What's driving the shortscale revival?

[ejaggers]

My 3 reasons … ;-)View attachment 4539680

Good Answer!!!

My 5 reasons... ;o)

057912

 

[stelles75]

 

[El8ed]

Interesting that you removed all the serial number plates?

I keep the necks VERY straight with VERY low action. Any change in humidity requires a tiny tweak of the truss rods. It’s too cumbersome to fiddle with the truss rod covers (“serial number plates”) all the time.
Of course, the main reason is that Stanley Clarke does the same … ;-)

 

[Aussie Player]

I keep the necks VERY straight with VERY low action. Any change in humidity requires a tiny tweak of the truss rods. It’s too cumbersome to fiddle with the truss rod covers (“serial number plates”) all the time.
Of course, the main reason is that Stanley Clarke does the same … ;-)

I have been lucky. I have owned my Alembic Essence 5 more than a decade now and have never had to adjust the truss rod(s). The neck is very stable even though I have moved around a bit over that period. Have several other basses that exhibit the same thing. The last problem neck I had was a mid 90's MIM precision which went concave and convex at whim.

 

[west al]

Short scales just play nice, and smooth.

 

[MustangWally]

What's driving the shortscale revival? Common Sense?

 

[wiscoaster]

Also, this finish...

Awesome combo of finish and pickguard!! Wowee!!

 

[wiscoaster]

Short scales just play nice, and smooth.

I have one of those, too. I'm going to put some Light-weight GHS Pressure-wounds on it. It's a little too, err, "muffled" is the only adjective I can come up with.

 

[stelles75]

Awesome combo of finish and pickguard!! Wowee!!

It is LOVELY and super fancy, which is why the pickguard has to be changed.

I have two otw, because I can't decide: Teal/aqua pearloid and dark purple pearl. I think the dark purple will look super nice, but my money is on the teal. It will pop more and that's what I tend to go for.

Maybe someone here would be interested in the one I don't keep? I'll post and see once I get them.

 

[stelles75]

I am in love and even after all that headache this morning, this is one of my best bass purchases yet. Quality-wise, it's on par with my Adam Clayton Sherwood Jazz, which I guess is to be expected given the price range. It has the same exact neck profile, so it doesn't feel "short" to me. Looks like they just lopped it off at the high end with only 19 frets. It's very comfortable and I don't even think it appears all that small in my hands (yes, I checked myself out with the bass in the mirror... duh!)

Also, I like the tone in the demos because it has a unique mid swell and these pickups in person really deliver. It's not as aggressive as my Jazz overall, but I didn't expect it to be and I can easily dial in anything lacking with my preamp if I feel a strong need to. That said, it rocks and I will be playing lots of heavy rock music with it.

 

[The Owl]

An announcement from Genetic Control.
One free like to anyone who can fill in the reference.

Get 'em out by Friday!

It is my sad duty to inform you of a four foot restriction on
Humanoid height

 

[Iofflight]

I personally think it is several things already noted in this long thread, older folks wanting something easier on the back, shoulders, hands, and wrists for playing extended periods of time, younger bands using fender shorties mustangs and musicmaster, some boutique makers creating some lovely unique options with great tone, more options in general, some players that are well known and prolific like Justin Meldal-Johnsen raising interest with signature basses and paying homage to other short scale players like Tina Weymouth.

I'd add we've been going through a second golden age of synthesizers for near a decade now and a lot of bands are using shorties with synths because they seem to cut a bit more in the mids and have slightly less sustain (less likely to collide with the low end of a synth or fight for same frequencies in a mix). If I were doing music with more emphasis on guitar and bass with some synth sprinkled in I'd more likely use a 34 scale but with synth heavy music where the guitar is more in the background I'd go for a mustang. Anyway bands like Roosevelt and a few others have made these desirable again among the younger set.

That is just my 2 cents. In any case I'm really happy with more options. I'm split about 40/60 short to reg scale at this point.

 

[lug]

Get 'em out by Friday!

It is my sad duty to inform you of a four foot restriction on
Humanoid height

winner!

 

[Oig]

View attachment 4544011

 

[west al]

I have one of those, too. I'm going to put some Light-weight GHS Pressure-wounds on it. It's a little too, err, "muffled" is the only adjective I can come up with.

I play the D'Addario ETB92S Nylons. Good deep, and clear tones.

 

[stelles75]

I like how you can tell in this thread who has never picked one up. Lots of presumptions and several ignorant remarks.

 

[socialleper]

On TB it is because so many of the members are older.

Outside of TB there isn't that big of an interest. You are more likely to find 35" scale basses in stores than 33". TB is a bubble.

 

[stelles75]

I don't mock other basses on here that I might like to mock. Right now, if I go into a local store, there's hardly any inventory, which sucks, but there tends to be a healthy mix. I know they got some Gretsch and Epiphone shortys in stock currently. It's not as if no one plays them or they're remotely outlandish. The negative comments don't seem based in reality to me, and childish at worst. Just wanted to point that out.

 

[wiscoaster]

...Outside of TB there isn't that big of an interest. You are more likely to find 35" scale basses in stores than 33". TB is a bubble....

Well, you're invited to come to a local music store in my town (not a "big-box" store) that has a half a wall of Hoffner violin basses -- which, I think you know -- are short-scale. Though even the local big-box store has several short-scales on its basses wall. I think maybe it's some people that are in a bubble, not this forum. Bass manufacturers wouldn't be offering short-scales if there was no market for them.

 

[KJMO]

Well, you're invited to come to a local music store in my town (not a "big-box" store) that has a half a wall of Hoffner violin basses -- which, I think you know -- are short-scale. Though even the local big-box store has several short-scales on its basses wall. I think maybe it's some people that are in a bubble, not this forum. Bass manufacturers wouldn't be offering short-scales if there was no market for them.

Drummed at church this morning and the bass player was 26 yrs. old with a Hofner. Our guitar center has a ton of shorties (mustang, sterling mm's, gretsch, affinity jag). I'd be more apt to say younger people don't have the same hang-ups that a lot of TBers seem to have about shorter scales. In fact, I'd say they are looking for something "different", so seem to be avoiding fenders and tort like the plague.