help me find a short scale guitar

[bikodog]

Larrivee doesn't make what I'm looking for so maybe y'all can help.  I'm aware of the Taylor short scales, but pretty confused about Gibsons and Martins.

I'm looking for a short scale acoustic,  1 11/16 nut width.  I don't care about tonewoods,  rosewood or mahogany is fine.  Something that will handle moderately hard strumming and flatpicking. 

I'm borrowing a friends 1963 Gibson,  but he won't sell, and it fits the bill just right.  I've seen the Epiphone EL00,  it's a cheapo,  but it looks like it might fit the bill.  I'm not ditching my Larrivees, but for some things are out of reach of my stubbies.

[DrLeeDetroit]

People can correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think there are an awful lot of choices in the Martin line:

000-28 (rosewood) and
000-18 (mahogany) might be about it.

000 guitars with a "vintage" designation have wider nuts. Guitars in the "lower" series (15 and 16 and X) will be long-scale. Most 12-fret 000 Martins have wide nuts, too.

--Lee

[jwsamuel]

The 000-18 and 000-28 are just about it for Martins with 1-11/16 inch nut and short scale. I am not sure how they stand up to moderately hard strumming and flatpicking. I've had both of the them and don't think the 000-18 could handle it at all. The 000-28 was better, but not buy much.

Jim

[Tycho]

How much $$$ are you prepared to spend?  Up here in Toronto there appear to be 1950s and '60s Gibson J-45s and J-50s in abundance all over the place, or at least at the Twelfth Fret, and they're probably what you're looking for.  However, depending on year and condition, they'll cost you between $2K-$4K.

[tiffer]

Gibson short scale would be the J-45 slope shoulder dred, also the Hummingbird is short scale standard dred.  If you want a strummer or flat picker the J-45 will take all you can dish out an ask for more.  However, Gibsons neck is 1.725 or 1 23/32 right inbetween 1 11/16 & 1 3/4, very comfortable.

Just my $0.02

[Ol Achey]

I'm right with ya, tiffer... and the J-45 body shape is very similar to Larrivee's L-body. I have both; I put them back to back and was quite surprised at how similarly shaped they were. In fact my L-03MT fits better in the J-45's case than it does in its own! And, that Gibson short scale neck is a delight.

Both are great guitars, lots of pleasure and tone to be found with them.

-- Ol Achey

[rpg51]

Vintage J-45 should do it.  Hard to beat it. 

[PortHueneme]

My Gibson J-50 (natural top J-45) & Blues King Electro, both have short scales (24 3/4) and are a joy to play up the neck with my short fingers.
There are some things I just reach on a 25 1/2 scale. The Larrivee "O" is a real short scale too.

[bikodog]

i didn't want to sleep in the doghouse  , so i've been looking at some j45 alternatives.  I received a scratch and dent epiphone 1963 limited edition aj45, a surprisingly well set up guitar, from musicians friend for a song.  Unfortunatelly it was a long scale, so back it goes.   I made a deal today on a used Blueridge BG140, short scale Gibson clone.  Not crazy about all the doodads, but as long as it's not lipstick on a pig,  maybe it will fill the niche for me. I'll post a review when I get it.

[Big Eric]

Hope you like the Blueridge.  Was thinking about one before I purchased my Larrivee.  The body is fairly deep.  In fact, the guitar seems to me to be more a copy of a Gibson "Jumbo" from the mid '30's than a J-45. 

The one I tried had a very Gibson-like sound to it.  The look was not for me, though.  Luckily, I ended up with my L-03 instead.

[llamov]

Check out the Seagull line. They're great axes with 24 1/2 inch scale.

[JoeInLex]

New Taylor GC line of guitars are 24.875"
Seagulls are 24.84"
Some model Yamahas (you'd need to research which models)
Larrivee Parlors with 24"
Larrivee LSV-11 at 24.75"

Albeit, short of the Yamahas, the nut width is a little wider than what you desire.  But I thought I'd mention some options due to the fact that different neck profiles feel different in the hand and can make the nut width constraint possibly not matter.

[tubeornot2b]

Check out the new Johnson 000 solid wood models. They go for about $500 with an excellent case. You choose the tone wood RW or Mahgoany are the same amazing price. I have a friend who bought one. It has to be one of, if not THE best guitar bargain out there today. Designed by the former designer at Blueridge. He fixed the most hideous Blueridge flaw, the garrish headstock.

NOTE: the Nut width is much larger than 1 11/16, but the neck proifile if very slim (very much like the Cruz OMPW) and even my very small hands love the feel of the neck.

[johbren]

Seagulls 

[bikodog]

UPDATE -

Here's a quick review of the Blueridge BG 140 I picked up used.   I love the short scale and narrow neck.  It's very similar in profile to my D-03, but the short scale really helps.   Tonewise, it sounds more Gibson like than my Larrivees,  drier, mellower, and not as loud.  It came with a K&K western installed, so I can up the volume if I have to.  Build seems very light, but solid,  finish is thin and well done.  Tuners were swapped with Grover Statites, so no complaints there, although with the light build it seems to change tune with temperature changes more than my Larrys.   Overall, a great value. 

[SlowFingers]

Seagulls 

While I really like my Seagull, I dont think it is the right choice here. The 'Gulls have 1 7/8" nut width and he is looking for 1 11/16.