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Thoughts on Short-scale basses

J

Justin Askins

Oct 10, 2019
17
9
#1
I recently bought a Fender Aerodyne Jazz bass as my first bass back after a while away. I like it. Tone/sound is great, neck is great. The only thing is I feel like it's too big. I'm not a dummy. I know basses will be a little bigger (frets in particular) but my question is: is that something I'll get used to after I play for a while or would I be better suited getting a shorter scale bass? For context I'm learning how to play electric guitar so maybe I'm just used to those size frets?

Would love to know your thoughts
 
#3
When it’s safe to do so, Go down to the local music store and try one on for size. See how it feels. Focus on the scale length, because you can get a SS in just about any configuration that you want. If you’re a Fender guy, Mustang is a good choice, but there are lots of others. Ibanez, Epiphone, Gibson, Danelectro, Yamaha....the list goes on.
 
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#5
I started playing in the late 70s. All I wanted was a Gibson Grabber. Then I was all about Rickenbacker, Then Jazz basses to Precision basses. Now, all I play 95% of the time is Short Scale Gibson's. My fingers aren't young anymore and These little Les Paul Jr.s are so easy to play compared to my Rickenbacker and G&L, although My Ric sounds better than any other bass that I have(I keep it for recording)I have two of the Les Paul Jr. DC Basses and a 2014 Gibson SG Standard bass that I take to gigs these days. I also have an Ibanez simi hollow body single cutaway with flats on it. I don't know the model number, but it's like an old chevy color, the Seafoam green color.
 
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#6
I studied classical guitar when I was a kid, and switched to bass later in my teens. At first I found the necks massive (I have small hands and short fingers). However, after a while I totally got used to the scale, to the point where I find a "normal" guitar neck way too small (what is this??? a guitar for ANTS??'! lol).

I have only tried to play a short scale bass on a couple of ocassions but the scale put me off., again, a matter of habit I wanted an SG type bass though, so I got a luthier friend to build me one, but on a Fender scale (used a bridge extension to compensate the string tension)

It varies from person to person, but to be honest, I think it is mostly a matter of getting used to it.
 
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#7
JdFastMother said:
I started playing in the late 70s. All I wanted was a Gibson Grabber. Then I was all about Rickenbacker, Then Jazz basses to Precision basses. Now, all I play 95% of the time is Short Scale Gibson's. My fingers aren't young anymore and These little Les Paul Jr.s are so easy to play compared to my Rickenbacker and G&L, although My Ric sounds better than any other bass that I have(I keep it for recording)I have two of the Les Paul Jr. DC Basses and a 2014 Gibson SG Standard bass that I take to gigs these days. I also have an Ibanez simi hollow body single cutaway with flats on it. I don't know the model number, but it's like an old chevy color, the Seafoam green color.
Click to expand...

+1 JdFM.
I own 12 basses, 1 medium scale, 5 SS. But 95% of the time I grab my mustang.

When I was young I didn't know anything about scale, and my 1st two bass where SS.
I later got a Jazz, and hated it for a good while, until I could play w/o looking at my figures.

I rarely had the pleasure of only being a bass player.
I was the lead and/or BG singer in almost every band I've been in,
and SS is way more suitable for that role to me.

057912
 
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#8
I practice everything from a 14" scale mandolin to a 42" scale upright bass. The more hours I put in, the less the scale lengths seem to matter.
I will admit, after mostly playing my 30" short scale bass for a spell, 34" felt too big - for a minute.
I don't think hand size is a determiner - a petite woman can tear it up on an upright bass. If you have persistent joint or tendon issues or if you crave the different, more mid-rangey sound of a shorter scale, that might warrant a switch.
Otherwise, just keep practicing.
Lighter gauge strings might also help.
 
#9
JdFastMother said:
... These little Les Paul Jr.s are so easy to play compared to my Rickenbacker and G&L, although My Ric sounds better than any other bass that I have(I keep it for recording)...
Click to expand...

Agree. Love my shorty SX for the stage -- feels more comfortable and fits my body real well. But kept my full-scale Fender Jazz because it sounds better / intonates better... and is thus my choice for recording.
 
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