beginner question
 

what is the difference between a long scale and short term scale bass?

This has to do with the length of the string between the nut (where the string rests after the tuners) and the bridge (were the string attaches to the body).

The most common scale length is 34 inches. But some can be 35 inchs.

Short would be 30 inchs or less.

Medium is 30 - 33 inches.

Just like, Got2 says. Here's a physical example…two different Jaguar basses;

http://www.fender.com/basses/jaguar/...r-bass-special

http://www.fender.com/basses/jaguar/...ss-short-scale

Check the specs of each model. The most glaring difference, aside from the cosmetic ones, are the length of the necks.

A sub-point is the number of frets on an instrument within the specific scale length. These can differ.

For example, one bass with a 34" scale length might have 20 frets on the fingerboard, while another bass with the same scale length might have 24 frets (2 full octaves) on that instrument's fingerboard.

Everything written above... and... the distance between the frets of a short scale instrument will be less than the distance between the frets of a standard or long scale instrument. Some folks with smallish hands feel this is an advantage.

Scale length refers to the distance between the nut and the bridge saddles. Distance between fret X and fret Y also changes as a side effect of shorter or longer scale length.

If scale length only pertained to number of frets or distance between them, there would be a lot of confused fretless players out there.;)

Welcome to TB!

Just to clarify also - it's "scale" on both of them - no "term" involved. Just long scale and short scale.