Mine was 10 months but that's do to changes but it was well worth it
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JTaylor, I am in the South Bay and I have a Hy5 (an earlier version... but the neck is probably the same as the newer ones, or at least really close.)
I'm 5'5" with average sized hands for a lady & I find the Hy5 very comfortable to play.
For the fretting hand, I do not attempt to stretch one finger per fret down by the nut- if I'm playing fast I use the 1,2,4 fingering. If I'm playing slower, I pivot on the thumb behind the neck (ala Carol Kaye) which eliminates the stretch.
For the plucking hand, I use a floating anchor so my hand is not always trying to stretch from the B string. If I'm anchored on the E string, I lean it back just enough to also touch the B string, which effectively mutes both the E and B strings at the same time, as well as gives my plucking hand less of a stretch.
You mentioned funk, so- slapping is doable... a little harder on a 5 than a 4 (for me) due to the closer string spacing... it just takes practice to get accuracy. I'm still working on that, lol.
Anyway, I know it's a big investment and it's hard to take the plunge without knowing for sure if the bass will fit you! I am super busy for the next week, but PM me and we can figure out a meeting at a Guitar Center in the South Bay sometime this month if you want to test a Hy5 out.
No matter what model you choose, Scott will build you an awesome bass!!
I am not a gold fan but Scott set the bass up with black, silver and gold hardware and sent me pics. Gold was the obvious winner
Here she is just before leaving the shop
This on is #285
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Mohogany, Walnut and Ebony
The first major change was to opp out of the maple neck and go with mohogany
Than I added a D-tuner
Did not need to laminate a matching vernier to the headstock since the neck matched the body the $100 to add vernier covered the Mohogany upgrade
FYI, if you have an early HY5 (with all 5 strings through body), keep in mind the neck is much narrower than the new ones. I happen to like both neck widths for different things, but it's a pretty big difference.
15mm vs. 17mm string spacing...old on the right, new on the left. The older ones feel like a 4 string neck, really great for pick-style playing, but (to me) very different than the new ones. You can REALLY feel the difference as you move up the neck toward the 12th fret.
FYI, if you have an early HY5 (with all 5 strings through body), keep in mind the neck is much narrower than the new ones. I happen to like both neck widths for different things, but it's a pretty big difference.
15mm vs. 17mm string spacing...old on the right, new on the left. The older ones feel like a 4 string neck, really great for pick-style playing, but (to me) very different than the new ones. You can REALLY feel the difference as you move up the neck toward the 12th fret.
Good info! Mine is #32 (built in 2010). Only the B is double strung through. The other strings are strung through, but only the B is double strung. Hopefully same neck feel as the new ones. 17mm string spacing sounds right!
(Its definitely wider than my backup Brice short scale 5er, which has 16mm string spacing.)
Yeah....if it's only the B strung through and the Hipshot bridge, it has the wider spacing.
The narrow spacing is unique to the handmade bridges Scott was doing at the time.
Well, it's not a handmade bridge, but I'm not sure if it's Hipshot... Here's a pic:
Just took a closer look at your really early one with the handmade bridge... how cool is that! I'm pretty sure my string spacing is 17mm, but I don't know if the necks are still shaped the same way they were in 2010.
Just took a closer look at your really early one with the handmade bridge... how cool is that! I'm pretty sure my string spacing is 17mm, but I don't know if the necks are still shaped the same way they were in 2010.
It's the same bridge....definitely the wider spacing. Here's a family pic from my basement dungeon....I love these basses...I'll never play anything else!
Such beautiful instruments, sometimes I just sit and stare at my Shortbass.
@JTaylor do you have both the Shortbass and a Scott Whitley SWB-1? I'd love to hear your thoughts on both!
Yes, I lucked out last year and found the Shortbass barely used on my local Craigslist. It's perfectly balanced and feels very light weight, incredibly comfortable to play. As you can see in the picture, the one I have is fretless with no lines (side dots do the trick just fine) and it produces a good range of tones with just the neck pick-up. When I pick it up to play I don't want to put it down.
The SWB-1 is from the current generation made by Chowny. It is also excellent, especially for the price, and came with a hard flight case and already nicely set up (although my local luthier switched the strings to flats and adjusted the set-up further). It has lots of tonal range, 24 frets, and feels very solidly built. I played a song in drop D recently in a jazz ensemble and the E string still sounded full and not floppy. It feels heavier than the Shortbass and on my frame it's got just a bit of neck dive so it's not quite as comfortable as the other and I prefer to play it sitting, but it also was half the price. I would give the Shortbass an A+ and the SWB-1 an A- or very high B+.
The SWB-1 is from the current generation made by Chowny. It is also excellent, especially for the price, and came with a hard flight case and already nicely set up (although my local luthier switched the strings to flats and adjusted the set-up further). It has lots of tonal range, 24 frets, and feels very solidly built. I played a song in drop D recently in a jazz ensemble and the E string still sounded full and not floppy. It feels heavier than the Shortbass and on my frame it's got just a bit of neck dive so it's not quite as comfortable as the other and I prefer to play it sitting, but it also was half the price. I would give the Shortbass an A+ and the SWB-1 an A- or very high B+.
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Thanks for your input. I'm in the market for a new short scale and I'm down to either the Shortbass or the SWB-1. I think tonally the SWB-1 would be a better fit but there's just something about Mr. Beckwith's creation that keeps calling to me. Maybe, like you, I should get both and call it a day!
I have a Fusion, with multiple upgrades, available right now at a nice discount.
For Sale - Birdsong Fusion 00. Ebony Fretboard, Blackwash Finish, Rear-routing, FREE shipping US 48
I could justify having both since the Shortbass is fretless, and the SWB does have a lot of tonal range and nice features for the price, I love it that it has 24 frets and is so well-built. But it's true nothing feels quite so amazing as Scott's hand-made creations. Now I'm thinking of adding a Hy5 and justifying that with the extra string LOL.
- Nov 18, 2008
- 29
- 10
- Disclosures
- I use exclusively Birdsong basses - my hands are tiny, but my fingers are nimble
Oh man - I love your idea for the dream Sadhana! Thanks for the kind words re: Edensong 
I thought I'd post some updates on my custom Birdsong... it's nearly complete! Fans of The Dark Tower should get a kick out of the inlay on the scroll...
Still plenty to be done, but she's nearing completion! Her name is "The Talisman."
I thought I'd post some updates on my custom Birdsong... it's nearly complete! Fans of The Dark Tower should get a kick out of the inlay on the scroll...Still plenty to be done, but she's nearing completion! Her name is "The Talisman."
