Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Gary Stenzel on January 11, 2018 at 10:24am

Looking forward to the answers here. I'm in the middle of a 23" build at the moment.

Permalink Reply by Slow Blues Dani & Ol' Grey Bear on January 11, 2018 at 11:32am

Watch this space Gary :) They're a friendly bunch on here and very helpful but I just wish the time difference between the UK and the USA  wasn't so extreme as I'm shattered and off to bed now lol. I'll check back in in the morning. Have a great night, Gary!

Permalink Reply by Jim Morris on January 11, 2018 at 12:13pm

I'm glad you're feeling up to a new build! Shorter scale equals less tension so you could use slightly higher gauges than you usually would. Or, you could use another approach. In banjo making I've made several 22 to 23" scale and we call them  A scale banjos. Standard banjos are tuned to G but these shorter ones are normally tuned up to A hence the name. You could probably go up to AEa or a bit higher using 23" scale with the same strings as you'd normally tune GDg on longer scale gits. Good luck!

Permalink Reply by Slow Blues Dani & Ol' Grey Bear on January 11, 2018 at 9:55pm

Thanks Jim. I appreciate your knowledge on the subject. Less tension is good then. Less bracing, lighter and no need to worry about a thick neck. Awesome. I've wanted to use some heavy strings for a while but always doubted my own builds in the past. None of them have imploded in over a year so time for an adventure I reckon! Thanks again my good fellow!

Permalink Reply by John Sawyer on January 11, 2018 at 6:50pm

Electric strings have much less tension than their acoustic brethren, which means you are not likely to break them,when tuning them up a step,or three... I would use the three heavy strings from an electric light set and tune FCF or gdg if it is a SLIDE guitar...

Permalink Reply by Slow Blues Dani & Ol' Grey Bear on January 11, 2018 at 10:00pm

Thanks John. It's hopefully going to be a fretted jobbie, even after cutting my hands to ribbons on my first attempt (which was also my last fretting attempt). Not thought about the tuning yet but I'll keep your advice in mind when it comes time to string it up. Thanks again and all the best to you. 

Permalink Reply by William E. White on January 12, 2018 at 8:35am

I build between 22.25 and 23-inch scale and use a DAd or CGc tuning. Open C has a nice tone on these shorter scales.

Permalink Reply by Slow Blues Dani & Ol' Grey Bear on January 12, 2018 at 8:43am

Thanks William. I'll bear that one in mind.

I've just today acquired a fender mini (short scale jobbie) for hardly any money at all considering how much they are new. The parts alone for the licence plate guitar would cost me 3 or 4 times what this guitar did. So, I'm left considering whether to scavenge parts from it and come out the other side with (hopefully) a more or less completely free LPG. Not sure yet as I was going to build a three string initially and now I'm not sure what to do. If I do then I'm considering using the electrics too, though I really wasn't intending to cut three holes for pickups into the face of such a lovely looking licence plate. Not sure what to do! 

Anyway, thanks again for the advice and the time you took to give it. I appreciate it greatly.

Permalink Reply by David Clewell on January 20, 2018 at 12:48pm

Look here.

guitar string calculator

Permalink Reply by Slow Blues Dani & Ol' Grey Bear on January 20, 2018 at 3:22pm

Thanks David. I'll take a look. Much appreciated. 

Permalink Reply by Stu Thomas on March 29, 2018 at 2:16am

CGB noob here...so take this as coming from one..I play 24" scale electrics mostly (couple of Fender Jaguars), lighter gauge electric string sets tend to be a bit floppy-sloppy on shorter scale lengths. If you're looking for electric guitar strings, light-medium to medium gauge sets like 11s to 13s might be  the go. You might also look at the ADG strings from a stiff(ish) flatwound set like D'addario Chromes (oh...and the G is wound in the chromes). Chromes also tend to be a bit brighter than a lot of other flatwounds. 

Permalink Reply by Slow Blues Dani & Ol' Grey Bear on March 29, 2018 at 9:03am

Thanks Stu. That helps loads. I'll keep all of that in mind.

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