Switching between Scales: 34" and 34.5"

**j-raj** · #1 01-10-2007, 07:13 PM

I usually always play on 34 inch scale, but I'm getting a 5'ver that is 34.5 scale... Do other TB'ers experience playing issues switching back and forth between different scale lengths?

cosmicevan · #2 01-10-2007, 07:21 PM

i played a 35" 5 string for a while and recently switched to a 36" 6 string and i have no problems going back and forth. if you play fretless, that is a different story...same thing for artificial harmonics and other techniques based on muscle memory where there are no frets to help guide you. go to a store and grab a 35" 5 string (they've gotta have at least one) and play it. does it feel so different that it is uncomfortable? then switch to a 34" scale in the store...shouldn't be too bad of a switch, but it really depends on the player.

James Hart · #3 01-10-2007, 07:36 PM

never dealt with 34.5" but I don't go over 34" and mostly stick to it. I do also have a 32" 4 banger that is fun to play but I spend 98% of my time on 34" only.

Chunk-O-Funk · #4 01-10-2007, 07:46 PM

I went from a 34 to a 35 with no problems. It's pretty much a non issue.

The one and only thing I notice is that with the 35" scale and the fact that I like to strap my basses a little high is that my wrist is at a sharper angel when playing in the 1st position.

lemur821 · #5 01-10-2007, 10:27 PM

I don't have any trouble going between different instruments with different lengths. When you think about it, although the fret spacing is technically smaller, the ratios are the same. It's just like playing a little higher up the neck.

All_¥our_Bass · #6 01-11-2007, 01:57 AM

Switching between close scale lenghts like 34", 34.5", and 35" is easy. Making switches that are way different take a little more adjustment, but it's nothing THAT bad.

I DO get annoyed by the lack of bendabillity on longer 5's and 6's however.

**j-raj** · #7 01-11-2007, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chunk-O-Funk

The one and only thing I notice is that with the 35" scale and the fact that I like to strap my basses a little high is that my wrist is at a sharper angle when playing in the 1st position.

yeah that and the fact that my muscle memory is going to be ever-so-slightly effected by that .5 inch... It's funny, I know so many guitarists that switch between an SG, Les Paul, PRS and a Strat on gigs and it never even phases them... granted, all of them (except one) doesn't play on a fretless FB... hmm.

Quote:

Originally Posted by All_¥our_Bass

I DO get annoyed by the lack of bendabillity on longer 5's and 6's however.

does it make the strings more taught/tighter?

Quote:

Originally Posted by lemur821

I don't have any trouble going between different instruments with different lengths. When you think about it, although the fret spacing is technically smaller, the ratios are the same. It's just like playing a little higher up the neck.

That makes sense... just that the frets get closer together, at a different place up the neck.

**Mark Wilson** · #8 01-14-2007, 12:26 PM

I don't have much experience, but i'll input what I can.

I'm a 34" player. I would buy a 35" 5 string. Hell, maybe even a 36" 5 string, but I play 34" now.
When I went to the F-bass factory, the bass I played was a 34.5" scale. I could tell there was a difference, but I knew it wasn't 35". So I asked George, and he told me it was 34.5"

i loved it. It's very comfortable, and I didn't 'mis-fret' notes or anything when I went back to my 34"

All_¥our_Bass · #9 01-18-2007, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by j-raj

does it make the strings more taught/tighter?

Yes. And I like to use bends and vibrato fairly often(but they are not over-used, trust me) and it really impeeds my playing when I use longer axes.

cosmicevan · #10 01-20-2007, 10:27 AM

really? i find bending on my 36" scale to be way easier than bending on a shorter scale bass...but it could be that i'm just so used to the 36"?

ThumbyAche · #11 01-20-2007, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by j-raj

I usually always play on 34 inch scale, but I'm getting a 5'ver that is 34.5 scale... Do other TB'ers experience playing issues switching back and forth between different scale lengths?

What's up man? Havn't talked to you in a long while. Anyway, I never had any probs with my F-Basses, Kinal or Bene when switching from my G&L 4 or Modulus VJ (both 34")... Hardly tell at all. I could however tell when going to a 35" scale but that's just me..

**j-raj** · #12 01-21-2007, 02:27 AM

Hey Justin,

Yeah man, I knew that you would have some input, especially since you have been between F's and other 34's.

I'm out here at NAMM and have tried that 34.5 and I'm not worried even in the slightest about that transistion back and forth between 34 and 34.5...

permadave · #13 02-07-2007, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chunk-O-Funk

I went from a 34 to a 35 with no problems. It's pretty much a non issue.

The one and only thing I notice is that with the 35" scale and the fact that I like to strap my basses a little high is that my wrist is at a sharper angel when playing in the 1st position.

Thats the only issue I have btw playing my Warwick (34") and my Spector (35")