What's driving the shortscale revival?

[mrpackerguy]

I bought a Guild Starfire II last week, then came across a mint '71 Fender Musicmaster and am flipping the Guild. I think I'm in love.

For me, the interest in shortscale was several things. Age and the thought of something lighter and easier to play through a 4-hr gig was probably primary. Peculiar interest was another factor with a seeming uptick in shortscale threads here on TB. Also, mainstream guitar and bass companies targeting resources in the shortscale area: think EBMM with their Sterling Stingray Shortscale bass. Finally, as many of you probably have done, I started paying attention to shortscale information and read many of the shortscale threads here, learning a lot and piquing my interest. I think the biggest misconception I had was that shortscale could never sound close to regular scale basses. Wrong. At least to my ears.

 

[Hank Scorpio]

I think for me, it's just the realisation that I'm more comfortable playing a short scale, and don't have to compromise to play one.

I have a Mustang PJ, a SBMM Ray and now a Maruszczyk custom that are all 30" scale, are well made, and sound great. The biggest turning point for me was strings - I get mine through Newtone here in the UK, and they're custom made to my exact gauge, material, core and length specifications, for ~£30-35 a set.

Now I can play a shortie with phenomenal pickups, the sound I want, and have the string tension and clarity I want even when tuning down to C#. I used to think I had to put up with a 34" scale bass for that, but now I don't.

 

[UNICORN BASS]

I played a brand new Ibanez Micro p/j yesterday. Never gave much thought to short scale basses until then. Kind of a revelation, sounded amazing through a small Ampeg combo. This is a $189 bass so i didn't expect much, although the build quality was iffy. The string to pup spacing was awful, cheap tuners etc. Overall though it was very impressive, so i can see the appeal.

 

[7dollarbologna]

People are waking up to the fact these aren’t kid instruments and they have been used on numerous records -when I was younger I used to call them girl basses (until I discovered Stanley Clarke)

 

[5StringBlues]

arthritus

 

[B-Mac]

I bought a Guild Starfire II last week, then came across a mint '71 Fender Musicmaster and am flipping the Guild. I think I'm in love.

For me, the interest in shortscale was several things. Age and the thought of something lighter and easier to play through a 4-hr gig was probably primary. Peculiar interest was another factor with a seeming uptick in shortscale threads here on TB. Also, mainstream guitar and bass companies targeting resources in the shortscale area: think EBMM with their Sterling Stingray Shortscale bass. Finally, as many of you probably have done, I started paying attention to shortscale information and read many of the shortscale threads here, learning a lot and piquing my interest. I think the biggest misconception I had was that shortscale could never sound close to regular scale basses. Wrong. At least to my ears.

I just like ‘em
I like medium scale too
I like long scale too
I even have one mikro scale and I like that too

I just like ‘em all

 

[Hot Rats]

For me it was carpal tunnel issues and after a few experiments I ended up with 32" as my most comfortable.

 

[WI Short Scaler]

arthritus

Yep. That's one of the big reasons I stay with them.

 

[Killing Floor]

Is it a revival? Most basses will be around 34" because of Fender but maybe what you're seeing is more smaller brands starting to gain momentum in the market.

 

[HelpImaRock]

I started playing short scale 8 years ago. Glad y'all are catching up.

 

[Lesfunk]

I think it’s the number of shorties being released into the marketplace in recent years.
There’s a lot of choices at all price points now.
Just think, you can get a short scale version of almost all your favorite bases now.
Stingray,
Jazz bass
PBass
EB
Sound gear.
sandberg
G&L
Headless, Etc…
I’m just waiting for the string companies to catch up

 

[LBS-bass]

Demographics.

 

[mrpackerguy]

Demographics.

Aging baby boomers

 

[Mustang Surly]

In 2013 I became an arthritic reluctant refugee from decades of guitar playing. Playing bass, especially short-scale, is simply less painful for me and provides a way to keep playing instead of just hanging the whole thing up.

 

[LBS-bass]

Aging baby boomers

Exactly. The marketplace for instruments like these is aging. People want instruments that are lighter to carry and easier to play. Short scales work well on both counts. So the marketers get to sell more instruments to people who already own instruments. Win-win for everyone.

 

[B-Mac]

Whatever the reason, and even though prices are going up, it’s just awesome considering how many choices there are today.

 

[markjazzbassist]

im not a baby boomer, millenial here. but i played a fender jazz for years, but upon trying a fender musicmaster it was so much easier to play. i compared hand sizes to friends and realized i have small hands (yes at 36 years old i just now realized i have small hands), so the short scale makes sense. lighter for 4 hour gigs also helps, my shoulder used to kill after 1.5 hours with that 10 lb anchor. so really a realization of my hand size and then the weight factor for me. also maybe a personal acceptance that they aren't "student level" instruments, but are just the same level of quality.

 

[halcyo]

Indie bands made em cool again. They are seen as a ticket to tubby, vintage tone.

I’m not criticizing- just answering the actual original question!

 

[Bunk McNulty]

There is no "short-scale revival." They've been alive and well for decades. Gibson started selling EBOs in 1959!

I started playing short-scales in 2011 because I was in a band of ex-pros and I was pretty intimidated. I needed something really easy to play, which is how I ended up with a 31" scale Birdsong. Fabulous instrument! For reasons I cannot even explain to myself, last year I went back to a 34" bass (that's it in my avatar over there) and sold all my short scales.

 

[stelles75]

I've been helping my friend pick a new bass and she settled on a Mustang PJ and now I have major GAS for one myself. I think if I were to get one, I'd just get the Squier with the little alnico pups, since I already have a PJ. HALP!!