Yeah, even Ibanez also has quite a few shorter scale guitars. But since there are too many scale length variations in guitar world, rarely one would categorize them as more firm as in bass guitar world.
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NBD: Ibanez SR Mezzo 32" scale - review
- Thread starter HarveyRobertson
- Start date
Yes... most Gibsons are 24.75, Fenders 25.5, Martin D 25.4, Martin 000 24.9, PRS 25... and on they go.
Has anyone measured the range of acceptable winding lengths for the Mezzo*? If so, will you share?
* Distance from string ball to far side of nut and distance from ball to E tuner
* Distance from string ball to far side of nut and distance from ball to E tuner
Here's what I got doing some quick sloppy measurements
Ball to other side of nut - 33 11/16
E, ball to center of tuner - 36 1/4
A, " - 38 3/4
D, " - 38
G, " - 35 7/8
What does that mean for commonly available strings?
Thanks! Here's a list of winding lengths by manufacture:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
In my experience, only the strings with diameters greater than about 0.100 inches have the extra, outer winding that makes wrapping them around a tuner difficult. On this bass, that means the tuner (what is usually) the E string places the upper bound on the winding length. That means we are looking for strings with winding length between 33.6875 and 36.25. It looks like there are a few options on the list I linked.
I'm not sure... For example, the DR short scales are 34 inches from ball to taper... are they going to be long enough to use on the A & D strings which need 4.25 and 4 inches beyond the taper just to get to the tuner?
I think I saw somewhere that Ibby recommended using the regular long scale D'Addario EXL165's.
Whatever is on the bass from the factory, the taper ends on the tuning peg with the full diameter wrapping one full wrap around the post, not before... so I'm guessing the 37 inches that most seem to have on the list works on the bass as long as you don't get thicker than the 105 they spec.
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Hi! So I just randomly played one of these at Guitar Center and I was really digging in on the Mezzos with treble full and bass in center. I played the metallic purple finish and instantly fell in love with the tone (not so much the color although my gf and I were joking about the color giving such Prince vibes). After playing the bass I had one guy ask me if I was playing an expensive bass until I showed him the price tag. He literally flipped and asked if I was buying it or not. Long story short, he ended up buying it which led me here.
I might consider buying it if I weren't so attached to my other Basses I own (I seriously need to stop looking into more basses...) but if there was one flaw to point out on the bass was the narrow neck around the 3rd fret. Perhaps something I need to get use to but I was also thinking of upgrades for the Mezzo. Given it's extremely bright characteristics I'm not so sure if I'd want to tame them or embellish it even more. I feel like if it sounds good as is, don't bother with upgrades. Plain and simple. Enjoy the bass as it is and if you really want to change the way it sounds either look into a new bass or find some strings that will help with what you're looking for.
Because people have asked in this thread about upgrades I'd probably upgrade the machine heads, bridge, and pick guard
I might consider buying it if I weren't so attached to my other Basses I own (I seriously need to stop looking into more basses...) but if there was one flaw to point out on the bass was the narrow neck around the 3rd fret. Perhaps something I need to get use to but I was also thinking of upgrades for the Mezzo. Given it's extremely bright characteristics I'm not so sure if I'd want to tame them or embellish it even more. I feel like if it sounds good as is, don't bother with upgrades. Plain and simple. Enjoy the bass as it is and if you really want to change the way it sounds either look into a new bass or find some strings that will help with what you're looking for.
Because people have asked in this thread about upgrades I'd probably upgrade the machine heads, bridge, and pick guard
As I mentioned before in this thread, I ended up selling mine because I didn't like what I perceived as an extreme taper of the neck near the nut. Do the rest of you folks find that you like that characteristic of the bass or not?
I swapped out the J pup for a Dimarzio ultra jazz. Sounds great, balances better with the P, silent. I had to upgrade that pup because of interference in the church where I play but that pup ended up being a really good choice.Hi! So I just randomly played one of these at Guitar Center and I was really digging in on the Mezzos with treble full and bass in center. I played the metallic purple finish and instantly fell in love with the tone (not so much the color although my gf and I were joking about the color giving such Prince vibes). After playing the bass I had one guy ask me if I was playing an expensive bass until I showed him the price tag. He literally flipped and asked if I was buying it or not. Long story short, he ended up buying it which led me here.
I might consider buying it if I weren't so attached to my other Basses I own (I seriously need to stop looking into more basses...) but if there was one flaw to point out on the bass was the narrow neck around the 3rd fret. Perhaps something I need to get use to but I was also thinking of upgrades for the Mezzo. Given it's extremely bright characteristics I'm not so sure if I'd want to tame them or embellish it even more. I feel like if it sounds good as is, don't bother with upgrades. Plain and simple. Enjoy the bass as it is and if you really want to change the way it sounds either look into a new bass or find some strings that will help with what you're looking for.
Because people have asked in this thread about upgrades I'd probably upgrade the machine heads, bridge, and pick guard
I don't perceive the taper as much as I do a narrow fingerboard all the way up and down. I'd prefer it was a little wider, but it doesn't bother me. I like the bass a lot to the point that I'm toying with picking up a second and converting it to fretless.
Sounds like a fun project!
Makes me wonder if I had the spare change on how this bass would work in a Bartolini config since it has that very nice finger funk slap tone.
Makes me wonder if I had the spare change on how this bass would work in a Bartolini config since it has that very nice finger funk slap tone.
Be aware that the J pup sizing is off from standard. The pickup rout is the length of a neck pup with the placement of the mounting wings of a bridge pup. When you replace the pup you either have to lengthen the opening a tiny bit or enlarge the mounting wings for any aftermarket pup to fit.
I bought a bridge pup and lengthened the opening a tiny bit at each end with a rotary tool. If you look very closely at mine you can see it isn't perfect but you have to look to see it.
My understanding is that the P pup is standard size & shape. I like it enough to not change it at this point.
I played a Mezzo the other day and I thought it played very well. I have a couple short scales (30") and it felt very comfortable to me, even though it's a little longer at 32". It was orange with a maple neck. Not sure what the weight is, but it felt like maybe 8 lbs. it didn't have a strap so I can't comment on any neck dive.
I don't play rock anymore or I would be seriously gassing for one. That and the active circuit—Not a huge fan of actives.
I don't play rock anymore or I would be seriously gassing for one. That and the active circuit—Not a huge fan of actives.
Now with the honeymoon firmly over. The bass is amazingly well built, it's a ridiculous amount of bass for $300. But for the life of me, it's shrill. I get a decent unplugged tone out of it, but when I plug in, it's a struggle to get a sound that isn't harsh and trebly, and not in a good way. It is now relegated to the rack while the JBass and the OLP MM2 get all the playing time - because those two are pretty much plug and play immediate awesome tone, the mezzo needs fiddling and fiddling and fiddling with the preamp. There's also the fact that I'm no longer playing in bands, so the need for something super light or ergonomic for playing standing up has disappeared. Given all this, I could invest in better electronics, but that's money and work I don't feel like investing right now. I'm probably selling it to fund a new guitar (I have only a strat and I hunger for LP tones sometimes
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I sold mine also because I became disenchanted with the neck taper near the nut—too narrow for me. I also found that the pickups were too harsh, though that is pretty easy to remedy. As for as LP-type guitars go, may I recommend Schecter Solo II Custom, an Eastman, or perhaps a PRS? I find "real" Gibsons to be expensive for what you get.I'm probably selling it to fund a new guitar (I have only a strat and I hunger for LP tones sometimes
Oh, definitely not a Gibson-Gibson LP. I'm cheap (as evidenced by my foray in the Mezzo bass
) my strat is a cheap Yamaha pacifica with an upgraded bridge pickup, and I'm looking around for something like that on the LP-ish front (old Yamaha AES or newer Yamaha revstar, epiphone LP, PRS SE, I've seen a couple of old Ibanez ARX which were surprisingly comfy and could use a pickup upgrade).
I can't speak for everyone here, but I like Ibanez basses specifically because of the slim necks, which I find particularly important on 5-string models. Also, I wouldn't say that the Mezzos have an extreme taper so much as that they have necks that are both thin and narrow along their entire length.
Musician's friend had the purple Mezzo on sale for $250. Since I'm a fan of that color, I snapped one up. I just checked, and it looks like the purple color is back up to $299, though I'm sure you could talk them down a bit.
For anyone interested in how the Mezzo compares to a full-sized SR and the Mikro, I took this photo:
For anyone interested in how the Mezzo compares to a full-sized SR and the Mikro, I took this photo:
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