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are the short scale basses your thing?

#22
I frequently GAS for a short scale bass. I was just given a short scale Bronco that is a fun toy and fully gig-able, but in general I find the short scale basses a bit cramped and limited in their tone. One trick ponies. So, I almost always cure my short scale gas, by going and playing on one. I just suggest before you rush to purchase, give it a solid try. There are probably reasons 99% of bass players play 34" scale. This is in no way saying the 1% are wrong, but short scales are not for everyone. I still GAS for them.
 
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#23
<<<That's my short scale over there. Birdsong cBass. All the Precision sound you could want for under 7 lbs. Besides the weight, it's easier to play, and short enough so i don't have to worry about hitting the singer in the mouth on a crowded stage. Not inexpensive, but for me, anyway, totally worth it.
 
#26
bushy said:
are the short scale basses your thing?
Click to expand...

If you mean instruments under ~42" scale length, yeah I dig 'em. I have small-ish hands, but 42 inches is still no problem at all. If you mean under 34 or 32 inches, nope.
Yel_wink.gif
 
#27
"are the short scale basses your thing?"

I've used both short and long scales for over 45 years and about 20 years ago I started shifting to using shortscales more and more until several years ago I found myself gigging shortscales exclusively.
 
#28
it wasn't on purpose, but I've never had a medium or short scale bass. My first was a Yamaha RBX374, with had a 34" scale. Then I had a Peavey Fury, Schecter Damien, and two Stilettos, all 35". Those guitars were all just comfortable to play for me.

I've only purchased one new guitar in the last 15 years, and that was an ESP H-302, which is a 25" scale. I just gravitate to longer scales. And it's a good thing I stick with them, because any time I play a friend's guitar that's a shorter scale, I feel like I'm even worse than I really am. It's all muscle memory lol...not any actual skill
 
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#33
If you play a lot of guitar, a short scale feels a lot faster. Duh, right? But it's true, and kind of takes you by surprise.

When I started playing Hofner violin basses, I couldn't help thinking that this must have felt really good to McCartney. I think he had even strung up a standard scale electric guitar with bass strings in the early days (or piano strings or something).
 
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#34
Not my thing. Have owned about 5 short scales over the years, last one is my Dano Wild Thing. Can't get used to my left arm being so close to my body and the light body just doesn't hang right. My T40's I find better suited.

If short scales are your thing then play the heck out of them. Pester string makers for more variety too, once they realise there's a large and vocal number of short scale players they'd be crazy to ignore that section of the market :thumbsup:
 
#36
I think I've done most of my bassgiggin shortscale. When I first started playing it was A. what I had, B. duh, obv felt easier, so if I had a gig where I was concerned at all about keeping up, I prob cheated by playin the smalls.

Oddly now that I'm used to the long, they don't feel nearly that different. I'm far more likely to notice small diff in guitar scales.
 
#37
I have a medium scale bass and even though I'm huge, I really like it. The length of the neck is not as much an issue as the string spacing being so small. Do they make a medium or short scale that has spacing more like a jazz neck? also are there short scale 5ers? I've been gigging my squire 5 a TON and after two consecutive gigs (7+ hours) twice a week my back and shoulder have been hurting.
 
#38
i'm 5'3", but i only played long or extra long scale basses till i tore a rotator cuff. after that, it was play short scales or don't play at all, and i've learned to love my short scale basses. if my shoulder ever got all the way better, which isn't likely, i'd keep playing short scales a lot of the time.

i have a couple ibanez mikros (one has duncan music man pickups), and i think they're the mikro is the best couch player ever. i also own a fender mustang P/J, which is one of the best sounding basses i've ever played. i have a squier jag that i love playing. i've also owned several hofners (a violin bass, a club bass and a shorty) and a squier bronco, which is a very fun bass, sort of a lighter, cheaper version of the mustang, and i regretted selling it almost immediately.

i also have a medium scale traveler TB-4P and a 34" scale dimension bass, but the one that i play the most is my stock green mikro. it just feels so good - the neck, not just the short scale and light weight.
 

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