Owning basses of different scale lengths

[OnThaCouch]

To those of you with more than one bass, do you have different scale lengths or try to stick to one?

I am looking into picking up a fretless and some of the choices have a different (35 vs 34) scale length than I play now.

What are some of the issues (or supposed issues) I might run into with two basses of different scale length?

Is it a problem for most? If not, how did you deal with it?

Anyone buy a different scale length and regret it?

Thanks.

[lomo]

Many have no trouble switching between scales, most much better players than I :-)
I prefer to keep all my basses the same scale length and string spacing at the bridge.
And now for the shameless plug: I have an as new 5 string 34" fretless FS :-), because even keeping the parameters the same as my oither basses isn't enough without ample 'shed time.

[Nev375]

I have basses of various scale lengths. Fact is my main bass is 34/35" scale fanned fret. It's never been an issue for me, I cant imagine it being an issue for anyone.

[jaywa]

I switch between 34 and 35 inch FRETTED basses all the time, no prob. That being said, fretless could potentially pose a much bigger challenge since muscle memory is critical to intonation. If I were switching between fretted and fretless I would really want the fretless scale length to be same as my most familiar fretted.

[Deathblade Eric]

'Muscle memory' is likely to be the biggest hurdle if you go for a different scale length - doubly so for a new fretless, so my advice is to try & get a twin (o.n.o) of your current mainsqueeze, that way your hands will fall into nearly the right place from the start.

You'll still sound like **** for a few days as you realise just how sloppy you can be with frets & still get away with it, so any advantage you can give yourself is worth doing until you adjust to getting your intonation on the money.

If your forthcoming adventure turns out anything like my experiences, beware...

... they take over.

[NecroticImbecil]

25," 30," 32," 34."

No problem as such. One of the 32" basses sits quite differently, neck much farther out, so that if I hold my arms/hands the same way as the other basses I will have my neck hand one step higher. That one takes a sec to adjust to if I have just played another for a length of time.

[Monkey]

I only play fretless and switch between a 34-inch 5-string and a 30-inch 4-strng. It takes a few minutes to adjust, but I don't find it to be a huge problem.

My 42-inch upright is more of a challenge!

[ricca]

Never had problem switching from short to long to 35 to upright, even in the same gig. For fretless, including upright, I try to stick to my ear for intonation.

[lindseyp]

34, 34.5, 35, 34-inch fretless and fanned fret. No problems adjusting to any of them. I prefer practicing with the 35-inchers. The Dingwall with fanned frets is sort of my "don't look, just play" bass and works well in that regard. Of course, I'm not putting food on the table with my basses so I have nothing to lose.

[D.A.R.K.]

i have a 41" eub, 34", 32", and 30" scale basses, but i have no issue with the varying scale lengths. they each require different technique, as they have different tunings besides scale length,
but it comes down to equal practice time.

[D.A.R.K.]

oops double post

[Billnc]

No problems here.

[OnThaCouch]

Thanks all that have responded so far. I was thinking it wouldn't be an issue as long as you work at it.

Since I don't play fretless I was curious with some of the comments I have read about switching being difficult.

I guess it would be good work for the ears .

[Billnc]

Originally Posted by OnThaCouch

Thanks all that have responded so far. I was thinking it wouldn't be an issue as long as you work at it.

Since I don't play fretless I was curious with some of the comments I have read about switching being difficult.

I guess it would be good work for the ears .

Don't worry about it, I used to play a 35" fretless and a 34" fretted, eventually through trades and the like I've switched, without thinking about it. Now 32" I don't like but I never had a problem there either. From short scale guitars (I bash around on really small guitars built for small kids) on up to long scale basses, if you can physically adapt (I'm tall) you're fine.

[JTE]

Never a problem for me. While most of my basses (5/7) are 34", they all have different necks. And I play guitars with different scales. So, I'm switching between 35", 34", and 18" basses (the 18" is an Ashbory), and guitars with 25.5", 25.63", and 24.75" scales, different string gauges, etc. To me it's just a mental adjustment that I'm playing a different instrument, not any different than knowing the location of the controls when I switch from the Precision to the Lakland 4-94.

John

[Bassamatic]

When I first got my 35" Cirrus, it was a little hard - I have 30, 31, 32 34 and 35. But after a few weeks, it seems that my hand knows what bass it is holding and responds accordingly! I guess it is the old adage - practice, practice, practice!

I find it harder to go from 4-string to 5-string.

[NCD]

I have a 34" fretless and a 30" fretted. I do find that it takes about ten minutes to fully compensate and get into the correct frame of mind after I swap but once I've adjusted, it's no big deal.

The bigger issue for me is that the 34" fretless has much lighter strings than the 30" fretted and so I find myself needing to press much harder up on the first fret of the fretted and this digs into my finger pads in a way that I never feel on the 34".

That sensation can be distracting.

[viper4000]

I have a 34" G&L and 35" Cirrus. Both 5's. The only issue for me is that when not looking and bringing my left hand up to the neck, the position is a full step off. So, it would be at 5th fret on the 35" and on the 7th fret on the 34". A minute of warm-up, and I don't notice it at all.

You'll be fine.

[seanm]

I had no problem switching back and forth between 34" and 35" scale. Really, the difference is pretty small. Switching from 34" to 30" does take me a minute or two to adjust. I wouldn't want to do it during a set.

I find string spacing can throw me much more than scale.

[AmadeusXeno]

I used to switch between basses that were 34" and 35" durring a set and never had a problem.