Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Suggestions for a cheap short scale bass?
- Thread starter Jammy Jellyfish
- Start date
Guild starfire I sounds great and is light with a large comfortable body.
It picks up noise though. I actually completely rewired mine with all shielded cables and I got it to be super quiet. Sounds like you’d expect a hollow P bass to sound. It’s “self-eqing” in a mix.
It picks up noise though. I actually completely rewired mine with all shielded cables and I got it to be super quiet. Sounds like you’d expect a hollow P bass to sound. It’s “self-eqing” in a mix.
If you consider the Höfner, I'd look for the Cavern model. I was pretty set up for it, but changed my mind for the Regular model right before the purchase and have been regretting ever since!
If your first concern is the cost, you cannot beat the Squier Sonic Bronco. Crazy good for under $250 USD. My second pick would be the Ibby Mikro.
Cheaper still is the Squier Mini P, peeps seem to love 'em.
A bunch of the other basses mentioned are north of $350, but that might still be cheap to you.
As for the Rascal, keep in mind that it is hellaciously large for a short scale bass.
Cheaper still is the Squier Mini P, peeps seem to love 'em.
A bunch of the other basses mentioned are north of $350, but that might still be cheap to you.
As for the Rascal, keep in mind that it is hellaciously large for a short scale bass.
@Pdaddy1978 Well as you very well know, because of your advice I bought the Newport last year. it needed quite a bit of setup out of the box as there was an awful lot of fret buzz but with a little coercion I got it in right place. It is an absolute joy to play and with flats on has that Jack Bruce feel.
Meanwhile - finally the Cort GB shorty I ordered in January is landing with me tomorrow!
Attachments
Correct. It’s the same length overall as a standard 34” jazz bass.
I took a picture of my Rascal standing on it's tail and my 34" P then put a steel rule across the top of the headstocks, I doubt there was more than 1/2" difference
In the last three years I bought 12 short scale basses (and 2 full scale) trying to figure out what I like. Prices ranged from under $100 (FBMP used) to $1100 (GC, after tax). Most felt fine in the store but fell short when played side-by-side with the others at home.
On top of those 12, I also tried a few in stores but didn't buy them because they were uncomfortable enough (for me) that I knew right away.
All of the short scales that I bought and tried have a large group of fans here on TB, but only 2 models worked really well for me.
Biggest factors, in order of importance:
Least important factor (for me): stock tone. A lot of online influencers focus on (stock) tone. I was able to get a great tone out of all but one of them.
Neck dive is its own topic, with lots of threads and long discussions. In the end, it's subjective, just like comfort. I play with the bass on a strap with the neck pointed up at ~40 degrees. That's very different (from a neck dive standpoint) from someone who plays with the bass resting on their knee with the neck parallel to the ground.
If there's any way for you to go to stores and play them, that should answer a lot of questions. Unfortunately, many stores carry very few short scales except around the year-end holidays. Good luck in your journey!
On top of those 12, I also tried a few in stores but didn't buy them because they were uncomfortable enough (for me) that I knew right away.
All of the short scales that I bought and tried have a large group of fans here on TB, but only 2 models worked really well for me.
Biggest factors, in order of importance:
- balance (neck dive)
- neck width / string spacing
- body contour (cutouts vs. straight slab)
Least important factor (for me): stock tone. A lot of online influencers focus on (stock) tone. I was able to get a great tone out of all but one of them.
Neck dive is its own topic, with lots of threads and long discussions. In the end, it's subjective, just like comfort. I play with the bass on a strap with the neck pointed up at ~40 degrees. That's very different (from a neck dive standpoint) from someone who plays with the bass resting on their knee with the neck parallel to the ground.
If there's any way for you to go to stores and play them, that should answer a lot of questions. Unfortunately, many stores carry very few short scales except around the year-end holidays. Good luck in your journey!
Ibanez Mikro. A great bang for the buck
Which onces?In the last three years I bought 12 short scale basses (and 2 full scale) trying to figure out what I like. Prices ranged from under $100 (FBMP used) to $1100 (GC, after tax). Most felt fine in the store but fell short when played side-by-side with the others at home.
On top of those 12, I also tried a few in stores but didn't buy them because they were uncomfortable enough (for me) that I knew right away.
All of the short scales that I bought and tried have a large group of fans here on TB, but only 2 models worked really well for me.
Biggest factors, in order of importance:
- balance (neck dive)
- neck width / string spacing
- body contour (cutouts vs. straight slab)
Least important factor (for me): stock tone. A lot of online influencers focus on (stock) tone. I was able to get a great tone out of all but one of them.
Neck dive is its own topic, with lots of threads and long discussions. In the end, it's subjective, just like comfort. I play with the bass on a strap with the neck pointed up at ~40 degrees. That's very different (from a neck dive standpoint) from someone who plays with the bass resting on their knee with the neck parallel to the ground.
If there's any way for you to go to stores and play them, that should answer a lot of questions. Unfortunately, many stores carry very few short scales except around the year-end holidays. Good luck in your journey!
@O
So what's wrong with your Music Master? A Fender from the 70's or Squier Vista from the 90's?
It was a ‘78, and it is the only bass I regret selling… All original, too
My only bass right now is a short scale 6 string, but I just cannot with 6 strings anymore, even after having played it almost exclusively for almost 2 years now. I know my way around the B and C strings. I know the third fret on the B string is a D. I know the patterns are the same. But it’s hard to undo 20 years of “the third fret of lowest string is a G.” Especially in the moment.
I have a Serek on order (Midwestern with B90), but it’s still at least 5 months from now.
My idea was to buy a cheap four string in the meantime, but after trying out all available short scales in town this past week, I ended up with an expensive one today.
I loved the Bronco and was going to get one, but my apartment is incredibly noisy. Even the 6 string with humbuckers, which is quiet during rehearsals, manages to pickup interference. I didn’t want to subtract one problem for another. I also couldn’t envision using the Bronco once the Serek is here.
So I decided to pony up the cash for… American Classic Professional… Vintage… Ultra? … one of those new funky Mustangs.
The JMJ was nice, too, but I couldn’t stomach the idea of paying the CA$700 2026 hike.
Finally, since I assume you’ve gotten the information from the Chromes thread… I chickened out and bought my beloved Tapes…
Have you tried going wireless? To tame the noise in my music room (which is also my office, full of EMI sources) I tried the Lekato 5.8 GHz WS-50 and it’s made all of my basses noise-free, even the one I didn’t shield yet.
In all my time searching for an answer and asking questions here and on Reddit, nobody's ever suggested going wireless. So essentially I just buy this thing and connect it to my bass and pedal board? it won't matter if there are cables between pedals and pedals to the amp?
I have 2 sets of the Lekato 5.8 GHz wireless (older style with dual USB cable). They have worked great so far. At the price, hard NOT to try them!
It depends on where the noise is being introduced into the circuit. If it's coming from you or the bass, wireless should eliminate it. Do you get noise from your pedals without your bass plugged in?
I had some basses that were very noisy when new, and some less. Fully shielding them with copper and ensuring they were grounded properly (all the cavities and the bridge) made them mostly silent most of the time.
But there were still occasions when I'd get a bit of noise when using a cable. I found that if I grounded myself by touching the bridge or the metal on the cable jack, the EMI noise would stop. It would also stop if I touched the strings if they were metal. But one of my basses has nylons. And I'm not touching the strings for some open notes.
I read here on TB about wireless stopping the noise, so I figured for less than $60 it was worth trying. Not only has it stopped the noise, it's also wonderful not to be tethered.
Here's a link: Lekato 5.8 GHz wireless
Last edited:
As an Amazon Associate, TalkBass may receive commissions from qualifying purchases made via links on this site.
They've release a newer model but I haven't tried it yet.....
There was one gig where we had a giant neon sign above the band. Going to wireless from wired definitly cut down the noise.
As an Amazon Associate, TalkBass may receive commissions from qualifying purchases made via links on this site.
It's definitely coming from the basses. I've always (wrongly) assumed going wireless would make things worst. I'll definitely give it a try!
