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Benefits of short scale basses?

#41
Shorter, lighter, cheaper, usually.

I don't know if I call anything they have "advantageous." Just different.

FWIW, I have two Mustangs, a Musicmaster, and Bronco basses. The Musicmaster was my most often used bass for years. I also have regular scale basses. Neither type would replace the other for me. They're both great, fun, and different.
 
#42
On your 34" bass, play a Gb Major scale at the 2nd fret. Now shift your hand up 2 frets and play an Ab Major scale at the 4th fret. Feels a little different, doesn't it?

The difference between 34" and 30" basses is almost exactly 2 frets.
 
#43
Short scale is easier to play, and lighter and good for oldies like me. I started on a shorty Hagstrom back in the 60's, and now I am back with my fantastic Mustang P/J.

BYW - People often comment on a "tubby" sound for the shorties, but I believe that this is due to many using the WRONG strings - they use regular scale strings and cut them down. The strings never reach proper playing tension, and sound "tubby". Be sure to use the correct, Short Scale strings. I have T.I. Flats on mine and you really cannot tell it from my MIA P when played with the band.

The best part about the Mustang P/J is that Adorama has them on sale periodically for under $400 delivered! The MIM quality is really amazingly good.

IMG_3813.JPG
 
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#44
During a show I switch between mandolin, guitar and bass. Shorties are easier to accommodate. Nothing against long scale, I own a couple, I just don’t use them at live shows. If I played bass only all night, I would have no problem using my long scale.
 
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#45
dezisapunk said:
I've been looking around this forum, and there seems to be a lot of people who love short scale basses. Whats the benefits of them over normal scale basses?
Click to expand...

This is like asking "how long is a piece of string"? The short answer is that any benefits depends. What genre(s) of music do you play? What tone are you chasing? Do you use double stops and/or chords a lot? How large are your hands? How long are your arms? 4 string or 5 string?

For my personal answer to those questions (and others) a medium scale (32") works best for me.
 
#48
For me it is purely about ergonomics relating to reach, not the distance between the frets or tone. I’ve had some severe spinal trauma and surgery that left me with residual nerve damage. While I don’t have any problem with the fret spacing on a 34” or 35” scale bass (i.e., the fingering isn’t the issue), what can be a problem for me on full or long scale basses is the distance of nut from my left shoulder. A long reach causes arm pain, wrist/finger numbness, etc. A shorter scale bass means I’m not reaching as far when I’m playing in first position (assuming the bridge is reasonably close to the bottom end of the body and the top horn is reasonably long, both of which result in the bass hanging farther to my right and thus bringing the nut closer to my left shoulder).

FWIW, I have found that medium scale basses (32-33” scale) give me all the relief I need and I don’t get any additional benefit by going as small as a true short scale. Thankfully, some of the finest basses ever made, and my personal favorites by far, are medium scale Muckelroys!

Here are two 32” Muckelroy HMC’s next to a 34” scale FGN, for perspective/reference:
DBCC709D-D7C1-48B8-8590-D65DF3F4DCB7.jpeg
 
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#50
GIBrat51 said:
To be perfectly honest - I wouldn't say a short scale bass provides any real benefits over a long scale one. I would say that some shortys are better for some people, but, there are too many variations in the basses (and people) to make any kind of a blanket statement. Yeah, some shortys weigh less than some long scale ones; but not always. For example;
View attachment 3562011 this 34" scale Dano DC59 weighs almost 3 lbs. less than View attachment 3562015 this short scale, headless Kramer Duke. As for fast? The Dano's neck is fast as a snake...the fastest, smoothest neck of any bass I own, in fact. Yes, some shorty's can be easier for some people to play; OTOH, some of them - like
View attachment 3562020 this Gretsch Broadkaster - are actually harder to play (for me, anyway) than any of my 34" scale basses...harder, even, than this View attachment 3562076 notoriously "hard to play" long scale bass. So, I guess I'd have to say that some short scale basses are "better" for some people, but - the person that thinks that all short scale basses are light, fast, and easy to play? Well, he's in for a rude shock... It very much depends on the person and the bass. Personally? I have 24 basses at the moment, and a third of them are short scales. Some of them I bought because they were short scales, and filled a particular spot in my herd; the others - like the Kramer Duke? That's just how things worked out.. My basses simply are what they are, and I have no real preference as far as scale length goes. I have 2 basses that live on stands next to my amp;
View attachment 3562033 View attachment 3562034 these two. And, they both get about equal playing time...:cool:
Click to expand...
That is the coolest Dano I've seen.
 
#51
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.

View attachment 3562487
Click to expand...
Wow, nice bass!!!!
 
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#53
Cutter8 said:
For me it is purely about ergonomics relating to reach, not the distance between the frets or tone. I’ve had some severe spinal trauma and surgery that left me with residual nerve damage. While I don’t have any problem with the fret spacing on a 34” or 35” scale bass (i.e., the fingering isn’t the issue), what can be a problem for me on full or long scale basses is the distance of nut from my left shoulder. A long reach causes arm pain, wrist/finger numbness, etc. A shorter scale bass means I’m not reaching as far when I’m playing in first position (assuming the bridge is reasonably close to the bottom end of the body and the top horn is reasonably long, both of which result in the bass hanging farther to my right and thus bringing the nut closer to my left shoulder).

FWIW, I have found that medium scale basses (32-33” scale) give me all the relief I need and I don’t get any additional benefit by going as small as a true short scale. Thankfully, some of the finest basses ever made, and my personal favorites by far, are medium scale Muckelroys!

Here are two 32” Muckelroy HMC’s next to a 34” scale FGN, for perspective/reference:
View attachment 3562844
Click to expand...
man those are some sweet mucks!
 
#54
ThinCrappyTone said:
man those are some sweet mucks!
Click to expand...
Thanks. I agree, but then again, I think all Muckelroys are sweet! On top of the fact that Brady is obviously a truly gifted luthier, it just so happens that his ergonomic priorities and aesthetic sensibilities are 100% in alignment with mine. So, to me, he builds the perfect basses*. God knows I’ve spent a lot of time and money to find out if there’s anything out there I like more, but so far nothing really quite compares. I may keep looking for a little while, but eventually I may be happiest if I just sell all my other basses and use the funds to get one or two more Mucks.:)

*FWIW, all of my hands-on experience has been with medium scale Mucks (32” and 33”). I’ve never laid hands on a full scale model.
 
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#55
I don't understand (i'm sorry...) 33" scale Basses, too similar in 34".....short scale has benefits in 30-32" range of scale they're tonal different and lighter to play and lighter in weight than the 34" The next would be one 30" or 28"
 
#59
Pros (as far as mine go): smaller, more comfortable, lighter, decent balance, really fun to play, no huge difference in sound once playing loud through a couple of pedals - probably more noticeable straight into amp or DI, though

Cons: less string choice, although it's getting better. Downtuning on low string isn't ideal, I've ordered a .112 for a low C# and might even need to go higher gauge than that in future. You'll probably know at least once musician that'll constantly refer to them as toys, 'girly', far too small for them to consider playing with their giant manly hands, etc etc - I suggest solving this issue the same way I did, by getting one in pink

I've played bass for well over half my life, 2 decades or so. Always gigged with 34" scales (other than maybe two with a Squier Mustang), then I entertained myself during lockdown by ordering a shortie Stingray. Now I have a Mustang PJ too, sold one long scale & have another on the chopping block. I may stick with shorties forever, I find them so much more fun.

People may tell you why you shouldn't play a shortie, or why 30" scale is better, or why long scale is the only way to go, or that you need a 35" for a good low B... don't listen to them. Only you can decide which feels right for you, and frankly what works for other people just isn't relevant.
 
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