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In my "spare time" I've been building a 24 fret strat type electric for my son. Fender uses a 25.5" scale. What problems would occur if I used a 25.4" scale since I would rather not have to buy another scale template. I can't imagine that 0.1" would make a difference as long as the bridge position was adjusted accordingly.

TIA

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

I don't build electrics, but I can't imagine a problem either, unless some
convention would be compromised, like in acoustics, having the 14th or
whatever fret line up with the body/neck joint.

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now known around here as Pat Foster
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

It shouldn't be a problem at all.
With a Strat-type bridge, you have easy adjustment for compensation and can adjust for small mistakes in bridge placement (not that you will make any!)
John

Oh my gosh, you'll have a scale that's .1" shorter
A one of a kind JJ!! or maybe not

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

You'll be fine as long as when you are positioning the bridge you remember
that the 25.4" template you bought is probably not really a 25.4" scale at all,
but rather 25.34" .

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Eschew obfuscation, espouse elucidation.

wouldnt be an issue, especially when you get to place the bridge ... I just made a new neck for a friends Godin, and actually changed it from 25.5 to 25.4 for a reason - the existing bridge position required the saddles to be right at the back of the adjustment range, especially the low E - its better now !!!

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

What could have mnotivated Fender to employ the 25.5 scale when the 25.4 was already so prevalent in the acoustic world. A few reasons could have been:

1) They wanted to differentiate themselves for the publicity?
2) The advertising department had copy that had a 25.5 typo and they couldn't afford to scrap the brochures?
3) Some engineer made an error on the final drawing. Manufacturing made things to the spec and the rest is history?
4) And the correct reason is....

Does anyone know the answer?

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

It's a nice round number. Simplicity is nice, and if you are going to round to
the nearest quarter, it would make sense to go longer if players have lighter
strings. Who really knows?

I don't know of any companies that were actually using 25.4". Martin has
production has pretty much always used 25.34" for their long scale, but it
seems someone decided to improperly round it up to 25.4 many decades
ago and it stuck. Kind of a shame as I know that 25.34" templates being
called 25.4 has caused problems for a number of people.

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Eschew obfuscation, espouse elucidation.

[QUOTE=Hesh1956] PRS was sued by Gibson over a Les Paul shape that PRS
used for a while.
[/QUOTE]

Who hasn't been sued by Gibson? I'm surprised Mel and or Debbie were
never sued for thier last names violating trademarks. I'm pretty sure Gibson
has more lawyers than luthiers.

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Eschew obfuscation, espouse elucidation.

Hesh...1/10th of an inch spread over 21 frets!!! Do the math...I know Hendrix was a god but c'mon...even he wouldn't have been able to detect the difference between 25.4 and 25.5.

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com