# 27" VS 28" scale?



## ReznoERG (Sep 26, 2012)

Hey guys, 

Im looking into buying an 8 string and I have been checking rondo music a lot lately and I'm pretty sold on an Agile. but my problem is, what would be best, 27" or 28"? I will most likely be tuning the F# to E but that's about it most of the time (AAL tuning) and I was wondering if 27 would be fine for it? I'm a little skeptical on the 28.6 because I'm unsure if I will like it. and I have played a 27 inch RGA8 before and that seemed find, although I never tuned that down to E. 

Please help out quickly, I would like to order one tonight


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## thrsher (Sep 26, 2012)

you can do E on a 27 just fine. i prefer 28 5/8ths but there is def. a noticeable difference in the fret spacing between the two. be prepared for some serious strectches if you never have played 28 5/8ths


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## ReznoERG (Sep 26, 2012)

will it help that Im also used to shredding a 34" Warwick bass for a 28"? or do they still feel completely different. I got something I have really been eye-ing that's 28"


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## Thaeon (Sep 26, 2012)

I believe that most, if not all of Tosin's guitars that aren't some form of multi scale are 27" length. I know that he uses an 80 bass string on his low E.


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## thrsher (Sep 26, 2012)

ReznoERG said:


> will it help that Im also used to shredding a 34" Warwick bass for a 28"? or do they still feel completely different. I got something I have really been eye-ing that's 28"


 

being used to playing long scale, you should be totally fine with 28


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## Winspear (Sep 26, 2012)

Thaeon said:


> I believe that most, if not all of Tosin's guitars that aren't some form of multi scale are 27" length. I know that he uses an 80 bass string on his low E.



Yep apart from that old 30" TIL which he doesn't have anymore.

Personally I think an 80 in E at 27" is _incredibly_ floppy. His tutorial videos and some of the clean recordings confirm that. Flop city.

Go for the 28. You'll be able to get better tension and better tone.


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## no_dice (Sep 26, 2012)

Longer is better. ...when it comes to guitars, at least.


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## Winspear (Sep 26, 2012)

I use an 86 for Eb and that's on a 29.25" scale..still only the tension of a 47 E string on 25.5", I think.

I really wasn't impressed by the tone/feel improvement between 25.5" and 27" with a 70 gauge in G#. I haven't tried anything between 27 and 29.25 but the tone and feel of the 29.25 has completely opened up and the 86 behaves like a normal string.


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## Daken1134 (Sep 26, 2012)

oddly enough there are also some tonal differences ive discovered between teh 27" and 28 5/8, i mean they were also completely different guitars, one was a 2228 the other was an agile intrepid but my other guitarist has a septor 27" and even with that, the low strings have a really cool sound, like if you listen to glasscloud that... idk its hard to explain almost sterile sound, its really cool but i just didnt get as comfortable on the 28 5/8 so i sold it


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## ReznoERG (Sep 26, 2012)

Haha thanks guys. I may try out the 28  anyways, one more thing, Kahler Tremolo's. Yes or No? I heard something about the strings not being about to be low enough and to shim the neck, what does 'shim the neck" mean? and bending issues? Please elaborate.


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## Winspear (Sep 26, 2012)

Shim the neck = raise the fretboard higher. I.e. the Kahler is too high for good action so the neck is raised. Easily sorted on a bolt on by shimming (inserting a card or something in the joint). Set neck or neck thru would be a problem.
If the trems are high, I cannot see why the guitars would not be built with the neck higher in the first place, or the trem recessed into the body. Makes no sense to me, but I've seen it mentioned before so you are right to be concerned.

Bending/tuning issues: Never used one but any complaints I have seen about this have been countered by Kahler fans stating that there is zero tuning issues if the trem is set up and maintained in the way instructed by Kahler.

See how you feel with the 28.625. It's only one fret 'longer' than the 27.


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## Devogaliano (Sep 26, 2012)

I have An Agile Septor 828, and after a couple of weeks getting used to it, the extra spacing and higher tension is no problem. I would definately go with the 28", the tone is killer


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## 7 Strings of Hate (Sep 26, 2012)

I have a 28.5 and for E, i was using a .90


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## Empryrean (Sep 26, 2012)

my experience:

one makes my wrist hurt when I'm chording, the other doesn't.


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## Winspear (Sep 27, 2012)

Empryrean said:


> my experience:
> 
> one makes my wrist hurt when I'm chording, the other doesn't.



For me it was all about neck profile. The Agile interceptor pro 27 was uncomfy as fuck compared to my 25.5" Ibanez. However, my 9 string 29.25-24.75 fanned fret is even more relaxing than the Ibanez, even if it is .5mm thicker. I believe the Agile was 1 or 1.5mm thicker.


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## Lives Once Abstract (Sep 28, 2012)

ok your lowest string is going to be tuned the same as the lowest string on a bass in standard tuning. 27 vs 28 tone or playability. playability will be better with the 27 (if your a guitarist) and tone will be different than the 28. your used to playing bass. get the 28 man.


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## XEN (Sep 28, 2012)

If you can pick up a 27-28.625" fanned fret you'll be happiest.


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## frogunrua (Sep 28, 2012)

I have a 27" scale and I tune my 8th string between F and Eb, tried a Db and that was just silly floppy. To me the Eb is still pretty floppy but it gets the job done. So far these have just been with stock strings on a DC800 which is a .064 elixer I believe. The 27" scale is comfortable but any longer than that I don't think I would like. It still wouldn't hurt to try one I suppose.


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