Romanillos provides the scale length for 83 Torres instruments. As seen in Figure 1, a scale length of 650 mm was most common.
Figure 1: Scale Length Frequency
Two guitars, built 35 years apart, early and late in Torres career, have a scale length of 661 mm (FE 3 and SEU 4). Romanillos notes that SEU 4 may not have been all Torres work. In his second epoch, Torres built six smaller guitars with scales between 604 mm and 610 mm (SEU 2, SE 92, SE 77, SE 103, SE 117, and SE 151A). In the range of scale lengths above 610 mm, but lower than the more common scale lengths of 645 mm and above, there are several atypical instruments. Romanillos indicates that FE 6 with a 625 mm scale length is “attributed” to Torres. Romanillos says that FE 7 with a 634 mm scale length was built with a repurposed neck. FE 21X with a scale length of 639 mm is very unique with a number of features reminiscent of much older instruments including a bridge with no saddle. FE 18 with a scale length of 640 mm stands out in many of the analyses to follow as atypical. Excluding the six smaller guitars of the second epoch and the some of the atypical instruments mentioned above, a scale length in a narrow range of 645 mm to 652 mm appears to have been preferred by Torres representing nearly 80% of the guitars catalogued.
In addition to the normal issues associated with measurement, evaluation of scale length data is further complicated by differences in the treatment of compensation. Romanillos indicates that Torres did not provide for compensation in earlier instruments but later added 1 mm. Sources are not always clear whether compensation is included or excluded in the length provided for the scale. Some of the variation in scale length data among sources may be accounted for by variation in the treatment of compensation. FE 24 for example is noted as having a scale length of 650 mm in Romanillos’ catalogue while the catalogue of Urlik’s collection lists a nut to saddle scale length of 653 mm. In both catalogues, a scale of 650 is noted for SE 129.
In Figure 2, scale lengths are arranged in time sequence of instrument construction. There seems to have been a preference for instruments with a scale length in the range of 650 mm throughout Torres’ career. The two 661 mm scale length instruments can be been seen early and late in his career as well as the six small guitars with scale lengths of 610 mm or less built during the second epoch. The atypical instruments mentioned above can be seen on the left, lower side of the chart.
Figure 2: Scale Length by Construction Sequence
Figure 3 depicts the relationship between body length and scale length. Figure 3 includes data for all the guitars for which Romanillos provides the scale length. There are three data points well below the trend line. This includes FE 2, the pear-shaped guitar, FE 7 which Romanillos indicates has a neck reused from another instrument, and SEU 4 which Romanillos believes is not all Torres’ work and has a 661 mm scale length. If these three instruments are excluded, R2 rises to 0.8.
Figure 3: Body Length vs. Scale Length
It is interesting to note that, for a given scale length, the body length varies significantly. For example, of the 30 guitars with a scale length of 650 mm, the body length varies between 460 mm and 483 mm.
Modern Practice:
Torres employed a broad range of scale lengths in his guitars ranging from 604 mm to 661 mm. A scale length of 650 mm was most common. Of the 83 Torres instruments for which Romanillos provides scale lengths in his catalogue, 30 have scale lengths of 650 mm with a total of 67 having scale lengths from 645 mm to 655 mm. When viewed in terms of construction sequence, it appears that a choice of scale length in the range of 650 mm was preferred by Torres throughout his career.
In Urlik’s catalogue, he provides the scale length for 59 classical guitars (excluding the Torres and flamenco guitars). The average scale length for these guitars is 650 mm with a minimum scale length of 622 mm and a maximum scale length of 664 mm.
Scale Length Frequency for Classical Guitars from the Urlik Collection
In comparison with Figure 1 above, it appears builders since Torres have been perhaps more consistent that Torres himself in the use of 650 mm scale.