# 26.5 vs 27 Scale



## Jackley (Sep 20, 2013)

Looking into some 8's at the moment for new avenues with my band.

I love the scale on my prestige RGD 7 (26.5), and feel like the half of an inch will make some of our stuff more difficult to play.

I massively want the RG2228A, however the 27" throws me off a little. Are there any 8s with similar quality/price point that have a 26.5 scale? 

Another thing that might effect it is what tuning I'd put it in. It'd be drop G for the top 7 and a low C on the 8 (effectively double drop G as some might call it, or double drop C, can't remember for the life of me). Obviously the extra scale length will help with tension on the low end of things, but I'd be grabbing some pretty heavy strings from Circle K to balance that out.


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## haffner1 (Sep 20, 2013)

The only 26.5 8 string that comes to mind is the Dean Rusty Cooley 8 string model, but the price point is almost 1K lower than the Ibanez. It is one of the few deans I have played lately that seemed halfway decent though.


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## GunpointMetal (Sep 20, 2013)

yeah man, I don't even know if Schecter is gonna continue making 26.5" scale 8s in that quality level, but if you're gonna go super low (I'm guessing the C you're referring to would be a half-step above 5-string bass B) you'll probably want that extra 1/2" just for intonation's sake. If you think about it, a half inch spread out over 24 frets is barely noticeable.


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## Given To Fly (Sep 20, 2013)

I think you would be fine with a 27" scale length; especially with the RG2228A. Ibanez did such a good job on the RG2228 necks it may actually be easier to play than your RGD7!


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## Jackley (Sep 20, 2013)

GunpointMetal said:


> If you think about it, a half inch spread out over 24 frets is barely noticeable.



I used to own a 27.5 and a 26.5 7 string, and there is definitely a difference haha! Yeah I had another look at schecter, not a massive fan of the neck shape though. 

Would it be better just to get a BlackCat or something similar?


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## MF_Kitten (Sep 20, 2013)

Some of the newer Jackson 8 strings are 26.5" scale


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## erdiablo666 (Sep 20, 2013)

I guarantee you won't notice the difference between 26.5 and 27. Except maybe in your tone.


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## Rev2010 (Sep 20, 2013)

Drumcityguitarland still has the Schecter Riot 8 in Stock, I have one, and it's 26.5 " scale. Honestly though you won't notice a difference with a 27" guitar except for more clarity. 


Rev.


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## Philligan (Sep 20, 2013)

erdiablo666 said:


> I guarantee you won't notice the difference between 26.5 and 27. Except maybe in your tone.





I doubt you'd even notice a difference at all. Pretty much every other aspect of the guitar (wood, hardware, pickups, etc) will make as much or more of a difference. Go out and play some if you can, and pick the one that feels the best. 

You mentioned you love the RGD and really want the 2228A. Honestly, I doubt you'd feel any difference in the scale if you weren't looking for it. Having that extra string should be enough of a shock that you don't notice the scale length difference at all. And if you're after a Prestige Ibanez, there really isn't anything out there that will be the same.


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## abandonist (Sep 21, 2013)

You'll never feel the difference.


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## haffner1 (Sep 21, 2013)

I don't know about all of this "not notice the difference" stuff. You will really have to play it first if you want to find out. I don't own a 26.5 scale, but I have a couple 27s. When I played some 26.5s in the store, they certainly were noticeably easier to play. My hands are not that big though and 27 in is about the limit of what I can reasonably handle. Maybe if your hands are bigger it won't really make as much difference, but if I were you I would give each a try side by side if possible and see what works best for you.


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## Eight_String_Slinger (Sep 21, 2013)

Hello Friend 

I also agree with many who have said: you will not feel the difference, but you will hear it  

The tone and clarity will be much improved IMO

Best of luck to you in entering the ERG world, as I have discovered something quite new myself and lovely with my new 8 string 

Take care friend


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## abandonist (Sep 21, 2013)

haffner1 said:


> I don't know about all of this "not notice the difference" stuff. You will really have to play it first if you want to find out. I don't own a 26.5 scale, but I have a couple 27s. When I played some 26.5s in the store, they certainly were noticeably easier to play. My hands are not that big though and 27 in is about the limit of what I can reasonably handle. Maybe if your hands are bigger it won't really make as much difference, but if I were you I would give each a try side by side if possible and see what works best for you.



I don't believe you based on fret distance. The guitar itself may have been easier to play, but you're dealing with less than a .02 difference across the scale. No one is that precise.


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## Malkavian (Sep 28, 2013)

You should try a multi-scale guitar.


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## vansinn (Sep 29, 2013)

There's abysmal little playing difference between 26.5" and 27".
However, the low string has decently better definition.

And I agree with multiscaling on a 8'er; I'll keep what I have now until I can afford a multiscaled of good quality, preferably a custom - mind you, some customs aren't that more expensive than an RG2228..


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## teamSKDM (Sep 29, 2013)

I wouldn't do that tuning with anything less than 28"... and my preferred scale length is 25.5. I think between having an extra string to add to hand adjustments, I doubt the half inch will too noticeable. A and Jackson has a 26.5 scale 8. Schecter sls is very ibanez like with 38" scale if you take my consideration though.


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## Krigsmjod (Oct 1, 2013)

I've got a Loomis and the 2228. Definitely feel a difference in the first 5 or so frets. Also playing lead/bendy stuff is more comfortable and fluid on the short 26.5". 

Another thing I've observed is that the neck pickup tone on the Loomis is much much nicer than the 2228. This could be the construction/wood/whatever. I've noticed this in a few Ola Englund videos that his 27.5" scale neck pickup tones sound almost middle-pickup-y.


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## codyblast (Oct 1, 2013)

There'll be more difference felt in in neck shape/thickness, bridge type, etc. as far as playing difficulty is concerned. The extra half inch will be barely noticable, remember that it's divided over 24 frets as well, each fret will only be a minute fraction further apart. You WILL notice the difference in string tension though, which is compensated by using thinner gauge strings. Since you aren't tuning the whole 8 down, I'd go for the shorter scale so as to prevent your high strings getting tinny and too tight. There are plenty of 26.5" 8's available still on the market, being schecter, jackson, and a few others


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## Youne (Oct 1, 2013)

You really don't see a difference between 26.5 and 27" scale. For the playing stuffs, I play on an 8 string with 28.4" (a friend's guitar) scale guitar and I have little hands. Except for the extended chord (like 9 shape...) on the begining of the neck, where I cannot do everything, the rest of the neck is accessible. I think the less for an 8 string guitar is 27", 'cause, on a Drop E tuning, the low E is a bass guitar E....

Then, the higher the scale, the more accurate lows. Think about it ! Try a multiscale guitar dude !Ddon't really think the wood is concerned for your sound, specially if your gain is at 12/10


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## E733 (Oct 1, 2013)

My custom is 25.8" to 27.7", and I notice a distinct difference.

I've owned 2 other 8's (Ibanez), and never was completely happy with how they felt.

Multi-Scale is definitely the way to go!


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## studmiester7 (Oct 1, 2013)

If you're totally set on a 26.5" scale, then get either the Schecter Blackjack SLS C-8, or the ATX C-8. But honestly...playability wise, there's not much of a difference between 26.5" and a 27" scale. Tension wise, the 27" owns in the 8-string category; but overall you'll be just fine. I jump between my AW-7 (25.5"), SLS C-7 (26.5"), and my RGIR28FE (27") on stage, and I don't have to change the way I play at all. I'd get the RG2228 in a heartbeat; but you like what you like.


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## CanniballistiX (Oct 15, 2013)

studmiester7 said:


> If you're totally set on a 26.5" scale, then get either the Schecter Blackjack SLS C-8, or the ATX C-8.


 
The Blackjack SLS C-8 is 28".


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## Señor Voorhees (Oct 15, 2013)

I feel as if everyone glazed over the fact that OP says they tried both scale lengths and noticed a difference. That said, I personally don't like anything below 27" for an 8 string, especially if you intend to lower the tuning. You may want to get used to a 27" scale. It may feel a bit different for a while, but it's not such a large difference that it'll make it uncomfortable switching from 26.5 to 27.

I say, if you want it, just give the 2228 a go. They're really nice guitars, and as I said before you'll get accustomed to it pretty quickly. 

edit: it has just come to my attention that this thread is nearing a month old and perhaps my advice is useless.


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## Johnathan (Oct 16, 2013)

The difference from 26,5 to 27 inch is almost nil. You will have no problem at all getting used to 27 inch scale length if you already have played alot on a 26,5. Allthough, the tricky part might be getting used to the extra eighth string if thats what you are going for.


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## studmiester7 (Oct 17, 2013)

CanniballistiX said:


> The Blackjack SLS C-8 is 28".



This is a recent change. Just found this out last week. STOKED!! One of the reasons why I didn't jump on the SLS C-8 bandwagon, was because they were 26.5". Budgeting for the SLS V-8EX right now. lol


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