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Large Basses

z009

z009

Bassist of your favorite punk band, Royal Oaks!
Jan 25, 2014
123
90
CT
www.soundcloud.com
#1
Okay hear me out here...
I'm a biggish guy, around 6'2" with a husky body. Most guitars have always looked smallish and awkward on me, and now basses are starting to feel that way too. The neck on my jazz bass feels so puny and short now, and I miss the days where it felt like I was playing this big, 34" scale instrument. I'm looking into semi-hollow basses, because I love the way they look and sound, but most of them have a 30" scale and i feel like they wouldn't be much larger overall than my jazz bass. So essentially what I'm looking for is a bass larger than my jazz (bonus points for semi-hollow and or extra long scale). Thank you!
 
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#2
z009 said:
Okay hear me out here...
I'm a biggish guy, around 6'2" with a husky body. Most guitars have always looked smallish and awkward on me, and now basses are starting to feel that way too. The neck on my jazz bass feels so puny and short now, and I miss the days where it felt like I was playing this big, 34" scale instrument. I'm looking into semi-hollow basses, because I love the way they look and sound, but most of them have a 30" scale and i feel like they wouldn't be much larger overall than my jazz bass. So essentially what I'm looking for is a bass larger than my jazz (bonus points for semi-hollow and or extra long scale). Thank you!
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P basses have thicker more substantial neck on them, they are solid good feeling basses. I'm not crazy about J necks either, at least the ones that are too thin, I like the 1.5" width at the neck but not the real thin ones front to back.
 
#3
bobyoung53 said:
P basses have thicker more substantial neck on them, they are solid good feeling basses. I'm not crazy about J necks either, at least the ones that are too thin, I like the 1.5" width at the neck but not the real thin ones front to back.
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its not the neck thickness, its the scale length. i have very long arms and standard long scale length feels very short to me
 
#4
z009 said:
its not the neck thickness, its the scale length. i have very long arms and standard long scale length feels very short to me
Click to expand...

Ever try a T-Bird? The scale (I think) is 34 1/2 but they feel much longer than a normal 34" scale to me, I think it's the way they sit on the body. Also go try a P bass at GC, they also feel like a bigger bass to me even though the scale length is 34". I think there are some 35" scale 4 stringers made but not many. Uprights have a nice long scale:D.
 
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#5
Meet your new bass guitar:

attachment.jpg


The Ernie Ball Earthwood! It doesn't get much bigger or hollow than this cat.
 
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#7
Ibanez made quite a few hollowbodies that were 34" scale. @rogerbmiller owns a couple that he could elaborate on, but that's a good place to start if you ask me.
Lakland has a hollow that is big and 34". I know they have a small, 30" one, too, but it's not that one.

(I'm also a larger fella and I refuse to play small body basses, so I know how you feel.)
 
#11
woodyng2 said:
View attachment 978135 Epiphone jack casady,lakland hollowbody,or any number of others. Gretsch hollow body basses seem to have their necks pushed out pretty far so they can feel really big,with a long reach.
I have a Guild sb202 soldibody that has a pretty wide/large body too.
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I was going to suggest this model Guild as well. The body is quite large and the headstock is not too dainty either.
 
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#13
rojo412 said:
Ibanez made quite a few hollowbodies that were 34" scale. @rogerbmiller owns a couple that he could elaborate on, but that's a good place to start if you ask me.
Lakland has a hollow that is big and 34". I know they have a small, 30" one, too, but it's not that one.

(I'm also a larger fella and I refuse to play small body basses, so I know how you feel.)
Click to expand...

@rojo412 is correct. I have an Ibby ASB140 which has a real large body.

I also have and afb200 and asb200. I AMA big guy but don't feel "naked" behind those.

As for other large hollows, Italia has a few cool ones. I have a Rimini which is their version of a hollow Ricky 4003.

And let's not forget the Epi Jack Cassidy bass. That body is lrge and in charge.
 
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#14
When I switch from my T-Bird to my Jazz bass, the Jazz feels like a toy. Thunderbirds have large bodies and headstocks (though not as big as they used to be). If it's gotta be a hollow/semi-hollow an Epi JC or Ibby Artcore look pretty good. I've only owned an Artcore guitar, but it was pretty nice for $400.
 
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#15
Mosstone said:
When I switch from my T-Bird to my Jazz bass, the Jazz feels like a toy. Thunderbirds have large bodies and headstocks (though not as big as they used to be). If it's gotta be a hollow/semi-hollow an Epi JC or Ibby Artcore look pretty good. I've only owned an Artcore guitar, but it was pretty nice for $400.
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The Ibby artcores are crazy good at any price. The Epi JC is a great value too.

In fact the great thing about semis is they all sound really good no matter what you spend!
 
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#16
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rogerbmiller said:
@rojo412 is correct.
As for other large hollows, Italia has a few cool ones. I have a Rimini which is their version of a hollow Ricky 4003.
Click to expand...
You're the only person on TB(besides myself) i've seen who had one of those.
I loved mine,except for the big frets,and traded it off to the guy that works on my instruments.
Mine was mother of toilet seat white....love to see a pic of yours!
 
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#18
woodyng2 said:
View attachment 978209 View attachment 978208
You're the only person on TB(besides myself) i've seen who had one of those.
I loved mine,except for the big frets,and traded it off to the guy that works on my instruments.
Mine was mother of toilet seat white....love to see a pic of yours!
Click to expand...

Nice. I will have to dig up a pic. Mine is a burst. I like MOTO way better!!
 
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#19
rogerbmiller said:
@rojo412 is correct. I have an Ibby ASB140 which has a real large body.

I also have and afb200 and asb200. I AMA big guy but don't feel "naked" behind those.

As for other large hollows, Italia has a few cool ones. I have a Rimini which is their version of a hollow Ricky 4003.

And let's not forget the Epi Jack Cassidy bass. That body is lrge and in charge.
Click to expand...
I have to agree about Italia. I played one of these and it seemed huge compared to everything else in the store.
2h31xjp.jpg
 
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