How did guitars avoid going decimal?

DiscoStu

Just thought about that this morning. Practically everything is decimal these days and have been for decades, yet guitars (and guitarists) have managed to remain imperial. 
25.5" scale length, 9.5" radius, weighs 7.5 lbs... Even our string gauges are fractions of an inch.

Was there a meeting about this?

Strat_a_tat_tat

To go fully decimal... wouldn't there be 10 frets/notes in an octave?

guitarfishbay

I guess a strong US influence on guitar culture is a factor.

stickyfiddle

DiscoStu

guitarfishbay said:

I guess a strong US influence on guitar culture is a factor.

Stoopid Americans with their dollars and cents.

thecolourbox

Yeah it's American isn't it. Oh and 25.5" is easier to remember than 64.77cm

Phil_aka_Pip

Even American "Imperial" weights and capacities are not the same as ours.

IMO it's what is convenient. I know what a pint is and and quite happy to drink one, but if measuring out liquids in ml or cc is more convenient I won't argue with it. SI units make calculations a lot easier but I'd far rather judge my car by its mpg than km per litre.

Flink_Poyd

Nut width is usually in mm

sgosden

It's cos old blokes make em innit. Old blokes don't understand new stuff like metric system, computers, or dub steps. Think it's just witchcraft and noise.
Innit. 

merlin

I reckon it's to keep them quaint. 

DiscoStu

Flink_Poyd said:

Nut width is usually in mm

And tuner diameter. And string spacing. Volume and tone are 1 - 10 too!
So maybe guitars belong in the green bit on @stickyfiddle ;'s map

Kilgore

The metric system is too Gallic for our Anglo-Saxon tastes. 

richardhomer

One of the reasons why I don’t use 10s on my Strat....

scrumhalf

Strat_a_tat_tat said:

To go fully decimal... wouldn't there be 10 frets/notes in an octave?

Red Dwarf fans will tell you that that was done by Holly, the extra notes are Bo and Wo.

gordiji

Phil_aka_Pip said:

Even American "Imperial" weights and capacities are not the same as ours.

IMO it's what is convenient. I know what a pint is and and quite happy to drink one, but if measuring out liquids in ml or cc is more convenient I won't argue with it. SI units make calculations a lot easier but I'd far rather judge my car by its mpg than km per litre.

Exactly , usa pint is 16fl/oz rather than 20 !

stickyfiddle

Flink_Poyd said:

Nut width is usually in mm

I suspect that's cos the Americky nut widths are all 4 + 1/16+ 3/37 + half a cow when 43mm is much easier to remember.

stickyfiddle

gordiji said:

Phil_aka_Pip said:

Even American "Imperial" weights and capacities are not the same as ours.

IMO it's what is convenient. I know what a pint is and and quite happy to drink one, but if measuring out liquids in ml or cc is more convenient I won't argue with it. SI units make calculations a lot easier but I'd far rather judge my car by its mpg than km per litre.

Exactly , usa pint is 16fl/oz rather than 20 !

Which makes good sense in the context of a lb being 16oz.

What *really* gets me is their insistence on frickin CUPS for baking, which means the density and settled-ness of your flour will make or break your cookies. Baking is chemistry - it needs to be exact! 

DiscoStu

stickyfiddle said:

What *really* gets me is their insistence on frickin CUPS for baking, which means the density and settled-ness of your flour will make or break your cookies. Baking is chemistry - it needs to be exact! 

That's easy. 1 cup = 236.59 ml. So simply measure 236.59 ml of flour next time.

stickyfiddle

DiscoStu said:

stickyfiddle said:

What *really* gets me is their insistence on frickin CUPS for baking, which means the density and settled-ness of your flour will make or break your cookies. Baking is chemistry - it needs to be exact! 

That's easy. 1 cup = 236.59 ml. So simply measure 236.59 ml of flour next time.

But of course a metric cup is 250ml...

DiscoStu

stickyfiddle said:

DiscoStu said:

stickyfiddle said:

What *really* gets me is their insistence on frickin CUPS for baking, which means the density and settled-ness of your flour will make or break your cookies. Baking is chemistry - it needs to be exact! 

That's easy. 1 cup = 236.59 ml. So simply measure 236.59 ml of flour next time.

But of course a metric cup is 250ml...

Just add a few more choc chips and you'll be dandy.

DiscoStu

You've made me peckish now @stickyfiddle . I might pop out and get a 0.25 of mint metrics.
Mmm. Mint metrics.