34" scale 5 string bad? help please

[JTE]

IMO, a lot has to do with the rigidity of the neck too. If you have a solid, rigid neck, the tension of the strings won't cause the neck to bow one way or the other, allowing it to hold the tension of the strings and keep the action nice and low without moving. Sure, you may have some natural adjusting to climates and seasonal changes, but, on an every day basis, you can have low action with a tight, articulate B string as well as an even tone across the fretboard.

This is what I think. I happen to really like the Lakland 5's (all of which I've played have 35" scales), but I have some good experiences with great sounding, balanced 5's that have a 34" scale (Music Man, Ken Smiths, and Modulus in particular). And the common factor in the great sounding 34" scale ones is a very well-made and rigid neck.

Don't use the 35"/34" to determine what's best for you. Just play the basses and go for the one that SOUNDS best to YOUR ears when YOU play it.

John

 

[Billy Low]

More often than not, the bridge is moved back closer to the strap button. The neck may be extended a hair, but for the most part it's mostly in the bridge. Any changes in weight should be negligible either way.

Ooooh, be careful with that statement, there is more to it than just moving the bridge back!

There is a difference in fret spacing. The longer the scale, the greater the distance between frets. This is why players like myself with smaller hands tend to prefer 34" scale.

 

[bass12]

Depends on the bass and your ears. Take any advice on TB with a grain of salt, because we all know it's possible for an SX to outplay a Fedora.

Yeah, but an SX will never look as good on your head.

I've had both 34" and 35" 5/6 string basses. With the exception of a Warwick Thumb NT 5 (one of the worst basses I've ever owned) the B strings on the 34" basses were every bit as functional as those on the 35"s. I'm actually having a custom 34" 5 string made right now.

 

[singlemalt]

What if you made each string the perfect length for the open note and adjusted the frets?

 

[oren]

I had a Fender Roscoe Beck 5 for a while. It's generally considered a good sounding 34" 5er, but I was never happy with the sound of the b string. I spent some time at Bass NW testing other 5s and found that the ones I liked were all 35" - Lull, Roscoe, Lakland. To my ears the 35" b string sounds more like a regular string. I bought a Roscoe and couldn't be happier.

 

[spade2you]

Ooooh, be careful with that statement, there is more to it than just moving the bridge back!

Of course they change the fret spacing, but the most dramatic change is usually moving the bridge back for most of the extra scale length. Most are under the assumption that bridge placement is the same, but the nut was moved out an extra inch. Most companies tend not to offer 34" and 35" scale instruments, but I can assure you that they're not just an inch longer overall.

 

[Brian Newcombe]

Howdy. OK... just know that the 2 Top Session Bassists in the World...
Nathan East, and Neil Stubenhaus both play 34" scale 5-String Basses!
Yamaha NE2 & Tyler 5 respectively.

As they are required by the nature of the Studio... to provide the best
Bass Sound possible... their choice of a 34" scale 5-String...
and all the amazing sounding tracks they've played on... makes it obvious
that a 34" scale B-String works just fine!

I also play 34" scale 5-string Basses. I tried a 35" scale 5-string
for a while... and absolutely hated it! This being the extra fretting fingers
"stretch" down on about the first 5 frets... as well as the tighter Tension
on the other strings... especially the "G" & "D" strings... made me not want
to ever really pick up that Bass at all!

Also... playing a 35" fretted Bass... then switching to your favourite
34" Fretless... really does mess with your "Finger Memory"...
hence your Intonation!

Bottom line though is... go with what feels best... and sounds best to "you"!

 

[spade2you]

Also... playing a 35" fretted Bass... then switching to your favourite
34" Fretless... really does mess with your "Finger Memory"...
hence your Intonation!

I'm hardly special and I don't have a problem switching between different scale lengths on a fretless. The key is to practice on those basses. Otherwise, I'd have trouble on my 30" and 35" scale fretli. If this concept were completely true, an upright player would be horrible on an fretless electric bass guitar.

 

[Billy Low]

Of course they change the fret spacing, but the most dramatic change is usually moving the bridge back for most of the extra scale length. Most are under the assumption that bridge placement is the same, but the nut was moved out an extra inch. Most companies tend not to offer 34" and 35" scale instruments, but I can assure you that they're not just an inch longer overall.

My point is the most dramatic difference in playing is neither the placement of the bridge, nor the nut, but in the spacing between the frets! In the lower registers that extra spacing is where one will notice. The placement of your fingers on your fretting hand are slightly different. This makes a difference for some when muscle memory is involved. Some are comfortable with switching between scale lengths, and do so effortlessly. I am not one of those players. I also have a buddy that has been playing 35" 5's for better than 25 yrs. He has trouble playing 34" scale instruments, and even refuses to play a 4 string!

Bridge placement is relative to the instrument! There are some instruments that DO NOT move the placement of the bridge between their 34" and 35" models in relationship to the neck pocket. The bridge is moved back in some cases, to reduce the overall length of the instrument.

 

[Boombass76]

Howdy. OK... just know that the 2 Top Session Bassists in the World...
Nathan East, and Neil Stubenhaus both play 34" scale 5-String Basses!
Yamaha NE2 & Tyler 5 respectively.

As they are required by the nature of the Studio... to provide the best
Bass Sound possible... their choice of a 34" scale 5-String...
and all the amazing sounding tracks they've played on... makes it obvious
that a 34" scale B-String works just fine!

I also play 34" scale 5-string Basses. I tried a 35" scale 5-string
for a while... and absolutely hated it! This being the extra fretting fingers
"stretch" down on about the first 5 frets... as well as the tighter Tension
on the other strings... especially the "G" & "D" strings... made me not want
to ever really pick up that Bass at all!

Also... playing a 35" fretted Bass... then switching to your favourite
34" Fretless... really does mess with your "Finger Memory"...
hence your Intonation!

Bottom line though is... go with what feels best... and sounds best to "you"!

Hm... Who 'The Top 2 Session Players in the World' are is VERY subjective...!

I consider Anthony Jackson as bring 'one of the best session players'. And he plays a 36" Fodera...

 

[BurningSkies]

What if you made each string the perfect length for the open note and adjusted the frets?

That's crazy talk. Then the frets wouldn't be straight...they'd be all splayed...no one could play something like that!

 

[spade2you]

He has trouble playing 34" scale instruments, and even refuses to play a 4 string!

That's his problem, not a fault of the instrument.

Bridge placement is relative to the instrument! There are some instruments that DO NOT move the placement of the bridge between their 34" and 35" models in relationship to the neck pocket. The bridge is moved back in some cases, to reduce the overall length of the instrument.

It varies by make and manufacturer. Rob Allen's bridge placement and top horn make his 35" scale basses feel shorter than most 34" scale basses overall.

 

[Dan Knowlton]

I have both and switch back and forth between them - not a huge difference. Most of the impact on the B string is in the construction and selection of woods, not just the scale length.

Dan K.

 

[cnltb]

Howdy. OK... just know that the 2 Top Session Bassists in the World...
Nathan East, and Neil Stubenhaus both play 34" scale 5-String Basses!
Yamaha NE2 & Tyler 5 respectively.

As they are required by the nature of the Studio... to provide the best
Bass Sound possible... their choice of a 34" scale 5-String...
and all the amazing sounding tracks they've played on... makes it obvious
that a 34" scale B-String works just fine!

I also play 34" scale 5-string Basses. I tried a 35" scale 5-string
for a while... and absolutely hated it! This being the extra fretting fingers
"stretch" down on about the first 5 frets... as well as the tighter Tension
on the other strings... especially the "G" & "D" strings... made me not want
to ever really pick up that Bass at all!

Also... playing a 35" fretted Bass... then switching to your favourite
34" Fretless... really does mess with your "Finger Memory"...
hence your Intonation!

Bottom line though is... go with what feels best... and sounds best to "you"!

The 2 Top Session Bassists in the world?

They sure are 2 of the Top Session Bassists...never mind. Who cares anyways, right?

I personally like 36" and have not seen a 34" 5 string bass that I liked enough to consider for purchase.

 

[cnltb]

That's crazy talk. Then the frets wouldn't be straight...they'd be all splayed...no one could play something like that!

doesn't steve vai play a guitar with "interesting looking" frets?
I forgot what it is called now...sorry!
I think that is available for bass also though.

 

[capnsandwich]

doesn't steve vai play a guitar with "interesting looking" frets?
I forgot what it is called now...sorry!
I think that is available for bass also though.

Aren't you guys talking about fanned frets?

 

[cnltb]

Aren't you guys talking about fanned frets?

I'm not. No.

 

[capnsandwich]

I'm not. No.

OK then. I'm out of the conversation.

 

[Brian Newcombe]

Once again...

Bottom line is: go with what feels best... and sounds best to "you"!

 

[Alper Yilmaz]

Hi Billy,

As far as I know, that is something debated a lot. Some say "it is the string length," and some "it is the scale length."

My experience is it is the build quality and the neck-body joint.

Best,

Alper

I am on that prefers a rare bird...a 34" scale 5 string with a string thru bridge! Where many believie that longer scale length alone makes for a tighter B string, part of the equation is missing, it is the STRING LENGTH, not scale length that makes the most difference. This is part of the formula for Lakland and why the B string is known for not being floppy. Granted, they are 35" scale, most of the instruments leave the factory with the strings running thru the the body of the instrument; thus adding additional tension due to increase in string length.