Playing a 33" bass - limiting?

[Liten]

Hi Janek.
Thanks for all the info your sharing here, a great service to all of us.

Ive been spinning this thaught over and over in my mind that when Im ordering a new bass (pretty soon) im getting a 33" scale bass. My reasons for this is trying to get a instrument with extended vocabulary (24-25fret) without it getting to long. Im also refocusing on jazz after a long and pleasent stay in the "on the one" swamp.

I was just wondering if you find playing a 33" bass limiting when you pick up some other cat's instrument? Say a regular 34" or a 35".
Do you then find yourself struggling with what you normally could play with ease on your own bass?
Or Is the differense not that great?
Im realy hoping it's more of a feeling (the 33" feels tighter) than an actual leap..
I would not whant to order a bass, play it like a madman and get unused to my old Jazz..

I actually don't know if this info would serve anyone else but I figured posting it here rather than an Email could bring some light into this B-string dominated world..

Kind regards

[janekbass]

well first of all I never really pick up anyone elses bass, and if I did it would just be to check it out without the thought of ever playing my music on it. So I don't think I would be too hung up about what I could play on it.

I do play fender basses a lot in the studio, but there again, I'm not playing my own music on them and normally function in a completely different roll on that instruement so playing a 33 scale is no problem for switching for me.

It really doesn't matter what bass a person picks up in the end. As long as they're honest and play from the heart it will sound like them regardless of the instrument. I can sit down at the piano, or play the drums and it will still sound like me.

I like the 33" because it's easy to play, and I play it a lot. Hours and hours every day. So I don't want to be crippled by the time I'm 50 from having had to stretch out that much further on a longer scale bass.

Easy,

Janek

[Liten]

Thanks for the reply.

The thing I was concerned about was the fact that Im not plannig to let my Jazz rest just cus Im in the market for an instrument with greater range and that is somewhat easier to play. (your talk about economy of movement realy stuck.. )
Im sure the new instruments will be an entiarly diffrent animal and will serve a diffrent purpos... (that is the plan anyways..)

Im also sure you sound just like yourself on any instrument by now.. even an old fender jazz.
I, as many others love them to bits but they can be somewhat limiting in range and tone depending on that Im trying to do.. I get closer with my 5 string fretless, but not all the way.
So a 33" 24fret 5-string bass design is something Im gonna persue..
Thanks for your thaughts on the matter. And for the new-found inspiration.

Cheers