Why isn't the Byrdland scale more popular?

[Chris236]

Bro, nice playing and tone!

But damn, smile a little bit. You're playing great, on a Byrdland, which is a dream guitar of mine. You're looking at the camera like you plan on kicking my ass! lol

hah! thanks and sorry. unfortunately I think that IS me smiling.

[vinnyv1k]

I just acquired a new 2023 Byrdland from Sweetwater. They gave me a smoking deal as there is a bit of a knot on the top. Otherwise it plays like butter and sounds very close to a L5CES. 12’s feel like 10’s.
$7K + tax. Very fun and comfy to play. The only Gibson archtop with 22 frets. That’s why the pu’s are so close together. A Byrdland Wes model would be the ultimate guitar IMO as I am a single pu guy.

[DawgBone]

I just acquired a new 2023 Byrdland from Sweetwater. They gave me a smoking deal as there is a bit of a knot on the top. Otherwise it plays like butter and sounds very close to a L5CES. 12’s feel like 10’s.
$7K + tax. Very fun and comfy to play. The only Gibson archtop with 22 frets. That’s why the pu’s are so close together. A Byrdland Wes model would be the ultimate guitar IMO as I am a single pu guy.

Wow! Congrats on a beautiful axe.

If you run out of space for Byrdland's or Campellone's I have a nice climate controlled area on my ground level that I can store one or two for you. Caveat, I put electric's through their paces and I know you are a guy who is very gentle on his stuff. It would likely get returned to your needing a fret job and a new case and would be divoted into the wood where my fingerpick excavated it over the course of a thousand gigs, lol.

I bought an X-170 because it was about as close to a Byrdland as I can afford, about 2k. I can't even swing the Epiphone version on a bluesman's budget. Maybe if I sell my house and downsize....

I wish someone made a full hollow 355 style guitar about 2.5 inches thick with a short scale. '57 classics. That would be dawgbone's signature model. I wouldn't even complain if it didn't have a bigsby.

[Chris236]

I just acquired a new 2023 Byrdland from Sweetwater. They gave me a smoking deal as there is a bit of a knot on the top. Otherwise it plays like butter and sounds very close to a L5CES. 12’s feel like 10’s.
$7K + tax. Very fun and comfy to play. The only Gibson archtop with 22 frets. That’s why the pu’s are so close together. A Byrdland Wes model would be the ultimate guitar IMO as I am a single pu guy.

interesting, I don’t find that they sound much like an L5. Kinda their own thing I’d say although every one I’ve played has had a completely different personality. Surprisingly so.

[Chris236]

Wow! Congrats on a beautiful axe.

If you run out of space for Byrdland's or Campellone's I have a nice climate controlled area on my ground level that I can store one or two for you. Caveat, I put electric's through their paces and I know you are a guy who is very gentle on his stuff. It would likely get returned to your needing a fret job and a new case and would be divoted into the wood where my fingerpick excavated it over the course of a thousand gigs, lol.

I bought an X-170 because it was about as close to a Byrdland as I can afford, about 2k. I can't even swing the Epiphone version on a bluesman's budget. Maybe if I sell my house and downsize....

I wish someone made a full hollow 355 style guitar about 2.5 inches thick with a short scale. '57 classics. That would be dawgbone's signature model. I wouldn't even complain if it didn't have a bigsby.

you might look for the ibanez lawsuit BL copy…..great guitars and more traditional 24 3/4ths scale for what it’s worth. A little more “electric” but the Byrd is more than pointing in that direction anyway.

[DawgBone]

you might look for the ibanez lawsuit BL copy…..great guitars and more traditional 24 3/4ths scale for what it’s worth. A little more “electric” but the Byrd is more than pointing in that direction anyway.

I looked at those very carefully but at the time I was shopping there was only one available and it was listed at the now typical Hail Mary pricing levels on reverb. Those, like the Epiphone copy, are fairly rare to see for sale and both fell above my 2k limit. The part that attracted me to the Byrdland was the extra short scale. If I sell my house I will decide between a crate S8S 93" shovel head engine, a Byrdland, a Williams doubleneck 12 steel guitar, or maybe a decent entry level lever harp. That would be a more difficult choice than just not being able to afford a Byrdland so for now I'm just gonna sit tight and play what I got, lol. Maybe one day. It's nice stuff, but it's just stuff and I try to travel light.

[Max405]

Bro, that is a beautiful guitar. I am sure it is extremely comfortable to play. I am glad you got one.
Roughly do you know how much it weighs?
No matter what, my favorite guitars, always seem to be Vintage Sunburst. Other colors can be more attractive. But nothing quite compares to an Archtop with a VSB finish.
I hope the guitar fills that void for you bro.
JD

[Pierrot]

No room left for fingers (mine, at least), as soon as you (I) pass tenth fret. I guess this is the main reason for not being a very popular scale length.

[Chris236]

No room left for fingers (mine, at least), as soon as you (I) pass tenth fret. I guess this is the main reason for not being a very popular scale length.

So you must find it tricky playing above the 11th fret on a 25.5 scale guitar?

[Chris236]

I think it actually boils down to narrow fret wire….those ultra fat, low profile frets Gibson used for a while exasperate the issue…..of which there isn’t really one unless you can’t play above about the 11th fret on a 25.5 scale guitar. It’s mostly the last 2 frets that can be negatively impacted by wide frets…

[StringNavigator]

I tried to figure out what some ol' Martian would think if they read this thread...
Then I realised I was one myself...

But after playing mandolin and double bass with the very same pair of hands most of my time on this planet...
I came to the realisation that, all in all, this thread is the biggest dumb-ass thread of all time.
Just sayin'...

BTW, I tried really hard to measure the distance from the start of my palm to the tip of my seventh finger. The damn ruler wasn't long enough... So I'm off to Wally's to buy me a yardstick!
Stay where you're to an' I'll get back to y'all...

[StringNavigator]

I came to the realisation that, all in all, this thread is the biggest dumb-ass thread of all time.
Just sayin'...

Maybe I misspoke... Some other feller on another thread is claiming that the internet is goin' gay, and we'd all better hop off!
Am I losin' my mind, or what?!

If you were the only person in the world, would you still play? but practice? - Page 2 (jazzguitar.be)

[vinnyv1k]

Bro, that is a beautiful guitar. I am sure it is extremely comfortable to play. I am glad you got one.
Roughly do you know how much it weighs?
No matter what, my favorite guitars, always seem to be Vintage Sunburst. Other colors can be more attractive. But nothing quite compares to an Archtop with a VSB finish.
I hope the guitar fills that void for you bro.
JD

Bro it is 7.2lbs with a nice thick top. Thin top thin sound.

[Hammertone]

...I wish someone made a full hollow 355 style guitar about 2.5 inches thick with a short scale. '57 classics. That would be dawgbone's signature model. I wouldn't even complain if it didn't have a bigsby.

Mark will be happy to build one for you. He did a 16" and a 17" DC a few years back. Here's the 16", with a maple top, and hidden controls:

[vinnyv1k]

That’s gorgeous but where are the hidden controls ?

[sgosnell]

In the treble side f hole, where I put mine. If you blow up the top photo you can see part of the thumbwheels on the top edge of the f hole.

[DawgBone]

Mark will be happy to build one for you. He did a 16" and a 17" DC a few years back. Here's the 16", with a maple top, and hidden controls:

I would be happy to own anything Mark produced! It's just not in the financial cards for the time being. Contemplating a move, downsizing in the next year or so. First time in my life I haven't just jumped up and moved. My last kid will likely fly the coop soon as he is finished with college. Maybe then. Until that day I will continue to enjoy the Campellone thread greatly.

[Pierrot]

So you must find it tricky playing above the 11th fret on a 25.5 scale guitar?

Not that much, thanks for caring.

[Chris236]

Not that much, thanks for caring.

lol. Not trying to be snarky but the size is almost identical.

[bluejaybill]

I would be happy to own anything Mark produced! It's just not in the financial cards for the time being. Contemplating a move, downsizing in the next year or so. First time in my life I haven't just jumped up and moved. My last kid will likely fly the coop soon as he is finished with college. Maybe then. Until that day I will continue to enjoy the Campellone thread greatly.

Would an ES330 do the trick? P90's of course...

[DawgBone]

Would an ES330 do the trick? P90's of course...

I can play anything but I like humbuckers. I almost bought an exrubato jazz but I'd rather have a little more depth to the body otherwise I don't see much point to a full hollow that thin. There is always the es150 DC but never seen one in person.

[Pierrot]

lol. Not trying to be snarky but the size is almost identical.

You said it, and you're right, of course. The size is almost identical. To me, though, this almost makes all the difference.

[Hammertone]

I can play anything but I like humbuckers. I almost bought an exrubato jazz but I'd rather have a little more depth to the body otherwise I don't see much point to a full hollow that thin. There is always the es150 DC but never seen one in person.

I always thought that the mods done to Emily Remler's ES-330 made a lot of sense. Gibson did a reissue ES-330 with humbuckers, but with no reference to her. The 1.75" rim depth is fine by me. A Bigsby would be fine as well.

[Jazzjourney4Eva]

If scale length didn’t matter there would be no Byrdland.

[ccroft]

I'm in love with Emily.