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Double Bass Is there a way to shorten scale length?

charlie ford

charlie ford

Dec 30, 2012
119
155
Chicago, IL
#1
I keep thinking that if I had a smaller 1/2 position stretch then I'd be able to play faster. I've got small hands, and it's always been a struggle, but my max hand stretch is the 1/2 position. Would it be possible to keep my D neck with a modification like that? ...not sure, seems unlikely.

I think I saw something about a longer nut somewhere on the internet, but is that a real solution?

Playing an Englehardt. I'm thinking about shopping for a new bass, but I'm guessing whatever I'd spend on a new bass is going to be tons more than an extended nut, if that's the solution.
 
#2
charlie ford said:
I keep thinking that if I had a smaller 1/2 position stretch then I'd be able to play faster. I've got small hands, and it's always been a struggle, but my max hand stretch is the 1/2 position. Would it be possible to keep my D neck with a modification like that? ...not sure, seems unlikely.

I think I saw something about a longer nut somewhere on the internet, but is that a real solution?

Playing an Englehardt. I'm thinking about shopping for a new bass, but I'm guessing whatever I'd spend on a new bass is going to be tons more than an extended nut, if that's the solution.
Click to expand...

A false nut is by far the easiest way to shorten the scale length. Nothing wrong with doing that. It would move the D in relation to the heel though.
 
#4
Ron Plichta said:
I'm considering having a false nut installed on my Czech bass. [...] My local luthier showed my a few ways it could be done and gave me some leather strips to experiment with
Click to expand...

and

Matthew Tucker said:
You can try a false nut to see if you like it!
Put a plastic cable-tie around the neck under the strings at the point you want to try the new nut. Doesn't have to be too tight!

Then tie another cable-tie OVER the strings, just above the first one.
Click to expand...

I think I'll try these two ideas and see what happens with the feel...
 
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#7
It was an Eb neck with a scale like a 7/8 bass. As I recall it was about 42.5. It wound up as a D neck with about a 41. The nut was done at the same time as a new ebony board to replace the rosewood board, and it looks completely original, not at all weird, and it plays great at this length.
 
#9
The D on the G string at the base of the neck is 1/3rd the total open string length. It follows that if your false nut shortens the string by 1 1/2' the D will move 1/2" closer to the bridge.

What I call a D neck others may describe as E flat. My "D neck" has the index finger comfortably playing D when my thumb is about opposite E flat. If my D is opposite my thumb I would call this an Eflat neck. The neck is then tending towards short and my pinkie will find the F - C - G line of notes gradually harder to reach. The strategy then is to play these notes with the 3rd (ring) finger. Of course if you have a "long" necked bass then shortening the stop is moving towards comfort, not away from it.

Best wishes, DP
 
#11
Another thing to bear in mind is string tension. If you shorten the scale by 1/2 position you will need to detune by a semitone. Go further and your strings might become unacceptably floppy. I would experiment with a leather or plastic strap around the neck (between strings and fingerboard - perhaps a couple of wide cable ties would work) at various positions first before committing to major surgery.
From my albeit limited experience with Cello I would be a bit leary of moving the bridge and soundpost too far out of alignment with the f-holes and the bass-bar.
Just a 0.02 from the BG side.
 
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#12
Once you shorten the mensure, then there are things you can do to offset the effects of lost tension. Heavier strings, taller bridge, then a fingerboard shim or neck reset to keep the string height you had before... It can get expensive really quickly. Just going from 42 to 41.5 shouldn't cause havoc though.
 
#14
charlie ford said:
Yeah I'm planning on doing something with leather and/or cable ties, and see what happens. Detuning by a semitone though? I imagine a G would still be a G at the false nut, I would just have different string tension or something.
Click to expand...

Yes and sorry - looking back my post could have been clearer. What I was getting at is if you install what is essentially a fret (!) at, say 1/2 position, what was E becomes F, A>Bb etc, so you then need to tune back down which will reduce the tension. Remove the 'fret' and your open string will be Eb, Ab, Db Gb - down a semitone.
You know us BG lot - always ready to muddy the waters :-)
 
#18
Don't forget that when you move the nut alone, you move the D position at the neck heel by 2/3 of this distance in the same direction.

If you don't want that, you need to move the bridge by twice the distance towards the fingerboard. Since this is a lot, you might want to reduce the nut to a third of the total string length difference and leave 2/3 to the bridge movement.

For testing of string tension just shorten the string with your finger for the new total length (full difference, not 1/3) and tune down the string until the fingered note has the correct pitch.
 
#20
charlie ford said:
I'm thinking about shopping for a new bass, but I'm guessing whatever I'd spend on a new bass is going to be tons more than an extended nut, if that's the solution.
Click to expand...
Surely you can make the scale a little bit shorter, try what suits you with the zip-ties trick. But if you want anything significantly shorter, the proportions get to be wrong & the bridge & SP are really at the wrong place (or alternatively leave those in place & accept a C# neck). If you want something smaller, best buy something smaller.
 

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