34 or 35?

[Vic]

Yeah, I'm only 5'9", but my fingers are all at least 12" long... ok, not really, but the truth is, like I said before, don't just eliminate a candidate just because it's a 35" inch scale and you have smaller hands. Believe it or not, the design of the instrument can... umm... compensate... umm... a lot (seriously, acutally)...

Again, play'em. Don't eliminate strictly on specs... really... this was what I was mainly getting at earlier.

If you can't get to a place where you can, then pick folks' brains here regarding specific models and ask their comparitive opinions, if one of those famous "vs" threads doesn't already exist for it.

Wade through the rhetoric/advocacy and there's gold in them thar hills. VERY helpful.

 

[klorence]

i've had the same problem/questions.

used to have a really sweet ken lawrence 'sonority' - loved that bass, but 35" (plus it was heavy!) forced a sale. you can't play when playing is a drag.

i've played smiths, and my SR5 is fine too (i've been tuning it up E-C since 1990, however).

my pedulla hexabuzz is fine as well.

it can be done.

all the factors discussed here & elsewhere contribute to 'feel', and feel is very subjective.

a well-made bass, with the right gauge B string should have a B that is fine.

sound, like feel, is extremely subjective, too - keep in mind one man's "focused B string" is another man's "thin-sounding B string."

the only way you're going to get similar 'feel' in terms of string-to-string tension without huge variation in string gauge is by using fanned frets.

i wish I could have played all the chording & stuff i do on fanned frets - i'd have kept my dingwall AB-II. best feeling and sounding B string I've ever come across.

if you do a lot of tuning down, just be sure you're using heavier gauge string. it will be floppier, but there are ways to deal with that (raise the action a bit on that string, play back by the bridge a little more, etc.)

p.s. hope the combo's been working out well for you, mike!

 

[T. B. Player]

36"

HA!

I like you - when the world is mine, your death shall be quick and painless. (kudos to Stewie).

 

[T. B. Player]

i've had the same problem/questions.

used to have a really sweet ken lawrence 'sonority' - loved that bass, but 35" (plus it was heavy!) forced a sale. you can't play when playing is a drag.

i've played smiths, and my SR5 is fine too (i've been tuning it up E-C since 1990, however).

my pedulla hexabuzz is fine as well.

it can be done.

all the factors discussed here & elsewhere contribute to 'feel', and feel is very subjective.

a well-made bass, with the right gauge B string should have a B that is fine.

sound, like feel, is extremely subjective, too - keep in mind one man's "focused B string" is another man's "thin-sounding B string."

the only way you're going to get similar 'feel' in terms of string-to-string tension without huge variation in string gauge is by using fanned frets.

i wish I could have played all the chording & stuff i do on fanned frets - i'd have kept my dingwall AB-II. best feeling and sounding B string I've ever come across.

if you do a lot of tuning down, just be sure you're using heavier gauge string. it will be floppier, but there are ways to deal with that (raise the action a bit on that string, play back by the bridge a little more, etc.)

p.s. hope the combo's been working out well for you, mike!

Thanks for the info!! and the combo's great!! Played "Godspell" at Central Catholic with it last week. It's exactly what I needed - thanks!