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Short Scales


Jean-Luc Pickguard
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In addition to my 34" basses including Three Precisions, a jazz and a thunderbird I also love 30" scale basses - I have a korean danelectro longhorn a '71 sonic blue musicmaster, a shell pink Squier musicmaster and the newest addition - a CIJ vintage white mustang which is my favourite to play of all my basses at the moment.

My daughter also has two 30" basses and a 32"

Anyone else into short scale basses?

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[quote name='Tee' post='127846' date='Jan 25 2008, 04:15 PM']I do too. I have a Gibson SG reissue. It's super sweet. Currently strung with TI flats.[/quote]

Nice - TI flats are my favourite strings - all my 34" basses have JF344, but I have mostly old roto flats on my 30" basses :). I tried JF324s on the mustang and they fit perfectly - v pleased with that combination.:huh:

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I have 3...

A Burns Sonic Bass, which was my first bass
A Kramer KXB-10
and a Kramer 'The Duke' copy (probably a de-badged Hondo Alien)

Pics coming soon...

You have to pick you're short-scales carefully as some have decidedly dull bottom Es although decent strings such as those made by Newtone certainly helped - I'd never used a note below A in anger on my Burns until I stopped using RotoSounds and switched to Newtones.

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I collect vintage Hofners, so I have loads - well, 15 to be precise. Almost all are strung with period-correct flats.

I take them along to jam sessions from time to time, and others get to play them. Invariably they come off stage with an enormous grin!

One thing about Hofners, though, is that the strings are closely spaced - typically 10mm at the nut, 15mm at the bridge - and plenty of Fender types really struggle with that.

And don't even think about slapping ...

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Here are pics of my short scale basses





Burns Sonic Bass. 29 5/8" scale. My very first bass bought in 1981 when it was already 20 years old! Heavily modified both by it's previous owners and myself to keep it playable.





Kramer KXB-10. 30 1/2" scale. The aluminium necked Kramers all had exactly the same necks and were fitted with either 20 or 24 frets long or short scale. This one terrible neck dive due to the heavy neck and the body shape. However it sounds brilliant when you can keep the neck in a sensible position. Bags of zing and massive sustain.





Copy of Kramer's "The Duke" Bass. 30 3/4" scale. If this isn't a de-badged Hondo Alien, then it comes from the same factory, as it appears to be the same in all but the missing logo. Only differences from the real Kramer model iis the lack of ebanol fingerboard, cheaper hardware, and a few cosmetic aspects. Since all the hardware except the pickups have been upgraded to those found on the real thing, it's not too far off now. Not particularly light, but small and comes with a cool violin style case.

There's definitely a place for the short scale bass, but don't expect it to have the weight of a 33" or longer (unless you've bought a [url="http://www.birdsongguitars.com/"]Birdsong[/url]). Great for tuneful high register bass lines in the Style of Joy Division etc...

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[quote name='Jean-Luc Pickguard' post='127837' date='Jan 25 2008, 05:05 PM']a CIJ vintage white mustang which is my favourite to play of all my basses at the moment[/quote]
Mmmh... Olympic White...



I love my Mustang. It has a very distinct character and is a joy to play. Fender Japan rules!

I´m going to record with a blues/folk singer soon and I´ll bring one of my P basses and the Mustang. Should be fun. :)

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I think I should probably own a 32"er

[quote name='Soulfinger' post='128648' date='Jan 27 2008, 12:59 PM']Mmmh... Olympic White...



I love my Mustang. It has a very distinct character and is a joy to play. Fender Japan rules!

I´m going to record with a blues/folk singer soon and I´ll bring one of my P basses and the Mustang. Should be fun. :)[/quote]

I want one!

'going to record'

-do share

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I had a ’70 Musicmaster bass, which I gave to my son, and I have a ‘60s Hagstrum Coronado. Love the sound of it.

I would like to find a Burn’s Jazz (batwing head stock) or maybe get one of the Burns marquee reissues.
The problem is I found that it’s easier for me to switch between my 34” scale fenders and a 30” scale than it is to switch to a 32” scale. All the frets are in the wrong places.

MM

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[quote]



Kramer KXB-10. 30 1/2" scale. The aluminium necked Kramers all had exactly the same necks and were fitted with either 20 or 24 frets long or short scale. This one terrible neck dive due to the heavy neck and the body shape. However it sounds brilliant when you can keep the neck in a sensible position. Bags of zing and massive sustain.[/quote]


crap, GAS Attack, lol

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