Backpacker mandolin....................13-7/8"....13.875"...352.4mm
Moon mandolin............................................13.98"....355mm
Bolivian charango (descendent of the vihuela) ..........~14.5"....~368mm - five pairs, tuned G C E (octaves) A E
Fluke ukeleles................................15-1/2"....15.50"....393.7mm
soprano guitar (small nylon string guitar)...............15.75"....400mm - tuned E A D G B E - up an octave
standard mandola scale........................15-7/8"....15.875"...403.225mm - D'Addario string tension brochure
Moon tenor mandola.......................................16.54"....420mm - tuned a fifth below the mandolin
RISA G-Stick travel guitar....................17"........17.00"....432mm - recommended tuning: ADGCEA -- a fourth higher than standard guitar tuning
RISA Uke-Electric-Tenor.......................17"........17.00"....432mm - typical tuning: ADF#B or GCEA -- either a fourth or a fifth higher than standard guitar tuning
Veillette Gryphon MK IV Hi-tuned 12-String....18-1/2"....18.50"....470mm
Washburn F1SK "Joey" travel acoustic..........19-1/4"....19.25"....489mm
PalmGuitar® electric (PalmGuitar, LLC)........20"........20.00"....508mm (~1999)
PalmGuitar® Standard Travel Guitar.......................20.239"...514mm (2006)
Rickenbacker 310 electric.....................20-3/4"....20.75"....527mm - Rickenbacker's 'short scale'
Rickenbacker 315 electric.....................20-3/4"....20.75"....527mm
Rickenbacker 320 electric.....................20-3/4"....20.75"....527mm
Rickenbacker 325 electric.....................20-3/4"....20.75"....527mm - Famously used by John Lennon, 1959-
alto guitar (small nylon string guitar).......20-7/8"....20.87"....530mm - tuned B E A D F# B
G# Guitar (The G# Guitar Co., Norway).........20-7/8"....20.87"....530mm - tuned G# C# F# B D# G#
requinto (small nylon string guitar).....................20.87"....530mm - tuned A D G C E A
Moon mandola / octave mandolin...........................21.26"....540mm - tuned an octave below the mandolin
Martin Size 5 Mini-Martin "parlor guitar".....21-3/8"....21.375"...542mm - see note 4
Prelude QC-24 nylon string................... 21-7/16"...21.44"....545mm
1931 Rickenbacker A22 "Frying Pan" lap steel..22"........22.00"....559mm - "First commercially successful electric guitar"
Pre-dates Gibson's ES-150 (used by Charlie Christian) by about 4 years, and Les Paul's 'Log' by about 10 years.
some Ovation mini-cutaway acoustics...........22-1/2"....22.50"....572mm
Fender Duosonic electric......................22-1/2"....22.50"....572mm - see notes 6, 7, 8
Fender Musicmaster electric...................22-1/2"....22.50"....572mm - see notes 6, 7, 8
Fender Mustang electric.......................22-1/2"....22.50"....572mm - see notes 6, 7, 8
Baby Taylor portable acoustic.................22-3/4"....22.75"....578mm
1959 Gibson ES-140 3/4T electric archtop .....22-3/4"....22.75"....578mm - 3/4 size, 22 3/4" short scale, kid-sized guitar - http://www.provide.net/~cfh/gibson.html
1961 Gibson Les Paul Jr. electric tenor ......22-3/4"....22.75"....578mm - tenor banjo neck, C G D A tuning
1965 Gibson SG Standard electric tenor .......22-3/4"....22.75"....578mm - tenor banjo neck, C G D A tuning
1929 Martin acoustic tenor guitar.............23"........23.00"....584.2mm - banjo-style tuners
Martin 7-28 7/8-size acoustic (1980)..........23"........23.00"....584.2mm
Little Martin acoustic (2004).................23"........23.00"....584.2mm
Moon cittern..................................23-1/2"....23.50"....597mm
Gibson Byrdland electric......................23-1/2"....23.50"....597mm"because of its short scale it has very limited collectibility"- http://www.provide.net/~cfh/gibson.html
Gibson ES-350T electric (1955-1977)...........23-1/2"....23.50"....597mm- http://www.provide.net/~cfh/gibson.html
Yamaha APXT-1 portable acoustic/electric......23-5/8"....23.625"...600mm
some Ovation mini-cutaway acoustics...........23-5/8"....23.625"...600mm
Martin Backpacker classical...................24"........24.00"....610mm
Martin Backpacker steel string................24"........24.00"....610mm
Fernandes Nomad electric......................24"........24.00"....610mm
Fender Jaguar electric........................24"........24.00"....610mm
Fender Mustang electric.......................24"........24.00"....610mm - see notes 6, 7, 8
Fender Duosonic electric......................24"........24.00"....610mm - see notes 6, 7, 8
Fender Musicmaster electric...................24"........24.00"....610mm - see notes 6, 7, 8
Gretsch G3203 Hawaiian Acoustic...............24"........24.00"....610mm
Brian May's handbuilt 'Red Special' electric..24"........24.00"....610mm"...making for a more bend-friendly playing experience."
Larivée Parlor guitar.........................24"........24.00"....610mm
Pignose PGG-100 travel guitar.................24-1/4"....24.25"....616mm
Gretsch Duo Jet..........................................24.60"....625mm - http://www.gretschguitars.com | "My first good guitar" - George Harrison
WA's 1963 Gibson B-25 acoustic................24-5/8"....24.625"...625mm
vintage Gibson Hummingbird....................24-3/4"....24.75"....628mm
1999 Gibson J-45 acoustic.....................24-3/4"....24.75"....628mm
Guild Bluesbird electric......................24-3/4"....24.75"....628mm
standard Gibson scale.........................24-3/4"....24.75"....628mm - but see note 1
many vintage Gibson electrics.................24-3/4"....24.75"....628mm (Explorer, Flying V, Melody Maker, FireBird, ES series...)
1999 Gibson Les Paul Jr. Special electric.....24-3/4"....24.75"....628mm
1999 Gibson Les Paul Standard electric........24-3/4"....24.75"....628mm
1999 Gibson Les Paul Jimmy Page electric......24-3/4"....24.75"....628mm
1999 Gibson ES-165 Herb Ellis electric........24-3/4"....24.75"....628mm
1999 Gibson ES-335 electric...................24-3/4"....24.75"....628mm
WA's Epiphone SG electric.....................24-3/4"....24.75"....628mm
Epiphone Casino electric......................24-3/4"....24.75"....628mm
Epiphone Bluesmaster / Songwriter acoustic....24-3/4"....24.75"....628mm - Used by Keb' Mo' (Kevin Moore)
Gretsch Sprectra Sonic electric...............24-3/4"....24.75"....628mm
Rickenbacker 330 electric.....................24-3/4"....24.75"....628mm - Rickenbacker's 'full scale'
Rickenbacker 335 electric.....................24-3/4"....24.75"....628mm
Rickenbacker 340 electric.....................24-3/4"....24.75"....628mm
Rickenbacker 345 electric.....................24-3/4"....24.75"....628mm
Rickenbacker 360 electric.....................24-3/4"....24.75"....628mm
Rickenbacker 365 electric.....................24-3/4"....24.75"....628mm
Rickenbacker 370 electric.....................24-3/4"....24.75"....628mm
Rickenbacker 375 electric.....................24-3/4"....24.75"....628mm
Fender Jaguar electric........................24"........24.00"....6??mm
Traveler portable guitar......................24-3/4"....24.75"....628mm
almost all Hamer electrics....................24-3/4"....24.75"....628mm
Washburn E300 electric........................24-3/4"....24.75"....628mm
some Fylde acoustics (Ariel, Oberon)..........24-3/4"....24.75"....628mm
Martin D12-18, 000-28, 000-28EC..........................24.90"....632mm - see note 2
Yamaha SLG100S Silent Steel (bodyless)........24-15/16...24.94"....633mm
1931 Rickenbacker A25 "Frying Pan" lap steel..25"........25.00"....635mm
standard mandocello scale.....................25"........25.00"....635mm - D'Addario string tension brochure
Goodall Parlor model acoustic.................25"........25.00"....635mm
Danelectro Innuendo electric..................25"........25.00"....635mm
Jerry Jones Master Electric Sitar.............25"........25.00"....635mm - modeled after Coral electric sitar, 13 sympathetic strings
Paul Reed Smith McCarty electric..............25"........25.00"....635mm - see note 3
a few Yamaha acoustics...................................25.08"....637mm
T. McInturff Polaris electric.................25-1/8"....25.125"...638mm
Moon bouzouki............................................25.197"...640mm
some A. LoPrinzi classical guitars.......................25.197"...640mm
Santa Cruz Tony Rice Professional.............25-1/4"....25.25"....641mm
Keith C.'s cheap chopped & decked classical...25-1/4"....25.25"....641mm
most Ovation acoustics........................25-1/4"....25.25"....641mm
some (not all) Rainsong acoustics.............25-3/8"....25.375"...644mm
many Takamine acoustic models.................25-3/8"....25.375"...644mm
Healdsville Auditorium acoustic..........................25.375"...644mm
most Martin guitars......................................25.4".....645mm - excepting those noted above
all or most A. LoPrinzi steel string guitars.............25.4".....645mm
"Standard Guitar Scale"..................................25.484"...647.29mm - http://www.allenguitar.com/fret_slo.htm"
Gibson ES-350T electric (1977-1981)...........25-1/2"....25.50"....647.7mm- http://www.provide.net/~cfh/gibson.html
Gibson Country Gentleman acoustic.............25-1/2"....25.50"....647.7mm
1999 Gibson Hummingbird acoustic..............25-1/2"....25.50"....647.7mm
1934 Gibson Super-400 acoustic................25-1/2"....25.50"....647.7mm
1939 Gibson Advanced Jumbo acoustic...........25-1/2"....25.50"....647.7mm
1999 Gibson Dove acoustic.....................25-1/2"....25.50"....647.7mm
Gibson Citation electric......................25-1/2"....25.50"....647.7mm
Gibson Blueshawk electric.....................25-1/2"....25.50"....647.7mm
Gibson Nighthawk electric.....................25-1/2"....25.50"....647.7mm
Gretsch White Falcon electric.................25-1/2"....25.50"....647.7mm
Guild Artist electric.........................25-1/2"....25.50"....647.7mm
all standard Taylor guitars...................25-1/2"....25.50"....647.7mm
some Fylde acoustics (Falstaff, Orsino).......25-1/2"....25.50"....647.7mm
all or most Godin acoustics...................25-1/2"....25.50"....647.7mm
Schecter Hellcat 10 electric..................25-1/2"....25.50"....647.7mm
Music Man Axis Sports electric................25-1/2"....25.50"....647.7mm
Fender Stratocaster electric..................25-1/2"....25.50"....647.7mm
Reverend Rocco electric.......................25-1/2"....25.50"....647.7mm
G&L ASAT Deluxe electric......................25-1/2"....25.50"....647.7mm
almost all Goodall acoustics..................25-1/2"....25.50"....647.7mm
G&L ASAT Deluxe electric......................25-1/2"....25.50"....647.7mm
Wilde Cherry Deluxe electric..................25-1/2"....25.50"....647.7mm
some (all?) Washburn acoustics................25-1/2"....25.50"....647.7mm
all Bourgeois acoustics.......................25-1/2"....25.50"....647.7mm
Moon guitar / bouzouki...................................25.51"....648mm
Antonio de Torres guitars of (1858-1892).................25.59"....650mm
most A. LoPrinzi classical guitars.......................25.59"....650mm
most Yamaha acoustics....................................25.59"....650mm
most or all G.W. Barry acoustics.........................25.59"....650mm
some Takamine models (PSF-65C)...........................25.59"....650mm
some (not all) Rainsong acoustics........................25.59"....650mm
all Lowden acoustics..........................25-5/8"....25.625"...650.875mm
- Lowden sales rep Dave Ingham, Dec 2000
Ovation AE134 nylon-string acoustic/electric..26"........26.00"....660mm
Larrivee Classical acoustic...................26"........26.00"....660mm
Veillette Mark III 12-string electric.........26-1/8"....26.125"...664mm
some A. LoPrinzi classical guitars............26-1/8"....26.125"...664mm
"Gypsy Guitar" sold by Lark in the Morning....26-3/8"....26.375"...670mm
- has a zero fret; modeled after a guitar used by Django R.
Gitane DG-250 gypsy jazz guitar...............26-3/8"....26.375"...670mm
- has a zero fret; modeled after post-Maccaferri "petite bouche" Selmer.
Santa Cruz Bob Brozman Baritone acoustic......27"........27.00"....685.8mm
EPS LTD SC-607B electric 7-string baritone....27"........27.00"....685.8mm
Fender Sub-Sonic Telecaster...................27"........27.00"....685.8mm - tuned B E A D F# E
Fender Sub-Sonic Stratocaster.................27"........27.00"....685.8mm - tuned B E A D F# E
contra-bass guitar (huge nylon string guitar)............27.56"....700mm - tuned E A D G B E - down an octave
CA Guitars AT-6 acoustic......................28"........28.00"....711.2mm "The AT-6 features a longer scale length for players who use a lot of alternate tunings. A longer scale means strings lose less tension when you drop their tunings..." - http://www.caguitars.com / - Cal Stevenson, CA Guitars, Inc.
Ovation DS768 Longneck acoustic/electric......28-1/3"....28.33"....721mm - see note 5
guitar built by Antonio Stradivari, 1688......29"........29.00"....743mm
- featuring five courses of paired strings
all Danelectro baritone electrics.............29-3/4"....29.75"....755.65mm - Danelectro product support
"Electric bass guitar (Short Scale)"..........30"........30.00"....762mm - D'Addario string tension brochure
Jerry Jones (Danelectro) Longhorn bass-6......30"........30.00"....762mm
Koyabu Board electric guitar / bass...........30"........30.00"....762mm
Hofner Icon B-Bass (like Paul McCartney's)....30"........30.00"....762mm
"Electric bass guitar (Medium Scale)".........32"........32.00"....812.8mm - D'Addario string tension brochure
Fender BG-31 acoustic/electric bass...........32"........32.00"....812.8mm
"Electric bass guitar (Long Scale)"...........34"........34.00"....864mm - D'Addario string tension brochure
Fender Precision Bass.........................34"........34.00"....864mm
Fender Jazz Bass..............................34"........34.00"....864mm
Hamer bass guitars............................34"........34.00"....864mm
Taylor acoustic basses........................34"........34.00"....864mm
Martin acoustic basses........................34"........34.00"....864mm
Epiphone acoustic basses (El Capitan).........34"........34.00"....864mm
"Electric bass guitar (Superlong Scale)"......36"........36.00"....914.4mm - D'Addario string tension brochure
"standard mandobass scale"....................42"........42.00"....1066.8mm - D'Addario string tension brochure

Note on the three measurement formats: The scale lengths for most of the guitars in the table were specified in inches-and-fraction format, from which I've calculated the decimal-inches and metric values. In a few case the measurement was specified in either decimal-inches (Martin, notably) or metric (Yamaha acoustics), in which case I haven't tried to derive the inches-and-fraction value, since I prefer to have some indication that the scale of these guitars was not specified in terms of inches-and-fractions.

* "On a slanted bridge, the high E is the shortest string, and the measurement should be taken there. On a compensated bridge, the G string is the shortest, and it should be used." - Questions section, Guitar Player magazine, Oct 1973

"The scale length of an instrument is the distance from the nut to the 12th fret multiplied by 2." [Specifying scale length this way avoids the awkward problem of indicating what point on the slanted / compensated saddle to measure to. - WA] - Stewart-MacDonald Fret Calculator page, Jan 2005.

Augustino LoPrinzi website on scale length: The standard 650mm [25.59"] scale, as formalized in the mid-19th century by Antonio Torres, the father of the modern classic guitar, meets the needs of most players. Realizing that people have requirements determined by personal style, Mr. LoPrinzi has wisely chosen to design the bracing and body dimensions of each model to enhance the tonal possibilities of three essential scale lengths: 640mm [25.197"], 650mm [25.59"], 664mm [26.125"].

Norman Blake on scale length: "I'm not a fan of the long scale anymore, and I don't like the dreadnought. The 25.4" scale doesn't make much sense for what I do. I'm not the world's largest person in stature, and I sit down to play, so a dreadnought got to seeming like overkill. Plus I get tired of the lack of snap. It's kind of like stringing up the kitchen table and playing that. I got tired of reaching a little further for everything -- having to punch it real hard to get anything out of it. I like the Gibson 24-3/4" basic scale or the old Martin 00 scale, which is 24.9"."

Scale length vs string gauge: "While some electric guitarists use a shorter scale instrument to achieve less string tension and easier playability, others see it as an opportunity to get a "thicker" tone utilizing heavier gauge strings. For instance, take two identical electric guitar bodies, one fitted with a 25-1/2", and the other with a 24-3/4" scale neck. If you find your technique requires using .009 - .042 gauge strings on the longscale, you'll probably get the same feel utilizing a heavier .010 - .046 gauge set on the short scale instrument, The heavier gauge strings will also have the side-effect of inducing more voltage [current?] in your pickups, resulting in a 'thicker' fundamental note, and more output." -"The Fret!" newsletter, The Twelfth Fret guitar shop, Toronto, Canada

      Scale length vs sustain: "Scale length... is measured as the distance between two points: one at the bridge and one at the nut. The points where the strings contact the nut and the bridge define the scale length of the guitar. A longer scale will, to a point, give more sustain. The reason for this is that the tighter a string is stretched, the longer it will sustain, and for a string of any given thickness, the string at the longer scale will have to be tensioned higher than the string at the shorter scale to reach the same pitch. However, a longer scale will make the fret distances longer and make it more difficult to reach the frets. Most guitar scale lengths are between 24 and 26 inches, with the most common being 24-3/4" (Les Paul style) and 25-1/2" (Fender style)." -The Guitar Builder's FAQ (electric guitars section) (c) 1995 Bill Wyza.

      note 1. - "Gibson's standard scale is 24-3/4". This is a compensated length, based on a true scale of 24-9/16"". - Stewart-MacDonald catalog, 1998
"The Gibson 24-3/4" scale is also very common, but it is also the most confusing of all scale lengths. This is because it rarely ever measures out to be 24-3/4 inches! This scale has gradually changed over the past fifty or so years due to changes in production equipment."
Gibson scale length variations - Stewart-MacDonald Fret Calculator page, Jan 2005.
      note 2. These are older Auditorium model designs, but still available, as of 1997. "The scale length on '000' models has traditionally been the shorter 24.9" scale, but the two new 000s feature the preferred 25.4" scale." "This longer scale increases the tension on the strings slightly, yielding more volume and tonal punch." [And making the strings a little harder to bend, I suppose.] - C.F. Martin catalogs)
      note 3. [25"] "An increasingly popular modern scale length, as found on Paul Reed Smith guitars." - Stewart-MacDonald catalog, 1998
      note 4. The original Martin Size 5 parlor guitars (starting in 1898) were tuned a minor third higher than standard tuning, to G C F Bb D G. - Martin 1998 catalog
      note 5. Designed to be tuned one full step below standard tuning: D G C F A D. - Ovation website: www.kamanmusic.com
      note 6. "The [Fender] Bronco, Musicmaster, Mustang and Duo Sonic came in two scale lengths: 24" and 22 1/2", according to my tattered 1969 Fender catalog. The Mustang Bass and Bass VI use a 30" scale. The LTD and Montego jazz guitars use the 25 1/2" scale as did the Coronado I, II & XII. The acoustic series (Kingman, Palomino, Malibu, etc) with the funky tube inside the body were also 25 1/2" scale lengths." - Riley Wilson/The Gigmeister, Vintage Guitar
      note 7. "...the 22.5" scale necks and 24" scale necks are interchangable on old DuoSonic / Musicmaster / Mustang bodies (and presumably Jaguars if you wanted to do it in reverse for some odd reason). But a 25.5" scale neck (Strat / Tele / Jazzmaster) WON'T work on a 22.5" or 24" scale body without considerable modification - it may well fit, but you'd have to move the entire bridge for a start before it would intonate." - Scopo, Fender Discussion Page, Nov 16th, 2004
      note 8. "First introduced in mid 1956, the original [Fender] Duosonic (two pickups) and the Musicmaster (one pickup) were Fender's 3/4 size, student model, 22.5" short scale beginners guitars. Master tone, master volume, 3-way pickup selector switch( on Duosonic only)...pre-1964 Musicmasters and Duo-Sonics are very well made. In late 1964 both models moved to second generation, coinciding with the introduction of the Mustang. The "II" designation was then added to the DuoSonic and MusicMaster names. These models are more like the Mustang (except the Mustang has a vibrato), than the original DuoSonic / MusicMaster models. It was available with either a 22.5" or 24" scale, but is most often found with the longer scale." - Vintage Guitars Info