KVR Audio

lunardigs · Post by **lunardigs** » Tue Aug 15, 2023 8:36 pm

Just a few weeks ago I got my first short scale (Gibson style) guitar. In specific, an Ibanez as93fm, which is an ES-335, semi-hollow copy ... Apparently, all my life I've played long scale/Fender style electrics. Which is funny to me now, since I never really noticed before!?

Two big revelations:
Short scale guitars are easier on the fingers to play for me. The string tension is lower and I can hold chords and do bends easier than on my Tele, with same gauge strings.
Two, short scale guitars have a sound that I've been after for a while now, which if I were paying attention, I might have guessed, since so many of my favorite players use Les Pauls.
But, I play lefty, so I haven't played many different guitars and so one day I find these things out ...

Anyway, about the 335 in specific, I find it very comfortable to play. I think has to do with the placement of the top strap button; it's placed at the neck joint--like an acoustic--not the horn. It's also slim and light weight ... Wish I knew about these earlier!

01212_4s0ali5CTP9_0cc0gg_1200x900.jpg

Bombadil · Post by **Bombadil** » Sat Aug 19, 2023 6:41 pm

Ha. I just remembered. When I was in my highschool band, I started off with the tuba. Why would I do that? Welp… my best mate still lived in the burbs where we grew up but I was in the big city. He played the tuba in his school band which actually came to one of the Nordic countries, here. So, I copied him.
I switched to drums within 2 weeks. Carrying home a tuba and practicing in an apartment? I must've been barking mad…

jens · Post by **jens** » Sat Aug 19, 2023 9:06 pm

Could you even carry the thing on your own?

Bombadil · Post by **Bombadil** » Sun Aug 20, 2023 2:38 pm

Luckily, I didn't live too far from school, and it had a case, and I was a very fit 1.91 cm 14 year old!
But I lasted 2 weeks. Even had a drum teacher teaching me paradiddles and flamadiddles…

vurt · Post by **vurt** » Sun Aug 20, 2023 2:45 pm

we had a few tuba players and various brass. it's a big thing up/over here, the northern colliery brass bands.

never fancied it myself, both heavy and fairly expensive, not to mention they made you dress like a twat for competitions.

Bombadil · Post by **Bombadil** » Sun Aug 20, 2023 3:22 pm

So, anyone complaining about the guitar elicits the 'world's smallest violin' mime.

GuyaGuy · Post by **GuyaGuy** » Sun Aug 20, 2023 4:16 pm

lunardigs wrote: ↑Tue Aug 15, 2023 8:36 pm Just a few weeks ago I got my first short scale (Gibson style) guitar. In specific, an Ibanez as93fm, which is an ES-335, semi-hollow copy ... Apparently, all my life I've played long scale/Fender style electrics. Which is funny to me now, since I never really noticed before!?

Two big revelations:
Short scale guitars are easier on the fingers to play for me. The string tension is lower and I can hold chords and do bends easier than on my Tele, with same gauge strings.
Two, short scale guitars have a sound that I've been after for a while now, which if I were paying attention, I might have guessed, since so many of my favorite players use Les Pauls.
But, I play lefty, so I haven't played many different guitars and so one day I find these things out ...

Anyway, about the 335 in specific, I find it very comfortable to play. I think has to do with the placement of the top strap button; it's placed at the neck joint--like an acoustic--not the horn. It's also slim and light weight ... Wish I knew about these earlier!

01212_4s0ali5CTP9_0cc0gg_1200x900.jpg

I drilled into my beautiful Gretsch to put a button at the neck joint for better balance. Not all guitars need the button there. Depends on the body shape and weight, etc.

There's probably not consensus on what is considered short scale but I think of short scale as 24" or even shorter like on Fender Mustangs and Duosonics. For me Gibson's 24.75" is kind of "medium," being shorter than a Tele but longer than a Mustang or PRS. For me the neck size and fretboard width are probably more important than the scale. But we all have different hands and preferences!

CapnLockheed · Post by **CapnLockheed** » Sun Aug 20, 2023 6:25 pm

So, anyone complaining about the guitar elicits the 'world's smallest violin' mime.

Yes.

revvy · Post by **revvy** » Mon Aug 21, 2023 8:45 am

Is there a short scale version of the world’s tiniest violin?

Asking for a delicate guitar-playing friend…

Bombadil · Post by **Bombadil** » Mon Aug 21, 2023 7:03 pm

lunardigs wrote: ↑Tue Aug 15, 2023 8:36 pm Just a few weeks ago I got my first short scale (Gibson style) guitar. In specific, an Ibanez as93fm, which is an ES-335, semi-hollow copy ... Apparently, all my life I've played long scale/Fender style electrics. Which is funny to me now, since I never really noticed before!?

Two big revelations:
Short scale guitars are easier on the fingers to play for me. The string tension is lower and I can hold chords and do bends easier than on my Tele, with same gauge strings.
Two, short scale guitars have a sound that I've been after for a while now, which if I were paying attention, I might have guessed, since so many of my favorite players use Les Pauls.
But, I play lefty, so I haven't played many different guitars and so one day I find these things out ...

Anyway, about the 335 in specific, I find it very comfortable to play. I think has to do with the placement of the top strap button; it's placed at the neck joint--like an acoustic--not the horn. It's also slim and light weight ... Wish I knew about these earlier!

01212_4s0ali5CTP9_0cc0gg_1200x900.jpg

Nice guitar. I had an Artcore AS103 NT a while back. I found it too heavy for my taste, though it played great.

MuzikFreq · Post by **MuzikFreq** » Mon Aug 21, 2023 7:26 pm

Guitar neck, also playing positions
https://youtu.be/nqmZQ-A949g
This is how I turned painful to no pain

Jafo · Post by **Jafo** » Mon Aug 21, 2023 7:38 pm

Slide.

lunardigs · Post by **lunardigs** » Mon Aug 21, 2023 9:11 pm

GuyaGuy wrote: ↑Sun Aug 20, 2023 4:16 pm
lunardigs wrote: ↑Tue Aug 15, 2023 8:36 pm Just a few weeks ago I got my first short scale (Gibson style) guitar. In specific, an Ibanez as93fm, which is an ES-335, semi-hollow copy ...
I drilled into my beautiful Gretsch to put a button at the neck joint for better balance. Not all guitars need the button there. Depends on the body shape and weight, etc.

There's probably not consensus on what is considered short scale but I think of short scale as 24" or even shorter like on Fender Mustangs and Duosonics. For me Gibson's 24.75" is kind of "medium," being shorter than a Tele but longer than a Mustang or PRS. For me the neck size and fretboard width are probably more important than the scale. But we all have different hands and preferences!

I just checked the fret board radius on my Tele (9.75") and AS93 (12") ... interesting

Ultimately, I'd say the two guitars make me want to play different things. As in different attitudes.

So did your Gretch modification work out well?
I have a 5 string bass I'd like to perhaps modify in the same way.

lunardigs · Post by **lunardigs** » Mon Aug 21, 2023 9:13 pm

Bombadil wrote: ↑Mon Aug 21, 2023 7:03 pm
lunardigs wrote: ↑Tue Aug 15, 2023 8:36 pm Just a few weeks ago I got my first short scale (Gibson style) guitar. In specific, an Ibanez as93fm, which is an ES-335, semi-hollow copy ...
Nice guitar. I had an Artcore AS103 NT a while back. I found it too heavy for my taste, though it played great.

Did you ever weight it?
I just weighed mine and it looks like 8 lbs, on the dot.

Bombadil · Post by **Bombadil** » Mon Aug 21, 2023 9:19 pm

Nah. It was just heavier than my other guitars. My old back tells me what's ok and what isn't.

Guitars are too physically demanding and painful to learn.