Suggestions for a cheap short scale bass?

[lug]

What is "cheap"?

 

[LordRyan]

Hofner Ignition series is fairly inexpensive and has a classic look. Also look at Danelectro. Jackson JS series is very inexpensive.

 

[Bar Band Bassman]

Love my cheap Hofner Club bass. May not provide you with the sonic palette you seek. Test drive as many different models as you can.

BBB

 

[DanAdams]

I like the looks of the Epiphone Newport.

 

[Bunk McNulty]

Squier Bronco? Hofner Ignition Pro Club? Squier Mustang?

Take a look at Jonathan Wong's 40 shorties review:

 

[TN WOODMAN]

The Ibanez Mikro is 28.5" scale (1.5" shorter than short scale).
I bought one for travel and as it turns out I absolutely love it. The construction is excellent and the play-ability, sound and ergonomics are great.
These sell new for $219 and I have seen them used for $100.
I highly recommend checking these out.

Curiosity got the better of me & when I found a Mikro with plastic still on at my pawn I had to grab it. $80 OTD with a Planet Waves Joe Satriani strap to boot. Put a set of short scale flats off my EBO & this little bass sounds amazing.

I’ve entertained the idea of heavily modding my Mikro but it really works as is.

 

[Jammy Jellyfish]

I have a Gretsch G2220 and the Squier Sonic Bronco. Both are fun little basses to play and, at least for me, were both setup dead on right out of the box.
View attachment 7469964View attachment 7469965

I've had lower cost Squire, Gretsch, Ibanez, Cort and Hagstrom short scale basses.
I settled on Squire. A major reason for me was the fret board radius.

I had to give up playing long scale bass due to my left hand a few years back. I just got a "Smurf Blue" Squier Sonic Bronco (Calif. blue) last week as a backup to my Schecter Banshee shortscale bass. I am amazed at the quality. All I had to do was tune it, lower the saddles one half turn and just barely touch the truss rod. It stays in tune and plays great. It is one of the best musical investments I've made. My Schecter is neglected for now because the Bronco is so much fun and easy to play. I usually play flatwound strings, but for now I'm enjoying the roundwounds that came on it. The weight is good and it is very well balanced. I would feel confident taking this bass to a gig with no backup tonight.

I would say go and try them out and see what feels the best. I like the Gretsch Junior Jet, but I personally went for the Squier Sonic Bronco. See black on pictured. I swapped in a Curtis Novak MM pickup and LaBella LTFs. All in I am in for like $280. Honestly, the stock pickup and rounds were fine.

Another one to consider is an Epiphone Rumblekat. Short and semi hollow. A bit more expensive, but available used as well.

Can the Bronco be strung with flat wounds or tapes? The tuner pegs seem tiny...

 

[GregT]

Can the Bronco be strung with flat wounds or tapes? The tuner pegs seem tiny...

Some people say La Bella LTF-4A-S Low Tension Flats fit, but I haven't tried them yet. I want to try them someday because I play flats also usually.

 

[Jammy Jellyfish]

Take a look at Jonathan Wong's 40 shorties review:

Watching! Jonathan is amazing — all the information without the influencer antics. I've also contacted him before about a question I had about short scale basses, and he was great and friendly!

 

[Bassa Nova]

The sonic bronco has a “standard” 4 saddle bridge

The old bronco was 2 saddle bridge

I use La Bella LTF-4A-S same gauge as they come with. They work fine without adjustment of nut or saddles.

 

[Jammy Jellyfish]

The sonic bronco has a “standard” 4 saddle bridge

The old bronco was 2 saddle bridge

I use La Bella LTF-4A-S same gauge as they come with. They work fine without adjustment of nut or saddles.

It's not the bridge I'm worried about, it's the tuners. They're smaller, and I'm worried a .105 string wouldn't fit through the hole. I asked the store clerk who said he owned one. He didn't seem very knowledgeable, but said you couldn't go higher than .095. I thought I'd ask here.

 

[JC BASS 91]

Can the Bronco be strung with flat wounds or tapes? The tuner pegs seem tiny...

Tuners are standard size bass tuners, at least on the Sonic Series that I have.

 

[Jammy Jellyfish]

Tuners are standard size bass tuners, at least on the Sonic Series that I have.

View attachment 7470359

Are they? I'm specially talking about this part:

 

[Ostie]

I’ve got a Mustang, a Epi Rumblekat, a Epi EB-0, a Gretsch Jr Jet, and a Gretsch 5142 hollow body. They were all well less than $500 and they’re all great.

 

[RomanS]

Are they? I'm specially talking about this part:

No problems with the tuners & flatwounds on my Squier Sonic Bronco - this is a very nice short scale bass, BTW, super-comfortable neck, and the tone is good (though that single coil pick-up is bit noisy, that's why I swapped it for a humbucker).

I'd definitely take a Squier Bronco over a CV Mustang any time - every single example of the latter ones that I tried was very heavy and neck-dive-y, and I hated the thick, goopy neck finish.

Same for the Gretsch short-scale - super neck-dive-y.

I also own & love a cheapo Höfner Club (Icon series, precursor to Ignition series); the tone is GREAT on the neck pickup, super thumpy (especially with flatwounds, I recommend LaBella 39-96 Beatles Bass flats), the other pickup is pretty useless, and the electronics are kinda conusing - just set it on neck pickup only & "solo", and you're good to go. The main reason why I love it is the weight (or lack of weight) - most of my acoustic guitars are heavier, I've never seen any other bass that is as light, you can play for hours and won't feel it. The most unusual thing about it is the narrow string spacing at the bridge - if you're used to Fender P Bass spacing, this might take a bit of adjustment, personally,I love it (and put a Schaller 200 bridge on my P so I can get narrower string spacing). With the short scale & narrow spacing Höfner's are super easy to play, very comfortable!

Another affordable short-scale bass I can recommend: Guild Starfire I - looks classy, sounds great; the body is bigger more unwieldy, than on many other short scale basses, which might be a bit of a problem if you're a very small person, but other than that, it's very comfortable to play.

 

[thump54]

Can the Bronco be strung with flat wounds or tapes? The tuner pegs seem tiny...

I have Chromes on my Sonic Bronco. No issues, plays and sounds great!

 

[JC BASS 91]

Are they? I'm specially talking about this part:

Same size as Gotoh's. Not sure what more you could want. They aren't guitar tuners if that's what you're thinking. Pictured here next to the Gotoh tuners on my 2000 Carvin LB-70. The Gotoh's might look larger in this pic, but only because I can't get them side by side, but they are the same size as those on the Sonic Bronco.

 

[petergales]

Ibanez Talman. The have a 4 string, TMB30, and a 5 string, TMB35. Around $325 new.

This one. The TMB30 is great value and really playable. I thoroughly recommend it.

 

[Bassa Nova]

It's not the bridge I'm worried about, it's the tuners. They're smaller, and I'm worried a .105 string wouldn't fit through the hole. I asked the store clerk who said he owned one. He didn't seem very knowledgeable, but said you couldn't go higher than .095. I thought I'd ask here.

I have

042-.100​

 

[lowplaces]

Squier Bronco? Hofner Ignition Pro Club? Squier Mustang?

I don't think anyone has mentioned the Squier Mini P 28.6" scale.

LaBella makes a set of flats specifically for the Mini P.
I have two. One with the LaBella flats and one with rounds.

The Ibanez Mikro E tuner is far enough above the nut to allow more short scale brands flats options. (30" sets)