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Benefits of short scale basses?

#21
Trouztrouz said:
The primary advantage is that the frets are nearer to one another and therefore have a reduced tendency toward loneliness.
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Wow.
This is deep and insightful thinking indeed.
I honestly hadn't considered this.
As far as I'm concerned, this is now my number one reason to use a shortscale.
Weight, comfort, back/shoulder/hand injuries, even tone ... all pale into insignificance in comparison.:D
 
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#22
My short scales feel like driving a sports car compared to my 34" SUVs.

The shortscale thumpy, tubby thing is a bit overblown. With the right pickups and strings a SS can be as versatile as any 34" bass. From my experience I will grant that they don't handle a B string very well, although rumor has it there are some excellent 5-string short scales out there.
 
#23
Frank77 said:
That's a gorgeous bass! Mine looks like its fatter, rounder sibling (mine's 34'' scale).

Now with all the recent hype/love about the new Mustang / Jaguar shorties, I might be tempted to go all the way and get a headless shorty...as soon as I can figure out a way to cram even more gear in my apartment.

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Frank77 said:
That's a gorgeous bass! Mine looks like its fatter, rounder sibling (mine's 34'' scale).

Now with all the recent hype/love about the new Mustang / Jaguar shorties, I might be tempted to go all the way and get a headless shorty...as soon as I can figure out a way to cram even more gear in my apartment.

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awesome bass, they do look similar! And I hear you on gear cramming challenges :roflmao:
 
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#25
dalkowski said:
(I committed to shorties after one too many times playing "Green Onions" made me want to chop off my left hand. I need my left hand.)
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A lot of people play that song with the "wrong" fingering (I use quotes because I don't actually believe there is a "right" or "wrong" technique in music) and wear out their left hands. Check out live videos of Duck Dunn playing it with the MG's to learn the comfortable fingering that won't strain your hand. :)
 
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#27
I injured my hands over the years and some days playing medium(my Ric or Reverend) scale is ok but 34" is out of the question. A short scale on the other hand allows me to play comfortably as long as I need. I keep one on hand just for that.
 
#28
Loving this little beast. Sounded great in the mix yesterday
74EBDA16-8EF3-47CF-BC85-4DA535DA0E7A.jpeg
 
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#29
Mushroo said:
A lot of people play that song with the "wrong" fingering (I use quotes because I don't actually believe there is a "right" or "wrong" technique in music) and wear out their left hands. Check out live videos of Duck Dunn playing it with the MG's to learn the comfortable fingering that won't strain your hand. :)
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Noted! Duck will have to wait a day, though, b/c I'm all in on Art Blakey today.
 
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#31
For me it’s different tones and note response.

Also, a lot’s been happening on the short-scale front since they’ve started getting popular again. You can no longer assume every short-scale is going to have that round tubby 60s vibe. I have a Chowny SWB-1 that plays and sounds more like a JB than anything else. It’s also not any lighter than some 34” scale basses I own. So be wary of the stereotypes you’ve traditionally heard about them. It’s a new world out there.
 
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#33
ThinCrappyTone said:
the main reason I went ss is shoulder issues. The shorter neck means less shoulder pain when playing in first position or reaching to grab a tuner.

Have to say though, for me, short scale + headless is really where its at. All the other ss benefits plus light weight, perfect balance, no stretching for tuners, tuning stability, fits in a guitar gig bag.

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That's the first headless bass I can say that didn't turn me off. Nice!
 
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#35
They sound like short scales. They usually (but obviously not always) weigh less. Many cool classic designs like Hofners, Guild Starfires, EBOs and Mustangs are short-scale.

I initially got my short scale because I was switching from guitar, and when I tried out basses in the shop, the short scale seemed easier to play. Now, I have both a short scale and a long scale, and I don't find one or the other easier to play, but I still gig with the short scale because my bandmates insist on it. They like the sound where the fundamental and the click of the pick (when I'm playing with one) are dominant, and they like how percussive it is with flats. I can't say that I disagree with them, although I occasionally wish I could swing around a giant ax like a real bass player.

But the main reason I like my short scale is one of the main reasons anyone plays a slightly unusual instrument; my setup gives me a sound that's effective, distinctive, and doesn't sound exactly like everyone else. 75% of what I'm playing is punk rock 8th notes, and I want to stand out without distracting.
 
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#40
PlatoFunFactory said:
I recently picked up an MIM mustang and the thing that struck me most was how easy it is to play palm-muted with a pick (one of my favorite tones). It just puts my wrist in a much better position which is something I hope will pay dividends in the coming years.
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yup. i play palm-muted with a pick occasionally, and i much prefer my right hand positioning on a SS.
 
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