Members Mr_GoodBomb Posted June 30, 2009 Members Share Posted June 30, 2009 I know that this is how it would work, a Fender-scale guitar tuned down to D standard with a capo at the 2nd fret would be like a 24" scale in standard. Are there any drawbacks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Finch88 Posted June 30, 2009 Members Share Posted June 30, 2009 You lose two frets and there's no change in feel, just a change in notes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mr_GoodBomb Posted June 30, 2009 Author Members Share Posted June 30, 2009 You lose two frets and there's no change in feel, just a change in notes. ...How is there not a change in feel? Play a 25.5" scale guitar. Then play a 24" scale guitar. Compare. Or, better yet, play a 25.5" scale guitar in E standard. Play a couple bar chords. Tune it down a full step. Play those same bar chords (two frets higher than before, to accommodate). Compare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ferdinandstrat Posted June 30, 2009 Members Share Posted June 30, 2009 Even though you make the guitar shorter because the scale is STILL 25.5 the feel of the guitar itself doesnt change because the tension of the strings doesnt change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Verence Posted June 30, 2009 Members Share Posted June 30, 2009 No, the tension would change if you tune it down a full step like the OP said. It still wouldn't be exactly the same as a short scale guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members soliloquy Posted June 30, 2009 Members Share Posted June 30, 2009 if you have 24 frets on the guitar, then after tuning down, and barring the second one, you would have a standard 22 fret guitar. however, it would almost be like learning guitar all over again... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mr_GoodBomb Posted June 30, 2009 Author Members Share Posted June 30, 2009 however, it would almost be like learning guitar all over again... I don't really get that... Anyone who owns more than one scale of guitar and plays or has played in more than one tuning before is used to this stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Xuf Posted June 30, 2009 Members Share Posted June 30, 2009 If you do that the dots will be on the wrong place when you slap the capo on, and that alone would {censored} with me enough to just use 2 different guitars instead of what you're concocting... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mrbrown49 Posted June 30, 2009 Members Share Posted June 30, 2009 IT will feel slinkier for two reasons. 1 you are tuning down, and 2, you will have a very low "nut action". Your nut would now be the fret just ahead of the capo. Your action will also be lowered slightly. The thing that won't change is the fret spacing. On a real short scale guitar the frets are closer together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members john_p_t Posted June 30, 2009 Members Share Posted June 30, 2009 you will have a very low "nut action" Indeed, surprised it took that long for someone to point out; playing off the nut and playing off a capo feel entirely different. Scale length is comparatively insignificant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ihavenofish Posted June 30, 2009 Members Share Posted June 30, 2009 I know that this is how it would work, a Fender-scale guitar tuned down to D standard with a capo at the 2nd fret would be like a 24" scale in standard. Are there any drawbacks? the capo should be on the 1st fret actually, and the tuning d#. it will effectively be a 24" scale, and have a similar lighter feel because of less string tension (with the same string). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members darkmonohue Posted July 1, 2009 Members Share Posted July 1, 2009 I'm a total ignoramus about this, but wouldn't the intonation be off as you went up the neck? Though the scale length is 25.5", each string is in fact slightly different in length, because of intonation adjustment. And wouldn't the relative ratios of their lengths thus change when you capo the guitar, throwing intonation off? It probably wouldn't be an issue if you're mostly playing cowboy chords, but if you're soloing on the upper frets, my guess is you might have a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members the_bleeding Posted July 1, 2009 Members Share Posted July 1, 2009 scale would be the same from fret 1. But if you were using fret 3 as fret 1, then the scale would technically be smaller, as long as fret 3 is now considered fret 1. I'm a total ignoramus about this, but wouldn't the intonation be off as you went up the neck? Though the scale length is 25.5", each string is in fact slightly different in length, because of intonation adjustment. And wouldn't the relative ratios of their lengths thus change when you capo the guitar, throwing intonation off? It probably wouldn't be an issue if you're mostly playing cowboy chords, but if you're soloing on the upper frets, my guess is you might have a problem. You're overthinking this WAY too much. If what you say is true, it would mean intonation would be off every time you fret a note. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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