the inexpensive and reversible way to try this 32" scale thing is to use the capo on the first fret and use stickers to augment and/or cover the front and side dots. obtw, i tune my 32"s to dgcf and use 'medium' gauge strings.
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Luthier to Convert a Long Scale Bass Into Medium Scale?
- Thread starter LenMinNJ
- Start date
the inexpensive and reversible way to try this 32" scale thing is to use the capo on the first fret and use stickers to augment and/or cover the front and side dots. obtw, i tune my 32"s to dgcf and use 'medium' gauge strings.
Thanks for all the suggestions and comments.
I really love my Thumb NT4 - it's by far my favorite bass - but I'd prefer it with a medium scale.
I asked Warwick what a 32-inch scale version would cost and they quoted me a list price of $8000! Their dealers have quoted me retail prices around $6000. That's way, way too much for me.
My alternatives are to have someone else build me a Thumb NT4 clone, or to modify mine to 32-inch scale. Either would be fine with me, as long as the price is manageable.
The problem with having a clone built is that the woods Warwick uses in the Thumb NT4 are not easily available. Bubinga, Ovangkol, Wenge and Pommele are real hard to find here.
That suggested to me that modifying my bass would be the better path.
When I bought the bass, it was in really terrible condition, and I paid a very low price, only $500. I've put another $400 into restoring it - getting the neck bow straightened out, sorting out the electronics and properly shielding it, filling the body wing separations - and now it's just about the perfect bass for me. Except for scale length. And maybe I'd like a black ebony fretboard.
I still have a lot less money sunk into this bass than it would cost to buy another one second-hand. Used Thumb NT4s typically sell for $1300 to $1700. So it makes sense to me to put a bit more money into it and get it just right. Life is short!
Even if it's another $1000, my total cost would still be less than a new standard Thumb NT4.
I really love my Thumb NT4 - it's by far my favorite bass - but I'd prefer it with a medium scale.
I asked Warwick what a 32-inch scale version would cost and they quoted me a list price of $8000! Their dealers have quoted me retail prices around $6000. That's way, way too much for me.
My alternatives are to have someone else build me a Thumb NT4 clone, or to modify mine to 32-inch scale. Either would be fine with me, as long as the price is manageable.
The problem with having a clone built is that the woods Warwick uses in the Thumb NT4 are not easily available. Bubinga, Ovangkol, Wenge and Pommele are real hard to find here.
That suggested to me that modifying my bass would be the better path.
When I bought the bass, it was in really terrible condition, and I paid a very low price, only $500. I've put another $400 into restoring it - getting the neck bow straightened out, sorting out the electronics and properly shielding it, filling the body wing separations - and now it's just about the perfect bass for me. Except for scale length. And maybe I'd like a black ebony fretboard.
I still have a lot less money sunk into this bass than it would cost to buy another one second-hand. Used Thumb NT4s typically sell for $1300 to $1700. So it makes sense to me to put a bit more money into it and get it just right. Life is short!
Even if it's another $1000, my total cost would still be less than a new standard Thumb NT4.
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Thumb NT4s have 26 frets.
The body is very small (but heavy). The balance is perfect for me.
Not super familiar with Warwick (even though I own an 89). I was going to suggest getting a 32" neck with a couple more frets so you wouldn't have to move the bridge and the PU's would still be placed correctly.
It's a neckthrough instrument. Can't easily replace the neck.
It would either have to be cut down and the fretboard replaced, or just the nut could be moved without cutting down the neck.
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Look, I love 32" scale. It's lovely.
But the idea of converting the scale a neck-through instrument is absolutely insane
Imo, the only scale conversions that make any sense are those with cheapish, plentiful bolt-on replacement necks. So basically: Strats and Teles (or things that share their neck pockets). You want 24, 24.6, 24.75, 25, 25.5, or various baritone scales? Go effing nuts.
But on anything even slightly more oddball or harder to work on? Jesus, no.
A capo and downtuning will give you a VERY good idea of how you'd like the shorter scale. If you don't like the feel of that, you're not gonna like the actual shorter instrument. As I recall, the math is pretty much on the money.
But the idea of converting the scale a neck-through instrument is absolutely insane
Imo, the only scale conversions that make any sense are those with cheapish, plentiful bolt-on replacement necks. So basically: Strats and Teles (or things that share their neck pockets). You want 24, 24.6, 24.75, 25, 25.5, or various baritone scales? Go effing nuts.
But on anything even slightly more oddball or harder to work on? Jesus, no.
A capo and downtuning will give you a VERY good idea of how you'd like the shorter scale. If you don't like the feel of that, you're not gonna like the actual shorter instrument. As I recall, the math is pretty much on the money.
I don't mind a bit of insanity in my musical life.
I tried it. I like it!
Maybe it would make more sense to just move the nut and replace the markers.
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You’d need a new neck cut to fit the existing pocket and the bridge moved. That is not going to be inexpensive conversion. That will also change the relative placement of the pickups which will likely result in a significant change in the tone of your instrument, to say nothing of ruining its resale value.
If you really must have a medium scale Warwick, your best bet is to sell your existing bass after you’ve banked the difference between its expected resale value and the price io a medium scale and just get the real deal.
Right now your current bass is worth more in it’s unmodded state than it’ll ever be should you have someine attempt a conversion. That’s a big chance to take on something there’s no telling if you’ll be happy with the end result.
tl:dr - Don’t mod. Save up the price difference, sell your existing bass, buy the medium scale.
You are assuming that you'll still love it after the modification. Considering how many things will be changed, that's not a safe assumption.
- Dec 21, 2007
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Change the strings and downtune, then capo. Play it for a while. If you love that, then have the first fret turned into a 0 fret, ditch the capo, and you're done.
It's not absolutely insane at all. Replacing the neck in a neck-thru bass is a complicated and moderately expensive job, but many of us Luthiers do this fairly often. I wouldn't say it's routine, but it's a job we do when needed. Replacing it with a neck of a different scale length isn't much extra complexity. The new neck would be laid out to work with the existing bridge and pickup positions. Changing to 32" scale, the new neck would probably end up at 24 frets, rather than 26.
And yes, we can get the right woods and build a replacement neck that's equal in feel and quality to the original Warwick neck.
i know we're 3 pages in and this is probably redundant,
but the only smart move is to sell your current instrument and buy something else that suits your needs. the cost of this type of job is quite high and the results are always "off." a bass is designed from the beginning with scale length in mind - yes alterations could hypothetically be made, but the bass just isin't going to feel right.
its a common TB thing to want your ___ to sound like ___. nonsence! just use each instrument as a learning experience. if you want a 32", get one, don't chop up a 34"
but the only smart move is to sell your current instrument and buy something else that suits your needs. the cost of this type of job is quite high and the results are always "off." a bass is designed from the beginning with scale length in mind - yes alterations could hypothetically be made, but the bass just isin't going to feel right.
its a common TB thing to want your ___ to sound like ___. nonsence! just use each instrument as a learning experience. if you want a 32", get one, don't chop up a 34"
If a capo at the first fret gave you weirdness with respect to strings, I'd suggest you address that weirdness before modifying your bass - with a 32 inch scale instrument, the situation in terms of gauges, tensions, etc is EXACTLY the same as a 34 capo'd at the first fret. If you can't live with the string issue capo'd on a 34, you're booking an expensive one way trip to frustration land (without the possibility of return) by modding your current instrument. Best to have that sorted before changing the instrument irreversibly
My suggestion as to what route to go here is to consider a Warmoth build - if you want a wenge neck (or a bunch of other woods), they will absolutely do that in a 32 inch neck, so you can get something pretty close wood wise to what you have now. If you find you the 32 outdoes your current bass, you can sell the curent one off and come out ahead financially on the whole deal.
There are none available commercially. Warwick doesn't make a neckthrough 32-inch scale bass, other than as a custom order.
I want the feel and sound of the Thumb NT4.
Can someone recommend me a mechanic that will convert my Subaru Outback to a Mini Cooper?
