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Does nut width, string spacing and/or scale length influence your bass purchases?

Does nut width, string spacing and/or scale length influence your bass purchases?

  • Yes. I specifically seek out basses with a narrow nut width.

    Votes: 146 41.1%

  • Yes. I specifically seek out basses with a wide nut width.

    Votes: 64 18.0%

  • Yes. I specifically seek out basses with a narrow string spacing.

    Votes: 86 24.2%

  • Yes. I specifically seek out basses with a wide string spacing.

    Votes: 79 22.3%

  • Yes. I specifically seek out short scale basses.

    Votes: 32 9.0%

  • Yes. I specifically seek out medium scale basses.

    Votes: 26 7.3%

  • Yes. I specifically seek out long scale basses.

    Votes: 146 41.1%

  • Yes. I specifically seek out super long scale basses.

    Votes: 19 5.4%

  • No. None of this matters. Put it in my hands and I will play it.

    Votes: 54 15.2%
  • Total voters
    355
#81
I think there's more at work for feel than just nut width. Rear profile and fretboard radius can go a long way to making a neck feel comfortable or not. If I was just picking specs off a sheet of paper, I'd have my preferences of 1.75" width, 7-1/4" radius, C profile, etc. But I've been plenty happy with necks of other varying specs, too.

For string spacing, yeah, on a 5 or 6, I'd rather have 18-19mm. My current 5 is 17.5mm and it's cozy. I sold a 16.5mm 6-string because it was too narrow.
 
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#82
I didn't vote because there is no answer that works for me, but:

Yes, but I do not seek a specific value for any of these. The only thing I can think of that is consistent is that I won't buy anything with a short scale.

If the spacing, nut width and neck profile all feel good together (whatever the individuals measurements may be) and it sounds how I like it to, I'll consider it for purchase.
 
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#83
Scale and string spacing are huge for me. I don't necessarily prefer wide/narrow or long/short, but I DO insist that my basses are consistent. My main bass happens to be 17.5mm, and every time I pickup up a 19mm, I feel clumsy and slow until I get used to it. I don't want to feel that way when I switch from one of my basses to another; I want practice on one to also be practice on the rest.
 
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#86
There's one thing not on the list that is very important to me when choosing a bass, neck thickness. Since I started using Ibanez SR basses, I found that I prefer thin, "fast" necks. That's also why I selected narrow nut and string spacing. I usually go for 34'' long-scale but I'm thinking about checking out a short-scale bass now.

Edit: my first Ibanez SR was a 5 string and I've stuck with 5 strings from then on. I probably wouldn't even purchase a 4 string bass now
 
Last edited:
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#87
Long and wide.

This one is 35" and 19mm at the bridge. I ordered it that way and it fits me like a glove. I can get along OK with 34" scale and 18mm but I prefer more space all around.
last night with rig.jpg
 
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#89
My preference is for shortscales with 1.5" or smaller nut widths but I also use shortscales with 1.625" nut widths.

Wide or narrow string spacing doesn't matter to me all that much, though I don't mind the pencil neck like that on Vox Hawks and Hofners.
 
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#90
Jeff Scott said:
Write-in vote, here: it depends on the specific instrument in question. None of the choices in your poll fit this, really.
Click to expand...

That's a good point. The same measurements on a different body or for a different purpose don't always work.

For example, I have a strong preference for 34" 4 string basses. But I also will always own a 5 string and a short scale hollowbody because some jobs or recording projects require them.
"Perfect" for me is a D profile neck with a nut width in between a traditional J and P. But I can get used to almost anything else in about 30 seconds.
Generally I'm not picky about string spacing until it gets hard to play, like Bass VI with fingers difficult.
 
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#91
MichaelT said:
There's one thing not on the list that is very important to me when choosing a bass, neck thickness. Since I started using Ibanez SR basses, I found that I prefer thin, "fast" necks. That's also why I selected narrow nut and string spacing. I usually go for 34'' long-scale but I'm thinking about checking out a short-scale bass now.
Click to expand...

Totally agree. Neck profile is another important feature. I almost added that to the equation, but decided to leave it out. It seems the "modern C" appears to be the flavor of the month as of late. Personally, I prefer the baseball bat necks; unfortunately, I only have one with that neck.
 
#100
For me, the bass has got to be set up for my taste first- Low enough that when I play with a pick, the strings almost have fret buzz, but not so much that the note sounds like crap (think Chris Squire's isolated bass part to roundabout on Youtube- ton's of fret buzz from picking hard, but the tone is still great and supports the track!).

String width and neck size aren't that big a deal, but the string spacing has to be even for the given neck- I can play on a P or a J neck without much issue. But if the action sucks or the strings aren't evenly spaced, I'm gonna stumble, and I WILL BIG TIME!!!

Ironically, the only other thing on a bass that is make it or break it for me is the contour for my forearm- gotta have the P/J bass contour there as well. Hard corners (ala Ricky or Aria) hurt after time, because I tend to hold the bass close to my body that way.

Once again, YMMV!
 
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