Can you recommend a luthier who'd want to do this? My favorite isn't interested.
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Luthier to Convert a Long Scale Bass Into Medium Scale?
- Thread starter LenMinNJ
- Start date
Can you recommend a luthier who'd want to do this? My favorite isn't interested.
You like it currently yes, but who's to say you will once you've done something that will change both the sound and feel completely. Not to discourage you, but it's something to think about. Sometimes you can't get everything you want out of one thing, and so that's why you own more than one. (Aka just get something built before a butcher job happens )
Yeah, this is a bigger job than many Luthiers want to take on. Particularly the guys who are mainly in the repair business. You need a Luthier who does custom builds from scratch.
You can ask my buddy Keith Horne, whose shop is right across the hall from me. He's certainly capable of doing it; he's built quite a few 32" scale custom basses recently. He's pretty busy right now, so I don't know if he'll take the job. But you can certainly ask. Keith operates under the name of Marvin Guitars. His web site is: Invalid Link Removed
To change the scale of a thru or set neck instrument, you would have to remove the fretboard without wrecking the neck, and replace it with a new one. This is a difficult-to-impossible task. With an old instrument, you could steam it apart, but modern adhesives are much more resistant. Or sand it off. Either way, hard to imagine anyone would touch the job.
If you managed to do the first step without completely destroying the instrument, you would then have to move the bridge about 2 inches, assuming there is enough room. This would have the same effect as radically moving the pickups - it would change the tone of the instrument.
If your goal was to have your old guitar but with a new scale, it won't work. It might as well be a new guitar. And if it was a valuable instrument, it won't be any more. If you don't like it the way it is, sell it and get something else.
With a bolt-on, installing a conversion neck would also effectively move the pickups, but only slightly.
If you managed to do the first step without completely destroying the instrument, you would then have to move the bridge about 2 inches, assuming there is enough room. This would have the same effect as radically moving the pickups - it would change the tone of the instrument.
If your goal was to have your old guitar but with a new scale, it won't work. It might as well be a new guitar. And if it was a valuable instrument, it won't be any more. If you don't like it the way it is, sell it and get something else.
With a bolt-on, installing a conversion neck would also effectively move the pickups, but only slightly.
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Seems to me the only reasonable solution on your existing NT is to use a capo as first suggested. Experiment with strings to get the right feel.
If it's the perfect bass for you, why do you want to shorten the scale? That would imply it is not the perfect bass for you.
- John
If it's the perfect bass for you, why do you want to shorten the scale? That would imply it is not the perfect bass for you.
- John
I recently had my luthier convert an Ibanez miKro 28.5 inch bass into a 24 inch scale by using a Rondo Hadean 24 inch neck from one of their Hadean solid body bass ukes. Also changed the bridge and positioned it accordingly. Both are bolt on necks, and it came out great. Eric's Guitar in Van Nuys, California, [Invalid or Expired Link Removed].
Except for the entire scale length and all. I'll see myself out.
I honestly would recommend using a lower tuning with strings appropriate for that tuning and use a capo only if there’s a particular song you’re really struggling to adapt. I’ve used 4 strings setup bead to back up 5 string in the past . The only real issues I had with not having the g string was playing lines where I was droning on the open D and using the g at the same time. But those types of lines are very rare for me. The range difference isn’t that dramatic. Basically lose the 4 Highest frets from the g string and with thumb NT basses being 26 fret basses it’s even less of a big deal.
Just buy a 32" scale.
The amount of jacking around to convert your NT into a 32" is going to cost you a lot, for one.
On top of that very few will even want to do it, because it will look wack. Your guy not wanting anything to do with that job should be a hint.
The amount of jacking around to convert your NT into a 32" is going to cost you a lot, for one.
On top of that very few will even want to do it, because it will look wack. Your guy not wanting anything to do with that job should be a hint.
Changing the easy bits, like new pickups or new tuners, is one thing. Other, structural, issues are another altogether. As an inveterate tweakaholic for decades, my feeling is that if a bass is not what you want, then go and find a bass that is, rather than messing around.
Because no one else mentioned it, I’ll also add that you may want to think about the reach, not just the scale... when I first played Warwick basses I loved everything about them except how far away the nut was. But it’s not just the scale.
Any modification you make that moves your bridge closer to the neck is going to cut into the amount of reach you’re actually improving. IF that’s the thing you’re trying to fix.
Edited to add: I’ve played some 34” and 35” scales basses that—to me—hung like medium scales because of where the bridge was located on the body, the length of the upper horn/strap peg, or the full length of the body.
Any modification you make that moves your bridge closer to the neck is going to cut into the amount of reach you’re actually improving. IF that’s the thing you’re trying to fix.
Edited to add: I’ve played some 34” and 35” scales basses that—to me—hung like medium scales because of where the bridge was located on the body, the length of the upper horn/strap peg, or the full length of the body.
Dont do it, sell your bass and buy a bass that is short scale. Other wise your going to experience a ClusterF#@!
Because I have a collection of basses in all three scale lengths, and I like the medium scale basses the best. The Warwick Thumb NT4 is my favorite bass. The only thing that would be better about it would be if it had a medium scale.
That's another very interesting suggestion. Thanks!
I really prefer the way medium scale feels.
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dincha get the MEMO?
THIRTY-TWO IS THE NEW THIRTY-FOUR
why, yes. indeed, it is.
