Guitar Secrets…

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Gibson scale length

Gibson electric guitars have a 24.75″ scale length, right? Not only is this incorrect, but they use two scale lengths at once on the same guitar!

Up to the 12th fret, the scale length is 24.562″ (closer to 24.5″ than 24.75″…). From the 13th fret upwards, it’s 24.75″.

I can’t think why you would want this (and believe me I’ve spent some time thinking about it), as it affects the intonation quite a bit.

If you set the harmonic/ fretted note at the 12th fret in the usual way, by the 22nd fret it will be about 12 cents sharp (about 1/8″ of a semi-tone).

I really (REALLY) love Gibson guitars, but perhaps this is a real subject for the haters to get their sharp pointy teeth into!