What scale bass do you play and why? A Poll

[Evil Undead]

I have bad hands and I'm a shortie. So I play shorties

 

[SasquatchDude]

34"

I just like the classic Fender aesthetic... and it happens to fit my big hands nicely.

 

[Dan Bass]

34" scale on a 4-string and 35'' scale on a 5-string because it feels and sounds better to me .

 

[Pilgrim]

I play other scales as well.

Figured I would get a better indication of what people prefer by not allowing everyone to pick 30", 34" and 35" (as an example).

Nope.

Another flawed and meaningless survey. We should be able to check ALL the radio buttons that apply to us. I use 30, 32 and 34" scale basses.

 

[40Hz]

Mostly I'll play a 34. " Primarily because that's the scale most of the basses I prefer to play come.

I also own and play 30" and 35" basses. I have no personal preferences as to scale length.

 

[Gaolee]

Carrots. 30", 34", 42". That's bass. Add 24-3/4" and 25-1/2" for guitar. There's a reason I spend a lot of time confused.

 

[Big Hoss]

I presently own 4 basses, An Ibanez PJ in 34" scale, a Fender (Squier) Jazz in 34" scale, and a 4 string SX P type bass in 34", and an SX 5 string J type bass.

I never really gave scale much thought beyond the whole full scale is for full size people right?

I have played, but never owned, a Squier Jaguar Short Scale... I wouldn't be offended by a SS bass.

 

[ChefKen]

I have a 34 and a 36" scale basses....I voted 36" cause its unusual....4 stringer too!!

 

[Eilif]

Mostly 34". It just feels right, probably because I've got big hands and like most folks, my first bass was that scale. Also it's the scale in which my favorite basses are made and made affordably.

I've also got a 35" on my 5'er for the tighter B and a 30" for my violabass, but those are played much less often.

 

[GIBrat51]

My favorite bass? 33" scale; a lefty '73 Rick 4001. Why is it my favorite? I like the way it sounds and plays; it fits me like a glove; and it's never given me a single problem. I don't really care what scale it is; I have many other basses, of different scales. They are what they are, and I like and play them all.

 

[drakson]

I played and still do on a '63 Gibson EBO. I know the fretboard like the back of my hand. Sometimes when I am learning a difficult song I go to this bass
as I can concentrate on hearing the notes of the song and never have to look at the fretboard. I love my Epi JC bass and my Dan Lakin P bass with 34 inch scales. I do not have problems with going to any of them as it seems when my hand wraps around the neck the muscle memory kicks in but I do have to look
at the fretboard more on the higher reaches after playing the EBO for so long. I just started setting up my own basses and right now I got the P bass with really low action, never had one so low and it plays like a dream. Now to work on my Epi JC next.

 

[drakson]

BTW, who makes the 33 inch scale, never played on one.

 

[Max Blasto]

35" is my preference.
Some of my instruments only come in the 34" flavor so I'm okay with that when I'm using them.
My ABG is a 32" which can mess with me when I switch back to the longer electrics.

 

[AngelCrusher]

34" on my 4 and 6 string.

Why? The string tension. I played 35" for 3 years and I hated the string tension. I also don't have any issue with a floppy low b or miss the tighter tone. My right hand is much happier now and I just prefer the feel all around more.

 

[Marc valero]

I play jazz basses and previously stingrays so it's 34 inch. I could probably handle a 35. I find myself sometimes playing a root with my middle finger and playing the higher 5th with my pinky. I would like to get a short scale one day just to have something different.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

Both mine are 34", just because they're the most common.

 

[zontar]

I'm adaptable--for many years my only bass was 30" scale, but I also played other bases (With permission) and tried others in stores--mostly 34" scales.
I've played a Dingwall 6 string fanned fret bass as well.

I think 34" is probably my favorite (My main bass is an Ibanez SR500F), but I can adapt to the 30" bass or other scales.

 

[Scoops]

2@32"
4@33" (soon to be 5)
1@34"
1@35"

I prefer 33"

 

[Immigrant]

I used to own several 32" basses (including a five string that had an amazing B) but now own 1.5 34" basses. One is shared, hence the .5.

It makes me sad when I think about it. I suck.

 

[fretless19]

I have only ever had 34 inch basses, so , as said above, muscle memory dictates what basses I will play in the future. Also, when playing fretless, changing scales from bass to bass could be disastrous if they aren't lined or something.