recommended luthiers who make short scale guitars?

[ripoffriffs]

For reasons I don't have time to get into now, but I need to be playing shorter scale guitars for less tension.

Can someone recommend any guitar makers that build guitars with scale length of less than 24.75"? Maybe along the lines of 24", 24.24", 24.5", or 24.625?

I know about the PRS Santana's (24.5"). But I would like to hear about alternatives before I decide to buy that.

Can be hand made or machine made as long as it is high quality and price reflects manufacturing technique.

I'd lke to hear from luthiers themselves who normally make guitars of short scale length.

Thank you.

 

[n4p226r]

Originally posted by ripoffriffs

I know about the PRS Santana's (24.5"). But I would like to hear about alternatives before I decide to buy that.

now why would you need to go and do something like that

 

[trisonic]

Chapin Guitars.

I think Bill will make them down to 24".


Best, Pete.

 

[decay-o-caster]

Originally posted by trisonic
Chapin Guitars.

I think Bill will make them down to 24".


Best, Pete.

Will and has.

 

[cnardone]

Call Bill, hes got me dreaming of a short scale guitar too.

cmn

 

[hawkeyeinexile]

Bill Chapin made the 24"-scale "Rustic" Hawk, which Amitar now owns. my new Devil Dog will be 24" scale. he has made shorter-scaled guitars, too.

 

[AJ Love]

anyone else? nothing at all against Chapin, just wondering about options

Suhr's website mentions being able to do different scale lengths "by summer" but doesn't specify what

 

[Saul Koll]

I can make you a real short one!

[/IMG]

 

[Ian Anderson]

Saul that DA inspired tenor guitar is bad!

 

[Saul Koll]

thanks Ian!


I bet if you were to ask, most builders will accomodate your wishes.

Good luck!

Saul

 

[Glowing Tubes]

Tom Anderson Cobra. You would have a difficult time finding a better playing guitar. So smooth and the short scale makes it near effortless to play. Loaded with a HB and two M's you would be in sonic heaven as well.:AOK

Good luck with your search!

Richard

 

[Mike]

24.65

Mike

 

[FPicker]

Bumping this, as recent report of Ron Kirn Jaguar got me interested.
Do any of the small shops make a 24" - 24.5" scale length guitar as part of their regular offerings?

Most of the suggestions people give to this question are for gibson 24-3/4" length, which is not on-point. Chapin has been cited, but his website lists shortest optional length = 24-5/8".

I'm talking Mustang/ Jaguar scale here.

These seem to have gotten more popular, as Fender has had a number of reissues.
But there should be other makers to choose from at the high end, as there are for the 24-3/4" and 25/5" scale length guitars. Anybody else doing it now?

 

[Marty s Horne]

Fender Mustangs and Jaguars are short scale as are Gibson Byrdlands and ES 350s.

 

[FPicker]

Thank you for this information.

By the way, do you know of any small shops/ luthiers who are routinely making guitars with scale length 24" to 24.5" ??

 

[Ron Kirn]

whatcha lookin' for?

Ron Kirn

 

[supersonic1414]

Yeah, Ron Kirn just made me a 24 inch scale Jaguar (historically correct as they would say)...He can probably do whatever you need...

 

[FPicker]

whatcha lookin' for?

Ron Kirn

I am looking for the identify of the small shops who have developed "standard" models available in 24" +-.5" scale length, as alternatives to Fender Mustang and Jaguar short-scale guitars. So that I can look at their websites, get an idea of what''s out there and readily available in this scale length. What they look like, options, etc. To see if something already out there strikes my fancy, and to help generate ideas.

Ideally I would like to find several small shop websites that each have a model one can click on featuring a 24' scale length guitar that they offer as a standard product, with various options available.

Right now the only supplier who offers such guitars as "standard" models that I know of, below the very low end, is Fender, basically. (ok and yes, Gibson Byrdland, PRS Santana & SC245, Brian May)

It occurred to me that, if there are 600,000 Telecaster alternatives floating around by innumerable non-Fender shops, there should be at least a couple Mustang or Jaguar alternatives floating around, in production by someone other than Fender. Or else short-scales are an underserved market.

I am not in transaction mode currently, this is for future planning and help in developing specifications and getting ideas for the future. Of course in an ideal world I would love to scroll on something on a website and find the guitar that I obviously want.

Moreover this information if documented here can serve as a resource for the benefit of other readers of this thread, past (such as the OP), present and future.

I would love to be able to go to the websites of suhr, collings, anderson, whoever, find a shortscale guitar (meaning 24" - 24.5")that they offer, and check it out. what I am looking for is the identity of the small shops who are offering such instruments, so I can look them over.

Then maybe if I know the maker(s) and the model(s) i can actually go to a high-end boutique guitar shop who is a dealer for them and actually see and play one, to see if I really like it in real life, rather than theory.

I've seen plenty of small shop guitars around this way, but not short scales thus far. Hence my question.

 

[jakes guitars]

Ive done as short as 22and 3/4" (for my sons guitar) I have actually been toying with the idea of something closer to 24". I was going to make the body slightly smaller too though.(Again, with younger players in mind.)

 

[Ron Kirn]

The reason there aren’t many/any luthiers with such info listed on their sites is that doing something like that is so rare.

Few, if any would have little motivation to build one on “spec” simply to list it, because it would be darn near impossible to sell. Further, to make something like that is very time consuming, eating the time several more “normal” guitars would take to complete, so while killing time making something so few want, they would not be using that time filling viable orders. This it’s just not an efficient use of shop time.

What I would suggest is, contact a luthier, ask if he makes whatever you are looking for in whatever scale, and proceed. If you want some completely “off the wall” scale, expect to be turned down out right. Also expect a number of other “caveats” tied to the agreement. Inordinately high costs should be anticipated too. You aren’t just buying a guitar, you will be paying for the luthier to make all the necessary templates, etc., which will be used one time.

It is not uncommon for guys to request prices on hopelessly bazaar guitars then get offended that they can cost considerably more than something more conventional. This is why a “one of” prototype of about anything is incredibly expensive but the “production” version can be so reasonably priced.

Ron Kirn