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Short scale basses

cnltb

cnltb

May 28, 2005
18,748
5,900
#1
Hi All,
I have come quite interested in a fender music master bass lately but was wondering which other short scale basses you all use, know, recommend, like, and what it is you like about a particular instrument.
-Especially since the musicmaster is no longer being made and I have up until now not found a good one on the 2nd hand market.
And although I would be interested in a passive bass, i'd love to know of as many as you all may be able to come up with, passive and active.
My main use will most likely be teaching, but I still want a nice playing and sounding instrument.
Thanks
cnltb
 
#5
Hamer has a few short (30") and medium (32") scale instruments in their catalog. I bought a short-scale Hamer "Slammer" bass for my daughter to learn on.

I also recently picked up a mid-80s Ibanez Destroyer that has a 32" scale. Prolly not what you're looking for, but you wanted a list, so...
 
#6
ctmullins said:
Hamer has a few short (30") and medium (32") scale instruments in their catalog. I bought a short-scale Hamer "Slammer" bass for my daughter to learn on.

I also recently picked up a mid-80s Ibanez Destroyer that has a 32" scale. Prolly not what you're looking for, but you wanted a list, so...
Click to expand...

Yes, I did( and do) want to know as many as possible.
Thanks!!
 
#8
Have just bought a Fender Mustang Reissue, and I absolutely love it! I think the large bridge and the strings-through-body design is the key to the Mustang sound, the best sustain I've heard in any shortscale bass.
Had a Hagstrom H2b (F-400 in the US I think) in the 70ies, nice fast neck but microphones and switches were not so good back then. Hagstrom's new line (made in China) is shortscale and looks interesting, but I have not tried them.
 
#9
I have a Birdsong fretless four made from Mesquite that sings like its namesake. There is a short-scale club in here somewhere if you are really interested in more information.

MESQ2.jpg
 
#12
I have a 1965 Gibson EB-0. It's a real thumper but I would not consider it an all purpose instrument simply due to the fact that it has absolutlely no highs beyond about 800 hz due to the tremendous inductance of the "mudbucker" pickup.

you can get some midrange back by clipping one lead of the .01 mF cap across the volume pot. I did that.

Great playability and light weight, though. Great for 60's stuff.
It's all thump and no growl. For growl I use a P.

Les
 
#16
If you can do a search for short scales you'll find a wealth of information. I like modified SX basses over the Fender Mustang RI. And Scott at Birdsong makes and awesome bass. You can find a good quality short scale for not a lot of money, but you have to do your homework. Good luck!
 
#19
mongo2 said:
I have the Mustang RI and a shortscale SX J I modded with Fender '62 RI pickups.

It's pretty much a toss-up tone wise but I prefer the thinner neck on the Mustang.
Click to expand...

I have to say the Mustang is nice, but for $700, they could use better tuners and straplocks as stock. My SX cost less than $400 total and it has had the typical fret dress and a setup with heavy gauge strings. It also has a Hipshot A-style bridge with string-thru and Ultralight tuners. A set of Dimarzio Model J's, a bar string retainer and some Gripper strap buttons round it out. Really, I only paid for the body, pickguard, neck, and frets. But you can't even find that for less that three bills. Maybe I'm just pleased with myself for bargain hunting, but there are worse things to be proud of and all this stuff is subjective anyway.
 
#20
I lust after a Mustang, but I have had an Epi EB-0 and they're a very nice bass. Inexpensive, attractive, well-balanced, and they don't sound muddy like the old Gibby EB-0. If you can find one at a store, play it - you might really like it.

The EB-0:

PA030328.jpg

The short scale I love the most is my 70's Univox hollowbody. Gorgeous bass, great sound, nicely balanced, and just a beautiful piece of history:

Univox335copy.jpg
 

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