Laminate w/25.5 scale?

**Encinitastubes** · 06-01-2013, 08:32 PM

I love my ES-175, but the Gibson scale is too small, especially the string spacing for my right hand. Anyone make one with a Fender type scale and string spacing?

**Tom Karol** · 06-01-2013, 09:16 PM

These:
Hollow and Semi Hollow Hybrid | Crafter USA

**3625** · 06-01-2013, 09:58 PM

I don't know about string spacing but re: 25 1/2 - Gibsons: Tal Farlow, 350, Howard Roberts Artist & Barney Kessell. There doesn't seem to be many long scale laminates out there, most seem to be solid tops. Sadowsky make a long scale, could be laminate - not sure.

**marcwhy** · 06-01-2013, 10:50 PM

Does it have to be laminate??

**Encinitastubes** · 06-01-2013, 11:29 PM

Originally Posted by marcwhy

Does it have to be laminate??

why, what ya thinking?

**feet** · 06-02-2013, 12:03 AM

gretsch falcons are the first thing that come to mind. or a country club if you'd like a solid spruce top, instead. then again, most people don't really see them as viable jazz guitars (although they can be). a 6122-1959, if you'd like a wider nut.

reckon hofner does this sort of thing, too, but those are mostly solid bodies. heritage could certainly make something like this, but i'm not sure if one is currently extant. the h550, maybe?

**Hammertone** · 06-02-2013, 12:06 AM

Originally Posted by 3625

I don't know about string spacing but re: 25 1/2 - Gibsons: Tal Farlow, 350, Howard Roberts Artist & Barney Kessell. There doesn't seem to be many long scale laminates out there, most seem to be solid tops. Sadowsky make a long scale, could be laminate - not sure.

Here are a few long-scale, all-laminated guitars:

Gibson Tal Farlow (17" single-cutaway)
Gibson ES-5 (17" single-cutaway)
Gibson ES-350 (17" single-cutaway)
Heritage H-550 (17" single-cutaway)
Sadowsky LS-17 (17" single-cutaway)
Duesenberg Imperial (16" single-cutaway)
Duesenberg Fullerton Hollow (thinline double-cutaway)
Gretsch - a few models, including the White Falcon
Early 1990s Hofner Jazzica (@16" single cutaway)
Hofner "Blue Tone" archtops - their 17" single-cut series made in China

**RyanM** · 06-02-2013, 12:09 AM

Sadowsky

**oldane** · 06-02-2013, 02:49 AM

Tom Painter made 25.5'' scale on request. Unfortunately he has put his guitarmaking to a (hopefully temporarely) halt. But Steve Holst comes to mind as another maker of custom built laminate archtops. His prices are very reasonable too. It might be worth it to e-mail him and ask about available scale lengths.

Another thing is the narrow Fender type neck with the more acute fingerboard curve. I think that's harder to find in the archtop world where a wider and flatter fingerboard is usually preferred. But isn't it just a matter of getting used to that? One may have prefencies, but IMHO it's just as much a psychological thing. I mean, I talked to a professional classical female double bass player who also play guitar (not professionally though) and she don't have any problem switching between the two. My Painter guitar was made with 25.5'' scale, 1.75'' nut width and 12'' fretboard curve - but I also play my Strat without any difficulty.

**ruger9** · 06-02-2013, 08:22 AM

IDK about the string spacing, but aren't the Epis (Broadway, Regent, et al) 25.5" scale?

**SamBooka** · 06-02-2013, 08:41 AM

I would think that the first question would be what is your budget?

**LtKojak** · 06-02-2013, 08:51 AM

Originally Posted by Encinitastubes

I love my ES-175, but the Gibson scale is too small, especially the string spacing for my right hand. Anyone make one with a Fender type scale and string spacing?

The string spread at the bridge in Fender and Gibson is the same: 52.3mm. The string spread at the NUT is different: 35mm Gibson, 37mm Fender.

Some imports are a bit smaller @52mm, but I don't think you'll notice the difference.

Some hollowbodies have a very narrow string spread @ the usually wooden bridge, measuring 'bout 50mm but that's NOT the case with your 175.

All Gibson L-5 CES and their copies are 25.5".

Do you have unusually large hands?

**Jazzman301** · 06-02-2013, 10:06 AM

The Gretsc G100 CE also has a 25.5" scale. Though it would require you to swap the single coil floater to some kind of PAF humbucker to get 175 sounds. I have one and man is it a great guitar. Peter Bernstein played it a few months back and LOVED it.

'Mike

**DRS** · 06-02-2013, 11:32 AM

On the budget side, Aria FA71

**Encinitastubes** · 06-03-2013, 03:49 PM

Originally Posted by LtKojak

The string spread at the bridge in Fender and Gibson is the same: 52.3mm. The string spread at the NUT is different: 35mm Gibson, 37mm Fender.

Some imports are a bit smaller @52mm, but I don't think you'll notice the difference.

Some hollowbodies have a very narrow string spread @ the usually wooden bridge, measuring 'bout 50mm but that's NOT the case with your 175.

All Gibson L-5 CES and their copies are 25.5".

Do you have unusually large hands?

I just measured my Nocasters and the string spacing at the bridge was about 1/8" wider than my ES-335 and ES-175. I would guess that they have to be different generally.

I don't have large hands, but do have a bit of a background in classical guitar. Although the string spacing on the ES-175 is doable, it's just not as comfortable.

**feet** · 06-03-2013, 04:02 PM

Originally Posted by Encinitastubes

I don't have large hands, but do have a bit of a background in classical guitar. Although the string spacing on the ES-175 is doable, it's just not as comfortable.

you might want to get your hands on one of these, then. they were designed to accomodate fingerpicking, so they are a little wider at the nut:

**Encinitastubes** · 06-04-2013, 12:38 AM

Thanks Mr. feet. Do you know what the neck shape is on those s 6122s?

**feet** · 06-04-2013, 01:43 PM

having never played one, i can only speculate. but if it is anything like my other gretsches (and i'm so sure it is i had one bought out from under me... dumb story) i would assume the neck is on the slightly thinner side of medium, with the vaguest hint of a nearly imperceptible v to it. it works. i like it a lot.

i did sit briefly with a epiphone country deluxe (the elitist chet epi, same factory) and it was basically an archtop (semi hollow) with an acoustic neck stuck on it. not in a bad way- the neck is playable and fast (hardly different from a gretsch), just wider than normal. if that's what you want, that's where to look. i would imagine the 6122-1959 to be pretty similar, if not exactly the same.

since they all come from the same factory, and i have bought several already, i feel pretty confident buying one sight unseen. quality is very high and though no two necks are exactly the same, they are all within a few hairs of one another. same basic shape and feel.