I always played short scale basses up until recently, having tiny child's hands and an old injury to my left that prevents much finger-stretch I thought it was my only option. I played a fairly ancient and incredibly neck heavy (and just plain heavy) short scale Vantage bass for many years, then I got an Epiphone EB0 last year. The a month ago something amazing happened...my husband found and purchased the bass I have wanted since I was 15...a 1978 Rickenbacker 4001 in Mapleglo. So now I have my dream bass and I'm having to learn to handle a full scale neck...which I don't mind at all
Amp wise, my Fender Rumble 100 combo is plenty loud enough for me. I currently play in a rock cover band (also the singer)...lots of man-rock (Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age, Metallica, Soundgarden, etc.) Keep playing! 15 years and 3 or 4 bands will have gone by before you know it!
P.S. Men's locker rooms don't scare me
