6'4", 215 lbs of twisted steel and sex appeal...*guffaw*. My all-time favorite was the 32" scale Kubicki Ex Factor: the design / ergonomics gave it the reach of a conventional 34" scale.
Riis
Riis
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Tall player, short bass
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I'm 6'7" and I alternate between 34"and 35" scales, but I prefer a chunkier neck. It's more comfortable on my hand long term. Short scale or too thin a neck and my hands will start cramping. That may be one reason why I'm exclusively playing 5 strings these days.
I'm 6'4" and I prefer a 30.5" scale. It facilitates larger stretches, usually has more range than a 34", and sounds close enough that it doesn't matter all that much.
This piece is technically impossible to play on a 34" scale bass (just can't make the reaches), and near enough to impossible to play on a 30.5":
I'm sure scale length and comfort comes down to individual preference.
I'm 6 foot, and play both a 34 and a 30 without noticing much difference.
However, anecdotally, my diminutive wife (5'2") while giving bass playing a spin, couldn't manage my Pbass. But she loved horsing around on my Epi shorty.
I'm sure this isn't the case for every short person and certainly not every girl player.
Heck, I've seen Suzy Quatro play an EB2 and Pbasses, and she's tiny!
I'm 6 foot, and play both a 34 and a 30 without noticing much difference.
However, anecdotally, my diminutive wife (5'2") while giving bass playing a spin, couldn't manage my Pbass. But she loved horsing around on my Epi shorty.
I'm sure this isn't the case for every short person and certainly not every girl player.
Heck, I've seen Suzy Quatro play an EB2 and Pbasses, and she's tiny!
I'm 6'2" and play mostly 30" 4 strings and 32" 5s. I do have a 23" Marleaux Soprano that's fun to play as well. I played 34s when I was younger, quit playing for years, picked up the uke, and then preferred short scales.
I literally just tracked down a mustang close to me to see if it would look silly on my big frame. Spoiler, I think it looked fine to borderline cool, now I just need to decide between an JMJ mustang and Guild Starfire.
Mike Rutherford is 6”4’ and played Steinberger guitars and basses before 10s of thousands of people.
6'1"...i feel short compared to some of you giants, lol..but a standard 30" work for me..never gave it thought or have tried any shortscale basses...i dunno why i'd want one.
The mind is a powerful thing. If you believe in something, then you'll do well with it. By the same token, if you don't believe in something it is destined to fail (for you). I believe I can play most anything equally as well.... and I can. Even if that's only "MY" perception, it works (for me). See what I mean?
So, once again, it simply boils down to... "It just depends". If you're a tall player - and shorty basses cramp your style? Nobody says you have to play them - so, don't. If you're a tall player, and playing a shorty bass causes you pain? Then you probably shouldn't play them. Conversely? If you're a little slip of a thing - but can play a long scale bass - better yet, you like playing a long scale bass? Then, by all means - play it like you stole it...
Unless somebody is paying me a
-ton of $$'s to play a bass that is a PITA for me to play? Bet yer Bippy I aint gonna play it - and I fer sure ain't gonna one one. I own 28 basses currently, and while there are certainly a few that I like more than the other ones? I can play every one of them - and enjoy doing so. They are long, medium, and short scale; from a little, cheap violin bass to a Gibson Thunderbird, with some pretty high $$ ones in between. There are some basses I don't like - mainly because their body's just don't fit me, or the neck is just too wide (or thick). I simply don't own those basses - problem solved. So...
Bottom line? play the bass - or basses - you like to play. And, every once in a while? Give a little thanks that we have so many of them to choose from...
Unless somebody is paying me a
-ton of $$'s to play a bass that is a PITA for me to play? Bet yer Bippy I aint gonna play it - and I fer sure ain't gonna one one. I own 28 basses currently, and while there are certainly a few that I like more than the other ones? I can play every one of them - and enjoy doing so. They are long, medium, and short scale; from a little, cheap violin bass to a Gibson Thunderbird, with some pretty high $$ ones in between. There are some basses I don't like - mainly because their body's just don't fit me, or the neck is just too wide (or thick). I simply don't own those basses - problem solved. So...Bottom line? play the bass - or basses - you like to play. And, every once in a while? Give a little thanks that we have so many of them to choose from...
To each his zone. I’m pretty tall, but I’ve never thought about it. Playing what you like is probably the best way to go about things. It helps greatly if you sound good.
