A 22 fret Strat and 24 fret Jem both have a 25.5" scale. *That aside, about the only scale lengths you will see on most guitars are the 25.5" and the 24.75". *I for one cannot tell a huge difference in the tensions on these guitars.
Let me go on to say that I have played guitars with a 25.5" scale that have a way looser feel than some with a 24.75" scale. *And yes, there is a reason.
I'll start off by making this statement -- The guitars that play and sound the best are ones that are literally about to explode, but are built so that they are just strong enough not to give. *This is more true on acoustic, but I will show how it also pertains to electric.
Acoustic guitars often get a nice hump right behind the bridge from string tension. *This means that the top is not strong enough to keep the strings from messing with its integrity. *Of course, if the top was too weak, then the wood would just explode and the guitar would be ruined. *Also, the "flimsiness" of the neck determines how much the string tension pulls the neck forward. *The compensation, of course, is the truss rod. *But in general, a thinner neck will "play" better because the string tension can influence the wood a bit more.
Two of the exact same guitar won't feel the same. *Even if the strings and setup are exactly the same, there are factors in the guitar's composition that will add up for a different tension feel. *On your
electric guitar, especially ones with the floating tremelo, the acoustic "pull up behind the bridge" is simulated because the strings pull the bridge up. *The counterforce are the tremelo springs holding the trem down. *So here is one thing you can try changing.
A friend of mine has a 79 Strat with the tremelo springs (3 springs, arrow arrangement) fully stretched out, and it has been like this for years. *His guitar has the least tension for 10 guage strings I have ever felt (and the lowest action with no buzzing). *Among other things, I believe it is the springs being stretched out and losing their "springiness" that contributes to the guitar playing so well. *Remember in physics...if you stretch out a spring and leave it in that position for a long time, the spring will remember that position and not return to its original state.
Also consider your truss rod. *From my personal experiences, a loose truss creates a better
playing guitar. *Why? *Because the strings have more of a tendency to pull the neck forward. *However, the truss rod isn't there for playability, it is there to fix problems with the neck bowing. *Perhaps you find a guitar with a loose truss and perfect neck position at the same time? *I bet that is a neck that would play well.
Something else that contributes to the "perceived" tension differences are the break angles over the nut and saddles. *Now I have read where people on this forum talk about their Edge tremelos, and how they need them to be *almost parallel* to the guitar body to obtain the optimum feel. *While I can't give you an answer as to which break angles make the guitar feel looser, you can ask the people here in the forum that have done this trick with their tremelo time and time again.
Two lesser points: *If your frets are dirty, grimy, rusted (yikes), etc., then it is going feel tight and hard to play. *You want those frets super smooth in order to feel the best.
Also, the materials that a string is made out of and how it is made can greatly affect the tension...but since most strings are made nearly the same for guitar, you probably won't notice a big difference from brand to brand. *I remember reading on the D'Addario site that their strings are made to slightly ease the tension for the lower strings (the wrapped strings are the only difference since all manufactured plain, unwound strings are virtually identicle).
As far as action goes, there is more of a science to that. *You just need frets that are level, the correct neck relief, and the correct neck angle.
I hope this helps some.
