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Budget short scale for Motown?

#42
I'd check out the danelectro's. Plenty of thump.

Ebo and Eb3 is not going to cut it. If original, the mudbucker lacks mids. Any mids. Also, any notes on the E and A strings above the 5th fret get floppy and muddy. At least mine have. Does, I mean. It can snarl and growl (Eb3) on the bridge pickup but that is not a Motown sound coming out of there.
 
#44
Gentlemen, must we engage in measuring the scale of our necks? :spit: It's not going to help FourBanger find something for his friend. It's pretty much a given that she'll be getting something short-scale-ish. And if our collective advice (and hopefully, "wisdom") keeps her firmly in The Deep End, that'd be awesome!

Yo, Four! See if this guy's Youtube page is of any help. He does a bunch of classic rock covers with a Squier Vintage Modified Mustang. He's not playing Motown tunes, but it sounds mellow enough to at least land it it's musical ballpark.

I, myself, am wondering if it's capable of a more aggressive tone. If so, some day I might grab a loaded body and throw on a Mikey Way neck. What can I say? I'm a sucker for rosewood boards plus painted headstocks. :hmm:
 
#45
I think there's way too much emphasis here on tone, which the OP has already suggested is not a major concern for the young woman who will be playing this bass.

It might be more important to her to have something she can transport back and forth from Uni to Korea and back with a minimum of fuss, like a Hofner Shorty bass, Ashbory, Kala U-bass, etc.
 
#46
Wow, a once helpful thread took a turn for the silly. Listen, if you're playing a bass that works and you can't get a convincing tone out of it for whatever music you're playing, I ain't blaming the bass. I play in a band that regularly does Motown music, and while admittedly I prefer a Precision for it, I have used everything from a Precision to a Jazz to a P Lyte to a modern neck-thru with EMG's to a Dano Longhorn to a Realistic violin bass to a cheapo Steinberger copy, and I always had a good and appropriate tone. Was it dead-on to Jamerson on any of it? No, of course not. Did it sound great? I thought it did as long as I was playing well. So did the audiences, where not a single member in 20 years ever complained that my tone wasn't right.
 
#47
JimmyM said:
Wow, a once helpful thread took a turn for the silly. Listen, if you're playing a bass that works and you can't get a convincing tone out of it for whatever music you're playing, I ain't blaming the bass. I play in a band that regularly does Motown music, and while admittedly I prefer a Precision for it, I have used everything from a Precision to a Jazz to a P Lyte to a modern neck-thru with EMG's to a Dano Longhorn to a Realistic violin bass to a cheapo Steinberger copy, and I always had a good and appropriate tone. Was it dead-on to Jamerson on any of it? No, of course not. Did it sound great? I thought it did as long as I was playing well. So did the audiences, where not a single member in 20 years ever complained that my tone wasn't right.
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As usual Jimmy M has hit the nail on the head.

It is such an incredibly personal choice - I would proceed to the nearest and best big city music store and check out all of the short scale offerings starting with these:

muliples-basses.png


One of the greatest QUALITY short scale solutions is the Fender Japan short scale 1962 replica Jazz Bass. Unfortunately, it is not cheap, but the quality is there. PS: In Japan you need to convert the scale length to inches and double it. They measure scale from the nut to the 12th fret only.

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Good Luck!!!!

BassHappy
www.innertainment.net
 
#48
::::BASSIST:::: said:
I recommend a Squire Jag shortscale. Just roll off the J pup, set the tone pot to half (if desired) and put on some GHS Precision flatwounds (cheap-ish but good).

That should get it close.

$150 or less brand new.

DV016_Jpg_Large_H72938.001.003_rw_silver.jpg
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This would be my recce as well, although I do agree with JimmyM, you should be able to get a workable tone out of any decent short scale bass (this goes for any other bass as well). It just may be easier to get a particular tone you're looking for our of certain basses than others. That doesn't mean it's impossible to get what you want out of these other basses, it's just requires a little more thought/work.
 
#49
Here's the thing. None of your uneducated opinions will ever suffice to explain away the facts that I have presented.

There are no ready-made affordable short scales that I am aware of that are suitable for replicating the classic Motown sound. That's just the facts!

Now, she can either buy a bass and modify it (premature?), or just use the instrument as is in order to learn to play it.
 
#50
Back in the early 70's, I saw James Brown perform on TV. His bassist played a red Fender Mustang and sounded great! The Mustang comes closer to the sound of a P-Bass than any other short-scale I've seen.

On a student's budget, I'd look for a Squeir VM Mustang and put a set of LaBella "Deep Talkin" Flatwounds on it. LaBella makes a set specifically for the Mustang and its strung-thru-body bridge. Use a foam block under the strings at the bridge (like the original Mustang) if you want truly "original" Motown.
 
#51
macmanlou said:
Back in the early 70's, I saw James Brown perform on TV. His bassist played a red Fender Mustang and sounded great! The Mustang comes closer to the sound of a P-Bass than any other short-scale I've seen.

On a student's budget, I'd look for a Squeir VM Mustang and put a set of LaBella "Deep Talkin" Flatwounds on it. LaBella makes a set specifically for the Mustang and its strung-thru-body bridge. Use a foam block under the strings at the bridge (like the original Mustang) if you want truly "original" Motown.
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The trick to pulling that off is to boost the bass on your amp.
 
#52
George, with all due respect, stop looking down your noses at others.

One thing a sound engineer can never quantify is the human ear and mind. Your EQ might tell you that the fundamental is lacking, but clearly many here have let their ears tell them otherwise.

I understand you are, in your own way, tring to help. But it is not helpful because instead of focussing on what can be done you are pointing out what can't be done.
 
#54
George Mann said:
I don't suppose that you are an engineer, or have any real-world experience in voicing short-scale basses?
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No, I don't suppose I'm an engineer, but I am a bass player who has played since 1967. That experience includes many short scale basses. Your appeal to a authority, one of the classic specious arguments, does not negate my experience.Feel free to disagree with me, as I have with you. My experience has been the opposite of yours, apparently. I wish you success in your quest.
 
#56
The OP has tried out a Mustang himself and doesn't like the feel apparently. I suggest that the person who will actually play the bass go on these test trips with him to see if she likes the feel or not of the various basses. There are lots of budget short scales out there now, if she can't find a single one that fits the bill maybe she should worry more about lessons at this point until her muscle memory and ear are a little farther along.

And as a 25+ year recording engineer myself, I can honestly say I've never had a problem getting booty from the short scale basses I've tried. But since this thread isn't about esoteric recording tips or building the ultimate short scale custom tone monster bass for a pro player with a niche need then I'm sure the OP and his friend can find an appropriate bass. Good luck!
 
#57
George Mann said:
Here's the thing. None of your uneducated opinions will ever suffice to explain away the facts that I have presented.

There are no ready-made affordable short scales that I am aware of that are suitable for replicating the classic Motown sound. That's just the facts!

Now, she can either buy a bass and modify it (premature?), or just use the instrument as is in order to learn to play it.
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Number one, who are you calling uneducated and what makes you so darn educated? Replacing pickups on basses? So what? I've done it, too. Number two, nobody gives a crap about replicating the classic Motown sound to the letter here. Number three, I'll say it again...if you can't get a good sound for any type of music out of any type of working bass, you're the lamer and not your bass.
 
#60
JimmyM said:
Number one, who are you calling uneducated and what makes you so darn educated? Replacing pickups on basses? So what? I've done it, too. Number two, nobody gives a crap about replicating the classic Motown sound to the letter here. Number three, I'll say it again...if you can't get a good sound for any type of music out of any type of working bass, you're the lamer and not your bass.
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Big +1, JimmyM.

Choosing an appropriate short scale bass for R&B should not be rocket science. Most any mass-produced bass can handle it.
 

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