Short scale recommendations

[mapleglo]

Black on a guitar/bass echoes a grand piano (tradition/classical/classic/"classy"), and black goes with everything. (especially a tux - which we shed due to the hot afternoon) I'm looking down with my left foot ready to trigger-off my fuzz pedal used for the opening of "Live & Let Die".

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Great pic! And yes, many people buy black instruments because black does go with everything. Not only that, but black is slimming as well.

 

[GonePlaid]

Great pic! And yes, many people buy black instruments because black does go with everything. Not only that, but black is slimming as well.

Hmm. If I paint my other 4 black will I look like I did 30 years ago?

 

[Nancy1234]

Hi Nancy..congrats on the Jag. I have the Gretsch and I love mine. I'm thinking of getting a second short scale and I was wondering if there are any things that you DON'T like about the Jag?

This is partly a matter of playing style, but I like to anchor my thumb on the next pickup and there’s a scratchy screw right there. Easy enough to fix as several posters have time me with a $10 thumbrest available on Amazon.
Other than that, I absolutely love this bass. I wish I’d gone to a ss sooner. Highly recommended!

 

[JIO]

Great pic! And yes, many people buy black instruments because black does go with everything. Not only that, but black is slimming as well.

If I saw you playing a "slimming" black bass - I may have a hard time seeing you Nex!

 

[JIO]

I like the photo. I have to say, what I see is a very well-rounded band presentation, very stylish, just perfect! Very aesthetic!

Thanks! - our current line-up.

 

[macmanlou]

This is partly a matter of playing style, but I like to anchor my thumb on the next pickup and there’s a scratchy screw right there. Easy enough to fix as several posters have time me with a $10 thumbrest available on Amazon.
Other than that, I absolutely love this bass. I wish I’d gone to a ss sooner. Highly recommended!

I like these "low profile" thumb rests. They are about 1/2 the height of the Fender rests, so it's much easier to move my thumb from "resting" to muting, especially on the E string.

 

[Gaolee]

This is partly a matter of playing style, but I like to anchor my thumb on the next pickup and there’s a scratchy screw right there. Easy enough to fix as several posters have time me with a $10 thumbrest available on Amazon.
Other than that, I absolutely love this bass. I wish I’d gone to a ss sooner. Highly recommended!

Another solution is a small file, sandpaper, or an emory board. File off the sharp points on the screw and all will be well. I had the same issue with an aftermarket pickup that had less than perfectly hard screw heads. They could easily be smoothed out where the screwdriver had raised a small burr on the screw head without compromising the ability to turn the screw if I needed to in the future. That said, a thumb rest is one step toward ash trays on a bass. Ash trays prove that you are enlightened and have good tasted in shiny objects.

 

[Gaolee]

Thanks! - our current line-up.

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If I played in a band like that, I could be convinced to buy a black bass. And maybe wear a tux. I have never worn a tux in my life.

 

[JIO]

If I played in a band like that, I could be convinced to buy a black bass. And maybe wear a tux. I have never worn a tux in my life.

Me neither before joining. I bought my made in Italy cashmere tux coat in VGC from a thrift store for $14, new Stacy Adams from Nordstrom Rack for cheap, spent some money on a nice cotton dress shirt and formal slacks and the bow tie cost more than my jacket! It's a stage costume. ftr - my BG bass is an Oly wht '66 J - I just used my black-faced bass only for that one gig.

 

[Russell Ward]

This is partly a matter of playing style, but I like to anchor my thumb on the next pickup and there’s a scratchy screw right there. Easy enough to fix as several posters have time me with a $10 thumbrest available on Amazon.
Other than that, I absolutely love this bass. I wish I’d gone to a ss sooner. Highly recommended!

Yes I agree, I'm still playing my short scale Kay bass from the 70's, despite having a pristine Rickenbacker next to me !.

I would consider getting a new short scale bass myself, I think the Jaguar is a good option.

I practice every day for about an hour and a half, usually with my new headphone amplifier, because my Mother's elderly and doesn't get up till noon.

I just find the spacing on the lower frets of my full scale bass difficult to span, I know the answer is to move my whole hand more quickly, but I'm "lazy" and like to use my hand and finger span to play riffs, and 12 bar blues.

My Kay bass has only one pick up, is made of plywood and only has a volume and tone control, but it's easy to play.

My Rickenbacker is a technical "marvel", it's got 2 inputs, and lots of nobs and a toggle switch, it sounds great, but I'm a long way from being able to do it justice.

Yes i'll look out for a good short scale bass.

 

[Nancy1234]

Another solution is a small file, sandpaper, or an emory board. File off the sharp points on the screw and all will be well. I had the same issue with an aftermarket pickup that had less than perfectly hard screw heads. They could easily be smoothed out where the screwdriver had raised a small burr on the screw head without compromising the ability to turn the screw if I needed to in the future. That said, a thumb rest is one step toward ash trays on a bass. Ash trays prove that you are enlightened and have good tasted in shiny objects.

That’s worth a shot but enlightenment is sooooo tempting

 

[Spidey2112]

This is partly a matter of playing style, but I like to anchor my thumb on the next pickup and there’s a scratchy screw right there. Easy enough to fix as several posters have time me with a $10 thumbrest available on Amazon.
Other than that, I absolutely love this bass. I wish I’d gone to a ss sooner. Highly recommended!

How bout swapping the screw out with it's mate? Even cheaper...

 

[SoulReflection]

I kinda liked the band-aid fix .

 

[Gaolee]

That’s worth a shot but enlightenment is sooooo tempting

Covers are all about shiny. Shiny is the road to enlightenment.

 

[JIO]

That’s worth a shot but enlightenment is sooooo tempting

Covers are mostly good for a photo-ops, for playing it depends on where you actively play. I usually hang around the bridge - so never a cover there, but I do use a cover on the neck (J) pu on one bass. I play above it when I want a bass-ier response and never 'run into it' playing my favored bridge pu location. There's no functional 'advantage' having covers - it's just a stylistic tolerance regardless of what anyone says.

 

[SoulReflection]

Covers are mostly good for a photo-ops, for playing it depends on where you actively play. I usually hang around the bridge - so never a cover there, but I do use a cover on the neck (J) pu on one bass. I play above it when I want a bass-ier response and never 'run into it' playing my favored bridge pu location. There's no functional 'advantage' having covers - it's just a stylistic tolerance regardless of what anyone says.

But, But, But...it's like a car without hubcaps .

 

[GonePlaid]

But, But, But...it's like a car without hubcaps .

Only modification-beside strings-to my Jag VM SS:

 

[JIO]

But, But, But...it's like a car without hubcaps .

A perfect analogy.

 

[Russell Ward]

But, But, But...it's like a car without hubcaps .

I have acquired a pristine Rickenbacker from my buddy, it is only missing the chrome cover that goes over the strings, I don't know what it does, I would be grateful for any advice.

It has 2 outputs, but I only use one, I'm a bass beginner, and electric guitars are new to me, I've only played a Classical Spanish guitar since 1995 when I started playing with encouragement from my buddy.

But the bass is a natural progression from the classical guitar, I've taken to it like a Duck to water, I think it's the similarities with the classical finger style I've always played, I never got on with a plectrum or the close string spacing of my Sunn Mustang Stratocaster electric guitar.

 

[BulbousMoses]

This is partly a matter of playing style, but I like to anchor my thumb on the next pickup and there’s a scratchy screw right there. Easy enough to fix as several posters have time me with a $10 thumbrest available on Amazon.
Other than that, I absolutely love this bass. I wish I’d gone to a ss sooner. Highly recommended!

Glad to hear. That low profile thumb rest might be a good option for me on my Gretsch. Another short scale that I'm looking at is the Ibanez Talman TMB30. I do like the black Jaguar, though.