Ease of Playing Scale Length
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- Ron Wendler
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Ease of Playing Scale Length
I haven't seen anything on what scale length is easiest to play. Maybe there's no difference??? I built my first Lap Steel to a 24.5 scale and now thinking of another go at it. This time I'm thinking should I go with a 22" or stay with the middle of the road scale size. Any thoughts???
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- Stefan Robertson
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Definitely 22.5 some of those split slants would be a nightmare on a longer scale for me.Erv Niehaus wrote:Jerry Byrd favored the 22 1/2" scale.
And I already use a long, 12 string heavy 12.4 Oz Bar. But Bigger is better. So the ladies tell me.
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Harmonics
Some say the harmonics are easier on the longer scale.
I'm not very good at them, so I've been practicing on my new Clinesmith and slowly getting better at it, but still far from trusting myself to hit them right.
I've never had a longer lap steel but maybe some day I'll find one to borrow and see about that.
About the sustain, the Clinesmith has plenty. My Fender Duel 8 is okay, but not as good as the other. I also have another 8 string lap steel, a Morrell at my house overseas and it's sustain is not very good at all, so I'd say it has more to do with the construction and the pickups than the string length.
One thing about the Clinesmith is I don't get tired of practice. Everything short of the wrong fret for a chord or a bad note sounds so good.
Come to think of it, even the bad ones sound good on this steel. I'll just call it Jazz
I'm not very good at them, so I've been practicing on my new Clinesmith and slowly getting better at it, but still far from trusting myself to hit them right.
I've never had a longer lap steel but maybe some day I'll find one to borrow and see about that.
About the sustain, the Clinesmith has plenty. My Fender Duel 8 is okay, but not as good as the other. I also have another 8 string lap steel, a Morrell at my house overseas and it's sustain is not very good at all, so I'd say it has more to do with the construction and the pickups than the string length.
One thing about the Clinesmith is I don't get tired of practice. Everything short of the wrong fret for a chord or a bad note sounds so good.
Come to think of it, even the bad ones sound good on this steel. I'll just call it Jazz
Inlaid Star Guitar 2006 by Mark Giles. SD-10 4+5 in E9th; http://luthiersupply.com/instrument-gallery.html
2017 Mullen SD-10, G2 5&5 Polished Aluminum covering. Custom Build for me. Great Steel.
Clinesmith Joaquin Murphy style Aluminum 8 String Lap Steel Short A6th.
Magnatone Jeweltone Series Lap Steel, Circa 1950? 6 String with F#minor7th Tuning.
1956 Dewey Kendrick D-8 4&3, Restoration Project.
1973 Sho~Bud Green SD-10 4&5 PSG, Restoration Project.
2017 Mullen SD-10, G2 5&5 Polished Aluminum covering. Custom Build for me. Great Steel.
Clinesmith Joaquin Murphy style Aluminum 8 String Lap Steel Short A6th.
Magnatone Jeweltone Series Lap Steel, Circa 1950? 6 String with F#minor7th Tuning.
1956 Dewey Kendrick D-8 4&3, Restoration Project.
1973 Sho~Bud Green SD-10 4&5 PSG, Restoration Project.