Scales lengths and fret spacing: why baritone and multiscale guitars often don’t feel extreme

TLDR: I compared real distances on fretboard between Ibanez RGR (25,5") and Ormsby multiscale (27,8"). Despite a 58 mm difference in nominal scale length between measured guitars, the actual fret spacing in most real playing zones differs by only 2–10 mm, which explains why longer and multiscale guitars usually feel far less extreme than their specs suggest.

BACKGROUND

While reading through various discussions here, I came to the conclusion that many people misunderstand the concept of scale length and baritone guitars. I’d like to emphasize that scale length is not the same thing as fretboard length, nor does it directly equal the distance your fingers must stretch to play riffs or chords.

As a professional scientist, I decided to test this experimentally and present the results here in a similar format. Sorry, no references and you do the peer review.

METHODS

I measured fret spacing on the following guitars: Ibanez RGR5221 (Iba) — 25.5″ (648 mm), single scale and Ormsby Hype GTR 7 (Orm) — 27.8″ (706 mm), multiscale. Measurements were taken on the lowest string, measuring the internal distance from the nut (0) to fret 1, 12 and 24 and more importantly the internal distances between frets 3-7, 7-12 and 12-15. All measurement were taken twice.

Measurement accuracy: Digital calipers were used to measure distance nut-fret 1 and the tolerance is negligible. Tape measure was used for other distances and tolerance is approximately ±1 mm. Values were rounded to whole millimeters.

RESULTS

Measurements are summarized clearly in the table below.

Measurements were: Scale length: Iba 648 mm, Orm 706 mm, difference 58 mm. Frets 0-1: Iba 35 mm, Orm 37 mm, difference 2 mm. Frets 0-12: Iba 322 mm, Orm 347 mm, difference 25 mm. Frets 0-24: Iba 485 mm, Orm 523 mm, difference 38 mm. Frets 3-7: Iba 110 mm, Orm 120 mm, difference 10 mm. Frets 7-12: Iba 107 mm, Orm 115 mm, difference 8 mm. Frets 12-15: Iba 79 mm, Orm 87 mm, difference 8 mm. 

The pattern of fret spacing and its change along the neck is similar on both guitars (see graph below).

DISCUSSION

I did not have the opportunity to measure a standard single-scale baritone (e.g., 26.5"). However, it is likely that measurements of the lowest string on a multiscale guitar with the same nominal scale length will not differ significantly from a single-scale guitar. This is because the slanted nut and bridge on a multiscale guitar are effectively compensated by the angle of the frets and fretboard edges, keeping string lengths comparable along the neck. Different brands may have minor variations in fretboard length or fret spacing while maintaining the same scale length, but these differences are probably small.

CONCLUSION

An increase in scale length does not necessarily translate into a proportional increase in fretboard length or distance between frets. Differences between brands can exist. Other factors—such as neck shape, neck finish, setup, and individual player anatomy—often have an equal or greater impact on perceived playability. Long scale lengths or multiscale designs should not be feared, as actual playing feel is usually much less extreme than raw measurements suggest.

Measurements of distances along the fretboard in mm.

The pattern of fret spacing and its change along the neck. Axis X shows fretboard positions and axis Y shows measured distances in mm.