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Question about scale length: what would be your favorite?
https://www.stickist.com/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=15703		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  meugel [ Tue Aug 10, 2021 2:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Question about scale length: what would be your favorite?
BY ADDING ANOTHER OPTION (more than 36") ALL PREVIOUS VOTES WERE UNFORTUNATELY DELETED. PLEASE VOTE AGAIN!

* Please excuse me for not taking into account the 34" Railboard.

I live between the two worlds: 10-String (36") and Alto (25.5") and I would like to have a medium scale Stick with a scale length of about 30".
What do you think about the idea?
Author:  baggetthouse [ Tue Aug 10, 2021 2:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Question about scale length: what would be your favorite
I'm kind of passionate about the 34" vs 36" subject. And I've never played Alto, so I can't comment there.

I played a 34" scale for 21 years. I had nothing to compare it to until I received my 36" Padauk about 3 years ago. Both are 10 string, Baritone melody w/ heavy gauge strings and Stickup. Only difference beside the scale length are the frets: 34" has Rods, 36" has Rails (the original, larger ones).

The 36" always sounds crisper, clearer in the upper and lower registers, and just a slightly better tone over all. I believe the Rails have some to do with that. But I also believe the longer scale attributes much to better tone. Much like a grand piano tone to an upright. Longer strings just sound clearer.

Most would argue that 2" can't make that big of a difference. But I believe it does. World renown bass builder in Saskatoon, Sheldon Dingwall (Dingwall basses) uses the fanned fret system. On a 5 & 6 string bass, the low B string is 37" scale. Compared to 34" scale basses, Dingwall basses always won the industry awards for "best sounding low B string" and such.
Author:  meugel [ Tue Aug 10, 2021 3:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Question about scale length: what would be your favorite
baggetthouse wrote:
Most would argue that 2" can't make that big of a difference. But I believe it does.

Hi Brian, thanks for your contribution.
I totally agree with that. Sometimes I use the 10-string (36", full baritone tuning) with a damper on the 2nd or 3rd fret: it makes the Stick sound different!
Author:  baggetthouse [ Tue Aug 10, 2021 5:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Question about scale length: what would be your favorite
I have a new Bamboo Stick on order. Same as my previous Sticks: 10-string Baritone melody w/ Stickup. Now the difference will be my first try at Medium gauge strings. Plus the new smaller Rails.

I've been wanting to get away from Heavys for a while. Still love the 36", for sure.
Author:  grozoeil [ Tue Aug 10, 2021 11:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Question about scale length: what would be your favorite
Really don't know. I had a 34'' Stick with ACTV-2 pickup I played for more or less 10 years, and was pleased by the tone and the overall size of the Stick.
It had Rods, and despite of the ACTV-2 I'm now not a fan, it had quite a mellow tone.
The Stick I'm playing now for a few years is a 36" with Stickup and Rails. Indeed, it's a little bit "crispier", the tone is more "detailed" and "rich".
But I think the setup of the Stick, regardless of the length of the neck, is also a key point. For some reason I couldn't get the action on my rails-equipped Stick as low as the rods-equipped stick, and I'm pretty convinced that a very low action has an influence on the tone.

On a side note, am i the only to think that the old Sticks have a better (or warmer) tone that the new ones. I've always thought that the stickists playing the old ones have a better tone to my ears (Andy Salvanos, Greg Howard, Ron Baggerman, Alex Nahas, Jim Lampi, Tony Levin on their first albums)?
Author:  meugel [ Wed Aug 11, 2021 1:39 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Question about scale length: what would be your favorite
grozoeil wrote:
Really don't know. I had a 34'' Stick with ACTV-2 pickup I played for more or less 10 years, and was pleased by the tone and the overall size of the Stick.
It had Rods, and despite of the ACTV-2 I'm now not a fan, it had quite a mellow tone.

I completely agree with you. The ACTV-2 is very balanced (almost like a single mono pickup) but at the same time it sounds a bit "boring" sometimes. But it sounds great for "fingersticking" style.
The Stickup, on the other hand, has an incredible bass tone, and the higher notes on the Alto are very Fender-like.

grozoeil wrote:
On a side note, am i the only to think that the old Sticks have a better (or warmer) tone that the new ones. I've always thought that the stickists playing the old ones have a better tone to my ears (Andy Salvanos, Greg Howard, Ron Baggerman, Alex Nahas, Jim Lampi, Tony Levin on their first albums)?

That's why I also mentioned the (old) 34" Sticks. Perhaps the tone is different (better/warmer) because the string tension is a little lower because of the missing x-fret. And the difference between rails and rods is certainly there too. And: they all are great musicians!
Author:  grozoeil [ Wed Aug 11, 2021 3:28 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Question about scale length: what would be your favorite
Quote:
That's why I also mentioned the (old) 34" Sticks. Perhaps the tone is different (better/warmer) because the string tension is a little lower because of the missing x-fret. And the difference between rails and rods is certainly there too. And: they all are great musicians!


On vintage Sticks, the absence of truss rod forces the player to use light gauge strings only. Maybe it's also making the sound signature different.
Author:  Big George Waters [ Wed Aug 11, 2021 8:03 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Question about scale length: what would be your favorite
34" scale all the way, as all my Sticks are 34" except my RB 8, which I believe is 34" but that X fret totally messes me up.

But 34" is my favorite... like the old Ironwoods.

I so wish Emmett would consider a limited run special edition replica of the original Grand Stick, the 34" scale one with the screw slot bridge and nut... oh my G-d I would be so quick to order one 5 bass Fifths 7 melody Crafty :) :) :)

It's a good thing though that would never happen, since I could never afford such a perfect instrument :( :( :(
Author:  ixlramp [ Thu Aug 12, 2021 2:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Question about scale length: what would be your favorite
meugel,
It is perhaps not possible to add an option now, i would have appreciated an option for 'more than 36"', but nevermind 8-) That might be my choice and i have seen other forum members expressing an interest in longer scales.
The official scale lengths are present, plus 'inbetween' and 'less than 20"', so i think 'more than 36"' should logically be present to be a complete and unbiased poll.

There is a logic behind longer scales to enable a bass guitar 34" vibrating length plus a sufficient distance from lowest fret to nut for tone and playability consistency, as is the official intention of the lowest fret to nut distance of the Railboard design (3.5").
In my opinion the Railboard scale length should have been 37.5" for fret positions identical to the 36" Sticks ;)

It seems in this poll 'scale length' means 'nut to saddle'. Stick Enterprises are using an alternative meaning for 'scale length' for the description of the Railboard which is not nut to saddle, see the thread discussing this. The Railboard is not 34" nut to saddle, and is not 34" 'scale length' by this poll's meaning of 'scale length'.
Author:  greg [ Thu Aug 12, 2021 5:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Question about scale length: what would be your favorite
To me it is no question. 36". Especially as a 10-string player, having that extra almost two inches for the left hand is hugely expansive, particularly playing crossed. The Railboard achieves some of this by having more space at the nut, which makes the X fret more uniformly playable.

Having a tappable low C? awesome.
Having a low G on the 2nd string? fabulous.

I was so excited to have my first 36" scale instrument I exploded with improvisational energy the first time I played it in public. Captured by Dan Chapman on video. Enjoy...
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