Any disadvantages to short scale basses?

[ejaggers]

.....
But truthfully one should play the bass that feels right to them. I've played shorties since the mid 60s. Have had a few long scales including 60s and 70s P&J basses and a mid 90s Gibson Les Paul and got rid of every one of them as I just never could get used to playing them....
\.

I started out on short scale and played them for years before I got my first Fender Jazz, which I hated for years. I've always said that I believe it's easier to go from long scale to short scale, than the other way around. Now I'm comfortable with both, but my favorite bass to play is still, and will always be my SS Coronado II which was my second bass that I owned. My first was a SS Kalamazoo KB which was really junk and would never stay tuned.

Back on point, there's absolutely a down side to short scales, and I'm surprised no one has brought it up. The down side is string selection, not as many choices as with LS, and SS tend to buzz easier so a GOOD setup and string choice is essential. Other than that, SS's rule!!!

I own 4 shorties, Coronado II, Musicmaster, SG, Jag, and I'm listing them in the order of my preference. People recommend the Jag a lot but it's my least favorite shorty.
057912

 

[brianrost]

I play everything from 30" to 34" bass guitars and DB which is in the 42" range plus once owned an old Airline bass with a 25" scale

All else equal (which seldom is the case) the shorter scale means lower string tension and less defined notes on the E string.

The biggest problem is finding the right bass. There's less choice and certain classic designs simply aren't available...for instance the only 30" Jazz Bass style instruments I've seen are budget imports from SX/Rondo. If price is no object there is always Alembic

Good luck.

 

[MasonMinor]

A bit harder to find strings for in my personal experience. But that's it

 

[Feral Feline]

Meh, 30" isn't short-scale...

So, no worries about 30" scale drawbacks.

...is there a downside to short scale basses? I'm particularly wondering about sound. Is anything impacted by the shorter neck? Should I learn to deal with a 34"?
...

I'm not suggesting you get a Ubass, though they are a lot of fun and many TBers do gig them regularly, just making a point about short scales and sound. There are no worries about the sound lacking on a short scale, if the instrument has been engineered well.

What will be impacted by a shorter neck is your comfort level, I bet, as in you may find it more to your liking.



Oh, and there is one more thing. It's been emotional.


No, that's not what I meant to say. The one more thing I meant to mention is...

TECHNIQUE!

There is one petite lady in the HK Philharmonic who's getting around on a regular ol' doublebass, so maybe try adopting DB fingering to your fretted EBG and the painful stretches will be mitigated.

Good luck in your quest!

 

[40Hz]

I play everything from 30" to 34" bass guitars and DB which is in the 42" range plus once owned an old Airline bass with a 25" scale

All else equal (which seldom is the case) the shorter scale means lower string tension and less defined notes on the E string.

The biggest problem is finding the right bass. There's less choice and certain classic designs simply aren't available...for instance the only 30" Jazz Bass style instruments I've seen are budget imports from SX/Rondo. If price is no object there is always Alembic

Good luck.

Squier does a really nice VM Jag in short scale that's a tone machine and a real dream to play after (like any bass) a decent setup. Might be worth a look.

 

[mistergoats]

The "lighter, faster, more comfortable" argument for short scale basses doesn't hold up, either. My last shorty was a Dan Armstrong - heavy with a P-bass-like neck. I also played a Mustang bass for a bit. I'm on Gibson Thunderbirds now and the thin neck profile in a 34" scale is perfect, and body-wise, those basses are LONG. Something like a Fender Jazz (what I learned on) might also be a good difference splitter. A thinner neck profile in a 34" scale might be what you need!

Tone-wise, with the right amount of patience and pedals and amp selection, you can dial up pretty much anything these days. Do what you love, stick with what you know.

 

[dincz]

All else equal (which seldom is the case) the shorter scale means lower string tension

So you'd need a higher action to avoid buzzing I guess?

 

[Mantis Tobaggan]

I played my uncle's Hofner and thought it sounded great. My Rick is 33.25 and I love it. I don't think there is a huge noticable difference, at least that I can tell. If it plays easier, I would get one. I'm a dude that is 6'3 with good size hands so I don't have that issue.

 

[Old Blastard]

I learned on a 30-scale. I have four all together and I love them. I prefer 32-inch, but they're hard to find. Go play some and see which ones float your boat. I like semi-hollows, personally, and solid body long-scales.

 

[domonic]

 

[TJH3113]

The only reason I don't play a short scale bass is because I'm afraid my hands would "shrink" and I'd have difficulty adjusting back to a full scale instrument. I'd consider the lack of selection another downside. I'm friends with this fellow on Facebook and he plays nothing but short scales and does quite well. He's currently touring with what's left of Big Country.
Scott Whitley's bass reviews - YouTube

 

[electracoyote]

Some of my favorite recorded bass lines were done on a short scale. I play both, and there may be some tonal consistencies to each scale, but it's never been enough to bother me.

 

[Doug Parent]

Hey, guys. Let's get this over with: I'm a girl. I have small hands. I can manage on a 34", but I feel my abilities might be better translated on a short scale bass. And maybe my left hand won't ache quite as much after playing something like "Face the Face" or a similar stretch-on-the-really-low-frets song.

However, I'm wondering...is there a downside to short scale basses? I'm particularly wondering about sound. Is anything impacted by the shorter neck? Should I learn to deal with a 34"?

Discuss, friends.

I would build a short scale Warmoth because the stiffening rods in the neck go a long way in getting a more even tone and this also translates into better response from lower tension strings.

 

[Ric5]

Hey, guys. Let's get this over with: I'm a girl. I have small hands. I can manage on a 34", but I feel my abilities might be better translated on a short scale bass. And maybe my left hand won't ache quite as much after playing something like "Face the Face" or a similar stretch-on-the-really-low-frets song.

However, I'm wondering...is there a downside to short scale basses? I'm particularly wondering about sound. Is anything impacted by the shorter neck? Should I learn to deal with a 34"?

Discuss, friends.

The advantage to a 34" scale bass is tone ... There is a different tone on the first 5 frets. That being said a short scale bass has a cool tone of its own ... mellower and smoother ...

Short scale basses to try ...

Rickenbacker 33"

Gibson SG bass 32"

Ibanez Mikro 28"

 

[MultiScaleMale]

You can easily try a shorter scale bass by tuning down a half step and using a capo at the first fret. That's roughly 32", medium scale. Drop it another half step and capo at the second fret. Roughly 30.5" and that's typical of short scale basses. The dots will be off, of course, but you can see if you like the tone and feel of the scale.

 

[ejaggers]

The advantage to a 34" scale bass is tone ... There is a different tone on the first 5 frets. That being said a short scale bass has a cool tone of its own ... mellower and smoother ...

Short scale basses to try ...

Rickenbacker 33"

Gibson SG bass 32"

Ibanez Mikro 28"

The Gibson SG is a 30.5"

 

[Pilgrim]

After a couple of decades of playing, I don't hear any significant difference in 34" vs. 32" scale; perhaps I just like both.

But for a fantastic short scale bass, the chambered Gretsch ThunderJet 6128 is one heck of a bass! It's the middle one in this picture, with dual ThunderTron pickups. It's a lovely bass, but it's more expensive than some with a street price in the $1300-$1600 range. This is by far the nicest bass I own with impeccable workmanship, good balance, moderate weight, and it's a tremendous performer.

The Orange one is a Gretsch 5123, which is also short scale but is a hollowbody with a slightly deeper body than most Gibsons. Lovely bass, now made in burgundy color, around $800. Perhaps more of a specialty instrument unless you really like hollowbodies.

IMO you wouldn't go wrong with any Gretsch. I can't say that I've ever played a Gretsch in any model that I didn't like.

The most basic short scale Gretsch out there that will rock your socks off is one of the short scale 2202 models (no longer in production) with a single TV Jones - designed pickup. They're available on Ebay for under $200, and they are a KILLER budget bass. There is a newer version of the 2202 which may very well be good, but I haven't tried it. The 2202 only came in black with a fade to grey on the front of the body. (I have a Squier Bronco with this TV Jones-design pickup in it, and that's an excellent combination.)

 

[soxhats]

I stupidly sold a Jerry Jones Longhorn (30") a few years ago. Never had trouble going back and forth between it and my 34"-scale basses. Boy, do I miss that one.

 

[Basshappi]

I love my SG, no problem of getting plenty of bass tone from that badboy!
Those Gretch 2202s were fantastic sounding basses, I really wish they had made a lefty version of them.

 

[khutch]

There is a downside to everything, I would suppose. The selection of short scale strings is smaller than for long scale. The selection of short scale basses is also smaller but then there are some basses that are only available as short scale. Short scale basses may sound different but the various long scale designs sound different from each other so there is nothing unexpected there and different is not the same as bad. There is no characteristic short scale bass sound, the various short scale basses sound as different from each other as long scale basses do. You can get a very nice bass tone out of short scale basses. My short scale is a Squier VI and it sounds different from any of my 34 inch basses but it would sound just as different if you built one scaled it up to 34 inches. It plays well and it sounds great. I've got the low string on mine tuned to the 31 Hz C and it even does that just fine. So, if you think that a short scale bass would work better for you physically you should try one. You might have to dial in your string selection, technique, EQ settings, etc to get a tone that you love but you'd have to do that with any new bass, regardless of the scale length. Try one, it sounds like it could work very well for you.

Seems like a lot of Jaguar SS owners love them. Seems like a lot of Gretsch Junior Jet owners love them. Seems like a lot of us Squier VI owners love them. Seems like a lot of people who have switched to any short scale bass for definite physical reasons love them. Seems like there is a pattern here, doesn't it?