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ID this bass?
- Thread starter Ostie
- Start date
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,588
- 221,963
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
I doubt it is 25" scale - most likely at least 30" (measured from bridge-break to zero-fret) Obviously the seller is, shall we say.., clueless? If they are measuring to the string-stop, he might come up with 34".
Much of this looks like a Shafer bass, and they were 25" scale. Shafer headstocks were a bit pointier, had fancier pickguards but used the same pickup, string retainer, bridge and tailpiece cover. I believe that Teisco manufactured the instruments for Shafer, so it's very likely to be a version of that model under a different name.
Edit: possibly Heit Deluxe, which was built by Teisco and had the rounder headstock.
Edit: possibly Heit Deluxe, which was built by Teisco and had the rounder headstock.
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It very much looks like a 25" scale bass.
If you want a 30" scale, don't buy this, simple as that.
If you want a 30" scale, don't buy this, simple as that.
It looks the same as the Teisco EB-12, although with just one pickup:
One of the reasons is simple comfort playing the instrument. In my case, I've got small hands and short fingers, so I'm much more comfortable with a 32" (medium) scale neck than a 34" (standard) scale neck. I'd probably have an even easier time with a 30" scale, but so far, medium works for me -- shorter stretches, shorter shifts. I'm sure there are other reasons, but comfort is a big one.
Didn't Matsumoku make the Teisco's back then? They frequently made the same bass for various brands with slight changes. That would be my guess, but I couldn't say what brand it is.
That particular instrument?
Well, it can fit entirely in a 30 gallon trash bag with the drawstrings closed.
Benefits? There’s a reason noone makes this type of bass any more.
You used be able to get them from Carvin and Supro ( I owned a Supro/Airline Pocket Bass for a while) in the 1960s. Based on this thread there were MIJ basses too. Here’s a 1959 Carvin 25” that sold on Reverb for almost $1500.
My guess is they were aimed at guitarists doubling bass who found shifting to even a 30” scale too difficult.
You can measure from the nut (inside, where it meets the fretboard) to the 12th fret, then double the measurement. That'll give you the scale length.
I don't think 25" is a useful scale length for a bass except maybe for a child.
It looks like a 25" scale to me.
25" is guitar length. People dont just put a bass bridge and nut on an electric guitar too often. probably because it doesn't work well.
It looks like a 25" scale to me.
25" is guitar length. People dont just put a bass bridge and nut on an electric guitar too often. probably because it doesn't work well.
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I actually owned one very similar. It truly is 25" scale, and string options are quite limited. It sounded far better than I expected and was great fun for couch noodling, but the tiny scale was somewhat limiting. The hardware was a definite weak point, but wasn't unusable by any stretch. I believe it was a Tiesco, but I bought it used and can't be sure. Hopefully something in that ramble was helpful to you...
Speaking just for myself, shorter scales are easier to play. On a 34'' I struggle with the intro to Pink Floyd's "Money", but on a 32" scale it's no problem.
(Also, at my age, the lighter weight is a big plus)
25" seems right, and its a plywood body, but its a grade of plywood you cant really get today. Neat and sound cool over the intonatable range but shouldnt be very expensive IMO. Knobs are replaced
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Generally speaking, short scale basses (I'm thinking more standard 30" scale though) don't have as many low harmonic overtones so getting a fat clean punchy tone seems (IME anyway) easier without as much knob tweaking. I have an Ibanez Micro (28" scale I believe) bone stock that is surprisingly punchy. Bought if for my 9 year old grandson so I don't play it much but it surprised me at what a good playing and sounding instrument it actually is. As always YMMV.
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