What has more tension?

[JDJ]

A 25.5 inch scale with 10s in standard concert-pitch tuning

OR

A 25 inch scale with 11s in standard concert-pitch tuning?

My fingers tell me it's the former. Anybody know?

[Old Tele man]

...go to the D'Addario Strings website and use their equations (also, info on individual string sizes too).

...unfortunately, their "posted" info is only for 25.5" scale, that's WHY I mention using the "equations" for other scale lengths, ie: 24", 24.75", etc..

[Jack Briggs]

25" w/11's.

[Clorenzo]

25" w/11's.+1. It's not the same figures but I remember using those formulas to work out that, for a fixed string gauge, the difference in tension between 24.75" and 25.5" is about 6%, while for a fixed scale, the difference in tension between 9s and 10s is about 22%, so you can more or less extrapolate.

[scottlr]

I have to admit that I have never paid any attention to what scale neck I had on any particular guitar. The only scale I ever had that I didn't get along with was a Ric 325 with the 3/4 size scale.
One thing I DO notice, though, is that 10s on my Gretsch 6120 feel like 9s, where they feel like 10s on all of my other guitars. For awhile, I put 11s on it, just cuz I could. The string path seem longer on the Gretsch because of the Bigsby. Is that why? Longer equals less tension?

[Old Tele man]

...what matters is only the MASS of the string that's between the two knife-edges (nut and bridge)...and, the TENSION of the strings; however, the tension is felt across ALL the length of the string, from the tuners to the string-ending eyelets at the trapese or ferrel cups (Tele/Strat).

[John Phillips]

Exactly. Even though the actual tension (tuned to pitch) is the same - assuming the same string gauge and scale length - a guitar with a lot of extra string length at either end will feel looser to play, because when you bend or even just press down to the frets, the extra length stretches too and the string feels slacker - but equally you have to move the string a lot further to get the same change in pitch. A trem system makes the guitar feel even looser since as you bend, the trem moves as well. So a guitar with a long string path and a Bigsby will feel WAY looser than something like a Les Paul, even with the same scale length.

[JDJ]

So, in I-didn't-do-so-well-in-math-and-science terms, why does my Thorn, with a 25 inch scale, a 10 to 14 inch compound radius, and 11s feel easier to bend than my EJ Strat with a 25.5 inch scale, a 12 inch radius, and 10s?

Other than Ron's guitar comes with extra mojo... because that's what seems intuitive to me.:D

[Jack Briggs]

I'd say the compound radius and a super setup have much to do with it as well.

[Don A]

Tall, well dressed frets, high action and extra relief will all make a guitar feel easier to bend on.

[philtone]

Here is an interesting applet for string tension and gauge:
http://www.pacificsites.net/~dog/StringTensionApplet.html

I can't vouch for it's accuracy as I have no way to quantify results to compare, but given it's origins, I assume this applet to be reasonably accurate when using common sense as the applet's description advises.

[Old Tele man]

...using the D'Addario equation:

T = ( UW * (2*L*F)^2 ) / 386.4

where:
T = Tension, pounds-force (lbf)
UW = Unit Weight, pounds-per-linear inch (lb/in)
L = Scale Length, inches
F = Frequency or Pitch, Hertz

...assuming treble E1 tuned to concert pitch of 329.6Hz:

UW for PL010 = 0.00002215
UW for PL011 = 0.00002680

...then:

T = (0.00002215*(2 * 25.50" * 329.6Hz)^2)/386.4 = 16.20 lbf
T = (0.00002680*(2 * 24.75" * 329.6Hz)^2)/386.4 = 18.46 lbf

...hence, the shorter 24.75" scale with 0.011" string has 14% MORE tension than does the longer 25.50" scale with 0.010" string.

...however, 0.010" string on 24.75" scale will have 6% LESS tension than same 0.010" string on 25.50" scale, ie: 15.26 lbf versus 16.20 lbf.

...FWIW--you'd need a 23.18" scale for the 0.011" string tension to equal the 0.010" string on 25.50" scale, ie: both equaling 16.20 lbf.


Note: the above information comes from the D'Addario booklet: Catalog Supplement/String Tension Specifications, 14 pages (in *.PDF-format ).