The Official Medium Scale Bass Club

[fretno]

It's official this is my new fav med scale string
La Bella RX-N4A-M RX Nickel Bass Guitar Strings, Medium Scale, 40-60-8

they are my first choice in 34" as well and finally got a set on and man I dig'em . Thank you TB !

 

[Glennbassmann]

It's official this is my new fav med scale string
La Bella RX-N4A-M RX Nickel Bass Guitar Strings, Medium Scale, 40-60-8

they are my first choice in 34" as well and finally got a set on and man I dig'em . Thank you TB !

So what's the main difference between these and other brands of nickel round wounds..less tension?..better tone, intonation?...inquiring minds want to know...$24 bucks is it worth the price difference...I'm pretty happy with the D'Addario EXL 170M set that I've been using

 

[fretno]

For me they have very nice and balanced tension as well as balanced tone and volume . They seem a little lighter than the Boomers I had on . It's kinda tough to nail it down but for me La Bella , be it these or LTF or the RX in long scale feel and sound right . But you know how it is , strings are personal so yeah you gotta try'em at a bit of a risk but I'm glad I did ! Cheers

 

[fretno]

Looks like TB just sold out , I contacted La Bella and they said to get them through TB lol . I'm good because I bought a few packs . But what are y'all gonna do ! Lets go TB !

 

[JohnMalay]

OK, so what home has it found now?

Edit: never mind, I went to the next page and saw it.
Congrats John, take good care of it!

Had it for a couple of weeks. He's being falsely modest, the neck is great and very playable. First time I ever spent any real time with a fretless. The first few hours were cacophony then it seemed to click into place. Still need to practice to get the "precision" one gets from... a Precision, but that's coming along. Worth the effort to add a new arrow to the quiver.

I have found that playing along with someone like Rick Danko is helpful. Danko played many basses over the years, but much of his early recorded work was with an Ampeg fretless "Scroll Bass". You can hear what he does with it. Jack Bruce, who started on an upright, went back to a fretless Warwick at some point. That is instructive, even if I can't get within a mile of his technique. And, of course, Jaco etc.

The SX bass itself is surprisingly solid and I like the pickups.

 

[RodRy]

Here it is

I just happened to look at your photos and see you have a PJB Double Four! I love mine, and now that I have a PowerAdd battery, I can take it almost anywhere!

What a delightful little amp.

 

[Gully Foyle]

They really are, I'm not sure what kind of dark rituals are required to make a shoebox sound so good, but I am so glad they do!

I just happened to look at your photos and see you have a PJB Double Four! I love mine, and now that I have a PowerAdd battery, I can take it almost anywhere!

What a delightful little amp.

 

[Shaggai]

They really are, I'm not sure what kind of dark rituals are required to make a shoebox sound so good, but I am so glad they do!

4 of them.

 

[fretno]

popped on another La Bella set on my CT clone. Perfect ! , as you can see the end windings reduce in just the right place past the nut and the ball end wraps are nice as well and don't cause any issues there either . The tone is fantastic !

CT clone

 

[Gefiltefist]

OK, so here's some info on my 31.5" ACGs.

I played long scale basses for most of my life, discovering 33" basses about 10 years ago, but now, thanks to some of Alan at ACG's luthier voodoo, he's able to make me 31.5" scale 6 string basses without sacrificing any low B tension or tone. As a result, I'm now completely converted to 31.5" scale, or shorter, and I'm very happy about it too.
Anyway, here's the basses...

Firstly, here's my Salace SC E Type 6 string
31.5" scale
Bolt-on construction
Spruce body core with Koa top and Mahogany back
3 piece Ash neck with Cocobolo fingerboard
ACG FB pickups with a John East Uni-pre 4K preamp
ETS Headless Hardware with ACG's own custom headpiece

View attachment 3254831

Next, here's my Krell SE E Type 6 string Fretless
31.5" scale
Set-neck construction
Chambered White Limba body core with Fractal Birch top and Purpleheart veneer
3 piece Wenge/Purpleheart neck with Ebony fingerboard lined with Purpleheart and Maple
ACG RFB pickups with the simply amazing ACG DFM 4K filter preamp
ETS Headless Hardware with ACG's own custom headpiece

View attachment 3254832

Now, here's my Finn SC Classic 6 string
31.5" scale
Bolt-on construction
Black Limba body
3 piece Wenge neck with Pau Ferro fingerboard
Single ACG RFB pickup, in the sweet spot with a John East Uni-pre 4K preamp and series/singlecoil/parallel switching
Hipshot Type A bridge and Gotoh Resolite tuners
This pays homage to my first ever ACG, a 5 string in a very similar flavour, albeit 33" scale, which I regrettably moved on. If I had my time again, that first ACG would be exactly as this bass is, this is my main player, so simple, yet still very versatile.

View attachment 3254833

Here's some sample of my first 31.5" 6er, the Salace SC E Type just after I got it.
Excuse the sloppy playing, but you can get a sense of how the instrument sounds and just how useable the low B is at 31.5" scale >>



I'm on the cusp of ordering another ACG, a more traditional style 5 string, a RetroB, but in 31.5" scale again. I need something a little more old school looking at least.

Oh, and finally, I turn 40 end of the month, and I've had a special bass, one I made myself back when I was 16, revamped and fixed up by someone who knows what they're doing as a wee gift from my wife.
Way back when I wanted a Carl Thomson 6 string fretless, much like my bass hero Les Claypool, but obviously could never afford one, so I built one.
It was serviceable enough, and I used it for a few years before retiring it and buying a Warwick.
I quickly figured out the 36" scale was not for me, the bass was FAR too heavy, and that I would never be a master luthier.
Anyway, I've had a new neck made for the bass, 31.5" this time, Mahogany/Walnut/Mahogany with and Ebony board with redwood fretlines, the lutheir added a 10mm Katalox top, slimmed down and chambered the body, and rebuilt it with a nice new shiny Warwick bridge.
I'm not allowed to touch it till I turn 40, but here's a quick pic from when I unboxed it to make sure it had survived the trip...

View attachment 3254830

Cheers,
Eude

Please please please tell me it's a forty inch scale...

 

[eude]

Please please please tell me it's a forty inch scale...

Ha ha.
It was 36", but I'm afraid it's now 31.5" too...
Eude

 

[Stugilliam]

Hello TB
I have my first medium scale bass, I have over two dozen 34 in. And three 30 in basses but this is my first medium, it is very cool, it's a Warmoth/Nordstrand bass. The problem that I have is finding a case to fit it properly, the bass dimensions are 44-1/2 in.X 12 in. It totally floats in a standard large scale case yet I haven't found a short scale bass that it will fit in!
What cases are you guys and gals using?? Thank you in advance for any ideas!

 

[Stugilliam]

Oh sorry, if there is no picture it's not real, so;

 

[RodRy]

Hello TB
I have my first medium scale bass, I have over two dozen 34 in. And three 30 in basses but this is my first medium, it is very cool, it's a Warmoth/Nordstrand bass. The problem that I have is finding a case to fit it properly, the bass dimensions are 44-1/2 in.X 12 in. It totally floats in a standard large scale case yet I haven't found a short scale bass that it will fit in!
What cases are you guys and gals using?? Thank you in advance for any ideas!

Hmm, well my only medium scale is in a Reunion Blues dual bass gig bag along with one of my lightest long scale basses. They are both Japanese basses from the late 80s, and both have small bodies, so they are swimming in almost any case I've put them in.

 

[RodRy]

Oh sorry, if there is no picture it's not real, so;View attachment 4313987

Oh hey, I know who built that bass!


Curtis does good work. Glad this one has found a good home. How are you liking the playing and tone?

 

[Stugilliam]

Hmm, well my only medium scale is in a Reunion Blues dual bass gig bag along with one of my lightest long scale basses. They are both Japanese basses from the late 80s, and both have small bodies, so they are swimming in almost any case I've put them in.

I know what you mean! Hey I lived in Kalamazoo, and Pawpaw and Geobles! I loved the summers but the winters, I never got used too! I saw a lot of great groups at the, I think that it was a stadium! Thanks!

 

[Stugilliam]

Oh hey, I know who built that bass!


Curtis does good work. Glad this one has found a good home. How are you liking the playing and tone?

I like it slot, the arthritis in my hands is getting worse but with this scale I can still do the stretches without the pain. And it sounds really nice, very open, balanced and with a very wide range. And it's great when you engage the preamp the tone doesn't change!!
I was told that Mo built it a Nordstrand, whoever did it they did a great job!!

 

[RodRy]

I like it slot, the arthritis in my hands is getting worse but with this scale I can still do the stretches without the pain. And it sounds really nice, very open, balanced and with a very wide range. And it's great when you engage the preamp the tone doesn't change!!
I was told that Mo built it a Nordstrand, whoever did it they did a great job!!

Hmm, maybe we can get a bit of a build story.

Hey, @TK4261, can you give us a build rundown on that bass that @Stugilliam has now? I thought I saw your post about it, but I'm not finding it now.

 

[RodRy]

I know what you mean! Hey I lived in Kalamazoo, and Pawpaw and Geobles! I loved the summers but the winters, I never got used too! I saw a lot of great groups at the, I think that it was a stadium! Thanks!

Well, the summers are hotter and the winters milder than they used to be. Good think we have so much great craft brewing to make us not mind! If you get back to the area, I'll be happy to give you a tour so you can see what things have changed.

 

[Stugilliam]

Well, the summers are hotter and the winters milder than they used to be. Good think we have so much great craft brewing to make us not mind! If you get back to the area, I'll be happy to give you a tour so you can see what things have changed.

I met Ted Nugent at the music store on main st. Also took a picture of myself next to the Gibson plant plaque, this was in 1973?
I don't think that Kraft beer was a thing yet but I loved buying beer at the gas station!!