Bit worrying considering it was actually the stringsdirect.co.uk website:
WHAT IS SCALE LENGTH?
Scale length is the length from the anchor of the string (ball-end or loop-end) to where it crosses the top nut of the instrument (NOT the distance from the bridge to the nut, which is known as Speaking Length).
Acoustic/Electric Guitars - Scale length is usually only important for bass guitar, as electric and acoustic guitar strings are over-wound in length, and generally come with more than enough winding to accommodate most 6-Strings. Naturally there are a few exceptions, but if unsure you are more than welcome to contact us, as we are always happy to help.
Bass Guitars - Basses are different, as scale length is VERY important. This is because the lower strings can be too thick to wind, and need to taper in size before they can pass through the machine head. Basses come in a few different scale lengths, and as a result you must always be sure which strings you need before you purchase them. The vast majority of basses are of a standard length, which is known as 'Long-Scale', but you can also have 'Short', 'Medium', and 'Super', or 'Extra Long-Scale' variations. Manufacturers differ slightly in how they class their instruments' scale-lengths, but a good general guide can be found below:
- Short Scale – 30" (76 cm) or shorter
- Medium Scale – 32'' (81 cm)
- Long (or Standard) Scale – 34" (86 cm) for a 4-string and 35" (89 cm) for a 5-string
- Super (or Extra) Long Scale – 36" (91 cm)
*Remember that, to find scale-length you must measure from the ball-end of the string, NOTthe point where it sits on the bridge, for an accurate measurement. (An easy way of measuring is to mark your old strings with a permanent marker at the nut before you remove them. Then snip them ABOVE the nut, just below the machine heads, and once removed it is much easier to measure from the ball-end to the marking).