Short scale basses legitimate basses?

[Pings Bass]

If it plays the bass line, it's a bass. I don't care if it's a tuba, string bass, synth, piano, organ pedals or bass guitar of whatever scale length.

Personally I prefer the richer overtone series produced by longer strings, as opposed to the bass-heavy sound of shorties. I have a hard enough time switching from DB to BG with a long scale. But I also own a Korg Volca bass, and have an enduring love funky synth bass lines from time to time.

 

[Lava]

Stanley Clarke.

 

[Hues]

A limited mind is a happy mind.....Or so I've heard.

 

[zontar]

and I hate that the string selection for a SS is so sparse.

This is the main downside to owning a short scale bass--for strings you may have to take what you can get--even sometimes online it isn't the same as getting strings for a 34" scale.
And with more & more short scale basses popping up in local stores over the last few years I thought it might get better string wise--but it hasn't.
In fact one time I bought the last set of short scale strings a store had--and the manager told the salesman they were not ever ordering them again (Shortscale strings in general)

now I mostly play my fretless --which is 34", but my short scale bass does get played--and it needs new strings--but fortunately I have a set to use.

 

[Warpeg]

Fenders sound different than Gibsons and part of that was scale length. Jimi was there first but Eric Clapton was a big influence on trading Les Pauls in for Strats.

I'm not sure that I'm following how this has something to do with the subject of this thread. Can you go into detail about how the tonal differences, Eric Clapton, and Jimi relate to short vs. long scale basses?

 

[Hawaii Islander]

I own 2 short scale basses at the moment, Hofner Ignition and Guild Starfire II. My first bass was a short scale, a 1960's Mosrite Celebrity hollow body bass.

 

[GIBrat51]

I'd say that, for the most part? There's a grudging consensus that, "yeah, I guess they're sorta legitimate - 'cause some famous players use them. But, I sure don't want one..", followed by a litany of excuses and "reasons" why not. Some people here love them, and won't play anything else. Others won't be in the same room with one. Same as with anything else around here, I suppose... Personally? I have several of them; they are what they are - no more, no less. I haven't had any problem switching from long to short scale and back, but most of what I play is pretty simple, and all in the "money zone", anyway. And, while the string selection isn't quite as extensive as it is for long scale basses (and no, I can't find them in the stores here, either), I've always managed to find strings I like. My only real problem with them is that my shortys don't seem to care for anything but fairly heavy gauge strings. Anything else seems... kinda floppy...

 

[FranF]

100% legit, Jeezus.... lol. Ask some famous SS players like Macca, Stanley Clarke, Bill Wyman, Jack Bruce, Graham Gouldman, Jack Casady, Chas Chandler, Brian Wheat, Tiran Porter, Walter Becker, Tina Weymouth, Gary Tallent, Kenny Aaronson, Sheryl Crow, Felix Pappalardi, John Paul Jones and on and on. I bet they say they're legit. Even Jamerson used a shorty BassVI on lots of tracks. How about the dozen or so here that voted no, tell these players otherwise...? lol

 

[Marty Forrer]

What one did you end up with?

An Ibanez Talman, which now sports Seymour Duncan pickups, Hipshot Ultralite tuners and Hipshot Kickass bridge, amongst other things.

 

[BlacknWhite]

An Ibanez Talman, which now sports Seymour Duncan pickups, Hipshot Ultralite tuners and Hipshot Kickass bridge, amongst other things.

Nice that was one of the bass's I was looking at when I got my Gretsch junior jet. It sounded decent stock must kick ass now with the PU upgrades and all.

 

[Rob Martinez]

He started out on a Hohner because that was all he could afford. He moved to a Ric and then P bass when the royalty checks came in.

There were royalty checks in 1964 - 1966. His Beatle career was made with THAT bass, not the Rick or a Fender. He played the Hofner on the Let It Be recordings, for Abbey Road, and has played one since 1987. He can play ANY bass he wants, but plays that one. It's a legitimate bass.

 

[fishdreams]

Stomu Takeshi now tours with a Kala Ubass most of the time. If he isn't a serious bass player, I don't know who is.

And I love my Danelectro Longhorn. Great bass.

 

[diegom]

this really is an easy debate to settle, isn't it?

The gentleman above is not a legitimate bass player because he is using a pick!
He is, therefore, playing an illegitimate short-scale instrument!


I hope those are enough smilies to make it clear I am joking!

 

[diegom]

Best short-scale for Metal??
Gibson EB-3, if "Blizzard Of Ozz" is any indication...
"For the Blizzard album I used one of Randy's 100-watt Marshall amps through a 4x12 cab and Gibson EB3 bass." Bob Daisley

 

[Tim Schnautz]

Wondering what the general consensus is on short scale basses. I have met many bassists that disregard short scale basses and say they are not "real" basses. I personally have no problem with them, I just prefer the longer scale. Not to say that I wouldn't play one if a cool bass came along.

Says a plenty. aka Mustang

 

[IamGroot]

There were royalty checks in 1964 - 1966. His Beatle career was made with THAT bass, not the Rick or a Fender. He played the Hofner on the Let It Be recordings, for Abbey Road, and has played one since 1987. He can play ANY bass he wants, but plays that one. It's a legitimate bass.

He mostly played the Ric on Abbey Road. He also used the Jazz on Let it Be.
Invalid Link Removed

Paul can play any bass he wants. So can any TBer. The legitimate angle is more TB angst.

 

[Marty Forrer]

Nice that was one of the bass's I was looking at when I got my Gretsch junior jet. It sounded decent stock must kick ass now with the PU upgrades and all.

I started with a Squier Jaguar, but the Talman has a much nicer neck. It actually sounds better than my P bass.

 

[Ross W. Lovell]

Wondering what the general consensus is on short scale basses. I have met many bassists that disregard short scale basses and say they are not "real" basses. I personally have no problem with them, I just prefer the longer scale. Not to say that I wouldn't play one if a cool bass came along.

Yes, they are real basses.

Not for me but know a few people that have had custom short scales built.

 

[alaskaleftybass]

Hmmmm. I'm going to know who "they" is first......

 

[BassHappy]

Long scales bug me just as much as short scales.

• Can't really utilize my finger-per-fret technique in the first position on long scales. Too much of an awkward stretch. Squeezes the fun out.

• Upper registers laughably too cramped on short scales. Yes, I play up there. Squeezes the fun out.

With medium scalers - I definitely found my size - a perfect fit. Why look any further?

One person's jewel is another person's yawn. Diversity makes the world go round, as it should be.

Enjoy your long scales, enjoy your short scales. Let me enjoy my mediums.

No one ever walked into a studio and called out the scale length on a well-played and well-recorded bass track. It simply doesn't happen.

Thank you.