Guitar Scale Acoustic Basses

[SBassman]

Understood. I just think it should have been looser than you described, but glad it works.

 

[SBassman]

I thought I'd bump this as a public service announcement.

Amazon will periodically take an item and slash the price for a few hours or a couple of days. Not sure why.
I used to catch these in the drum world. Caught a $700 kit for $300 once, and caught a $250 cymbal for $110 once.

They seem to mess with the price of the Mini II periodically.
Today, the mahogany version of that bass typically sells from the music retailers for $249. It is currently listing for $149. It is absolutely a steal at that price.

I know - I have 2 of them.

 

[steve_rolfeca]

All I can find on Amazon.ca, is a small vendor trying their luck at $430 Canadian, with tax.

That said, I found a Canadian dealer that's offering it for $215 CAD. Considering that we're at about 75 cents on the US dollar, that's not far off.

Current street price on a Guild Jumbo Junior is close to $800 up here at the moment, which makes the Cordoba an absolute steal...

 

[JohnMalay]

Current street price on a Guild Jumbo Junior is close to $800 up here at the moment, which makes the Cordoba an absolute steal...

I sold mine in November for U$475.

 

[SBassman]

All I can find on Amazon.ca, is a small vendor trying their luck at $430 Canadian, with tax.

That said, I found a Canadian dealer that's offering it for $215 CAD. Considering that we're at about 75 cents on the US dollar, that's not far off.

Current street price on a Guild Jumbo Junior is close to $800 up here at the moment, which makes the Cordoba an absolute steal...

Yup. Sweetwater and Musician's Friend both carry that bass at $249. Amazon will have $249 and then occasionally mess with the price. My first Cordoba was from Sweetwater and then my second was from Amazon when I caught that $149 deal a year ago.

 

[Wannabebass]

To be clear the one I bought does work, it’s just very minimal. Not unexpected for +/$30.

Tried out a Gator hard case - this is their case sized for 3/4 acoustic guitars:

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B001NIA8XC?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

It is very well made and pretty roomy for the Cordoba Mini Bass. Probably needs a bit of additional padding to fill in the gaps. Basically 2" at the headstock and 2" at the bottom of the lower bout.

Gator also makes one specifically for the GS mini which might be a little shorter in length:
https://gatorco.com/product/taylor-gsmini-acoustic-guitar-case-gc-gsmini/

 

[steve_rolfeca]

Tried out a Gator hard case - this is their case sized for 3/4 acoustic guitars:
View attachment 5328576

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B001NIA8XC?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

It is very well made and pretty roomy for the Cordoba Mini Bass. Probably needs a bit of additional padding to fill in the gaps. Basically 2" at the headstock and 2" at the bottom of the lower bout.

Gator also makes one specifically for the GS mini which might be a little shorter in length:
https://gatorco.com/product/taylor-gsmini-acoustic-guitar-case-gc-gsmini/

I can see it being tough to get an exact fit.

Even a 12-fret parlour guitar is going to have more "hips" than the Cordoba. The Taylor? Definitely, it's a small-format GS, with a fairly generous, rounded lower bout.

If the price was right on the Amazon case, I would probably just wrap some foam in terrycloth to make a bumper for each end.

You don't want the instrument to have four inches of room to slide from one end to the other on a sudden hit- that's too much acceleration before coming to a sudden stop.

 

[Wannabebass]

I can see it being tough to get an exact fit.

Even a 12-fret parlour guitar is going to have more "hips" than the Cordoba. The Taylor? Definitely, it's a small-format GS, with a fairly generous, rounded lower bout.

If the price was right on the Amazon case, I would probably just wrap some foam in terrycloth to make a bumper for each end.

You don't want the instrument to have four inches of room to slide from one end to the other on a sudden hit- that's too much acceleration before coming to a sudden stop.

Agreed. I'm returning it, even though it seems like good deal (a small scratch reduced the price to $130). was going to take the cordoba overseas for a month, but it feels like a pain carrying it around through multiple airports etc. I think I will just take the neck off my Mikro and put it in my suitcase...fingers crossed it doesn't get lost, damaged or I don't F it up removing and reinstalling the neck...

 

[steve_rolfeca]

Agreed. I'm returning it, even though it seems like good deal (a small scratch reduced the price to $130). was going to take the cordoba overseas for a month, but it feels like a pain carrying it around through multiple airports etc. I think I will just take the neck off my Mikro and put it in my suitcase...fingers crossed it doesn't get lost, damaged or I don't F it up removing and reinstalling the neck...

As long as you use a quality screwdriver that fits the fasteners well, there's no reason for neck removal to cause issues. Pad the neck and body of the miKro carefully, keep other hard objects out of that section of your luggage, and it should be in pristine shape when it gets there.

I've found disassembly a great way, not just to travel with instruments, but also to save on international shipping. Shipping fees work off a combination of weight and volume, so if you can make an object smaller, it's a win-win for you and your customers.

 

[John Stephen]

That's great information, Steve. Good to know.

 

[Maxra]

OK - how about de-fretting a GSAB? I have a couple of 32" scale acoustic basses (one fretted, one fretless, both with LaBella Low Tension Flats on) and a fretted Guild 23.75" GSAB with O.E. D'Addario strings - they were all used and inexpensive. I prefer the fretless feel and sound on the 32" ones, so I may sell the fretted one. If I defret the 23.75" Guild, will that scale length work fretless?

 

[Wannabebass]

As long as you use a quality screwdriver that fits the fasteners well, there's no reason for neck removal to cause issues. Pad the neck and body of the miKro carefully, keep other hard objects out of that section of your luggage, and it should be in pristine shape when it gets there.

I've found disassembly a great way, not just to travel with instruments, but also to save on international shipping. Shipping fees work off a combination of weight and volume, so if you can make an object smaller, it's a win-win for you and your customers.

Thanks for that- I may even do a dis-assembly and re-assembly before leaving just to make sure it’s as simple as it sounds.
Cheers

 

[MrLenny1]

Thanks for the detailed response on mini ABG. I just got a Taylor Mini & you are right about intonation & tension. Love the sound but it's a challenge adjusting right technique & position.

It's important to understand that GASB's modelled after the Taylor, are actually following a long-standing tradition with the Contrabass guitar in classical guitar orchestras.

Nylon-core strings in this scale length work with very few compromises, as long as you acclimatize your attack to the lower string tension.

Steel-strung basses at Ibanez miKro scale length (28.6") are already slightly compromised in the lower octave, intonation-wise. They have the same thick, warm tones as regular short-scale basses, but don't have as much attack and punch.

Steel-strung GSEB's like the Squier mini P and GSAB's at 23 to 25 inches are fun, but not as stage-ready in terms of dynamics and tone. They have a somewhat hollow sound on the low E, and the upper harmonics don't ring as true when you move up the neck.

Michael Kelly makes good affordable AGB's, but the Sojourn isn't their best. The EXPPBB170S D'Addarios it comes with are designed for conventional 30 to 32" scale ABG's, and the rated tension is 28 to 37lb from E to G at 30 inches. Higher still at 32"...

Even though the Sojourn travel bass is on the long side for a GSAB at 24.75", the tension is way too low for a solid low E with steels. Intonation and pitch accuracy will suffer, especially when you dig in.

And yes, your string options will be pretty limited, especially if you're serious about good intonation up to the 12th fret.

If you can get a chance to audition the little MK next to a Cordoba, Guild, Martin, Mitchell, or Taylor (perhaps even the $280 Ibanez PNB), you might find that you change your mind.

 

[steve_rolfeca]

Thanks for the detailed response on mini ABG. I just got a Taylor Mini & you are right about intonation & tension. Love the sound but it's a challenge adjusting right technique & position.

I hope that you'll stick with it- I've found that after I got over the initial learning curve, there's actually a unique tone there, that sits somewhere halfway between the alternatives.

There are definitely situations where I prefer my Guild over either the Dingwall slab or the NS Design electric upright now.

This journey started out as something of a novelty project (and a search for a couch bass that I could use while recovering from a bout of sciatica), but at this point, it's become a legitimate arrow in my quiver.

 

[JohnMalay]

I hope that you'll stick with it- I've found that after I got over the initial learning curve, there's actually a unique tone there, that sits somewhere halfway between the alternatives.

There are definitely situations where I prefer my Guild over either the Dingwall slab or the NS Design electric upright now.

This journey started out as something of a novelty project (and a search for a couch bass that I could use while recovering from a bout of sciatica), but at this point, it's become a legitimate arrow in my quiver.

Worth the effort to re-train the right hand. Most of my current gigs just happen to be appropriate for playing an acoustic-electric. I sold my Guild Jumbo Junior because I need to use sound hole baffles but I will alternate between my Ibanez PNB and a 30" scale Fender Kingman depending on the songs and can now vary technique to match.

 

[scotch]

+1 to the posts above concerning right hand technique approaches to different instrument configurations! My GS-Mini Taylor is very rewarding to play when played with appropriate finesse! I also have a GS-Mini 6 string acoustic; it also responds much better to an adjustment in technique.

I always get a kick out of players grabbing a U-Bass type instrument in a store and launching directly & unabashedly into a performance of thier go-to early 90's metal song with no account towards technique. Then, frowning and unceremoniously thrusting the offensive instrument back on the wall with some permutation of "That thing sucks!".

 

[steve_rolfeca]

+1 to the posts above concerning right hand technique approaches to different instrument configurations! My GS-Mini Taylor is very rewarding to play when played with appropriate finesse! I also have a GS-Mini 6 string acoustic; it also responds much better to an adjustment in technique.

I always get a kick out of players grabbing a U-Bass type instrument in a store and launching directly & unabashedly into a performance of thier go-to early 90's metal song with no account towards technique. Then, frowning and unceremoniously thrusting the offensive instrument back on the wall with some permutation of "That thing sucks!".

The U Bass is certainly it's own thing.

I had the original "rubber bass" in the late '90's (Guild/DeArmond Ashbory):
Ashbory bass - Wikipedia

The strings were made from a silicone "string" that was used to seal insulated windows at the time. The compound wasn't as well developed for musical use as the ones we have now- you had to constantly use talcum powder on the strings, and all sorts of things could cause them to fail prematurely on occasion.

Funny thing- the scale length was only 18", and to my surprise, it continues to be the only fretless instrument I've ever been able to play consistently in tune out to about the 15th fret- from the first moment that I picked one up!

I'm nowhere near as accurate with the Kala, which is one of the reasons that a Uke bass has never followed me home from the store.

 

[MrLenny1]

I hope that you'll stick with it- I've found that after I got over the initial learning curve, there's actually a unique tone there, that sits somewhere halfway between the alternatives.

There are definitely situations where I prefer my Guild over either the Dingwall slab or the NS Design electric upright now.

This journey started out as something of a novelty project (and a search for a couch bass that I could use while recovering from a bout of sciatica), but at this point, it's become a legitimate arrow in my quiver.

After playing the Taylor mini for a while I have adjusted my hands to the strings and found the sweet spots where to pluck the bass. Pluck over the sound hole & it sounds fat.
Hope to play it on gigs.

 

[JohnMalay]

After playing the Taylor mini for a while I have adjusted my hands to the strings and found the sweet spots where to pluck the bass. Pluck over the sound hole & it sounds fat.
Hope to play it on gigs.

I gig with my GSA bass, an Ibanez. Like the Ibanez, the Taylor Mini has the controls on the side so you can install a sound hole baffle for louder gigs. (That's important, as I found out the hard way with my Guild Jumbo Junior.)

 

[SBassman]

For the Cordoba mini owners out there - there is an inexpensive rubber sound hole cover on Amazon that fits the mini sound hole perfectly.