Reference: Common Guitar Scale Lengths and
How Scale Affects Tone

Brand                                                                   # of Frets                     Scale   


Fender        Stratocaster & Telecaster             21                           25-1/2"
vintage                                                                      22 - modern         25.500"
                                    Fender Jaguar            22                           24.000"
        Fender Duosonic & Mustang              19                           22.500"
Fender Bajo Sexto Baritone Telecaster           24                          30.1562"
                                  Gibson 24-3/4"             22         
                              Gibson 'Byrdland'            22                          23.500"
Gibson long scale (used on acoustics)           20                          25.500"
                  Guild acoustics 25-5/8"             20                          25.625"
               Guild electrics 24-3/4"             21 or 22                    24.750"
Martin standard 25.4" (Dreadnought, OM)     20                          25.340"
          Martin short 24.9" (0, 00, 000)         20                          24.840"
                                              National             20                          25.000"
                     Paul Reed Smith                 22 or 24                     25.000"


        Bass
                                                                        # frets                       scale
                                            Fender                 20                         34.000"
Fender short scale (Musicmaster, Bronco, & Mustang)       
                                                                          20                         30.000"
How Does Scale Length Affect Tone?

Fender
One of the most common scale lengths is the Fender 25-1/2"
guitar scale. Found on Stratocasters®, Telecasters®, and the
huge variety of instruments inspired by them as well as the
replacement, and custom parts available for them.

The 25-1/2" produces a rich, strong, bell-like tone, and defined
low-end.

Gibson
The Gibson 24-3/4" scale is also very common, but it is also the
most confusing of all scale lengths — this is because it rarely ever
measures out to be 24-3/4 inches! This scale has gradually
changed over the past fifty or so years due to changes in
production equipment.







Being shorter than the Fender 25-1/2" scale, the Gibson 24-3/4"
scale has a lower tension/easier to play feel, and a warmer tone.

PRS, Dobro, & National
When luthier Paul Reed Smith was developing his  guitars, he was
looking to capture the harmonic richness of the Fender electric's
tone as well as the fullness, warmth, and playability of the Gibson
electric guitars. PRS opted for a scale length of 25", which is also
found on Dobro and National guitars.

The bass strings on a 25" scale are fuller sounding than some 24-
3/4" instruments, which can sometimes sound muddy. The treble
strings are not only easier to bend than on a 25-1/2" scale, but
also have a warmer, and fuller tone.
    Rick                                Bill                Johnny              Phil                          Jerry
         Circa 1996