How Does Scale Length Affect Tone? Gear Gods Investigates!

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Ever wonder how a longer scale length sounds compared to a standard one? Trey compares a 25.5" scale 7 string to a 27" 7 string, each with identical woods, pickups, and strings. Download the raw DI track here: / scale-length-video-di
Amp sound is AxeFx II (Friedman HBE model for rhythm, SOLO 100 for lead) with VFE Ice Scream in front straight into Pro Tools, no post processing at all. Probably could have used some, but I wanted to give you the straight dope, no filter, knowadamean?
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[@robincosby516]

Amazing. After multiple listens, I can definitely tell the difference. The 25.5 sounds... whiter. The 27 sounds teal/ocre tiger-sunburstier.

[@Sparkovi4]

REAL MUSICIAN WONT NEED "MULTIPLE" LISTENS GET OUT FROM THIS CONVERSATION

[@robincosby516]

I'm sorry, are you being a condescending douche or am I being thrown off by your butchery of the English language?

[@Sparkovi4]

2nd one , cheers ! no hard feels lol

[@robincosby516]

My bad! The 27 does feel like a fucking beast, though, I have to say. I can't really tell the sound difference, barring the pick up difference; however, I play totally differently on the two.

[@bassheadjazz2708]

that white tele body is hot. I imagine the 25.5 feels better above the 12 fret. The 27 def downtunes much better though.

[@paulvincent3318]

Sick of that yousician ad...

[@Ollie_420]

But it's the perfect way to learn guitar and go deaf at the same time

[@riskyrecords1403]

paulvincnet lartisant YOUSICIAN IS THE BEST WAY TO LEARN PRACTICE AND MASTER A MUSICAL INTRUMENT

[@peepinyowindow4517]

Yup every fuckin video

[@danbungay995]

didax 😂🤣😂

[@cobyup10]

People are so dumb now that they can only learn something if they make it into a video game.

[@gathda]

The 27" had a heady, grassy body to it, while the 25.5" had a nutty backbone and an aggressive aftertaste.

[@JulianEmdon]

+Garry Davlin With a hint of some complex tannins

[@YMSHE]

With a pinch of spiciness.

[@roblamb4848]

and a dash of cardamom

[@Andresmoomoo]

ill give you nutty backbone and an aggressive aftertaste

[@BigDaddyWes]

I'd drink that cup of coffee.

[@denisorourke4444]

I have guitars with 24 3/4" scales, 25.5", 26.5, and 27". For me, it all means a different feel. The tuning stability on the higher frets is better on a longer scale. The tension is better.

[@BrandonofRedemption]

Trey, I must say you are a badass on guitar!!!

[@treyxaviermusic]

+BrandonofRedemption Thanks homes!

[@NacekO]

There is a difference, a minor one. I'm putting this in the " It's so small that I don't care" column :D

[@hunterhawk5400]

I’m with you I was dead set I needed at least 26.5 but now I could careless.

[@stndrd3608]

@@hunterhawk5400 depends on the tuning I guess. Say Drop E. It works fine with 27, but sounds way better on 30 imo

[@robadobflob3405]

Its a feel thing, and we all know it. The feel of the guitar changes the way you play, therefore affects tone in that aspect.

[@JSG-mw4qr]

The difference is more pronounced in lower tunings in my opinion if you were tune to G sharp on a pair of 10 through 62s it would make a huge difference

[@Zordid0]

From 25.5 to 28 and beyond the difference is very noticeable.

[@JulianEmdon]

27 sounds more boomy while 25.5 sounds tighter on the low frequencies.

[@maestroofhorror1861]

27 sounds boomy and tighter, 25.5 sounds better, but looser.

[@rwcguitar]

+Julian Emdon I would agree with that. I will say I am only able to listen on my laptop right now and would love to hear it on my studio monitors.

[@bobwalters9151]

Ahh... finally, someone heard exactly what I did!!

[@merqury5]

I heard this to on headphones.

[@WhaleWTFMetal]

The 27" definitely sound "Darker" to me, with a better low end. But are those guitars built in the same wood ? you know ... tone wood and all ... Naaah just kidding ;-)

[@treyxaviermusic]

+Whale - Metal for non-metal stuff Same body and top wood, maple on swamp ash and maple neck with walnut stripes

[@joeljezequel]

I hear more low ends with the 27" scale guitar. But when i put strings for a guitar, I choose them with a constant tension (around 17-18 lbs). So I would be curious to hear this guitars with the same strings tension and not the same strings set

[@ELeviathan33]

+joël jézéquel That would be a much more accurate test for sure.

[@Taubzi]

+joël jézéquel I was just thinking the same, would be very interesting comparison.

[@mayk3lll]

How would that be more accurate? The diameter of strings to achieve same tension will have to change and diameter affects tone dramatically. Who cares for same tension, as long as the electronics are the same and string sizes like he’s done, you can’t ask for a better test than op has done

[@GuitarplayerMateo]

actually . djorll is right .. I could never play 25.5 - 7 string guitar , tension doesnt feel right on low strings , and I hate that .. that is most common problem with shortscale baritone tunings , strings feel sloppy ... I would always go for 27 inch scale . For example just imagine Drop F# on 25.5 ... fucking rubber bands

[@alexbaskov]

but you don't just go and play drop f# on 25.5 obviously... you go for drop A and enjoy! or you go for much thicker strings and don't care about hi strings at all as it's damn unplayable stuff lol Or else you go for fanned frets

[@montychristo86]

Longer scale length seems to "DJENT" more (if that's more of your thing). I actually like the lower scale length better, though, especially in the high notes. It made the lead less shrill and more full-bodied.

[@dylancondy2637]

+Christopher Taylor Agreed on this one. Which is a damn shame because I like the feel of the extended scale length better. I just don't like that nasally squashed djent sound so much. I like that full ballsy low end and a nice smooth high end. Though he never mentioned what the guitars were made of. For all we know the Telecaster could be made of Mahogany which could explain the fuller sound. Especially since the DC7X has a maple top, that could definitely make things sound a bit more shrill.

[@TheOtherJohnBrowne]

27" sounds more chimey to me. I get the feeling that with a longer scale the sound almost moves towards the sound of a piano. Not saying that the guitar sounds like a piano, but there are certain piano-esque under tones, if you ask me

[@TristanJCumpole]

I've been through a fair number of the comments, and this is one of the few that describes the differences correctly. Longer scale length becoming more piano-like is exactly it, especially on lower strings. The timbre changes to the same principles by which a piano does with having longer strings for the lower notes. Pianos are essentially a hammered acoustic multiscale instrument with no frets!

[@MilitantOldLady]

It's ever so subtle and the average listener on average speakers probably won't hear it at all. But the 25.5" has more low end due to the slacker tension. The 27" has a slight nudge in the mid range, making it clearer.

[@TotesMagee]

....

[@fullcircle1599]

+Teutone more low end? I definitely can hear more low end coming from the 27.

[@MilitantOldLady]

FullCircle Actually you hear mids. I can see this same thing happen on my guitars when i record. I have Ibanez's, both loaded with Lundgren M7 and M8's. You can see the EQ curve, the 7 string produces a distinct curve that has a bias around 200 to 500 hz. The 8 string 27" has a clearer bias around 600 to 1000 hz.

[@fullcircle1599]

+Teutone No I really mean bass below 200 Hz. To me it sounds like the lowest strings of the 27 produce some significantly louder and more defined low end. You could actually rip the audio from this video and compare the parts in a spectrogram for absolute certainty. However I'll save that for another day.

[@treyxaviermusic]

+FullCircle I'll save you the trouble - here's the DI: soundcloud.com/gear-gods/scale-length-video-di

[@timwhite5562]

I come from this from the more traditional 24.75" Gibson vs 25.5" scale "debate." I work on guitars and amps. The only experience I have with the longer baritone guitars come from customers guitars, I don't own any myself. Coming from that end of the guitar spectrum I was actually surprised (pleasantly) it seems a given to those who use the longer scale guitars (and use them apparently like in this video; using really high gain) that there actually "is" a difference. Go to forums for people who play classic traditional models like Strats, Telecaster, Les Paul, etc. Its an unbelievably device subject there. I don't really understand why it is, especially when it comes to people that should know better. I watched a video from a luthier/repair-tech who had a 45-minute explaining why they don't (it was a VERY inexplicably belligerent video as well). The thing about the video, was that in it the guy presented facts that were all complete spot on. I went through about 100 comments that were all either agreeing with him, or saying that he had thought as much and now have been justified with this video. I can't remember how many were saying that indeed the scale did make a difference, and saw the immediate issue with the things in the video, but I know I could count them on one hand. The issue was that while his facts were correct, he was having a completely different debate. All his points were in the context of "pitch," and not "tone." This is IMHO that miscommunication is the REAL reason for most of the disagreements (and probably THE biggest reason for the disagreements on the REALLY divisive ones). Players use really ambiguous terms, especially TONE, without any common wide-spread agreement to what that means. With this subject in regards to the traditional guitars (ie,Strat/Tele/PRS, etc); I find that people use "bright" and "warm" to describe what is probably better described as "more/less Presence. In that case, there's a pretty specific reason; the harmonic nodes/segments. Most know there are segments (nodes) on the guitar strings and that they are all the same places regardless of the guitar. The main node is at the halfway point of the string; the 12th fret. When you play the harmonic there (for most this is done when tuning the string or checking the intonation). Because it's directly in the middle, the frequency is what the string is tuned to. There is another at the 1/3 & 1/4 section (measured at either the nut to the 12th fret, or from the saddle at the bridge to the 12th). The frequencies at these positions are the other "tones" that are referred to when people talk about "overtones." These overtones are always present along with the main frequency, it's just to what degree that they're perceived or heard. On the longer necks, these nodes are spread farther away from each other than they are on shorter scale. Because they're spread out more on longer necks, the overtones aren't bleeding into each other when the string is oscillating and so they don't muddy up the main frequency (like the G at the 12thfret on the G string). The less of those, the more presence because the G-note frequency is isolated. The increased Presence is typically what is being referred to as "bright." The shorter scale necks on a Les Paul will have these harmonic segments closer together. This will cause an increase in "harmonic overtones" to be heard, rendering less Presence, which is what's referred to when people talk about "warmth. An increase in resonance is also perceived with the added overtones.Thiswhat is being referred to as bright/warm, at least in this context at least. In other contexts, like say in an amp or pedal may actually being when describing the tone stack. In this case it's just referring to the EQ of the amps voicing. Personally,I find bright/warm to be describing the "tone", while Presence/Resonance refer more to the "feel."

[@cww2086]

That were lotta words from you. Are you off work ?

[@gustavoloebel]

@@cww2086 do you have enough work? It seems you have too much time for caring about others life. 😁

[@NigelOdinson]

Personally I appreciate the degree of depth expressed in your comment. It's very enlightening and gives a much better perspective of not only what is meant with regards to certain descriptions, but also a better understanding of what we are listening out for and why it sounds how it does; all the information I am needing being a person who delves way too deep into everything and anything I find interesting, guitars being my true passion. Using your detailed analysis helps me to far better understand what is happening and translate that to what I know about frequencies interacting and overlapping with each other amongst other technical musical elements. It seems one helps to spread these frequencies to accentuate them all, giving a 'brighter' 'crisper' sound, and one brings the frequencies into more overlaps giving a 'warm/muddy' sound - in general.

[@fauxfreshness7728]

The chugging sounded a lot nicer on the 27" scale, even through all the fun compression and alternate sample streams available to my current location. It's one of those things where it sounded really good on the first option, and then got "gooder" on the next. :-) I'll have to download the DIs and take a look.

[@colostrum5853]

that's why we all need a 25.5-27 inch multi scale in our lives

[@benjaminwilliamson3240]

Another factor to consider is where, proportionally, along the open length of the strings the pickups are sitting for both guitars. If they're in different proportional locations on the strings' lengths you will get a noticeably different balance of the fundamentals and their overtones, much like with microphone placement when recording drumset.

[@WildWildWeasel]

27'' has a sliiiight bit more clarity than the 25''.

[@xbreathingisirrelevantx]

7 string Tele style guitars are so sexy

[@YMSHE]

No.

[@Alcoda777]

YES

[@dirtnotes]

Double yes

[@toad15fan]

That's a jazz master style guitar

[@ederrocha7758]

bro, are you blind ???? thats a tele.

[@danieldudas9026]

So tight metal sound on the 27. Great playing man!

[@exodusfivesixfivesix8050]

I play an extended scale and went from a standard Ibanez wizard neck six string to an extended scale 7 string and it was hard to start playing for about two days. Now it’s the most comfortable guitar I have ever played.

[@squiresuzuki]

Good comparison. Now a video where you compensate for the differences in string tension by using 4% wider strings on the 25.5" (to match 4% longer scale) -- same string model/winding of course.

[@dustennoel4203]

The baritone kills it. Hands down. More midrange and a tad clearer

[@DannibalTheCannibal]

Sorry to re-hash this but if you use the same strings on the longer scale guitar, the tension also increases (e.g. .068 tension for Low C on a 24.75 scale length has 22.9 lbs of tension, while that same string on a 25.5 scale length has a 24.4 lbs of tension). I verified this on every string tension calculator I was able to find. This might account for why your longer scale guitar sounded "thicker". One of the commenters for this video also said "the tension is better" with the longer scale length. It would be great to hear the same experiment but change the strings to match the tension you get with different scale lengths. Thanks!

[@liamtahaney713]

27" has a tone knob. invalid.

[@GoldCobra487]

If I wasn't paying attention, I wouldn't know that you were switching between the guitars.

[@ATthemusician]

27 is definitely bassier and sounds more tight. I'm getting a guitar soon with a 27 and 30 inch scale though(8 string).

[@burningfarts]

30-27? thats pretty long unless your going for drop E. 28.5-26.5 would sound better across its whole range. but 30 is better if its all about the d-d-d-djent.

[@ATthemusician]

I'm mainly going to have that guitar at least a whole step down, and I just feel like having a giant guitar :p I wouldn't really use it for much besides the really brutal low stuff.

[@ATthemusician]

Lol I assume it will be. I'm used to playing bass too though, I have pretty large hands.

[@NullStaticVoid]

YOU dont play chords on bass. Bassist do play chords. It's called double stopping (interval) or triple stopped (triad).

[@tonyebner6297]

I play chords on bass.

[@francismcalister7811]

25"5' is more "regular" sounding 27" is more... Meshuggah sounding

[@matthewcurtiss7557]

i think 25.5 sounded bassier and 27 more crisp and open

[@Gabrol]

+Matthew Curtiss you mean the opposite, right?

[@matthewcurtiss7557]

Nah definitely had more low end beef on the 25.5 on my end. For chords anyway

[@Gabrol]

Matthew Curtiss weird, I hear more bass coming from the 27

[@MikeMintTV]

+Gabrol Right with you man. I totally hear the opposite from what this guy is saying. I even thought I'd like the larger scale as I usually do with my basses however I actually personally like the shorter length on the guitar better! But that's opinion. the shorter scale definitely sounded more crisp, detailed and open and the larger scale sounded more weighty and bold.

[@jdrudeify]

It sounded like the pitches on the 27" were more focused which lead to better sounding chords on the low end. The focus has a result of sounding extremely clear on the high strings which started to sound a bit piercing.

[@dylandtime]

I feel like the 27 has a tighter low end and a bit more attack whereas the 25 seemed to have a looser low end and sounded a little more beefy overall

[@-processdrone-]

First of all this just solidified what I've been learning this month; that I never ever needed 25" scaling in my life for anything I want to do, and nearly all guitars are wrong for me. Secondly never EVER ask youtubers to leave comments. Rule one of the internet "never read the comments", that rule was born on this website. Damn!

[@KevOppelt]

Dear fellow gear mortal, Jericho Guitars just announced that they will now be offering the Bare Knuckle Ragnarok pickup. You have to see their new Ignition Series Elite. The Ignition Elite Ragnarok is also available in 27 inch baritone. The ignition series and Ragnarok are so new that you guys will be first to feature it. Try google imaging this guitar or pickup. There is hardly anything. If you had one of each you could do the ultimate comparison. Thanks Gear Gods

[@MrRatsrule]

Wow that's actually a bigger difference than I thought it would be. 🤘🏻

[@FF1744]

The 27" scale is tight and mid/low sounding guitar while the 25.5 is more bright and loose. But one thing to consider is both guitars dont have the same finish and this can affect the tone more or less.

[@alphaclean3364]

They sound close enough that for tone purposes it probably doesn't matter. That's what EQ is for anyway. Biggest difference is: how do they feel, and how does that affect your playing (if at all). Go with whatever suits you. \m/

[@raytheonorion]

Thank you for your service.

[@treyxaviermusic]

+Raytheon Orion You're welcome!

[@TimmyScandi]

Baritones are tight and articulate. To me they are way better sounding

[@littlewoodenboy1971]

Congrats on rolling over to 100k - very deserved.

[@domenicputti4228]

"It's kind of subtle, but it's distinct" I think that sentence kind of contradicts itself.

[@guy-paulbedard7653]

You're a hell of a player. And I think you're absolutely right about the tone. Slightly larger voice with the 27. Subtle tough

[@SattickDas2001]

I mostly play my 8 string. It's a fan fret 26.5"-28" 27" baritone 7's are much more comfortable for me to play and shred on.

[@cosmicsea7]

They both sound good. What I am hearing is the 25 has a bit more warmth and more mids that cut through. It sounds smoother. And the 27 is more crispy with a more low end punch, but also has more brightness to it.

[@flprmn9448]

This video isn't wrong, it's just incomplete. It focuses on tone, but the biggest impact is INTONATION and making the higher frets on the thickest string PLAYABLE. This video shows that the tone below frets 5 or 7 might be very close indeed, but the short scale guitar will sound like ass above frets 12 or 15. Well, I've sold 2 guitars because of that issue.

[@jeremytee2919]

I would like to see a comparison with a string guage that gives each similar tension at the same tuning.

[@brettmarlar4154]

It is very subtle, as you said but the low end on th 27" scale was a bit fuller toward the low end, but the highs were seemingly identical. I attribute this to longer scale lengths tend to favor lower notes, hence the reason for basses and baritones being better having better tension and intonation at these longer scales.

[@Blinkme120]

I have a 27" fender telecaster, and it has an alder body and a Seymour Duncan JB in the bridge. To me, it has the absolute perfect level of low-end, but more "punch" that I like to hear out of my palm mutes and rhythm patterns that I can't get out of my 24.75/25.5 scales, at least not as easily.

[@treyxaviermusic]

+Tyler Baskin 27" tele you say? that sounds awesome, link me!

[@Blinkme120]

+Gear Gods It's insanely hard to find these days, it was a part of Fenders "blacktop" series, that I don't think is in production anymore. goo.gl/PekHOz but theres an amazon link to give you the idea!

[@SlashnKashmir]

Yesterday I ordered 30" guitar. I am really excited to try it

[@zynosgd9982]

Basically just makes it brighter the longer you go. But you sacrifice playability.

[@zName1]

The louder overtones of the bass of the shorter one are lower in pitch and they are easier to filter out for the bass and drums to be present in the mix, and it's a bit easier to play :D

[@ikestoddard2458]

I think I better PM my review of your test. Does everyone else find the distortion segments helped you understand the differences?

[@8466849]

This video is not addressing the reason for longer scale length which is drop tunings. A better question would have been drop tuning with heavy gage strings on the 25.5 and same drop tuning on the 27 with medium gage strings which would be about the same tension... this is a better question to reveal what might actually be better.

[@beck2557]

man, immediately, the long scale seven string sounds much more clear, and way way heavier. im definitely either getting a fanned 7 sting, or a 27 inch scale. i have long fingers and i get really cramped up top anyways so long scale might be a good idea.

[@Stretchwreckedem469]

idk if this makes any sense, but with the 25 inch scale length, the tone had more of a round tone, and the 27 inch scale length guitar had kind of a smoother sound.

[@robadobflob3405]

This difference is so small it could come down to the difference in winds in the pickup, the cables, how warm the amp is, etc. Extremely small.

[@Exhul666]

What about the same guitars with the same tuning at equal tension? So you would use lighter strings on the 27" or heavier strings on the 25.5". This would only require a single gauge difference. If you're using 10's on the 25.5, then use 9's on the 27".

[@kevinblack6397]

Both the guitars sound great

[@rawjoe]

Man, those are some tasty riffs and leads. Love your style.

[@RutchanonWongsang]

neck pickup sound really good

[@progpogs]

You can't fool me Trey, one has an ebony fretboard and the other has birdseye maple! In all honesty I can't tell any difference in most of the clips, and in the few that I do it could just be inconsistencies in technique between the two takes.

[@arulislenthos]

Exactly. I closed my eyes and they sound extremely similar even on my good trusty headphones :-)

[@TheWillwatkins1]

Now this is how you do a comparison video, well done hombre.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

The longer scale length sounds ideal for rhythm playing, and the short scale works well for lead.

[@BlinkplusAvA44]

Bigger scale= more tension Lower scale= less tension Therefore, difference in playability and tuning ranges. Nothing more (Maybe effects on sustain and clarity) Worthy to note that different scale lengths will sound differently due to the hand position relative to the string length. You will learn this by reading any middle orhigh school physics book

[@daxxmcleod]

27 inch scale length had a way tighter low end. The 25.5 was spongy sounding in the lower range. Opposite in the high end,,25.5 sounded clean and full, 27 was a little thin. The fuck do i know though? Side note, and unrelated,, you look like the super nice dad that coaches his kids football team and listens to top 40 rock,, but then you grab a guitar and blast out djent riffs, super tasty leads, and just murder guitars overall. Really enjoy your videos my dude

[@batty213]

They sound so similar to me that I can't fairly decipher either being better or worse but what I've found with scale lengths is the longer the length the easier it is to play lower tunings with regular gauge strings. if I play low with regular strings on a shorter scale my strings flop everywhere and hard to play tight rhythms for metal.

[@christianguerra3843]

*i closed my eyes and they both sound the same*

[@abhaysharma5072]

Lol 😂😂 when I was watching the video I could tell the difference but when I read your comment I tried it your way and guess what?!! I couldn't tell the difference after the first example. 😂😂

[@instrumentalist28]

I have a guitars with 27, 25.5, and 24.75 scale lengths, n when stringed up the same, the 24.75 has the most dead tone, where the 27 can handle any amounts of high gain overdrive and still have a clear tone....I prefer my 27 most of the time, especially for rhythm and it's great for solos too, but it's a bit of a learning curve, if ur used to 25.5 or 24.75 lengths...great demo

[@Mizziri]

I definitely hear a low end difference. Whether that's due to woods, different pickups (yes they're the same set, but miniscule difference in winding matters) rather than the scale length, I'm not sure.

[@hibernative]

Forgot the comparison with that epic shredding, dude.

[@Daneh97]

This video is explains perfectly what compound scale lengths are for.

[@scraverX]

This is why some guitar makers are doing Multi-scale fan fret 27.8"(ish) - 25.5"

[@Jihadbearzwithgunz]

Question is in this video are both guitars constructed the same . i.e body and neck wood and electronics. Otherwise this could be seen as a wash really. As a bass player a long scale guitar is more appealing to me as its closer to my 34" and 35" scales used on my 4 5 and 6 string basses.

[@edloomingly7204]

The white one sounds fuller and yet smaller The blueish one sounds fuller and longer, nutty overtones and definitely hints of maple and bibinga It’s totally up to taste, doesn’t matter, play with what feels good....play with the guitar that feels good

[@slavex7]

I agree that the 27 scale sounds a bit darker/warmer, but I'm not sure how much of that is due to scale or due to the tone circuit. Just by having that circuit it will get rid of the higher treble from the guitar. May have to find one with the same electronic setup to get the full difference.

[@NullStaticVoid]

a longer scale length will hold better tension when downtuned to C or D. Also, it would probably be easier to hear differences in tone with less over the top distortion.

[@williamrydberg4242]

right on!

[@elevenAD]

i thought the 25.5 sounded less beefy for chords but sounded sweeter for lead

[@JohnnyStauf]

The longer scale length will have improved tone because having the correct tension for your strings had a lot to do with scale length, which directly impacts sustain and the evenness of the string vibration. Also, the difference that you hear between the two scale lengths would be much more apparent in a 6 string guitar tuned to b standard or drop a. This is a big reason why you hear bands like Like A Storm have awesome guitar tones in low tuning, they use baritone guitars.

[@mermaidslam7936]

The picking on the 27 sounded a bit more percussive, possibly because of the tension

[@MaxRideout]

I prefer the 27" scale guitar's sound, but I admit that may be a biased opinion (because it looks SOO much better/prettier/cooler than the 25.5"). Hehe

[@toemasmeems]

Practicing this Jason Richardson piece seems pretty impossible with a 9 to 16 apeggio on my 26.5 scale length....NOW I WANT A 25.5 SCALE LENGTH WAHHHH

[@theorncampbell4432]

I have HUGE hands, so I'm getting a 27.5" scale, 2" nut width custom 6 string made. Yeah, that's the ticket.

[@Markdaurelio331]

I can't comment on the sound...my LGV 20 phone speaker sux....but your playing technique is on point...👍👍👍👍

[@kmw5100]

I have decided i really do not like lead sounds on the 27"

[@HARDCOREFUCKINREIGNS]

i picked up a takemine acoustic one day & didnt like the finish, same guitar amongst the piles sounded completely different as did another one. I dont know why, maybe wood grain, sap, glues, etc but some guitars exact specs dont have the same sound. A guy at a metal concert confirmed this. He had 2 exact same ibanezes. different sound

[@merqury5]

This was a great presentation!

[@ivyhallquist3159]

I actually prefer the tone of the 25.5" guitar. Does that make me weird?

[@RunawayThumbtack]

Very cool comparison. I hear more lower mids on the 27" as well, but I suspect that the biggest difference under the fingers is that the 27's attack is more immediate. It's subtle, but definitely audible in the track (see: starting at 2:31), and since the transients are so much more obvious under your fingers, I can only assume that the difference there would be significantly more pronounced. I also wonder if the 27" sounds warmer because the 25.5" has more fret noise following the pick. Were the setups comparable in terms of action? I might even think that you could get away with [slightly] lower action on the 27" for equivalent fret buzz because of the increased tension on the strings, all other things constant.

[@RunawayThumbtack]

Just listened to the DI. Yep, thought so :) Also showcases the difference in the high mids well.

[@Danumurti18]

It sounds pretty much same since you set them to the same pitch/same tension. The difference is in the tuning stability I think, the longer the scale the more accurate/easier/stable the tuning. But that's my imagination, not based on experience.

[@x5492]

The longer scale length was harder to play? *thinking emoji* does that mean bass guitar is far harder to play than regular guitar?

[@starkiller34]

The only sonic difference I could tell was during your palm muting, the 27 scale sounded... lower?

[@5kr3aminMunk33]

Based on the comments I feel like it's subjective to how your ears and brain perceive the sound waves because some here more bass from the 27" versus the 25.5" and vice versa whereas some hear more mids from the 27" and the 25.5" sounds more deep and bass driven. So tone is just what you make it.

[@5kr3aminMunk33]

hear*

[@69cohonas]

I would definitely go with the white guitar SOUNDED a lot better to me at least !!

[@Savagewoodworker]

love this video.

[@MrAlexhollins]

The super Strats became dominant because they have a bigger sound than the 24.75 scale guitars. More bass. More treble. To be honest I find LP type guitars 'too easy' to play coming from a Fender 25.5 scale guitar. They seem 'rubber bandy' and more difficult to be precise in my playing. I can see why some folk favour the LP as they tend to have flatter fret boards and are easier and perhaps better for string bending. The PRS compromise 25 scale does seem to blend the best of both the Fender and Gibson stables. Scale length is certainly a lot more important to tone than the so called 'tone woods'. Each to their own.

[@Haraldikalvalid]

Scale length affect intonation? Can you shed some light on that?

[@s2k9k]

Can definitely hear a difference in that Baritone on the low end. Especially open notes. I'm listening through some Mackie studio monitors BTW.

[@OnwardLemon242]

Yeah, down tuning them both to F or G would definitely show the difference in tone. That's where the Baritone shines and stands out. You would be able to play 8 string tunings on the Baritone, or one octave under a 6 string.

[@mmarocker]

This reminded me of a Violin and a Viola. Violins are tuned GDAE low-high, Violas are a 5th lower, CGDA. The low G on a Violin sounds muddy compared to the same G on the longer Viola. But, the upper range of the Viola sounds tinny and shrill compared to the same notes on the shorter Violin. tl;dr longer instruments sound better on low notes and shorter instruments sound better on high notes.

[@georgebeauregard5675]

That lead run was sick!

[@jonathanheng6582]

Why exactly is it harder to play the baritone guitar? Is it due to the spacing of the frets? Different placement of the picking hand?

[@anvil777]

As somebody mentioned over the KZbin the 27" sounded snappier, crispier in the rhythm parts to me. I wish you did a clean sound comparison too.