how to make a long scale ?

[dnarock]

What makes the scale longer is it the neck , the placement of the bridge . the spacing of the fretts or all three .
I am thinking about buying a 4banger off of a friend and using it for down tuning (CGCF) and it is a 34" scale is this possible to change with just setting the bridge back an inch or am I totally off base here ?

 

[JanVanHove]

all three... if you just move the bridge, the intonation of every single fret is gonna be off...

 

[bongomania]

Right, that bass is 34" forever more, unless you buy a different neck and move the bridge and have enough room on the body to make sure the bridge is correctly spaced, which you shouldn't assume.

 

[roberthabraken]

The scale length is, in fact, the effective length of the strings. Thus the distance from nut to bridge saddles. The frets are then placed according to this distance as following:

- the location of the first fret is the scale length divided by 17.817 (the fret constant)

- then, the second fret is located at the remaining distance (from first fret to bridge), divided by 17.817

- and so on..

Conclusion: you will need a new neck, with different fret locations and, possibly, you could move the bridge, but this is not absolutely necessary if you have a longer neck. Also you must know that the sound will change, as the pickups are located at strategic positions (at spots with good or best harmonics) and if you change the scale length, these spots also move (same theory as fret placement).

 

[vbasscustom]

hmm, i never knew about that fret constant number

 

[EricF]

hmm, i never knew about that fret constant number

Ya learn something new every day!

I always forget what the number is since I really don't have a regular use for it.

 

[Taylor Livingston]

Also you must know that the sound will change, as the pickups are located at strategic positions (at spots with good or best harmonics)

Just wanted to correct your very informative post: there are no "good harmonics" hovering over the pickup positions. There couldn't be, because the harmonics all move the second you fret a note. Now, of course, the position of the pickups does have a very obvious impact on sound, and that impact is related to harmonics, but it's not accurate to say that the pickups are located at specific nodes. Even when people do bother to place the pickups under specific nodes, this only holds true for open strings and with single coils.

 

[roberthabraken]

Just wanted to correct your very informative post: there are no "good harmonics" hovering over the pickup positions. There couldn't be, because the harmonics all move the second you fret a note. Now, of course, the position of the pickups does have a very obvious impact on sound, and that impact is related to harmonics, but it's not accurate to say that the pickups are located at specific nodes. Even when people do bother to place the pickups under specific nodes, this only holds true for open strings and with single coils.

Thank you , I always thought that there were 'right' spots, but your explanation makes perfect sense.