2018 Douglass Scott Classical Guitar

This is my new 2018 Douglass Scott Classical Guitar. He did a wonderful job on the guitar. It has a clear, elegant, and focused sound and I love the feel of the smaller scale length and body of the instrument. I’ve tried out many of his guitars before and knew that I had to put an order in last year. His guitars have a really great responsive ‘pop’ to the trebles all within a sweet and sustained sound. His unique bracing design and the small body on this one is surprisingly loud and projects very clearly but without the over the top mid-range that some doubletops produce (not all of course). I’ve tried many guitars lately but Scott guitars won me over! This will be my main instrument from now on and I’m very pleased with it. Since this is a small scale with a smaller body and other interesting features I thought I’d demo/review it for you. Maybe you just want to learn about new instruments or you’re interested in buying a Scott. Enjoy. YouTube Demo Link (4k): You switch to high HD by clicking the cog button while watching the video.

Luthier Website: scottclassicalguitars.com
Douglass Scott Guitars are based in Ladysmith, BC, Canada.

2018 Douglass Scott Classical Guitar

  • 632mm scale length with smaller body
  • 51mm nut width
  • string spacing nut 42mm
  • string spacing
  • saddle 59mm
  • neck slightly thinner than standard
  • Elevated fingerboard, sound port with magnetic cover
  • Armrest
  • Indian rosewood back and sides, Western red cedar soundboard
  • Spanish cedar neck, ebony fingerboard and arm rest
  • Gotoh 35AR510 tuners
  • Hiscox Artist Case

25 Comments

Leave a Reply to PaulCancel reply

  1. Forgive the weird question, but at 7:06 in the video, is that a leaf blower in the background? Is that a thing in Victoria?

  2. Hi Bradford, I am curious why you decided to go with 632mm scale length and not 635mm or 640mm? Did you use any measurements of your hands?

    It might be helpful to use carbon strings for any lack of volume due to smaller scale length. Not sure with this one as I haven’t tried them.

    • I’ve found that 640mm isn’t much of a difference to the scale length. Once it’s spaced across the frets we are only talking about less than a single mm per fret. Whereas, 630mm I can really feel. I’m note sure why it’s 632mm, that is just what Douglass Scott’s design ends up as for whatever reason.

  3. Hey Bradford. I love this video. I am a retired pediatrician. I have played guitar my whole life. I studied with Oscar Ghiglia in Aspen in 1978 and 1979. I got a Master degree in 1980 from Yale studying with Eliot Fisk, then went to medical school. BUT, why I love this video is that I am building guitars in my retirement. I love the description of what you like and why you like it. As a builder (though only on my second guitar) I am curious as to they effects of guitar dimensions to the ultimate sound. Most smaller body guitars sound a little boxy. Yours sounds rich and balanced to my ear. Anyway, I wish I could sit down with you to discuss these things. As I am in Texas and you must be in Canada (I didn’t look but assume so from your comments) that may be a bit difficult. Also, I have never played a 632 scale instrument – 640 is the smallest. That would be a treat.

    Anyway, thanks for the video, Your playing is beautiful – nice clean well enunciated voicing. Bravo

    Michael

    • Hi, you know, the guitar world is pretty small so if you’re interested in a guitar I’m sure you can contact the luthier directly. Anyway, feel free to email me if you have any questions etc.

  4. Beautiful instrument! I am intrigued by your preferences – because, of course, we are all different. I have two wonderful guitars; one with a cedar top made by Shaun Newman in Devon, UK and one with a spruce top by O’Leary father and son in Ireland. Both have the same measurements : standard 650 length but with String width at nut: 47mm, String width at 12th: 55mm, String width at saddle: 63.5mm, Neck width at 12th…65mm. The extra width took all the tension out of my playing without in any way affecting stretches. Would never go back to conventional widths which for most lutentists are still based on Torres who was making instruments generally for smaller hands.

  5. I have an very similar guitar, Doug Scott 2018 #96, 650mm scale. Great guitar! I think they are Alessi tuners though. Do you over put the cover over the soundport? Why did you go with Cedar? i also have cedar and to me it’s warmer. Thanks for the great website and videos.

    • Yes, I always cover my soundport unless I’m playing chamber music or on stage where it’s hard to hear myself. I would love to have a spruce as well but I’ve stuck with cedar for the playability.

  6. You explained why sometimes you prefer to close the port. You have a beautiful “door” (that probably came with your new guitar?). Do you know if such a nice solution (magnet based or other) is offered somewhere. Or just from Douglass.

  7. Hello Bradford, my guitar don’t has an armrest. I cannot find any info or comment on separate armrest to aplicate on a guitar curvature. Could you provide info and advicing on such a device? Thanks, Jos from Holland

  8. Beautiful guitar! I am a small person, too, and much prefer smaller guitars – much more comfortable to play and so they’re easier to play for longer periods. I’ll check out his website.
    Quick question: what are the advantages of a 12-hole bridge? I haven’t seen this before. Thanks!