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

[MikeD]

I have short arms, and relatively small hands. So I specifically look for short-scale basses with narrow spacing. Short scales are becoming much easier to find, but no so narrow spacing. In fact, other than Hofner (and Hofner copies) narrow spacing is almost none existent.

I currently have 4 short-scale basses. A Gibson EB-0, Rogue VB-100, Squire Vintage Modified Jaguar SS, and an Ibanez AGB200. Only the Rogue has narrow spacing. All except the Squire are strung with flats. Though the others all sound good, the Ibanez has killer tone. (And killer looks. Its glossy violin burst. Not that pathetic "relic" looking one.)

 

[tds2277]

String spacing is a big issue for me, when you start out playing a 4 string bass, the standard Fender string spacing, rather you play a fender or not is 19mm at the bridge, then you go to a 5 string and the spacing goes down, then eventually if you decide to go to a 6 string the spacing is even narrower, for me that seems strange, if you start on 19mm then my thought would be no matter if you go to a 5 or a 6 the string spacing should be the same, to keep it uniform, yes I know the neck gets wider....but some how that is not the way it is, I have always found that to be very strange, I know Warwick does have what they call a broad-neck on its 5 string or 6 and that string spacing is 20mm, and to me that is great...It all started for me when I custom ordered a Modulus 5 SPI, at the time it was a 6 string bass with only 5 strings on it, so the string spacing was 21.5 mm at the bridge, I loved that!...Here years later I finally had the opportunity to custom order a bass to my exact specs, from Surine Basses out of Colorado, so I ordered a Surine Quest NTVII Neck through 35 inch scale, Pale Moon Ebony Top, Back, and Matching head stock, Body - Honduras Mahogany, Neck Hard Rock Maple, with 3 Walnut Stringers, finger board Ebony. This is a 7 string wide neck with only 6 strings on it, here are the specs, Nut is 2.5 inches, the width at the 24th fret is 4.5 inches wide, my string spacing on the Sonova individual bass bridges is 21.5 mm...and it plays like a dream, I do run Bartolini passive/ active pickups, however, I took the battery out, active bass pickups are not for me, that is the only thing I would really ever want to change on this bass, I would love to put in some Aero Passive Pickups, some day perhaps, but for now, everything is just fine....I do have pics on my profile if anyone would like to see her.

 

[fermata]

Short scales are becoming much easier to find, but no so narrow spacing. In fact, other than Hofner (and Hofner copies) narrow spacing is almost none existent.

I love the narrow spacing on my Hofner for the economy of motion it affords. I also have another short scale with typical 19mm spacing, and it's OK, but the Hofner is more comfortable. Too bad narrow spacing is such a rare thing. (Although Invalid Link Removed, for one, also offers it.)

 

[ric426]

I'm not comfortable on anything longer than a 34" scale, but aside from that, I'm equally bad on anything and can jump from a wide spaced long scale 5 to a narrow short scale 4 without much problem. When you're as slow as I am, changes don't trip you up as much.

 

[MikeD]

Too bad narrow spacing is such a rare thing. (Although Invalid Link Removed, for one, also offers it.)

Do you know which Chowny it is? I went to their website and they don't list spacing for any of their basses?

 

[mark beem]

I prefer 19mm string spacing at the bridge and 35” scale on all my basses.

 

[fermata]

Do you know which Chowny it is? I went to their website and they don't list spacing for any of their basses?

The SWB-1 has 18 mm spacing, and the CHB-1 and 2 have Hofner-style bridges, so 16-ish mm.

 

[MikeD]

The SWB-1 has 18 mm spacing, and the CHB-1 and 2 have Hofner-style bridges, so 16-ish mm.

Thanks. I kinda like the looks of that CHB-1... in sunburst. Wonder if they have any dealers in the U.S.?

 

[fermata]

Not as far as I know--it's a direct/mail order kind of thing.

 

[MikeD]

Not as far as I know--it's a direct/mail order kind of thing.

Hmmmmm. Too bad. I'd really like to try one out.

 

[RandM]

When you're as slow as I am, changes don't trip you up as much.

Hey - I don't rest on a note so much as
inhabit it myself : )

But you know what? Back when I was young and impressionable and had just discovered I was not going to be the next Jeff Beck (oh God - what is there left worth living for!) someone pointed out a fella by the name of J Walsh.

You could hear the scales that fell from my
eyes hit the ground : )
And as I can do Frontman/Harmony, with Joe ringing in my ears I started looking for
"the notes" rather than a lot of them.

Now if I do a fast run it's only because that's what the Song is asking me for -
and I don't give a Gold Toothed Flash Rat's
Arse about trying to be Fast Freddy.

Cheers Maurie

 

[mongo2]

Over the weekend I picked up an Epiphone EB-0 at a yard sale in very nice shape for $50. The nut width is only 1-13/32" with a slim taper, not chunky, shallow profile and string spacing at the bridge that's 2-1/8"

It's becoming a favorite very quickly.

 

[Eilif]

I'm flexible on spacing but i only play basses with p bass width nuts and i only buy basses with 35" scale. Limits my gas nicely and combined with a shallow neck it ensures that all my basses fit me like a glove.

 

[Qlanq]

I have the hands of an 8 year-old so it was always Jazz 38mm necks or Steinberger.
A few years ago 34' scale became a painful stretch for my left hand-this happened almost overnight.
Tried a short-scale and haven't looked back.
Got a Kala Uke bass a few months ago and fell in love, just like picking up the bass for the first time again.

 

[john nelson]

Everything. I particularly do not like very narrow necks or high action.

 

[mcgreivey]

Scale length. Only 30".

 

[Kozmyk]

I don't like spacing under 17mm though I'm OK from 17mm to 20mm and my hands are fairly small. My 5s fretless has 16.5mm and I'm fine with it but the matching fretted feels a little cramped, I've gigged it but moving to it from a wider bass I really notice it.
34" scale on a low B is a lottery. Some makers manage to get it to sound all right but 35" or longer always does.
I have two Yamaha 6s and two Ibanez 5s with a 34" scale and their Bs sound good enough but I've had some dogs too.
My number one 5 stringer has 35". The longer scale doesn't seem to bother my medium/small hands.

 

[NigelPDavies]

Of course anyone can get used to anything, but specs make a big difference to the feel of an instrument. Neck profile & finish is going to have more influence than anything else but all these factors add up to whether you feel more comfortable with one bass than another.

 

[DarkAvianFind]

I haven't sorted out a preference in string spacing and I honestly can't tell the difference in nut width just by playing, but my current quest for a 5 is focused primarily on 35" scale. Although that's only one factor, sound and playability are more important.

 

[chowny]

Thanks. I kinda like the looks of that CHB-1... in sunburst. Wonder if they have any dealers in the U.S.?

None unfortunately. Good shout on adding string spacing to the site. I'll do it.

It's 16.5mm on the CHB-1 and CHB-2 btw.

We're at NAMM in January on the hunt for USA dealers. So catch us there... or with luck, find us in a store near you soon.