I am a repair luthier and guitar / bass tutor based in the UK. I have often voiced an argument that there is a need for a 24" scale guitar that has serious quality. The reason is very simple. There are a lot of small handed players (that are not children), who are trying to compete with the big boys on long finger stretch techniques. Many are women guitarists who's hands will never grow any bigger. So why not cater for them?

I applaud Fender/Squier for introducing their new Vintage Modified Jaguar HH model which sports a 24" scale neck. Although I haven't had a hold of one yet, I am expecting the quality to be quite fair.

I occasionally buy the odd used guitar, do some work on it and then resell it, which is often a labour of love (usually only recouping my labour charges). One such guitar was a Squier Telecaster Custom II with Seymour Design P90 type pickups. I set it up to professional playing standards and re-cut the nut slots as they were a little haphazardly done. When I had finished my tweaking, it was nothing short of excellent! I mean REALLY good! I would expect that the new Vintage Modified Jaguar HH will be something of a similar quality build as this Telecaster Custom II, which is great if you are someone like me who can finish them off.

It is quite reasonable to assume that many aspiring players have desires based on their guitar hero's choices and look toward owning a top end instrument. The point that I make about smaller hands is very real and Fender should/could consider making a few popular models like the US Strat & Tele in a 24" scale. If these instruments were marketed seriously it would be a breakthrough for the smaller handed person. I personally do not have small hands, but having taught hundreds of pupils in my 35+ years as a guitarist, I have seen this problem many times. Of course people can have custom guitars made, but people come in different sizes all the time, why not guitars?

Martin Gerrard.

Maybe if the vintage modified Jag and Jazzmaster do well, they would consider what you suggest for more models?

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Hi Martin: it's a reasonable enough point.

I suspect Fender have thought of it at some time in the last 60 years and decided there is not enough demand for them to bother tooling up. But that's no reason someone else can't. Stateside, Warmoth offer conversion necks to change the scale length of Strats and Teles. I don't remember whether that includes a 24" one as well as their Gibson-ish 24.75", and I'm too lazy to look right this second.

However, to the best of my knowledge nobody our side of the pond makes Fender fit-able conversion necks, and surely not a 24" one. So unless we're both very much mistaken that sounds like a market niche just waiting to be filled by a gentleman announcing himself as a luthier.

Go to! And good luck with it.

BTW: are you the Martin Gerrard based in Merseyside? Got a website yet?

Cheers - C

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Problem with that is in the marketing. Fender need to point out the benefits of the 24" scale neck as a selling point. Even though the small hand problem exists, you would be surprised at how many people with this problem do not even think of using a shorter scale instrument. They tend to think that it is their own inablilty that is the complete cause of their problems.

Not only does the 24" scale neck give benefits to the smaller hand, but also allows itself for the use of heavier gauge strings to give a fatter sound. This could eliminate the trend some guitarist have of fitting heavier strings and tuning their guitar a semi-tone down, so as to gain a fatter tone but still be able to bend the strings.

Alternatively of course you can just capo the first fret. Instant 24" scale length (near enough) without further issues.

Cheers - C

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It really doesn't work like that C

Uh-hu? Why not?

Cheers - C

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Marketing and demand would drive the need for "other sized" guitars.

I am a HUGE fan of my Musicmaster basses, I love the short scale since I'm "vertically challenged" myself. I find it very uncomfortable to play a bass that's the same height as I am. Nice that they are issuing a Squier Short Scale Jaquar, maybe to test the waters?

I'd like to try one, I have 2 Musicmasters now so not sure I need another bass, do any of us need another guitar?

So maybe a stupid question, but since shorter scaled instruments have value to some people, is there any value to a longer scale on a six string?

Perhaps, Martin was thinking that neck dot markers are off (tuned half step down and capo on 1st). If you are in the situation that you are a novice guitarist and have to navigate the neck and at the same time watch the teachers guitar it would be another thing to think about. I guess if there are no viable options you can make due.

Man, was not aware of the small hand issue, I am on the other side of spectrum, strat necks are too small for me (profile) the neck scale is perfect. I am currently searching for a neck with the baseball tele or gibby R8/9 profile and the strat headstock.

EDIT:

Hi KISSfan: longer than standard scale length, you mean? Indeed some people do have a use for such a thing - they go by the name of baritone guitars.

The purpose being to tune the entire instrument significantly lower without the strings getting too loose and floppy. If you tune an ordinary guitar down more than a few steps the strings are so slack it both feels and sounds wrong. On a longer scale length instrument you can take those notes lower and regular gauge strings still feel and ring as you would want.

Many makers offer baritone guitars. Just to stay within the Fender family, here is a Gretsch Jet Baritone guitar with a huge 29.75" scale length:

http://www.gretschguitars.com/products/ ... 2515900506

It's a minority taste but it became a bit of a fashion a few years ago and still seems to be running. Which goes to show that makers are prepared to do non-standard things if they perceive a demand.

Cheers - C

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I'm a teenaged girl, with about average sized hands. They're likely not going to get any bigger. But I prefer Strats over any other guitar, in part because of the longer scale length. I think the shorter scale guitar's strings feel too spongey, I like more snap. On a 24" scale guitar I have to play .12's to approximate the feel that I like. I also have no problem playing with my thumb over the top of the fretboard, Hendrix-style, on my Strat. I can play those stretches too, only the occasional shredder scale or rarely used jazz chord gives me trouble, in which case I just find somewhere else on the neck to play it. So I guess what I'm trying to say is that while the idea of smaller hands, shorter scale is a good one, it's not a one-size fits all scenario and that there are exceptions.

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Its all about tuning, tone and string tension.... Appart from the small hand user, the benefits of a 24" scale neck can be considered by understanding the tonal response that comes from scale lenght (not to mention wood density). Your average Strat at 25.5" scale has a particular recognisable tone when unamplified as does the 24.75" scale of a Gibson, where as PRS has a 25" scale and is a touch different again. The longer the scale, the less middle in the tone, thus Fenders signature sound which is enhanced by its pickups. Now a 24" scale has a greater amount of middle in its tone, which is of course going to give you a fatter tone and this coupled with heavier strings to assist with getting the string tension right will be quite noticable.

As for the larger person, the best answer is a broader neck at 25.5" scale.

Hi Martin. All of that's fine. Though I'm not sure it quite explains your previous remark that "it really doesn't work like that", regarding capo'ing at the first fret. Which, as fendermandan says, coupled with a guitar tuned down a semitone produces a 24" scale guitar - for anyone who wants to quickly find out what it would feel and sound like.

...Well, 24 1/8", to be more accurate. But we don't want to split hairs, do we?

Cheers - C

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Hi Martin.

I see your point but only to an extent. I teach and, to be honest, when kids are learning, or really anyone for that matter, they tend to buy cheap guitars to begin with and unfortunately 99% of those if not 100% are Strat or Gibson scale lengths. So if people are learning on a full scale then, whether they have small fingers or not, going to that scale is going to be very strange from a STrat scale and not always necessarily a 'good' strange.

It would need more than just Fender to start a market like this in guitars which at the moment could only be described as a niche product.

Bothe the Jaguar and Mustang are 24" so Fender have really done good quality guitars at this scale, they may not be Strats or Teles but like you said about the tone change in shorter scale, a STrat and a Tele in 24" would probably not sound like a STrat or a Tele......................

I have no problem with finger stretches, (I have hands like giant crabs!!!!!) but I have to say that even people with smaller hands can 'train' their fingers to stretch far further than they may have thought possible initially. I am a drummer also and, believe it or not, in learning to play pipe band drums, one of the things you spend a lot of time doing is stretching your hands, it adds to finger flexibility, dexterity, strength and when you build these up, scale length doesn't necessarily matter. A friend of mine is 'vertically challenged'and has the hands of a young teenager yet he tried a jaguar and hated it as he had learned on Squiers and STrats and, OK, he can't necessarily stretch across 7 or 9 frets but he improvises if need be and has no problem with any scales or soloing. ANd lets be honest look at ANdy MCkee......the guy is about 5 foot 5 and can stretch his fingers further than I can take a step(I am 6 foot 1 with 36" legs!!!!!!!)

Saying all this.................I think it would be great if you came up with a neck upgrade to sell as a boutique part.......................get making man!!!!! It is a cool idea and although it has a limited market as a 'stubby digit' style option....as a just for the heck of it, fun, alternative you could make yourself some pretty decent cash mate!!!!

Heck I would buy one so I could say I have one!!!!!!(just remember if you do make them...............let me know and I will buy one when they are still marketed for little people before you slap 'boutique' on the style!!!!!!!! )

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And I proudly lack a stick or a kazoo up my arse...........

Firstly I would like to say that it is not realistic to make a 24" scale neck as a replacement for a body that has been cut out and bridge possitioned for a 25.5" neck. It would cause bad intonation problems.

The teenage girl who replied a little higher up the page has good points about the sound from a 24" neck. All I can say to you is, everything is a trade off. What you will lose from one scale length you will gain something else from the other. It's already there now with the difference between the standard Fender 25.5" scale and the 24.75" Gibson scale. One sounds different to the other, but because they have both been around since the year dot, everyone excepts the difference in sound and uses it to effect. Fender (allbeit Squier) have 24" scale guitars for your appraisal, if you get to try them, look for something extra they have to offer rather than what you have been used to. It's there, you just have to look past the end of your nose.