Neck scale lengths

[Red Titan]

Hello all,
I'm new to the forums and I'm hoping to get my first EBMM soon.

Anyway, I wanted to ask, have you ever noticed that most virtuosos/shredders play guitars with 25 1/2" scale necks versus 24 3/4" scale necks? Why is that?....You would think most shredders would go for the shorter scale because there is less string tension and the frets are a litte closer together, therefore, easier to play...oh and you can slap on thicker strings...hmmm, penny for your thoughts?

 

[Jack FFR1846]

I have a guitar at home that's 24 3/4 with a 24 fret neck. It's very difficult to play the upper frets. They're enough closer together to notice the difference.

jack

 

[GuitaRasmus]

Clarity is my guess - I just love the snap of a 25.5" inch scale length - 24.75" almost always sounds dull to me. PRS seems to have gotten the best of both worlds in their 25" scale lenght - but I still prefer my Axis' 25.5".

 

[agt]

I like the extra tension of 25.5" scale necks. More snap, twang, attack, tone. And because I like the extra tension so much, I like to string up with 11's. It doesn't make my Balls any easier to play, but the tone is worth it!

 

[Red Titan]

I like the extra tension of 25.5" scale necks. More snap, twang, attack, tone. And because I like the extra tension so much, I like to string up with 11's. It doesn't make my Balls any easier to play, but the tone is worth it!

I hear ya....I read that Stevie Ray Vaughn played his Strats with 12's and 13's back in the day...Yikes!!....I can almost hear the truss rod screaming in agony

 

[Dead-Eye]

and the frets are a litte closer together, therefore, easier to play

I'd say that's only true for the lowest frets, if at all. Beyond twelve, I feel it gets a bit crowded on a 24,75" scale.