Which Short Scale Bass?

[brntrssll]

Anyone looking for a high-quality short scale bass and willing to spend a bit more could consider the Veillette Minotaur. I like 30" scale basses but have a 32" scale Veillette Paris, which is an awesome instrument. I periodically wish I had gotten the shorter Minotaur....(wish I could afford both!)
Veillette Minotaur Electric Bass Guitar

 

[brntrssll]

I also have a 30" Kinal Kompact acoustic-electric, which is an amazing piece of finely-crafted woodworking. There reportedly is an electric version, though it's not on their website, last time I checked:
"A Kinal Magic" Kinal Kompact S | Bass Gear Magazine

 

[Haydon]

I have been dealing with neck and shoulder problems for about 1 1/2 years from an auto accident. My bass is currently a mid 90's Ibanez SR-400. I am very happy with this bass and really don't want to change.

Because of my neck and shoulders, is is sometimes quite uncomfortable having my bass hanging on my shoulders. I have tried many different straps for this, including the different slinger straps and the duostrap. The duostrap works the best, but I am thinking of looking at getting a short-scale bass to see if it would be a little lighter.

The short scale bass I have found are the Ibanez Talman, Ibanez Mikro, Fender Mustang PJ, and the Squier Jaguar. I am hoping to find one of these close enough to where I can try them, but I live in a rural area and there are not that many options close to me.

Are there any other short scale basses I should look at. I want a PJ configuration and I am partial to jazz style necks.

I would also appreciate any comparisons of these basses if you have experience with one or more of these basses.

Thanks

I have been dealing with neck and shoulder problems for about 1 1/2 years from an auto accident. My bass is currently a mid 90's Ibanez SR-400. I am very happy with this bass and really don't want to change.

Because of my neck and shoulders, is is sometimes quite uncomfortable having my bass hanging on my shoulders. I have tried many different straps for this, including the different slinger straps and the duostrap. The duostrap works the best, but I am thinking of looking at getting a short-scale bass to see if it would be a little lighter.

The short scale bass I have found are the Ibanez Talman, Ibanez Mikro, Fender Mustang PJ, and the Squier Jaguar. I am hoping to find one of these close enough to where I can try them, but I live in a rural area and there are not that many options close to me.

Are there any other short scale basses I should look at. I want a PJ configuration and I am partial to jazz style necks.

I would also appreciate any comparisons of these basses if you have experience with one or more of these basses.

Thanks

Before you all fall about laughing........I have a Kala 5 string bass Ukulele - try one......

 

[jlepre]

Thanks to this thread I just picked up a Gretsch G2220 at GC for $249 in red on sale. Plays and sounds GREAT!

I know...no pics, no new bass...

 

[lightbg]

I apologize up front for not having gone through all 9 pages, but after I tore my left rotator cuff a few years ago I tried a Traveler TB-4P. Looks weird because of the machines located in the body, but it sounds like a Precision. Light, balanced, and works for me.

 

[James E Johnson]

I have a Landing P bass with Aero pick ups on it. It has a 30” neck. It’s easy to finger. It weighs 7 pounds. Plays great. It has great tone. A friend of mine has a stand he sits his bass on. No strap required. He leans the bass and stand towards him and plays it like normal. You would not have to buy new basses with a stand. You could play your basses.

 

[Mike Romanowski]

View attachment 3187387
It's not a pj configuration but a Gibson SG is a great bass. It's a shortscale, light in weight, sounds good and looks cool. One of my favorite bassist Mike Watt started using them in the late 90s because of aging and physical issues. The short scale/ smaller bass made his playing abilities as good as ever

I’m glad someone plugged the Gibson. They were actually among the 1st short scales available. I got one for my 2nd bass when I started playing in “66”. I wasn’t an SG, but an EBO. Actually I think they are still making the EBO and EB3 in short scale. They may not fit in the boutique bass lineup, but they are fantastic to play and very reasonable in cost all things considering, unless you’re buying a vintage one now. Which I actually would highly advocate as the vintage ones just play and sound so much better. Too bad gphil never tried one. I think he would have liked it.

 

[velobob]

Have a Hofner Ignition Club, Mustang MIJ, Epi EB-0. All short scale, all are very playable, but I find the go-to (and the one both groups I play with prefer the sound of) is the Mustang.
Mustang best balanced (weight wise) of the three, but the Hoffy is very light. Of note is that playing the Hoffy standing up with strap, it def has some neck dive.
BTW, the Epi EB-0 can be made to sound great with a simple PU upgrade. (unless you like your bass super muddy...in which case keep the stock PU)

Another note....all three of these basses stay in tune! (The Hoffy is a set neck, the Mustang and EB-0 are bolt necks.)

 

[DaveAceofBass]

I also have a 30" Kinal Kompact acoustic-electric, which is an amazing piece of finely-crafted woodworking. There reportedly is an electric version, though it's not on their website, last time I checked:
"A Kinal Magic" Kinal Kompact S | Bass Gear Magazine

I’m about to commission a build on a special hollow body version with magnetic pickups.

 

[rtslinger]

EBO is my choice for short scale bass

 

[Ozymandius]

I didn't report this post but it's inappropriate. It's an ad. Lots of places sell short scale basses and he's posting here for advice. If you have no advice other than "call this store" then just don't post.

This is not quite an ad to me... I think of it as an endorsement- of a store to be sure, but an endorsement, and therefore useful to most of us here. The final word, as always, must be that of the admin. I'll go along with the official ruling here.

 

[cronoskus]

I have played pretty much all the popular shorties around there, and there's a bass which I consider ergonomically the best I've ever played. That's the Yamaha MBII Motion B bass. Unfortunately you need to look for a used one since they're not made any more.
Here's a nice post about it.
It's considered a mid scale, but while the length is a little larger than a shortie, the fret lenght is smaller, so it has a full 24 fret scale in a 32.5" scale. Also the micro tuners on the DLX model were an awesome feature at the time. I haven't seen that on any other bass. Same with the unique headstock design, which I loved.

 

[Keger Jupit]

Don't know if anyone's suggested it yet or not, but Jonathon Herrera from BP mag had a nice review of the Reverend Wattplower, Mike Watt's signature bass. It's a shorty. But if you want a true featherweight, Aria Sonsinido. Look one up; I've had mine (fretless) for a couple years & love it. It's unique for sure, but weights almost nothing, sounds huge

 

[mike reed]

I have been dealing with neck and shoulder problems for about 1 1/2 years from an auto accident. My bass is currently a mid 90's Ibanez SR-400. I am very happy with this bass and really don't want to change.

Because of my neck and shoulders, is is sometimes quite uncomfortable having my bass hanging on my shoulders. I have tried many different straps for this, including the different slinger straps and the duostrap. The duostrap works the best, but I am thinking of looking at getting a short-scale bass to see if it would be a little lighter.

The short scale bass I have found are the Ibanez Talman, Ibanez Mikro, Fender Mustang PJ, and the Squier Jaguar. I am hoping to find one of these close enough to where I can try them, but I live in a rural area and there are not that many options close to me.

Are there any other short scale basses I should look at. I want a PJ configuration and I am partial to jazz style necks.

I would also appreciate any comparisons of these basses if you have experience with one or more of these basses.

Thanks

Take a look at Epiphone RumbleKat.Selling mine, as new,priced right...

 

[mytbyte]

If weight is more of an issue than scale, I'd point out the Cort Action - it's long scale PJ setup with jazz-style neck that weights a hair over 6 pounds.

 

[Markamb1]

Want to buy Amb1 Japanese reissue bass wooden body 90s

 

[Space Ghost]

I personally like the EB-3 that Gibson makes. Right now I've got an Ibanez Mikro 5 string that's pretty good. I've got the Jaguar SS and it plays well and sounds good but it's much heavier than my Madeira. They quit making them so you'll have to hit e-bay and the pawn shops but it's worth it to me. It's made by Guild so it's high quality and not too pricy for around $400.00 in fair shape. The b200 has two pups and sounds great.

 

[jdarctic]

I personally like the EB-3 that Gibson makes. Right now I've got an Ibanez Mikro 5 string that's pretty good. I've got the Jaguar SS and it plays well and sounds good but it's much heavier than my Madeira. They quit making them so you'll have to hit e-bay and the pawn shops but it's worth it to me. It's made by Guild so it's high quality and not too pricy for around $400.00 in fair shape. The b200 has two pups and sounds great.

I'm really interested in the Ibanez Mikro and Squier Jaguar. I'm considering the Mikro 5 string especially or the Jaguar. Had some concerns about weight and stretching... had some pain in my hand, thus my intention to get a short scale. I have a Swing Smash SB-1 and I have been playing for 1 year. () I am really loving it. But I'm wondering it would be better to get a short scale. So I narrowed it down to the Mikro and Jaguar. And for the Mikro, I could get a 4 or 5 string. I was a bit concerned about quality, availability of strings, whether I should even go for a 5 string, whether it might look like a toy on me, and if I'd even use it. I think Squier is more widely available. I liked it when I tried it in the shop, but no Mikros anywhere near me. Could you give me your thoughts?

 

[pcake]

the mikro is much more available where i am; while the jag ss is available online readily, i've never seen one in a guitar center and rarely see them at sam ash.

i've owned a jag for several years and have owned 4 mikros including a 4-string. the jag seemed to have very little clearcoat, but overall it was a nice bass i enjoyed playing, and it's easier to find strings for. the mikros are easier for me to play - i have wrist and shoulder issues. ibanez sells strings for the mikro, and i've used other strings on them without issues. will it look funny on you? well, my husband is 6'7" and he sometimes plays one my mikros without looking funny.

if you got to try the jag ss and you liked it, why not get it? it's a nice bass, and the slightly longer scale means a little more room for your fingers, which can help.

 

[Andy Marshman]

Among those you mentioned, I'm partial to the Mikro. Very nice compact bass.

A lady friend of mine just got a Mikro. She liked it so much she purchased TWO new ones. It's the PJ configuration you wanted. I've owned a few short scale basses including the Jaguar (but I don't happen to like J PUPs so didn't keep it). The Mikro is very light, super easy to play.