kevvo66 Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 Hiya everyone ,I'm just wondering peoples thoughts on short scale basses .i think I may have posted a similar thread before .i have a condition known as havs ,hand held vibration white finger, for people who don't know what is I'll give a quick lowdown pun intended .its pins and needle in the fingers blanching of the fingers are some of the symptoms .so here's my question I'll always played 34" .had a couple of shorties never got on with them but coming to a point where's my hands really struggle sometimes when playing live .just the size of short scale put me off make me feel like guitarist and not a bass player now that's a dirty word to me guitar. and apologies to you all ,any good short scale you can recommend not to much cash either case the rest of my band just take the piss really which they do anyway or it going to have be a slim neck bass .cheers me dears Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_5 Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 Don't worry about what the other members of your band think about short scale basses - do what you gotta do. Personal recommendation - Fender Mustang or a Squier VM Jaguar Special SS (Short Scale). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 The rest of your band have no interest in the bass you play as long as it sounds ok. They probably couldn't tell you exactly what your bass is, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tedmanzie Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 Track down a 32" scale, it's a great size. I had a 32" P Bass I wish i'd hung onto - light, easy to play, and sounded great. 30" is much more guitar-like in feel from the one's I've tried. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 [quote name='kevvo66' timestamp='1413576725' post='2579869']...just the size of short scale put me off...[/quote] This... [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hofner-Short-Scale-Verythin-Bass/dp/product-description/B005UPZ4CY"]Hofner Verythin Short Scale Bass...[/url] [attachment=174067:Hofn_Very_Bass.jpg] ...feels too small..? I play the original Verithin... [attachment=174068:Hofn_Veri_Bass.jpg] ... which is very light, but certainly not small. Play the bass which suits you best, without damaging your health. There are many short-scales to choose from, for all tastes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlungerModerno Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 As mentioned already - you are in luck - there's a wider range of shorties about now than there has been for quite some time. (60's? I know a lot of starter basses back then were shortscale). Almost every major maker has a varient - lots of which show up used: Warwick, Fender, Squire, Epiphone, Danelectro, Ibanez, Gretch etc. All of which have fairly budget shorties, which should get you where you need to be. Of course Hofner and Hagstrom (and Gretch come to think of it) mainly make short scale basses - always worth a look - especially if you like semi-hollow bodies. As for a medium scale, as per tedmanzie's suggestion, I have no clue - It'd be harder to find one on short notice I'd imagine. If you have to make changes due to medical necessity - that's what you have to do. I think it's your concern alone. However if you insisted on playing a Kala U-Bass style instrument exclusively - then it's the bands business as those rubber strings are not going to scratch every musical itch. That reminds me - there are budget U-Bass copies. Perhaps you could use one of them for most of a set and pull out the long (or medium scale) for the songs that demand it most. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevvo66 Posted October 18, 2014 Author Share Posted October 18, 2014 Cheers guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SubsonicSimpleton Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 Just a thought, but what gauge strings are you using kevvo66? I was suffering from a lot of joint pain, and had concerns with the beginning symptoms of tendonitis and changing from 45-105 to 35-95 yielded instantaneous relief from all the discomfort. It's a very cheap quick option to try if you haven't given it a go yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Number6 Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 I love short scale basses, they sound really good giving lots of low down tone imo. The lower string tension makes for a more comfortable play too. All down to taste of course. I have two shorties, both budget instruments - A Gretsch Electromatic and an Epiphone Allen Woody Signature and both do the job admirably. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevvo66 Posted October 18, 2014 Author Share Posted October 18, 2014 Hiya subsonic now on lights not really made much differance to my jazz my aria m series she's nice at the best of times .hello number6 gonna check the gretch out if I can found one around here and I've heared good things about the rumble cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gelfin Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 I have always played long scale 34" but I now frequently use this little shorty. Sounds bigger than 34" [URL=http://s970.photobucket.com/user/gelfin5959/media/20140910_131249_zpsdbec3f05.jpg.html][IMG]http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae181/gelfin5959/20140910_131249_zpsdbec3f05.jpg[/IMG][/URL] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevvo66 Posted October 18, 2014 Author Share Posted October 18, 2014 That's nice what make is it ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truckstop Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 I wouldn't be convinced that switching to a shorter scale would make much difference. Regardless of how small the bass is, if you have poor technique then you'll always aggravate tendonital problems. Do you warm up/stretch before you play? Are your wrists and shoulders straight? Is the weight of your bass evenly distributed across your shoulders? Have you tried playing gigs sat down? Loads of stuff you can try before spending out on a new instrument! Truckstop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevvo66 Posted October 19, 2014 Author Share Posted October 19, 2014 Hiya truckstop I've tried various things ,straps , strings, sitting down is fine ,but when I'm playing live but bit of a no no really think the audience may have something to say about that one ,unless we start playing folk gigs then suppose I could sit down all night but I don't think I'll be going down that road ,lol.cheers fella ,think I've just had enough of full size basses to ,thanks for the advice ,regards kev Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinball Posted October 19, 2014 Share Posted October 19, 2014 (edited) Burns do some basses with different scale lengths. The Marquee is 32" and the Nu Sonic is 30". I really like Burns stuff and have bad a couple of Burns guitars for a couple of years and really like them. The only bass I have played was a 34' Bison, which again seems a good bit of lit. Well worth checking out. Nu-sonic weights in at under 8ibs Edited October 19, 2014 by Pinball Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted October 19, 2014 Share Posted October 19, 2014 I think the only way to find out if you will get on with a shortscale or not is to get one and live with it for a while. The closer frets may or may not make a difference but you will only know by playing one a lot. It could be you might just need to change the way you wear the bass and shift it along so the upper horn strap is in the middle of your chest rather than to the side (making some assumptions there) which would make the lower part of the neck more accessible. Perhaps to test out the short scale water, Squier Broncos can usually be picked up for well under £100 on eBay (one finished the other day at £34) and then moved on if it doesn't work out without losing much on it. Or, if you like it, can be pimped into something a little more to your liking. But I'd say any of those 30" scale Fenders/Squiers are worth looking at. Mustangs are nice. I think there is a 30" scale Squier Jaguar on sale at the moment? Yes [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/245102-squier-vm-jaguar-short-scale-bass-with-matching-headstock-l170-delivered/page__p__2575494__hl__jaguar__fromsearch__1#entry2575494"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/245102-squier-vm-jaguar-short-scale-bass-with-matching-headstock-l170-delivered/page__p__2575494__hl__jaguar__fromsearch__1#entry2575494[/url] A pretty cool looking bass, I reckon. As for looking silly - I have a 'pimped' Fender Musicmaster, 30" scale, and find it very comfortable to play. Sounds great, too. Lightweight 8lbs or so and a slim neck, but still does the Fender 'thud with a bit of bite'. I am not particularly small - 5'10" and 100kg or so (mixing my units there...) and don't feel remotely silly playing it. Here is a clip of Hamish Stewart on bass duties for AWB on a Mustang - he is a big guy! [url="http://youtu.be/qSP5yiUbDLQ"]http://youtu.be/qSP5yiUbDLQ[/url] But it might be, as Ted mentions, that a medium scale would be enough of a shift. I have 2 medium scale basses and they are the most comfortable basses I have to play - something about that scale length just suits me I don't know why. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevvo66 Posted October 19, 2014 Author Share Posted October 19, 2014 Cheers paul for the link ,nice playing and really cutting through ,I was worried about losing my sound with a short scale but see that's not the case at all .i'm off to have look on feabay now .all the best kev Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Number6 Posted October 19, 2014 Share Posted October 19, 2014 Kevvo, personally i now prefer the sound and tone of short scale instruments and with those available nowadays there's lots of choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SubsonicSimpleton Posted October 19, 2014 Share Posted October 19, 2014 Following on from what truckstop wrote, when I started have pain issues I was really fearing that injury problems were going to stop or severely limit my ability to play - I tracked down my nearest proper bass teacher and gave him a call, explained my concerns and booked a lesson, he spent the hour running me through various exercises and looking over all aspects of how I was playing, and gave me some really good constructive criticism on things that I could change to make my playing more efficient and kinder to my joints and tendons. He also recommended that I could get a referral from my GP to have a CT scan of my hands and wrists, so maybe it would be worth doing something similar Kev, and get a checkup of your technique if you haven't done so already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevvo66 Posted October 19, 2014 Author Share Posted October 19, 2014 I'm seriously giving some thought about contacting a bass teacher ,if I can find one around here ,plenty of guitar teachers around theses parts bass ,rare as hens teeth ,my condition been to see specialist and had confirmed so not lot I can do really apart get on with it me dears ,even if my fingers fell off I'd still play bass somehow it's in my blood .cheers peoples Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfretrock Posted October 19, 2014 Share Posted October 19, 2014 Another clip. The Mustang made this song just as much as the lyric. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5zFsy9VIdM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gelfin Posted October 19, 2014 Share Posted October 19, 2014 [quote name='kevvo66' timestamp='1413670825' post='2580865'] That's nice what make is it ? [/quote] It's a Kramer XL8 8 string bass (octaves) Aluminium neck. Could be used as a four string if desired but the 8 string sound is awesome. I first came across it at the last but one Cardiff bass bash, and Garry was cool enough to sell it to me at the last bash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinball Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 what about this? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/131325806358?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 (edited) I use short scales for at least one set at gigs. Blue Edited October 27, 2014 by blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 34" scale tuned down to DGCF, capo at second fret and you have a 30.3" scale EADG bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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