I just dont get the appeal. They are dinky and feel really cramped as well as really dificult to get to the upper frets on. Ive played on them before, just dont get it. I know a lot of people seem to like them, cant figure out why.
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I'm as puzzled as you are...and I exclusively play short scales....
Maybe it's a virus?....
Maybe it's a virus?....
Short scale for the unique tonal options. Micro for the travel convenience. Those bass ukuleles are for nebulous intonation and cool Aloha shirt cred.
They are lighter by virtue and require a smaller range of mobility. It makes it easier for the impaired player due to back, shoulder or arm problems.
For me, it's due to nerve damage in my left forearm. Can't spread the fingers.
Fasten your seatbelts folks, it's off to the races!And they sound better.....
Not gonna see me arguing about it.....They sound better.....That's it as far as I'm concerned....
I have a Mikro for uptuning to GDGB to play along with my cigar box guitars. The short scale makes them easier to play chords too.
In many cases they have been demonstrated to have approximately 37% more mojo than a standard scale non Pbass bass.
shorter scale basses make great couch and porch basses simply due to their smaller size. and consider this. lots of people can wear a 10 pound bass for many shows, but over the years, they can cause issues that a 5 or 6 pound bass (or even 4 1/2 with a hofner violin bass) won't cause. and shorter scale basses also have less string tension, which can not only be great if you have tendonitis or other hand or finger problems, but can be cool for some kinds of playing - that can also be true of the shorter distance between frets.
i used to play long scale till i tore one of my rotator cuffs, then the other. i was unable to play anything briefly, then could play a ubass only for a while. the ibanez mikro, with its 28.6" scale and small light body, is the bass that allowed me to get back to playing, and i currently have 3 of them, 1 a 5-string. i've also had a bronco bass (30" scale), a hofner violin and a hofner club (both 30" scale) and currently have a squier jag SS (also 30" scale). with PT and massage, i can now play a 34" scale bass but it has to have certain weight and ergonomic features or it hurts badly to play, and can hurt for days or even weeks if i keep going.
one of the few 34" scale basses i can play is the modern player dimension, and i have one and it's great. but i love my short scale herd, and will probably add to it in the future - hopefully one of the new mustangs is on my radar, and maybe another hofner club after i sell my hofner shorty (also a 30" scale bass).
i used to play long scale till i tore one of my rotator cuffs, then the other. i was unable to play anything briefly, then could play a ubass only for a while. the ibanez mikro, with its 28.6" scale and small light body, is the bass that allowed me to get back to playing, and i currently have 3 of them, 1 a 5-string. i've also had a bronco bass (30" scale), a hofner violin and a hofner club (both 30" scale) and currently have a squier jag SS (also 30" scale). with PT and massage, i can now play a 34" scale bass but it has to have certain weight and ergonomic features or it hurts badly to play, and can hurt for days or even weeks if i keep going.
one of the few 34" scale basses i can play is the modern player dimension, and i have one and it's great. but i love my short scale herd, and will probably add to it in the future - hopefully one of the new mustangs is on my radar, and maybe another hofner club after i sell my hofner shorty (also a 30" scale bass).
Why play a big, heavy, 34" scale with taller frets and wider string spacing when I can get all the tone (and then some) in a smaller, faster, cheaper and much lighter package? Ive owned dozens of basses from budget up to $4k over the years. Everything from Fender, EBMM, Yamaha, Squire, Epiphone etc...and my favorite of them all is my current Ibanez Mikro 5 string with its 28.6" scale. Would never go back to a 34" scale bass. They feel so heavy and awkward to me now. Basically, if the bass can't fit into an electric guitar gig bag, Im not interested 
The other bass player at my church plays a short scale Hofner-style bass. It's got a nice thumpy tone to it and it's extremely light. Whatever floats your boat.
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I'm 5 feet tall. Let me re-write this for you from my perspective:
How can you play a long scale bass?
I just don't get the appeal. They are huge and heavy and make my fingers stretch to unnatural positions as well as really difficult to get to the lower frets on. I played one for a few weeks while my short scale was in the shop, just don't get it. My left arm/fingers developed aches & pains, and my right shoulder got out of whack from rolling forward to accommodate the much larger body. I know a lot of people seem to like them, can't figure out why. ;-)
Why do people like things you don't like?
That's very simple. They aren't you.
That's very simple. They aren't you.
You all play tiny instruments compared to the 42" scale of the O.G. bass on the dark side of this website. As far as playing less than 34", I find that full-scale basses sit on my body in a position that makes it too much of a stretch to play as comfortably as my short scale musicmaster bass. Although my main bass is a 4003, which has some different ergonomics than a jazz for example, so I'm comfortable playing that. What's my point? People sometimes just don't like things, and like other things. I guess it's a good thing that Talkbass doesn't realize this, or the majority of the website's threads would vanish!
