The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    ..does anyone make a full size (L5c body ) full depth (with cutaway) guitar with the shorter neck scale of 24.75 (like 175) rather than the 25.5 inch that is usual on this size of guitar...?

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

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    I think one of the Ibanez L5ces copies has the shorter scale. It's not full depth, but my Peerless Monarch has 24.75 and is a 17" x 3" archtop.

  4. #3

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    Quote Originally Posted by advid
    ..does anyone make a full size (L5c body ) full depth (with cutaway) guitar with the shorter neck scale of 24.75 (like 175) rather than the 25.5 inch that is usual on this size of guitar...?
    Several different Guilds. A150 and X175 in current production, plus a bunch of different older/vintage ones. Gibson Solid Formed. I think all of the Eastman archtops are 25", which is close.

    John

  5. #4

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    Gibson ES-350 and Byrdlands in their first iterations had shorter scale necks. More recent productions of those fitted them with full scale necks though. Check the vintages and the productions specs for these little gems. The well informed Gibson experts on this forum can also tell you what years and what specs occured, as well as how well re-issues adhered to original specs.

    David

  6. #5

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    I own both the A150 and X175 Guilds. I've owned and played more guitars than I can remember and these are my favorites. Love the 17" body and 24.75" scale. They both have their own unique voice and build quality is spot on. Well done Korea.

  7. #6

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    Thousands of German archtops were built in the 1950s and 1960s with full-sized, cutaway bodies and 24 3/4" scale necks. At the top end were fully-carved archtops from Lang, Roger, A.Hoyer, and a few others.

    Of these, old A.Hoyer Solist (16 1/2" wide, @3 5/16" rims)and Roger Junior (17" wide, @3" rims) models are quite inexpensive, and come up for sale on a regular basis. Here are a couple of examples:
    Attached Images Attached Images 24.75 scale -full size body ?-hoyer-solist-jpg 24.75 scale -full size body ?-rogerjr_1487-jpg 
    Last edited by Hammertone; 05-15-2018 at 01:04 AM.

  8. #7

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    FWIW, Gibson 17" X-braced body archtops built through 1937 had 24-3/4" scales, after which they went to parallel braces and 25-1/2" scales. Those X-braced guitars with the shorter neck are great guitars.

  9. #8

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    Check out an Ibanez GB200.
    OK, they're 16" body is 1" smaller than an L5, but it is a very high quality instrument with fabulous jazz tones.

    Here's an ad with more details. I believe this one is sold, but they come up on Reverb and other sites every so often.

    2005 Ibanez George Benson GB-200

  10. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by Gitfiddler
    Check out an Ibanez GB200.
    OK, they're 16" body is 1" smaller than an L5, but it is a very high quality instrument with fabulous jazz tones.

    Here's an ad with more details. I believe this one is sold, but they come up on Reverb and other sites every so often.

    2005 Ibanez George Benson GB-200
    Oh, and the Ibanez AF200 Prestige is very similar to the GB200, and still in production.

    Ibanez Artstar Prestige AF200 - Brown Sunburst | Sweetwater

  11. #10

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    Peerless Imperial has a 24.6" scale length. A nice 17"x3" carved solid wood archtop.

  12. #11

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    I wanted to like the Peerless Imperial/Monarch instruments. On paper it seemed like they checked all the boxes. But actually playing them, I found I liked the feel of the Eastman 910/810/610 necks a whole lot more (these are 17" instruments...) . The Eastmans are 1/4th of an inch longer than a 24.75" but I find I can go back and forth quite comfortably which I can't do with 25.5"...

    my 2 cents...

  13. #12

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    Quote Originally Posted by TruthHertz
    Gibson ES-350 and Byrdlands in their first iterations had shorter scale necks. More recent productions of those fitted them with full scale necks though. Check the vintages and the productions specs for these little gems. The well informed Gibson experts on this forum can also tell you what years and what specs occured, as well as how well re-issues adhered to original specs.

    David
    With the exception of a few custom ordered instruments, all Byrdlands had the 23.5" neck. The 350 started with a full size neck, then went to a short scale with the 350T, and back to the 25.5" neck in the 70s.

  14. #13

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    Quote Originally Posted by Greentone
    FWIW, Gibson 17" X-braced body archtops built through 1937 had 24-3/4" scales, after which they went to parallel braces and 25-1/2" scales. Those X-braced guitars with the shorter neck are great guitars.
    Also newer Gibson custom shop guitars fit this bill..

    My Bozeman L7-C reissue is a full-bodied x-braced rig with a 24.75" scale.
    HUGE sound and also super easy to play...

    I'm saving it for my old age (now 61)

    Here is a video of our beloved Joe D killing on it...


  15. #14

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    Yes! Bozeman L-7C! Built from 2003 to @2012.
    Also, Mark Campellone has made a bunch of fully-carved, 16-17-18" acoustic cutaway archtops over the past 30 years. I'm sure plenty were built with 24 3/4" scale necks.
    Attached Images Attached Images 24.75 scale -full size body ?-campellone-std-17-archtop-burst-10-jpg 24.75 scale -full size body ?-gib-l7c-bozeman-sbc_0579-jpg 
    Last edited by Hammertone; 11-25-2018 at 02:17 PM.

  16. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by advid
    ..does anyone make a full size (L5c body ) full depth (with cutaway) guitar with the shorter neck scale of 24.75 (like 175) rather than the 25.5 inch that is usual on this size of guitar...?


    I am almost certain Ibanez 2460 L5 Copy, is 24.75" !75/165 scale. it is full depth.

  17. #16

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    Joe D sounds great!

  18. #17

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    Quote Originally Posted by Greentone
    FWIW, Gibson 17" X-braced body archtops built through 1937 had 24-3/4" scales, after which they went to parallel braces and 25-1/2" scales. Those X-braced guitars with the shorter neck are great guitars.
    And not particularly expensive, to boot. No cutaway, but definitely great.
    Attached Images Attached Images 24.75 scale -full size body ?-gib-l7-37_6466-lo-jpg 24.75 scale -full size body ?-gib-l12-bb_7832-jpg 
    Last edited by Hammertone; 11-27-2018 at 07:04 PM.

  19. #18

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    Quote Originally Posted by TruthHertz
    Gibson ES-350 and Byrdlands in their first iterations had shorter scale necks. More recent productions of those fitted them with full scale necks though. David
    An old post but anyway:

    According to George Gruhn, the full depth 350 with full 25.5" scale was introduced in 1947 and discontinued in 1956, when it was replaced with the first 350T, which had 23.5" scale. Production ran until its discontinuation in 1963. The 350T was popular with blues and R&B guitarists (B.B. King and Chuck Berry among them) until the advent of the semi hollow 3X5 which made the sale of the 350T drop. The 350T was later reintroduced with 25.5" scale from 1977 to 1981. Since then there have been a couple of shorter production runs of the 350T with 25.5" scale. The 275 can be said to be a downscaled version of the 350T (15" body and 24.75" scale neck joining the body at the 16th fret).

    The Tal Farlow was introduced in 1962 and discontinued in 1971 only to be taken up again later. It has full depth and full 25.5"scale. I see it as a 350 with different cosmetics (and humbuckers and not P90s as the 350 had).

    The Byrdland has always had the short 23.5" scale. Since 1963 it has been the only one with this short scale (except maybe some custom builds).

  20. #19

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    Eastman Ar810ce?
    25" scale but I don't believe there is a noticeable diiference in that 1/4" (1/8" to the 12 fret or .01042" per fret on average)

  21. #20

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    I have guitars with 24.75, 25.0, and 25.5 in scales, and switch between them at random. I don't notice any difference at all between any of them. Between a 25.5" guitar and a mandolin, yes, there is a difference, but it doesn't bother me, I adapt to the scale length without even thinking about it.

  22. #21

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    Quote Originally Posted by DRS
    Eastman Ar810ce?
    25" scale but I don't believe there is a noticeable diiference in that 1/4" (1/8" to the 12 fret or .01042" per fret on average)
    My Ibanez AF105NT (24-3/4”) feels a bit more cramped than my Eastman AR810CE (25”) and 1937 L-7 (24-3/4”). I think that’s due to its slightly slimmer neck. I adapt after 5 minutes, then it’s fine. I think neck profile is more important than scale length to my playing comfort. But scale length does affect string tension & tone. I think longer scale lengths have a somewhat brighter more piano-like tone.
    Last edited by KirkP; 11-27-2018 at 04:43 PM.