Short Scale Acoustic 24" where

DGW · Post by **DGW** » Mon Feb 07, 2011 10:50 pm

I am looking around for a Acoustic short scale 24" I like Ovation guitars but I havent found one in a short scale..What kind of Acoustic 24" scale guitars do you guys play or can you recomend some to me.

SGJarrod · Post by **SGJarrod** » Mon Feb 07, 2011 11:00 pm

never heard of one unless maybe a 3/4 sized one... I think almost all acoustics are 25.5" scale

brambleperro · Post by **brambleperro** » Mon Feb 07, 2011 11:13 pm

I have the Fender Malibu SCE, which has a 24" neck. You can find the link for it here.

It's a really well made guitar, but takes some work to get the short scale neck to work with acoustic strings, which are generally of higher gauge. The neck is real small, somewhere between a '65 and a '69 RI Mustang neck. The small body is fun to play around with, especially if you like to play standing with a strap.

I hardly play mine anymore, since acoustics aren't as much my thing.

Lucamo · Post by **Lucamo** » Mon Feb 07, 2011 11:16 pm

Dude I have never wanted an acoustic as bad as that Malibu

SGJarrod · Post by **SGJarrod** » Mon Feb 07, 2011 11:17 pm

Baby Taylor= 22-3/4" scale

Will · Post by **Will** » Mon Feb 07, 2011 11:18 pm

The Baby Taylor is a little under 23" and the GS Mini is 23.5".

The Little Martin is also short scale, but it's an impossibly shitty piece of shit shit.

I play an Alvarez MSD-1 mini dreadnought that's 23" and change. It's all solid wood and sounds quite nice, but is discontinued.

The easy choice is the Taylor GS Mini because it sounds amazing. The baby Taylor is a good alternative.

SGJarrod · Post by **SGJarrod** » Mon Feb 07, 2011 11:51 pm

Will wrote: I play an Alvarez MSD-1 mini dreadnought that's 23" and change. It's all solid wood and sounds quite nice, but is discontinued.

I have never owned an acoustic that was not an Alvarez... I love them

Billy3000 · Post by **Billy3000** » Mon Feb 07, 2011 11:56 pm

I haven't played the Taylor GS mini, but I have played both the Baby Taylor and the Little Martin and both of those are INFINITELY better than the fender malibu. The Fender sounds like a ukelele, very thin sounding. It looks cool and is comfortable but those are the only things going for it. And for that price I would much rather go for the Taylor or Martin, or save up a little bit more for the Taylor GS mini, as I'm sure that's a great guitar.

DGW · Post by **DGW** » Tue Feb 08, 2011 12:19 am

Ovation ae-13..

Just found my short scale
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/prod ... sku=516981

Any thoughts.

Will · Post by **Will** » Tue Feb 08, 2011 12:21 am

I've played 3 or 4 GS Minis, and all but one was really exceptional. The dud was an early production model, before they added the pickguard, so you'd be in the clear now. It's amazing what they can do for $500. And the guitar is all assembled in America - just a few odd pieces are made in Mexico.

Will · Post by **Will** » Tue Feb 08, 2011 12:27 am

DGW wrote:Ovation ae-13.. Just found my short scale
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/prod ... sku=516981

Any thoughts.

Well I guess that's a way to go.

If you're after a plywood ac/el, this one is cheaper and has a better preamp:
http://www.rondomusic.com/acutravewb.html

DGW · Post by **DGW** » Tue Feb 08, 2011 12:54 am

Thanks guys...

cur · Post by **cur** » Tue Feb 08, 2011 4:56 am

I like the Cort Earth Mini, but it is not like an ovation and no electronics.

DGW · Post by **DGW** » Tue Feb 08, 2011 5:48 am

Hey is it even worth getting a cheap acoustic with electronics..Can't I install my own electronics,,and how much do you think all the electronics and a pickup would cost.

Will · Post by **Will** » Tue Feb 08, 2011 6:21 am

DGW wrote:Hey is it even worth getting a cheap acoustic with electronics..Can't I install my own electronics,,and how much do you think all the electronics and a pickup would cost.

As much as you want to spend. A decent hum-cancelling (you REALLY want hum-cancelling) magnetic PUP will start around $100 - more for more. And you have to get one that fits the smaller soundhole of a travel guitar, like the LR Baggs M1.

Under-saddles are cheaper, but you need to factor in a good preamp with EQ (which you really need). And it can be tricky to get good string balance if you're going after-market. So you're looking at $30-ish for a shitty piezo, plus another $100 for an outboard preamp. Or a costlier system with an onboard preamp that has less features. Pick your poison. Or a stick-on transducer, which still needs a preamp.

But right away, this whole thing is a fallacy. Because it's not even worth getting a cheap acoustic in almost every case. If you need something to take camping that you don't care about, fine. But if you actually want to enjoy playing it you really need to drop a few hundred bucks. It's like buying a new guitar and amp all in one go, with little ability to replace any not-so-great component. That's why the 2 Taylors are good choices - they're both great sounding guitars that are still cheap. If you're looking at $150 or so new, you really aren't going to find anything quality. Especially since there's not as much selection when it comes to short-scale acoustics.

My $.02

porterhaus · Post by **porterhaus** » Tue Feb 08, 2011 12:07 pm

The Larrivee P-03 parlor guitar is 24" scale.

These are very nice guitars.

Here is a demo of one that I found on youtube:

[youtube][/youtube]

hotrodperlmutter · Post by **hotrodperlmutter** » Tue Feb 08, 2011 5:33 pm

brambleperro wrote:I have the Fender Malibu SCE, which has a 24" neck. You can find the link for it here.

those are 24.75" i'm pretty sure.

DanHeron · Post by **DanHeron** » Tue Feb 08, 2011 9:21 pm

I wish the Fendeer Songwriter had gone into production. I was reading about it in the golden years book earlier. Small parlor size acoustic, 22 1/2" scale, 7 colours! There is a nice article here, and tiny photo of the only one ever made: http://www.vintageguitar.dreamhosters.c ... ongwriter/

crofty · Post by **crofty** » Wed Feb 09, 2011 11:29 am

I thought most acoustics were 24" scale, you learn something new every day. Ive got 2 acoustics and I measured one of them and it was a 24", but I cant remember which offhand.

I have a fender F-03 and a Yamaha F-310. It was probably the fender if I remember correctly.

taylornutt · Post by **taylornutt** » Wed Feb 09, 2011 3:55 pm

Billy3000 wrote:I haven't played the Taylor GS mini, but I have played both the Baby Taylor and the Little Martin and both of those are INFINITELY better than the fender malibu. The Fender sounds like a ukelele, very thin sounding. It looks cool and is comfortable but those are the only things going for it. And for that price I would much rather go for the Taylor or Martin, or save up a little bit more for the Taylor GS mini, as I'm sure that's a great guitar.

I own a Baby Taylor rosewood and I finally got to play the GS Mini the other day. The GS Mini has the longer scale and lots of thump and more volume than the Baby. Very nice. But since I already own a Baby Taylor, I can't see myself getting a GS Mini unless I find a deal on a used one. Either guitar is great for practicing or songwriting.