Convert your bass to short scale

You can temporarily convert a long scale instrument (34
inches) to a medium scale or short scale.

For close to medium scale put a capo on the first fret and
then retune E-A-D-G. This makes the scale length 32.1
inches (medium scale is 32 inches)

Go 2 frets and retune to EADG for 30.3 inch scale (short
scale is 30 inches.) Anything beyond that is too flabby...

The only problem is that you might get some buzz from
having less tension on the neck... and the bigger issue is that
if you want to do this semi-permanently you should adjust
the truss rod and re-intonate the bass... especially if you
play up higher than say the 5th fret. If you rely heavily on
the dots they will be in the wrong place (shifted by 1 or 2.)

But just for finding out the sound and feel of your bass if it
was a short/medium scale don't worry about the intonation...
just have a listen and then change it back.

cheers,
Joe

P.S. a 6 string guitar capo will fit on a 4 string jazz bass neck...
not sure of the p neck... but I haven't seen anything
that will accomodate a 5 string or more. I use a standard
kyser capo for guitar.

oh yeah and here is the fret spacing for a 34 inch scale...
(some builders adjust slightly by a few hundredths of an inch
to make up for the physics of the string and string bending.)

fretNum Distance from bridge(scaleLength)
0(nut) 34.00
1 32.09
2 30.29
3 28.59
4 26.99
5 25.47
6 24.04
7 22.69
8 21.42
9 20.22
10 19.08
11 18.01
12 17.00
13 16.05
14 15.15
15 14.30
16 13.49
17 12.74
18 12.02
19 11.35
20 10.71
21 10.11
22 9.54
23 9.01
24 8.50

the formula is:
34/(2^(fretNumber/12))

or for other scale lengths: (works for guitar too)
scaleLength/(2^(fretNumber/12))

Bryan R. Tyler said:

I've heard of this before, but never actually tried it. What would the scale length be when retuning and capoing the first fret on a 35" bass?

Click to expand...

Here are the measurements as applied to a 35 inch scale. You could probably go to the 3rd fret without getting to flabby...

0 (nut) 35.00
1 33.04
2 31.18
3 29.43
4 27.78
5 26.22
6 24.75
7 23.36
8 22.05
9 20.81
10 19.64
11 18.54
12 17.50
13 16.52
14 15.59
15 14.72
16 13.89
17 13.11
18 12.37
19 11.68
20 11.02
21 10.41
22 9.82
23 9.27
24 8.75

Bryan R. Tyler said:

Hey, maybe I'll just get a really good capo and make my 35" a 33" permanently- cheaper than having to buy a whole new bass

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as long as you don't mind the dots being moved it is as good as a permanent short scale. You may wann look into one of those roller capo thingy's... probably would look better. Haven't seen one in person though.

Joe

Bryan R. Tyler said:

Or (as I've seen Manring do it) for alternate tunings. Capoing will give you a whole new set of harmonics to play with, and you can knock it off mid-song to go to the original tuning.

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Oh yeah I have heard what Manring does. I have not seen it but my mouth drops and awe at the thought of it. I heard he has all these mechanical things on his bass to change tunings for harmonics. Do you know where there is a soundclip?

Bryan R. Tyler said:

Hey, maybe I'll just get a really good capo and make my 35" a 33" permanently- cheaper than having to buy a whole new bass

Click to expand...

Yeah and "the whole new bass" thing is the whole point. Someone up there said to just buy a short scale... well if you have the money, why not... but this sure is a creative and useful alternative if you don't have money...

Cheers,
Joe

ehque said:

secondly, i find capoing on a bass rather odd.

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my motto is: Traditions are made to be broken. It's called progress.

I like innovation. Some people don't. I can respect that, but I am not that way.

Joe