Gretsch bass problem

[metalmonkey]

hey, i just got a Gretsch Electromatic Junior Jet Invalid Link Removed

the style of it is amazing. got it on sale for $175 too. now i'm a new bass player, but ive played guitar for a few years. is this a good starting bass? the only problem i have with it is the short scale, which i've heard just isnt as good as a long scale. does the scale make that much of a difference in sound? i want a blues or jazz sound to my playing, so is the gretsch a good choice? my fingers arent small so i dont need a short scale, but i find it faster. but the big deal for me is the slapping. i'm getting good at it and i wanted to know if this bass is good for that sort of thing. i hear that short basses stink for slapping, but i have heard alot of good stuff about this gretsch bass and i'm hoping that this bass can sound as good as a regular scale bass. so, is this bass good for a beginner or slapping? is it a quality bass and therefore rival other regular basses? i can still return it though. hope someone who's had this bass can answer me.

 

[bongomania]

Whoa, whoa, slow down there hoss. First, you heard a lot of stuff, and I'm betting you heard most of it from kids (or ignorant adults) who don't know jack. Don't believe everything you read on the internet, especially if you were over on Harmony Central or someplace like that.

A bass that is built badly or set up badly or played badly will suck. It has nothing to do with the scale length. I can't say whether the Junior Jet is built badly because I've never played one, but even a "lesser" bass can sound killer if (a) it is set up properly and (b) the person playing it knows how to play it well.

As far as slapping, a lot of slappers like lower tension strings to get the action/feel they like. Short scale means lower tension (when tuned the same as long scale, using the same type of strings). So whoever said short scale sucks for slapping was either talking out their rear end, or they are so accustomed to the feel of a long scale that anything different must "suck".

 

[Showdown]

hey, i just got a Gretsch Electromatic Junior Jet Invalid Link Removed

the style of it is amazing. got it on sale for $175 too. now i'm a new bass player, but ive played guitar for a few years. is this a good starting bass? the only problem i have with it is the short scale, which i've heard just isnt as good as a long scale. does the scale make that much of a difference in sound? i want a blues or jazz sound to my playing, so is the gretsch a good choice? my fingers arent small so i dont need a short scale, but i find it faster. but the big deal for me is the slapping. i'm getting good at it and i wanted to know if this bass is good for that sort of thing. i hear that short basses stink for slapping, but i have heard alot of good stuff about this gretsch bass and i'm hoping that this bass can sound as good as a regular scale bass. so, is this bass good for a beginner or slapping? is it a quality bass and therefore rival other regular basses? i can still return it though. hope someone who's had this bass can answer me.

I played one and liked it. For blues and jazz I'd put some flatwounds on it. It should be a decent bass.

I have three short scale basses, and a bunch of long scale. I wouldn't worry about the scale length. If you like the way it plays, and you like the way it sounds, then who cares what the scale length is. Some of my favorite bass players used short scale basses. Paul McCartney, Jack Bruce, Felix Pappilardi, Bill Wyman. Some of the greatest rock and roll ever recorded was played on short scale basses.