Short Scale / Long Scale can they tell?

[lonote]

They probably don't care, but I guess they could tell quite easily.
Short scale is just shorter. I'm sure the audience could spott that.

Ahhh...you're assuming they're paying enough enough attention to the bass player that they'd notice. That is not a valid assumption.

 

[obsession600]

I am curious as to whether my fellow TBers believe that an audience can tell the difference in sound if someone is playing a short scale versus a long scale.

The vast majority of the time no one can tell the difference.

 

[cnltb]

Ahhh...you're assuming they're paying enough enough attention to the bass player that they'd notice. That is not a valid assumption.

Depending on the audience, venue and the music one plays, it very much would be a valid assumption.
Having said that, am not assuming anything.

 

[DeanT]

Intonation above the 7th fret will be off IMO/IME (unless it's a fretless).

As an owner of 3 short scale basses, I do not have this problem with any one of them. Yours may be set up wrong.

 

[amandolin]

I actually had slight intonation problems from frets 1-5 on my short scale, but that was an issue with nut height, not scale length.

 

[the nasty rumor]

They notice body size more.

My hofner, yeah people comment on the size of it. When I had an EB-2, not one comment at all.

 

[tedw]

I play a short scale Rob Allen Mouse and sometimes people do ask about it's size? But more often than that they comment on the great sound. Until I joined TB I didn't even know what a short scale was. If I'd known 30 years ago, I would have had one a long time ago. Some may notice, but no biggy. Play and enjoy!

 

[mongo2]

Intonation above the 7th fret will be off IMO/IME (unless it's a fretless).

Horsehockey.

Scale length isn't the culprit, improper intonation is the problem.

None of my shortscales with a bridge that can be adjusted for intonation have that problem. They intonate just like any other bass with a similar bridge.

 

[ia02]

99% of the audience wouldn't know if you was playing a long scale Jazz or a Tuba.

+ ONE MILLION

 

[EddieG]

The vast majority of the audience (if it's made up of ordinary joes), won't be able to tell the difference, but mostly won't care. If I go to see a gig, it makes no difference to me whether the bassist is playing a short or long scale bass, as long as he knows his way around it, and it's in tune!

 

[BassBob185]

Great replies so far thanks for the insight. BTW my intonation is dead on anywhere along the scale.

Of course most of the audience would not notice or care either way. My inquiry was to get some opinions about the subject.

 

[etechstan]

Get real!! The audience is looking at the singer and guitar player not you!!!!

 

[BassBob185]

Depends on where you play

 

[spade2you]

Horsehockey.

Scale length isn't the culprit, improper intonation is the problem.

None of my shortscales with a bridge that can be adjusted for intonation have that problem. They intonate just like any other bass with a similar bridge.

Kinda depends on the bass. Scale isn't necessarily the sole culprit, but I've played a few fretted shorties with high action and I could hear the difference.