• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

What short scale has the most tonal options?

Squawk

Squawk

Feb 19, 2014
320
202
Louisville, Kentucky
#1
Looking for a stock, non-custom short scale. Gonna be the only one for a while. Life has changed and I’m downgrading significantly.

Out of the big box brands (sold at GC, Sweetwater, etc.) who makes the most versatile short scale bass?

Don’t have anything close to me to sit down and play a lot. Gotta order something.

Tonal versatility and weight are my biggest concerns. Been watching and reading a lot lately. Leaning towards a Sterling Short Scale. But open to anything really.

Has to be Short scale. Shoulder injuries and hand size make anything long scale unbearable.
 
#3
Makten said:
What exactly is "tonal versatility" to you? Is there any point in getting a bass that has four different sounds that you don't like, instead of a bass that has one sound that you like? You will have to define what you want a bit better.
Click to expand...
I guess that would be hard to say. I don’t really know what that one sound is that I’m chasing. Haven’t played much in years. Sold my expensive basses and am basically starting over. Don’t really know what has more tonal options?

Sorry. I’m not the most experienced person when it comes to the proper vocabulary.

Like I guess I mean the tone knob has a lot of difference. Some of the basses I’ve owned over the years seemed like it was just on or off. Like there was no difference until it was 100 or 0…don’t know if that helps or makes it more confusing.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Wyrdlow
#5
Squawk said:
I guess that would be hard to say. I don’t really know what that one sound is that I’m chasing. Haven’t played much in years. Sold my expensive basses and am basically starting over. Don’t really know what has more tonal options?

Sorry. I’m not the most experienced person when it comes to the proper vocabulary.

Like I guess I mean the tone knob has a lot of difference. Some of the basses I’ve owned over the years seemed like it was just on or off. Like there was no difference until it was 100 or 0…don’t know if that helps or makes it more confusing.
Click to expand...
A passive tone control is very easy to change so that it works how you want it to. It's just a pot and a capacitor. I was more thinking of what type of pickups or general sound you like. "Vintage" or "modern" or something in between?

For a traditional sound with some options, I suppose a Fender Mustang with P/J pickups would be a solid choice.

Edit: Personally I'm of the opinion that versatility is not really needed, unless you play in a cover band and need to sound like the original songs. For playing at home, you might as well end up fiddling with knobs instead of playing and adapting to the sound you got at hand.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RomanS, Nebula24, Pdaddy1978 and 2 others
#8
Makten said:
It's not short scale, and with the bridge very far forwards, it feels like a long scale (or even worse) to play.
Click to expand...
The Ex Factor's is 32" scale in E standard. The lowest string extends to 36" if you open the D lever. Whether its ergonomics are friendly to somebody needing a short scale, though, I couldn't say.

Squawk said:
Sold my expensive basses and am basically starting over. Don’t really know what has more tonal options?
Click to expand...
OP, I think what people are trying to get out of you is what kind of basses you previously liked and want to replicate the sounds of.
 
#9
The cat bass should be a good option. But you have to find a used one . They have 2 import versions. There are a few for sale in the classifieds. Version 2 is probably considered more versatile.
Here is the club . I’m sure there is plenty of info here.

atrapp

Thread 'Official Nordstrand Acinonyx Cat bass club'

It only seems fitting that there is a thread for these awesome basses!
Mine arrived yesterday, what a cool design, the short scale will take some getting used to.
This one weighs in at 6 lbs 9 oz and boy it feels tiny compared to my other basses.

IMG_20200817_124731.jpg
IMG_20200817_124735.jpg
IMG_20200817_125736.jpg
IMG_20200817_125727.jpg
IMG_20200817_125746.jpg
  • Like
 
  • Like
  • Wow
Reactions: crobasster, Astronaut, shortscalesrule and 15 others
#10
The Squire Paranormal is the most tonally versatile bass I know of these days, pretty cheap, different sounds from soloing either of the PUs plus the both on sound is good too, but they aren't physically short, just the string length due to bridge placement. The Sterling is a very good bass. A Korean Dan Electro Longhorn sounds great and doesn't weigh anything. I also like the Epiphone Rumblecat Alan Woody bass.
 
  • Like
Reactions: skygzr and BadMonk
#11
Versatile, lightweight, easy to aquire….and even very inexpensive. Sounds like an Ibanez Mikro bass to me. There are certainly better quality short scale basses, but to fit all of your criteria….the Ibanez Mikro is where I would start looking first. It comes in a wide selection of colors and there are plenty of used ones on the market if you want to go even cheaper. It’s common enough that you should have no trouble finding one to try out.

I don’t play short scale basses personally, but I do have one that I use to teach younger students. It has been well worth the money that I spent on it. And I’ve watched several students use it on their first gig….it sounds good in a band context too.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Never2Late, Viperdink and Squawk
#15
Levent said:
If you don't mind medium scale 32'' and second hand options, this is very versatile.View attachment 7301677
Click to expand...
what is that/those? I can't see what's on the headstock other than Fender (so it won't be cheap...) is there a 5 string version? use words please.

Later... after Rojo identified them, they're $2000+ 8 years ago on Reverb, so they are made of unobtanium (that's a word, spellcheck gave me the spelling).
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Levent and Squawk
#16
BassBrass said:
what is that/those? I can't see what's on the headstock other than Fender (so it won't be cheap...) is there a 5 string version? use words please.
Click to expand...
Stu Hamm Urge bass, the newer incarnation.
They never did a 5 string.
(Also, I thought those were 34" scale?)

I was gonna echo @petch's recommendation, as I've played his and was kinda shocked at how versatile that switch makes the sound options for a single pickup.

But I'd also say that something along the lines of a Mustang with PJ pickups would already be pretty versatile... but doing some minor mods would take it over the top, fairly easily:
- Series mode switch for the pickups adds output and a more low-mid heft in the sound;
- Blower switch would bypass the tone and volume, giving a more crisp high end and slight boost in output.
Both can be done with push/pull pots and are passive mods.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: BassBrass, Squawk and petch
#17
+1 for both the Schecter Banshee and the Reverend Sentinel. Both have great build quality, and more tonal variation than I would have expected from a single P pickup.

Many of the short scales I've tried have been P/J, and the tone knob was really a switch that turned the J on/off, P always on.

But I'd suggest the Reverend Wattplower II for most tone versatility. Not conventional looking, but there is a lot going in with those pickups.

I also had to move to shorter for medical reasons. Be mindful that not all short scales are the same. Example, to me the G&L feels basically the same as a 34" because of how it hung on me.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CaptainRuss, rokcstar, MCF and 4 others
#18
Keeping things simple, you might just go with a passive short scale jazz bass. For additional EQ versatility any good drive pedal can make a plethora of tones. This Ashdown Jazz shorty fits the bill. The whole bass is scaled down in size to not look like a tiny neck slapped onto a full size body.

1755442907052.jpeg


1755443078077.jpeg


Alongside a typical size Jazz.

1755443126101.jpeg
 
  • Like
Reactions: JIO, mikecd1, funkinbottom and 1 other person

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back