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Granted you don't see the better short scales in most stores, but there are "upscale" short (and some medium) scales from Alembic, Birdsong, Landing, Rob Allen, Eastwood and others. Size Matters: A Roundup of Short-Scale Basses
With a range of scale 35" to 22" (Kala Ukulele) and weights from 15 lbs to about 6 lbs (The Uke is maybe 2 lbs), when I have a 3 or 4 hour gig I'm using my 34" Ibanez or my 32" Viola. During the 3rd set I want to be thinking about my music, not my shoulder. Bass players already have the biggest and heaviest amps and cabs. Can't we at least have one part of our rig that doesn't require a truss?
This is a concept that is lost on most these days. Have you noticed that over the past ten years or so, if you don't agree with someone, they get bent out of shape, start finger pointing and name calling, and then, to add insult to injury, they think less of you because you don't agree with their stupid, moronic, dumb, uninformed, narrow minded, immature opinion?
I'm right there with you.
On long gigs I usually bring my Dano Longhorn as a backup and use it in the 3rd set.
I prefer long scale most of the time, but shorties have their place.
Although i mainly play shortscales, i dont bash longscales, i like them and still own one. Im 54 with 37 years of playing in my rearview mirror, i simply prefer the lighter bass with the shorter neck now?
They often have a particular tone about them. I mostly play 34 inch scale basses (J, P, Stingray), but I have a 30 inch Guild that very much has it's own dark, thumpy, boomy thing going on that the long scale basses just don't replicate. Just another tool in the tool box
That is totally wrong. It's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. You must be crazy to write this. I demand you delete this post!!!!
- Jan 1, 2014
- 1,016
- 3,480
- Disclosures
- Decendant from the Clovis culture. "Emitting that wonderful bass effect since 1970".
Because they sound awesome and are a blast to play!
Jerry Jones Longhorn 4, dark, fat and huge:
Jerry Jones Longhorn 4, crisp, bright and full of grind:
Jerry Jones Longhorn 4, all of the above:
Same bass, same strings, same rig, same fingers.
Jerry Jones Longhorn 4, dark, fat and huge:
Jerry Jones Longhorn 4, crisp, bright and full of grind:
Jerry Jones Longhorn 4, all of the above:
Same bass, same strings, same rig, same fingers.
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Sound better? ha ha ha Yeah, if you like no articulation of notes and just want a dubby boomy mess.
A lot of people have stated the technical/functional pro's and con's... and they all make sense.
My 2 cents = I checked out a buddy's 30" scale Hofner years ago but went into it embracing whatever that bass had to offer idiosyncratically vs comparing it to all the basses I had played up to date. What I discovered was that it allowed for more "fluidity" of left-hand movement. Mostly though, I was experimenting with trying to get a more MOOG-like vibe (using a Boss OC-2 and DOD FX25 filter) for an electronic piece I was tracking at the time.
That short-scale Hofner actually allowed me to articulate some crazy portamento-like gliding passages moreso than if I were to play the same lines on my 35" 5-string. In fact, I stumbled upon ideas that I normally wouldn't have on, so from a creative standpoint the physical aspect and tone inspired me to come up with new sub-sonic phrases.
For those reasons, it was definitely worth it to borrow that bass and record a track with. I ended up incorporating those musical ideas as a part of my vocabulary, even on longer scale basses eventually... some of which pop up in this bass video I did on my fretless 34" last year:
My 2 cents = I checked out a buddy's 30" scale Hofner years ago but went into it embracing whatever that bass had to offer idiosyncratically vs comparing it to all the basses I had played up to date. What I discovered was that it allowed for more "fluidity" of left-hand movement. Mostly though, I was experimenting with trying to get a more MOOG-like vibe (using a Boss OC-2 and DOD FX25 filter) for an electronic piece I was tracking at the time.
That short-scale Hofner actually allowed me to articulate some crazy portamento-like gliding passages moreso than if I were to play the same lines on my 35" 5-string. In fact, I stumbled upon ideas that I normally wouldn't have on, so from a creative standpoint the physical aspect and tone inspired me to come up with new sub-sonic phrases.
For those reasons, it was definitely worth it to borrow that bass and record a track with. I ended up incorporating those musical ideas as a part of my vocabulary, even on longer scale basses eventually... some of which pop up in this bass video I did on my fretless 34" last year:
Sorry, but you are seriously misinformed.
After 50 years in the business, I now play short scale (30") basses exclusively. My wrists, elbows and shoulders are much happier. I've sacrificed nothing in terms of sound. I have no problem playing anywhere on any of my four instruments. There's no reason at all to think a shorter string length will produce an inferior sound, as long as the correct length string is used.
I'm 6ft and have large hands (can easily span a 10th on a piano). I spent about 20 years playing classical db. So, definitely not the young/student/petite stereotype for me. They are on average lighter too - that's a perk. Still, there are exceptions. (My 3000 is heavier than my 4001... go figure.)
I have mostly SS basses now - Mustangs, a Ric 3000, and a Jay Turser Beatle bass. I got into them because of hand trouble (arthritis) about 10 years ago. At first it was the only reason why, but then I discovered I liked them on their own merits. Specifically, I could do things with them (chords/reaches, etc) that were less easy or sometimes impossible on a 34" instrument.
GT
I have mostly SS basses now - Mustangs, a Ric 3000, and a Jay Turser Beatle bass. I got into them because of hand trouble (arthritis) about 10 years ago. At first it was the only reason why, but then I discovered I liked them on their own merits. Specifically, I could do things with them (chords/reaches, etc) that were less easy or sometimes impossible on a 34" instrument.
GT
I don't own a short scale bass currently but I have owned them in the past. I actually like the way they feel. It was easier for me to move up and down the neck compared to a standard scale bass. I didn't notice any different tone than what a standard scale bass sounds like but it definitely played better. It just seemed like a faster fretboard to me.
