Full Scale or Short Scale?

[mazareth]

Short scale for me. I have 2 standard scale basses that I almost never play.

I should probably sell them to someone who'll play them. My Birdsongs are my main players.

 

[Pilgrim]

I like both and play both. I like each bass for its own sound and personality. Changing back and forth isn't a problem.

I am finding that over time, I like the shorter, faster necks on the short scale basses and I'm tending to play them more.

 

[stickynotes]

The bodies on a Mustang are also smaller than a standard jazz bass. If you shrunk your strat by 20% you might feel like you were holding a kids guitar. It's relative to what we're use to. I'll will follow up once I get my beloved jazz bass back with it's new short neck......could be a few weeks. Michael Dolan takes his time, but he's good.

 

[wisconsindead]

Just switched to short scale. I wanted it for comfort reasons, but I should mention it was also the scale of the bass I really wanted. After only a week from switching I found my bass of 3 years (34") difficult to play.

 

[Bassbubble11]

I learned on long scale so that's what I play BUT I have a thing for Jazz necks.

 

[Seryna]

I played a short scale way back 3 years ago and yeah, they are really comfortable to play with.

 

[Pilgrim]

I have a couple of Telecaster bodies and I'm going to build a short scale Tele bass for fun.

 

[Whit Townsend]

I have and have had both 34s and 30s. 30s are def fast and fun. Ric scale is nice too kinda in between. Right now I'm enjoying my Starfire(30).
I'm not sure how a shorty 5er would do, never had a 5 str of any scale.

 

[MarkusBass]

I have a couple of Telecaster bodies and I'm going to build a short scale Tele bass for fun.

Love the one I have!

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[fjadams]

Short scales exclusively.

Oldest is a 64' Hagstrom, newest is a 013' Starfire.

 

[Marko 1]

If I played four string, I’d probably prefer a short-scale (had a nice Mustang for a while), but since I play fivers, often higher on the neck where the frets aren’t so spread out, 34” works fine for me.

 

[bmoney1990]

I like them both! I play both 34" and 30" scale. I have some very nice short scales that really are a blast to play! Have a lot of great 34" scales too. I feel that the 30" scale basses have this underlying woolly tone that I really gig. I'm a big guy too, and both scales are very compy.

Markus, I've got to ask.. what is the bass in your picture? It's fantastic, is it a SS?

 

[Psychbunny]

I switched exclusively to short scales in 2013. In 2012 I bought a Gibson Flying V and was shocked at how much easier it was to play than my Jazz and my Godin. I bought an SG in 2013 and got rid of the 34"ers. (BTW, I switch between the two pretty evenly but tone wise the V with the dual T-bird pups wins hands down). I am gassing for the Eastwood 32" Side Jack right now but likely will live with the two Gibson's this year.

 

[Orangeclawhammr]

Absolutely short scale.

I think the notion that a bass has to be the size of a tree for great tone is nonsense.

Lots of bass players play a long scale bass - and then spend the rest of their lives chasing tone that they can only have - with a short scale.

I play and market guitar-scale basses. Eventually more players will realize that there is great tone - and playing joy - to be had with a much shorter scale bass.

I bought my Gold Tone MicroBass from Frank. My only other bass is a Squier Jag SS. If I ever buy another bass, it's gonna be one of those Picco solid body basses. On those rare occasions when I play out, it's in cramped spaces. These short scale basses are ideal.

 

[bmoney1990]

I have never played on a SS. But if you can play faster than on a Jazz Bass, I may have to consider. Thought about mod'n up an SS Jag.

 

[MarkusBass]

Markus, I've got to ask.. what is the bass in your picture? It's fantastic, is it a SS?

Thanks very much! Answered you're PM! Let me know if you have anymore questions. I'd be glad to full you in!

 

[RedHotFuzz]

The bodies on a Mustang are also smaller than a standard jazz bass. If you shrunk your strat by 20% you might feel like you were holding a kids guitar.

Perhaps. But I have a Taylor GS Mini acoustic guitar. It doesn't feel like a toy, it feels like a really comfortable guitar. It doesn't feel like a 5-year-old child sitting on your lap like my old Epiphone. It feels like all acoustic guitars should feel but never do.

Perhaps people have just become so accustomed to full-scale basses being large, heavy and uncomfortable that they've come to believe that's just the way they have to be?

 

[Mugre]

I have a 34 from the old days and a 30 Jaguar for my old hands and elbows. What I really want is a 32. Maybe one of those squire tele basses. There's another fender 32 that I can't remember the name of but it sounds like a@@ on the you tube so it's out of contention. If I was a little braver about internet ordering I'd go to the bay and get one of the CIJ Aerodynes. Yeah baby!

 

[zontar]

I have both & play both and like both.

The main downside to a short scale bass is that I find it difficult to find short scale bass strings.
I have a set to put on the next time I change strings, but after that I may have to start ordering bass strings online.

 

[BassJo]

After suffering from tendinitis in my left shoulder I switched to short scale and never looked back!

A '77 Mustang is my reliable work horse, but have a GAS for one of those Warmoth SS Jazzes...