Question for guitar gurus

[nightwatchman]

Maybe some of you with more guitar knowledge than myself can help answer a question And thanks in advance.

 

For sometime I have enternained the idea of getting a shorter scale strat, some of the older mij strats have what they call a medium scale, or 7/8 scale. The overall guitar deminsions are also smaller.

 

The question is will one of these strats still sound like a regular strat with a 25 1/2" scale?

 

What can you tell me about the differences.

 

Thanks again.

 

NW

[hondro]

most 3/4 size guitars are higher i think, although i hear a lot of people have to tune them differently (ie not to standard pitch) to make them sound goood

[jjpistols]

I've never heard a good quality, well set up 3/4, just junky christmas guitars for kids - I'd like to know, too

[unistudent1980]

I don't know squat but if everything were reduced in size according to the proper ratio everything should work. I'm pretty sure for 3/4 size acoustics they can definitely be tuned to standard. So 7/8ths should be close IMO.

 

I'm pretty sure this can be tuned to standard.

http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=0133800506

 

But these things have some funky tuning

http://www.musicianswarehouse.com.au/default.aspx?Pg=21&ProductCode=EFVWPP

I think it's an open A tuning.

[Rick 381]

John Lennon did quite nicely with a short scale guitar.

 

However, in order to get good tone and intonation from a short scale guitar you need heavier strings. On the 3/4 scale Ricks 13's are often used. On a 7/8 scale guitar I'm guessing you'd need 11s or 12s to get good tone.