26" Stringmasters

Chris Scruggs · From: Nashville, Tennessee, USA

Let me start by saying I am a diehard 22 1?2 player, but I've been wondering about the tone of those early model Stringmasters.
Everyone says that the longer the scale, the better the tone and sustain. But I realized that the third fret on a 26" guitar is 22 1/2"! So it made me think," If a guitar is tuned to A6, the third fret is C6." So wouldn't you use C6 strings for A6 on a long scale?
It only makes since to me that your high E would be a .012 instead of a .015, and the C# would be a .015 instead of an .018. So my question is(finally!), wouldn't it be better to have a short scale guitar with heavy strings, over a long scale guitar with thin strings?

Alvin Blaine · From: Picture Rocks, Arizona, USA

Hey Chris,
Gladd your on here. I have a 26" T8 Stringmaster and I have a short scale D8.
I like the 26 inch a little better for harmonics and behind the bar string bends. The shorter one is better for slants but the 26 has a bigger sound. If you can put heavy strings on the short scale then you can put heavier strings on the long scale and make it sound even bigger.
The best thing is to try out differant ones and see what you like best. Each old Fender has its own sound and personality.

You need to get Donnie on here also. Tell him hi for me.

Chris Scruggs · From: Nashville, Tennessee, USA

Still swear by my old 22 1/2 guitars, but I love the sounds Johnny Sibert, Noel Boggs, and Leon got on those 26" guitars. Maybe I'll get one someday. Oh well...

Bobbe Seymour · From: Hendersonville TN USA, R.I.P.

Chris, NO! Come by and I'll show you a 26" that will kill any 22.5, remember that old 26" Stringmaster" I got a couple years ago? Ugly but WOW! Now the 22.5 does weigh less, however, you carry it for 30 seconds but have to play it for 5 hours on a job, so , who cares how much it weighs? I'd rather be happy for 5 hours than 30 seconds.
Your great buddy,
Bobbe: (Phantom Steel Player)

J D Sauser · From: Wellington, Florida

That a longer scale guitar will sound "better" would seem logical, especially on the bass strings. Just test-drive your lowest string on the 24th fret... well, how "nice" and "sweet" does it sustain on a short scale (something like "doink"?)? Now, imagine how much better that would sound with the added string length a 26" scale will offer between your bar and the bridge (and/or how many frets that added length represent).
BUT then, how about doing that quick 2nd interval backward slant on a minor-3rd-interval adjacent string group on the second and third fret, on a 26" scale... hmmm?

I think it depends on ones playing style, how long a scale one can afford. If you don't live of slants... I agree that one could afford a longer scale.

... J-D.

Jody Carver · From: KNIGHT OF FENDER TWEED

Its no matter how long it is,,Its how you use
IT

Bobbe Seymour · From: Hendersonville TN USA, R.I.P.

I can't believe you beat to that one Jody!
However, very true!

Chris is really turning out to be a wonderful player and a great human being to boot. Great kid.

Jeff Au Hoy · From: Honolulu, Hawai'i

Jody Carver · From: KNIGHT OF FENDER TWEED

I couldn't resist

Bobbe is right on this one.The wider fret spacing makes slants as easy as the short scale and in addition gives the player a feeling of not being cramped with bar movement. Bar slants are a piece of pie on the higher up frets.

The only problem I had with the 26 scale was
a tendency to break 0.10 gauge strings from
time to time,,other than that,It has many more advantages than not.The tone is great.

I dont know why Fender dropped this guitar from the lineup.

[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 26 April 2003 at 07:44 PM.]

Chris Scruggs · From: Nashville, Tennessee, USA

It seems you would really need to use lighter strings for the proper string tention on a long scale. For instance, I use a .015 for my high E on a 22.5, and a .014 for high E on a 24.5.

What do you 26" players use for gauges?
I would assume to use short scale C6 with a a high G(.012 thru .042) gauges for A6. It seems that would be bright, though.

I've heard people say those early stringmasters didn't have a blend control, but Johnny Sibert told me the master tone knob on his 26" was the blender for all three necks, instead of being a regular master tone knob. True or false?

Hey Bobbe, how is that triple coming by the way? If you ever get tired of looking at it, I might just know someone who's interested

.

Mark Durante · From: St. Pete Beach FL

When I started playing steel my first was a National D-8, then I got my T-8 26 inch Stringmaster. I still look at the National now and then. It is true that if you use a high G# as I do also, some strings of lower quality will break when restringing, although I've never had one break while playing. I use a .010 for that.
The tone control is really cool, it does blend the pickups from both coils per neck to just one per neck with the turn of the knob. Not humbucking though in double coil mode like the newer ones.

[This message was edited by Mark Durante on 28 April 2003 at 04:27 AM.]

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

I have a 26" Stringmaster that I bought new in 1954. It has the round tuners and the chrome covered pickups. I understand that the two pickups on each neck were wound opposite of each other to make them virtually hum free. And yes, there is no blend control on these guitars. On one neck, the holes for the strings are bigger. This allows for using guitar bass strings. I did this one the neck closest to my belly. When the bass player didn't show up, I would fill in on bass.

[This message was edited by Erv Niehaus on 28 April 2003 at 06:52 AM.]

Chris Scruggs · From: Nashville, Tennessee, USA

Sounds like some confusion over that tone knob, Mark and Erv! Any one else with an opinion on that tone knob?
Bobbe! Jody! To blend, or not to blend?

Joey Ace · From: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Mark Durante · From: St. Pete Beach FL

My understanding is that the first 26in Stringmasters, with the chrome covers had the master blend (tone) control but the coils were not reverse wound, which is the case with mine. It seems that when the scale was changed, the individual blend for each neck was introduced with reverse wound coils, and the pickup covers were changed to plastic. Were there 26in guitars with the newer pickup system? Jody?
I wish I had been around to see you guys play back then.

[This message was edited by Mark Durante on 30 April 2003 at 03:36 AM.]

Chris Scruggs · From: Nashville, Tennessee, USA

That's it. If long scale is so much better, I'm going to start playing 36 1/2" scale

!

I might have to practice my slants, but...

Bobbe Seymour · From: Hendersonville TN USA, R.I.P.

Chris, why do you want lighter strings? There is very little difference when you carry it!

AND, forget the "Blend knob", (unless it's on a Hamilton beach blender.)

Your buddy,(The Phantom)

Mark Durante · From: St. Pete Beach FL

There is a wiring diagram of the first 4neck Stringmaster in Forest White's Fender book on page 238. No indication of coil directions though.
I was going to reveal that Paul Bigsby stole his ideas from Maytag but I guess I should leave the jokes to the pros.

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

When I'm talking blend control, I'm talking about that notched wheel under one of the covers that was used to blend the two pickups per neck. Each neck had one. This came later.

Chris Scruggs · From: Nashville, Tennessee, USA

Hey Bobbe, when I talk about lighter strings, I just think a .015 for a high E would be to tight on a 26 inch guitar.
Since I use a .014 for E on a 24 1/2" guitar, but a .015 for E on a 22 1/2" guitar.
I'm just thinking about the proper string tention. Or is the tighter string tention just another part of that 26" sound?

Joe Delaronde · From: Selkirk, Manitoba, Canada

So then, what gauges do you use for c6th 10-string for a 26" scale????? Small to large.
Thanks
Joe

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