What scale bass do you play and why? A Poll

[tedsalt]

34" RW P & J. Would like to add a Tony Franklin fretless. My old Streamer S1 was 34" also. I dream of playing short scale though ...

 

[Zodion]

I had a 35'' 6 string but it wasn't really my style. Some say that a 35 will have a great B string but my 34" Ibanez is great. I've played mainly 34" basses so they feel natural to me. I'm open to different lengths but 34" is where it is at for me. Maybe a 35 some time down the road for a 5 string but that messes up my playing when I want to play chords.

 

[RobinG]

I have way too many Basses for my own good, but my fav Bass to play is a DeArmond (Guild) Starfire, 32 inch scale and very thin neck. It's super easy to play, but takes a bit of work to get a good sound.

 

[JoePlaysDaBass]

My #1 is a 36" Peter Hilton 5 string. It plays beautifully, and the long scale allows deliciously low action with low tension strings, with a huge fundamental.

Also, there's a 34" fretless Carl Thompson and a 32" fretless Manne acoustibass 6 string. I know both the instruments well enough that I don't have problems with intonation when I pick them up, though the Hilton gets most of my play time.

 

[RedVee]

I have 32, 33 & 34; but the 33 is out of action til I get around to sorting it.
And I think I want a 30 at some stage....

 

[Mike Sorr]

34" for my four strings and 35" for my fives.

 

[Smallmouth_Bass]

Fanned for me, but given the choice of a parallel fretted bass, 34" is my preference, even on a 5-string.

 

[geoff_in_nc]

Only own two basses now, both 35" x 5 string, so I chose 35". I honestly don't feel much difference when playing a 34" scale. What messes me up more is where the bass sits to affect my reach, the string spacing, and the neck profile. I have fairly small hands, but scale length doesnt bother them so much. A wide fat neck profile is a show stopper for me.

I tried a Squire Jag short(er?) scale (is that a 32?) the other day and it was ok, but odd... I think I could get used to it if I tried.

 

[JimmyM]

I have a couple small scale basses that I love and use semi-regularly, but I do 95% of my gigs with only a Precision these days. It's entirely possible to do any gig with any scale bass, but 34" scale just plain works for me like no other.

 

[Hamish MacCleod]

32"... all my basses are fretless and the 32" scale is an easier reach for my stubby fingers.
Rondo

 

[smperry]

My four main basses are all 34.5" scale. I wanted this scale because it seemed comfortable to me, and I liked the way both the B and the G sounded and felt.

I've also been playing on a 32" scale six string (E-F) lately. If I'm ever able to get another bass, it'll probably be that...but only as a 6 because I want to stick with 34.5 for five strings strung B-G.

 

[friendlybass]

Got most of em. 2 34"s, 2 30"s, and a 32.5". I do feel uncomfortable with 35"s but its just a lot of reach for low frets for me and my creaky elbows. I probably prefer my 30's, the low tension and smaller frets translate to a faster feel for me

 

[Geekydad]

34" coz it's the only one I got.

 

[LT131]

32" because it's just so easy. I can't tell any difference in tension or tone. One Squier VM, one Pbass with a Lowe custom neck. I ain't him or connected with him, either.

 

[Sav'nBass]

Of the electric 5s that I play most 22 fret 35" scale 55-01. 24 fret 35" Heir and a 22 fret 34" Brute and a 24 fret 34" Peavey US Cirrus. I traded my fretless Cirrus for this bolt on and I am really digging it. I need to adjuat the neck on it though.

 

[garmenteros]

35 scale 5s, 34 scale for 4s.

 

[Bassist4]

34" anything longer would be difficult for me...anything shorter doesnt feel right!

 

[Oldschool94]

Lakland Skyline 5502 (35"). I love this bass. The tension is slightly tighter than my 34" basses and is noticeable on the low B string, which my right hand likes. I don't notice any difference fretting, which my left hand likes.

I have never tried a fanned fret bass, but I think I'd be into it.

I also have a Lakland Skyline (55-60). It has a 35 scale neck that feels amazing. Perhaps more notably, it can be set up incredibly well. My teacher could get it flatter and lower without buzz than his Foderas. That said, I still voted 34 because that's what feels like second nature to me.

 

[GregT]

Because 34 is the magic number!

 

[Dan B]

My basses are 34" so I play that. I've tried 35"s and I found them comfortable, same with 36s and multi-scale instruments.

I'm not a fan of short scales; a lot of the time I find them awkward and rather flabby feeling but that's just me.