35" scale

mjl422 · #1 10-02-2002, 02:13 PM

I was wondering if you kept the taditional length neck and moved the bridge further back on the body, would this have the same effect as using a longer scaled neck? (hope this make sense) What would be the differences if any?

Richard Lindsey · #2 10-02-2002, 03:28 PM

Yes--provided that you move the frets, or fret markers in the case of a lined fretless, back as well. That's basically how Carvin got their 35.25" scale 22 fret XB model out of their 34" scale 24 fret LB model.

pilotjones · #3 10-02-2002, 03:56 PM

Right- on a fretted neck this can't be done. It wouldn't play the right notes.

neptoon · #4 10-02-2002, 05:29 PM

exactly, guys...when you add scale length to a bass, say a 34" scale to a 35" scale, you add 1/2" on the nut side and 1/2" on the bridge side. just moving the bridge back an inch will screw your intonation out of wack.

Richard Lindsey · #5 10-02-2002, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by neptoon
exactly, guys...when you add scale length to a bass, say a 34" scale to a 35" scale, you add 1/2" on the nut side and 1/2" on the bridge side. just moving the bridge back an inch will screw your intonation out of wack.

Actually, you don't do that either: you have to refret completely. All the fret positions are wrong as soon as you change the scale length at all, and it doesn't matter whether you add the extra length to one end or to both equally. You still have to change all the fret locations.

neptoon · #6 10-02-2002, 09:14 PM

that's correct...i was just stating the difference between a 34" scale and 35" scale bass....a 35 incher will have 1/2" more length on the nut side and 1/2" more length on the bridge side than a 34 incher.

pilotjones · #7 10-03-2002, 06:53 AM

But since the overall scale is now 35/34 = 102.9411...% of the original scale, all the frets must spread apart by an additional 2.9411...% .

ChaosGwar · #8 10-03-2002, 07:04 AM

Yeah, try putting a 34" scale neck on a 32" scale body. All you get is mud, and there is no way around it.

Richard Lindsey · #9 10-03-2002, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by neptoon
a 35 incher will have 1/2" more length on the nut side and 1/2" more length on the bridge side than a 34 incher.

I think I'm not understanding you. "Nut side" of what? When you go up from 34" to 35", all that means is that the distance between nut and bridge, *taken in its entirety*, increases by 1". That's all it is. You don't have to add it half to one side and half to the other. It's not any more accurate to think of that extra length as added to both sides than it is to think of it as added in the middle or to either nut or bridge individually. For that matter, you could think of it as added in very small quantities between every two frets. It's the difference in the total length that counts.

neptoon · #10 10-03-2002, 08:40 AM

that's true, but scale length is more accurate when you think of it as the distance from the nut to the 12th fret x 2. that's why i think of it in the way i do. it just makes more wense in _my_ noggin that way.

Geoff St. Germaine · #11 10-03-2002, 08:49 AM

How do you mean more accurate?

Geoff

neptoon · #12 10-03-2002, 08:52 AM

because every time you change the position of a bridge saddle (say, adjusting for intonation for a new set of strings) you change the distance from the nut to the bridge. the distance from the nut to the 12th fret doesn't change.

QTraXQ · #13 10-03-2002, 09:06 AM

I know what you mean neptoon.At first I was confused at what you were saying. It just seemed like the same thing everyone else said except a little more confusing.

But doing it that way may not give you the same results or at least may or may not be as accurate as in deducing the total scale length that you want to achieve.

It would probably be better to add the 1" to the total length and formulate the location for the frets.

QTraXQ · #14 10-03-2002, 09:19 AM

about the nut to th 12th fret. That does not matter.that would not matter unless your pick-ups were between the nut and 12th fet.When you play a note your fretting fingers become the nut. The nut bacically becomes a stabilizers when you use the fretboard.

neptoon · #15 10-03-2002, 10:33 AM

i'm beginning to wonder if i'm just a ******...

pilotjones · #16 10-03-2002, 11:13 AM

Boy, this is getting muddy. On a 34" scale bass, the distance from nut to theoretical position of bridge (before intonation adjustments) is 34"; the distance nut to 12th fret is 17". For a 35" scale bass, these distances are 35" and 17.5". Here's a fret distance calculator for you (started by JPBasses, and updated by me):
fret calc spreadshett (unzip & open in Excel)

Richard Lindsey · #17 10-03-2002, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by neptoon
that's true, but scale length is more accurate when you think of it as the distance from the nut to the 12th fret x 2. that's why i think of it in the way i do. it just makes more wense in _my_ noggin that way.

Ohhhh ... I see where you're coming from. It just wasn't clear to me before. Different conceptualization, I guess.

In any case, it seems we're all agreed that what the original poster (remember him?) asked about won't happen without moving all the frets.

neptoon · #18 10-03-2002, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by pilotjones
On a 34" scale bass, the distance from nut to theoretical position of bridge (before intonation adjustments) is 34"; the distance nut to 12th fret is 17". For a 35" scale bass, these distances are 35" and 17.5".

isn't that what i said.....i guess not

Richard----oh yesh....very much agreed

pilotjones · #19 10-03-2002, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by neptoon

isn't that what i said.....i guess not

No sad faces please- you did say that. I guess I was just overexplaining again.

neptoon · #20 10-03-2002, 03:36 PM

right on