Wanting a shorter scale Fender

[MonkehFingaz]

Alright, so I've had my fender Standard Jazz for almost a year now, and personally, I love the thing, and for that reason I want to modify it from it's assembly line set-up to better suit my own personal tastes, as I figure every Jazz bass needs personalization...so I've come up with a few modifications that I want to make, and the one that confuses me most is the neck.

I want to replace the neck, but the thing is, I want a shorter scale. I'm thinking 32" should work perfectly, I've got relatively small hands but I've got an Epiphone EB-0 and I don't think the 30" scale is necessary.

I'm not really too smart when it comes to what can be done to a bass and what can't, so basically, I want to know how I can do this. I want a good neck for it, real thin and fast, doesn't necessarily have to be a Fender neck or even look like one, but it DOES have to fit, and it's gotta be a 32" scale when put on there, and the more frets the better, in my opinion.

Any simple way to do this? Like...are there any 32" scale fender necks available or necks with the same specs so they'll fit...or...what am I going to have to do here?

[fuNKmaster83]

you could replace it but you will have to change the bridge or put the neck deeper in...

[emils]

Just put a capo on the second fret and you'll have a short scale without changing anything major on your bass.

[202dy]

Originally Posted by MonkehFingaz

Alright, so I've had my fender Standard Jazz for almost a year now, and personally, I love the thing, and for that reason I want to modify it from it's assembly line set-up to better suit my own personal tastes, as I figure every Jazz bass needs personalization...so I've come up with a few modifications that I want to make, and the one that confuses me most is the neck.

I want to replace the neck, but the thing is, I want a shorter scale. I'm thinking 32" should work perfectly, I've got relatively small hands but I've got an Epiphone EB-0 and I don't think the 30" scale is necessary.

I'm not really too smart when it comes to what can be done to a bass and what can't, so basically, I want to know how I can do this. I want a good neck for it, real thin and fast, doesn't necessarily have to be a Fender neck or even look like one, but it DOES have to fit, and it's gotta be a 32" scale when put on there, and the more frets the better, in my opinion.

Any simple way to do this? Like...are there any 32" scale fender necks available or necks with the same specs so they'll fit...or...what am I going to have to do here?

This can be done. There are two ways to accomplish it.

A new replacement neck will have to be fabricated with the frets laid out for the new scale. The neck will be shorter than the original neck i.e. the nut will be closer to the bridge. The bridge will not have to be moved because the scale length can be compensated for in the new neck.

The second way to do it is to put a new fretboard laid out in the new scale length on an existing neck. The bridge will have to move north to compensate for the change in scale lenth. Depending on pickup location, it may necessitate changing the location of the bridge pickup, too.

Neither of these options is inexpensive. The first is cosmetically more acceptable. If done properly there will be no visual difference. The second option may or may not be less expensive and will never look right.

It may be cheaper to sell the instrument and seek a viable alternative.

[jrfrond]

32" is a cool scale length, but the majority of short-scale basses are 30". The only Fender I recall with a 32" was the Stu Hamm Urge bass, Sadowsky, Kubicki, Alembic. There may be others, but I am not aware of them. FYI- 32" is actually consider "medium-scale".

Rondo Music has some short-scale Jazz clones on the cheap if you want to try them out. You'll keep the same feel with a shorter scale.

[Kenny Allyn]

Rather than doing an expensive mod ... or having a custom bass made


You may want to try the SX Short Scale basses 1st


... That way you can see how you like it CHEAP!

[Pilgrim]

Buy an SX Jazz.....or get a Mustang bass. No problem!

[lundborg]

Drop tune the bass to D. Then put a capo on the second fret

[Baryonyx]

If you want a 32" Jazz bass get a Fender Urge Standard. Two jazz pickups, 32" scale and with the added bonus of 24 frets and a preamp.

[radapaw]

There are a few 32" scale fender & squier p basses made by Fender Japan in the mid 80's I think.... I regret selling mine.