Your Go-To Short Scale?

[Michael Favata]

My short scale go-to is a Rob Allen "Mouse" with a flamed and spalted maple top - built for me in 2004 when Rob was in Santa Barbara. Plays like a dream, LED's, drop D tuner, mandolin frets with a Honduras mahogany body. It's actually a rosewood fingerboard which Rob "ebonized" to look like ebony - to accent the spalt "pencil lines". The original Labella tapes are still doing fine 17 years later and seem to sound better every day. A truly amazing instrument, with thanks to Rob.

View attachment 4379618

that’s a gorgeous bass. How much did it cost you?

 

[Feel_my_bottom]

I have been wanting a short scale bass for some time now. There seems to be a lot of choices out there at all different price points; so many pros and cons. And it's a bit overwhelming, honestly.

I've been thinking about that perfect blend of versatility, playability, looks, and value. What are you guys playing and why?

I pretty much switched over to short scale basses about 5 years ago now, after around 30 years of standard scale basses. My first was a Fender Squire VM Jaguar SS (crafted in Indonesia), which I basically got for free with Amex points ($199). I replaced the pickups with an Aguilar PJ set. It’s sounds awesome and is super fun to play. Jazz style thinner neck, 20 frets. Super comfortable. I leave roundwounds on it and it’s pretty much my rock bass. It actually plays better then most instruments I’ve picked up in the music stores. This was my realization that you don’t need to spend a fortune to have a bass that plays and sounds great.

Still I wanted a higher quality SS so I grabbed a JMJ Mustang when they were first released. It has the Seymour Duncan split single coil Mustang pickup, not the PJ set… it’s a great sounding bass with flats and although possibly not as versatile as a PJ configuration it covers the P bass thing VERY well. Thicker neck then the Squire, feels really nice (MIM). I keep looking for another, possibly a MM Stingray SS for variety, but I always stop myself and ask why? I’ve got everything covered and all I need.

 

[Root 5]

I have been wanting a short scale bass for some time now. There seems to be a lot of choices out there at all different price points; so many pros and cons. And it's a bit overwhelming, honestly.

I've been thinking about that perfect blend of versatility, playability, looks, and value. What are you guys playing and why?

MIJ Fender Mustangs. They look cool, sound great and play well.
I also dig Gibson SG basses. Ditto.

 

[jazzyvee]

This is my short scale bass and I haven't gigged it a lot because most of what I do favours a 5 string.
Stanley Clarke was a big influence on me buying the bass as I found the diversity of tones he was getting with his fascinating.
That said, unless i'm covering one of his tracks, I don't deliberately try to use it to get his tones on other bass stuff. Plus I'm not a soloist and like the low end which is incredible on that bass.

 

[amper]

I have been wanting a short scale bass for some time now. There seems to be a lot of choices out there at all different price points; so many pros and cons. And it's a bit overwhelming, honestly.

I've been thinking about that perfect blend of versatility, playability, looks, and value. What are you guys playing and why?

My 2003 Warwick Custom Shop Corvette Proline short scale fretless. For obvious reasons.

 

[Frank Vozak]

The Squier Classic Vibe '60s Mustang is a nice and affordable short scale. I think it looks great. It sounds and plays fine.

A nice thing about the Squire it looks like a 67 Mustang Bass except no foam mute (I compared one to my '67)

 

[Frank Vozak]

Check out a Squier Precision Mini--They plat well with a good bass tone $199 w/o case

 

[Frank Vozak]

Well... I hate to disappoint you, but my go-to bass pretty much fails your test of versatility, playability, looks and value. It's pretty much the poster bass for a One Trick Pony; a lot of people find basses like this hard to play; it doesn't look bad, but it's nothing to write home about; and, IIRC, it only cost me about $250. What is it? An early '90s, Korean made Rogue VB-100 violin bass. A left handed one. As for why I'm playing it? Can you say "Beatles"? Pre - Revolver Beatles, to be precise. Strung with Rotosound Bass 88 Tapewounds, that's exactly the One Trick I want from this little Pony; and I get it - in spades... I have 6 other shorties to turn to, when I want to play anything else, but this is the one that lives on a stand, next to my rig...

Every week when I get acupuncture I talk guitars with my doctor--though a guitar player with a Martin he loves his Rogue VB-100

 

[Frank Vozak]

I recently got one of the new Guild Starfire 1 models.
I put flats on it & have done about four gigs with it. Sounds fine. the soundman tonight liked it. You do have to use medium scale strings due to the bridge/ tailpiece placement. Strings marked for Hofner Beatle bass are the proper length. I previously owned a Squire Vintage Modified SS Jaguar when I had a bad left arm injury. that worked out well & was cheap to boot. Shame it's not in production anymore. I'm sorry I sold it when my arm healed. That used regular short scale gauge. They occasionally pop up cheap. The J pickup wasn't that great on it's own but the P pickup was fine & if you dialed the J a little with the P you could get some nice snap,

Back in 67 the Starfires came with Guild tapewounds and played really well. Based on playing one I put a set of Guild tapewounds on my '67n EB-O

 

[jazzyvee]

View attachment 4383049
This is my short scale bass and I haven't gigged it a lot because most of what I do favours a 5 string.
Stanley Clarke was a big influence on me buying the bass as I found the diversity of tones he was getting with his fascinating.
That said, unless i'm covering one of his tracks, I don't deliberately try to use it to get his tones on other bass stuff. Plus I'm not a soloist and like the low end which is incredible on that bass.

not sure how the attachment at the bottom of my post got there. Can one of the admin people remove it please.

 

[Frank Vozak]

My main player is my Maruszczyk Jake, but for a mass production bass, my MIJ Mustang is a winner. Have to find a used one these days, but it's better than any of the current Mustang offerings, IMO.

I've gone through a number of short scale basses : 30 in '67 Mustang which played really nice but weak pickups,, 30 in EB-O w/ tapewounds beautiful tone thick neck, 2018 Jaguar jazz-style 32" neck could never get tone I liked, Kona U-Bass 21 inch neck with weird rubbery strings easy on hands 20 28.6 2020, 2019 CB-60 Fender Acoustic with nice tone and nice 23" neck but not alot of volume and not pleasing thru aMPLIFIER and 2020 Squier Mini Precision plays great and pickups sound like a full. size precision 28.6 inn neck The EB-O, the Mustang , and the Jaguar have been sold and the Mini gets played just a little since I am no longer in an electric band. The CB-60 gets played with my bluegrass/folk band every Saturday morning and I interchange the U-Bass in when my hands get sore and my fingertips scream from the Fender bronze round round mini knives

 

[thunderstation]

G

 

[Don Sanders]

I have been wanting a short scale bass for some time now. There seems to be a lot of choices out there at all different price points; so many pros and cons. And it's a bit overwhelming, honestly.

I've been thinking about that perfect blend of versatility, playability, looks, and value. What are you guys playing and why?

Spector Bantam bass. EMG pickups with active control let’s be dial in infinite amount of tones

 

[Patrice B]

Probably mentioned already (no, I didn’t read any of the replies ):
Gretsch G2220

 

[Johnny Em]

I have been wanting a short scale bass for some time now. There seems to be a lot of choices out there at all different price points; so many pros and cons. And it's a bit overwhelming, honestly.

I've been thinking about that perfect blend of versatility, playability, looks, and value. What are you guys playing and why?

G&L Tribute Fallout because of the playability & the sound(s) of the MFD pickup. Also played a Fullerton (USA) Fallout & couldn't tell any difference in feel or sound. Previous go to was a Squier VM Jaguar SS (no longer made) modded with DiMarzio pups.

 

[scott cuppello]

Sire U5 and a vintage Mustang with flatwounds.

 

[thanos k]

My Gibson 1969 eb3 won my gibson sg 2018 bass because of the pickups and the overall vibe, so the reissue was sold. By far a better instrument with vibe for days the eb3, a true thunder.

Same thing happened with my 1972 fender musicmaster (shortscale) Which won in comparison with my classic 50s precision (of course long scale) in the vintage tone department.

Both with flats and an ampeg-ish type of gritty sound with pick.

For me old basses somehow win.

 

[Chondroulis]

Since you specified Short Scale it would have to be the one in the center, my Reverend Sentinel. The one on the right however is my go to ax. It’s a medium scale (32.5”) Sandberg SL. The one on the left is just a damn good for the money Cort (34”). View attachment 4377925

That Reverend looks real slick! Well, really they all do!

 

[Frank Vozak]

My Gibson 1969 eb3 won my gibson sg 2018 bass because of the pickups and the overall vibe, so the reissue was sold. By far a better instrument with vibe for days the eb3, a true thunder.

Same thing happened with my 1972 fender musicmaster (shortscale) Which won in comparison with my classic 50s precision (of course long scale) in the vintage tone department.

Both with flats and an ampeg-ish type of gritty sound with pick.

For me old basses somehow win.

My 2020 Squier Precision Mini has a small body and 28.6 in neck but a tremendous amount of bass tone thru my tiny Fender Rumble 15 w/ only 15 watts and 8 in speaker

 

[Basic Lee]

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