Stephen,Stephen Cowell wrote: Note: all short scale.
Thank You for noticing and pointing out that all of the Deluxe models we've all found are short scale. I forgot / failed to mention it; ...and scale lengths for trap pickup Deluxes is what led me to find this SGF discussion in the first place; Go figure!
I am searching for a medium (24.5") or long (26") scale trap pickup Deluxe for a close Friend and well known Steeler; And am holding out hopes there might be one / some floating around in obscurity. Leo Fender was motivated to produce one-offs and special orders for well known professional Steelers; Which made / makes good sense ...kinda like today's Beta Testing. But all major guitar manufacturers had been (and continued) with similar R&D and marketing, ...applying famous guitarists names to models they helped develop or "simply" approved of. Good for the brand and good for the Guitarists. Although, Fender didn't jump into the famous Guitarist models & endorsements pool until the 1980s, ...which is a bit perplexing since many famous Steelers and Guitarists were known for the Fender guitars and amps they played.
"Trivia" maybe deserving mention, is that Leo's "late" 1946 new Deluxe design has an optical illusion of being longer than it's predecessor K&F & Fender Princeton, inferring (eyes / brain trick) a longer scale ...until closer attention is paid to why. In my photos 5 & 6 we can see that Leo didn't stretch the whole guitar but stretched only the body portion, extending the body shoulders where they join the neck ...up from the 17th fret (XVII) to the 12th fret (XII). Leo had a very keen eye & brain for aesthetic Steel and Spanish guitar design that in only 10 years (1945-1955) became evermore and remain iconic.
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Well, morning coffee is kicking in, and backlogged / bottle-necked matters are screeching in the background.
Very Best Wishes,
