The Combo Club

[Protagonist]

Funny and all how both short scales and combos once took second chair. What changed?

I have a theory but it might be a little too honest. The second and third generation of electric bassists are developing back and shoulder issues? Besides being permantly tied into Leo's long scale seems a little too orthodox for a bunch of muscisians.

 

[WestyBassBob]

Funny and all how both short scales and combos once took second chair. What changed?

It’s all the old timers with their back and shoulder problems that are making SS so popular right now.

As far as combos I have no idea. Perhaps it’s just the realization that 1000 watts and and 8x10 stacks were unnecessary for like 99% of us?

 

[WestyBassBob]

I have a theary but it might be a little too honest. The second and third generation of electric bassists are developing medical issues? Besides being permantly tied into Leo's long scale seems a little too orthodox for a bunch of muscisians.

Agree entirely. We have finally realized that the 34” scale was essentially an arbitrary decision that isn’t inherently better than 32 or 30 inches. Couple that with better electronics and build quality and unless you really want it there’s no need to make yourself stretch to that first fret.

 

[WestyBassBob]

I've been playing on-and-off for more years than I'd prefer to think about. I don't slap or pop. And am not so good at improvising a decent bass line to just about any song. So you are already beyond me!

I've also got a SBMM StingRay shorty. Have you posted your pics over at the SBMM Stingray Short scale ?
They are also fine folks.

No I hadn’t. I had searched for a thread like that but hadn’t found it. Thanks!

 

[Protagonist]

Agree entirely. We have finally realized that the 34” scale was essentially an arbitrary decision that isn’t inherently better than 32 or 30 inches. Couple that with better electronics and build quality and unless you really want it there’s no need to make yourself stretch to that first fret.

You caught me before I editted that. Now we're basically talking about the same issues. Oops.

 

[iagtrplyr]

Prota and WBB, you both make excellent points to M’s spot-on observation. If you consider it’s been roughly 70 years since the introduction of the electric bass, it was a matter of time that vision and technology would make our instruments lighter, enjoyable to use and, in some cases, less expensive too.

Ya figure, some kid or adult newbie scored a Squier bass pak for a couple of hundred bucks this week and it probably doesn’t sound half bad.

Just my two cents here. Feel free to add to the conversation. As far as shoulders go, I love my short scale for its ease and lightweight dimensions, but my full-size Precision walks all over it tonaly-speaking. Hang in there, shoulders!

 

[Recon1342]

Prota and WBB, you both make excellent points to M’s spot-on observation. If you consider it’s been roughly 70 years since the introduction of the electric bass, it was a matter of time that vision and technology would make our instruments lighter, enjoyable to use and, in some cases, less expensive too.

Ya figure, some kid or adult newbie scored a Squier bass pak for a couple of hundred bucks this week and it probably doesn’t sound half bad.

Just my two cents here. Feel free to add to the conversation. As far as shoulders go, I love my short scale for its ease and lightweight dimensions, but my full-size Precision walks all over it tonaly-speaking. Hang in there, shoulders!

As I said over in the short scale thread- I really don’t have a dog in the fight. I enjoy my 34” scale Yamaha 5er because out of everything I’ve played, that neck and length felt the best. However- I’m 6’6” tall, and do not have to stretch at all to reach the first fret. My handspan covers ten keys (1 1/4 Octaves), so the width isn’t really a big deal either.

 

[RodRy]

And the world would be a nicer place to live in if all sides respected the other. The monastery was way ahead of its time.

Amen.

 

[GwenOnBass]

In calling upon 40 year old memories, every short scale bass player (then) had conditioned excuses at the ready for the first bassist to ask why are you playing a short scale? And it feels to me no different than how every combo owner circa 1980 had a Mad Libs excuse book at the ready.

A combo — and a short scale! — makes a lot of difference for a player in a city with a good infrastructure. Subway, U-Bahn, Underground, Metro, the El ... travel light, pay's the same

That we might all live in a city with a good infrastructure and open venues (that aren't too skeevy)

 

[RodRy]

As I said over in the short scale thread- I really don’t have a dog in the fight. I enjoy my 34” scale Yamaha 5er because out of everything I’ve played, that neck and length felt the best. However- I’m 6’6” tall, and do not have to stretch at all to reach the first fret. My handspan covers ten keys (1 1/4 Octaves), so the width isn’t really a big deal either.

Showoff.

 

[WestyBassBob]

In calling upon 40 year old memories, every short scale bass player (then) had conditioned excuses at the ready for the first bassist to ask why are you playing a short scale? And it feels to me no different than how every combo owner circa 1980 had a Mad Libs excuse book at the ready.

A combo — and a short scale! — makes a lot of difference for a player in a city with a good infrastructure. Subway, U-Bahn, Underground, Metro, the El ... travel light, pay's the same

That we might all live in a city with a good infrastructure and open venues (that aren't too skeevy)

You see vestiges of that on TB still. My favorite is people posting videos of kids playing long scale basses well as some sort of proof that people who choose to play short scale just aren’t trying enough or something. Hey. I’m a 5’2” man. Why should I make myself uncomfortable because 70 years ago Leo Fender made a design decision?

 

[RodRy]

You caught me before I editted that. Now we're basically talking about the same issues. Oops.

Yeah, I agree with both of you guys and with @iagtrplyr. I have 3 short scale basses (30"), a medium (32.6"), 5 long scales (34") and one extra long scale (35") 5 string. I love them all, and so far, my physical limitations have not constrained me from playing any of them. And yes, tonally, the long scales sound different. Maybe better to some, maybe not. But the feel and tone is different enough that I do not much want to play only shorter scale lengths.

Although, I freely admit that my current GAS dream is a 30.7" scale...and is advertised to be very light weight.

And my 9 pound combo (PJB D4) gets more playing than my 26 pound combo (GK MB150E-112). My 700 watt amp and cabs have not been plugged in for over a year.

So yes, I've also been trending toward lighter and smaller.

Maybe disregard everything I said earlier...

 

[WestyBassBob]

Yeah, I agree with both of you guys and with @iagtrplyr. I have 3 short scale basses (30"), a medium (32.6"), 5 long scales (34") and one extra long scale (35") 5 string. I love them all, and so far, my physical limitations have not constrained me from playing any of them. And yes, tonally, the long scales sound different. Maybe better to some, maybe not. But the feel and tone is different enough that I do not much want to play only shorter scale lengths.

Although, I freely admit that my current GAS dream is a 30.7" scale...and is advertised to be very light weight.

And my 9 pound combo (PJB D4) gets more playing than my 26 pound combo (GK MB150E-112). My 700 watt amp and cabs have not been plugged in for over a year.

So yes, I've also been trending toward lighter and smaller.

Maybe disregard everything I said earlier...

If I was taller or even just a kid that I expected to grow to normal height I would totally play full scale. If for no other reason than because of choices. But my untrained ear can’t detect any difference between the scales tonally.

 

[GwenOnBass]

And combo amps are [country western ballads of heartache]

 

[GwenOnBass]

Yeah, I agree with both of you guys and with @iagtrplyr. I have 3 short scale basses (30"), a medium (32.6"), 5 long scales (34") and one extra long scale (35") 5 string. I love them all, and so far, my physical limitations have not constrained me from playing any of them. And yes, tonally, the long scales sound different. Maybe better to some, maybe not. But the feel and tone is different enough that I do not much want to play only shorter scale lengths.

Although, I freely admit that my current GAS dream is a 30.7" scale...and is advertised to be very light weight.

And my 9 pound combo (PJB D4) gets more playing than my 26 pound combo (GK MB150E-112). My 700 watt amp and cabs have not been plugged in for over a year.

So yes, I've also been trending toward lighter and smaller.

Maybe disregard everything I said earlier...

Close enough to see 65 from here, I don't particularly feel inclined to anything that isn't fun for me

 

[Miles_ONeal]

So, I realised you turn 10 pages in the thread over 3 days - are you the talkbass-champions??? You get any reward for this. Let's turn that quickly to 700 - I volunteer to be an ambassador for this already cross-fertilising on the Wicks forum

Thunderbird Club often does far more.

 

[RodRy]

Close enough to see 65 from here, I don't particularly feel inclined to anything that isn't fun for me

Absolutely! I also have no interest to play an instrument that isn't fun!

 

[Miles_ONeal]

I grew up in Leuven (Stella- Artois) later I moved 25 km in the eastern direction...

Leuven is where I spent my week working in Belgium! I worked for the US arm of IT Masters, which HQ’d in Leuven. 1997ish.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Close enough to see 65 from here, I don't particularly feel inclined to anything that isn't fun for me

I’ve never had any interest in playing anything that wasn’t fun.

 

[iagtrplyr]

Absolutely! I also have no interest to play an instrument that isn't fun!

Winning reply of the day. It should be fun more than anything else. Heck, if I want drudgery all day I’ll just go to work.