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34 vs 35 scale help!


Freddie75
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Any help is greatly appreciated.

Having previously owned at some stage (now sold), the Spector Euro 4lx and Warwick Streamer Stage 1 basses, I'm now looking to get another (Warwick or Spector). The only feature I wasn't keen on was they both had longer necks than I'm used to so wondered if they do shorter necks on both basses mentioned. Should I be looking at 34 scale? If I end up purchasing from another chatter chances are I won't be able to try before I buy so want to know exactly what I need to ask and not end up in the same situation I was in before.

Cheers
Freddie

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[quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1472068453' post='3118250']
34 inch is long scale; you could try short scale (usually 32 inch but sometimes less). Both Spector and Warwick will probably offer short scale versions of some of their models, although the choice will be limited.
[/quote]

Thanks for replying. My current Fender Jazz bass is a 34 inch scale and feels great, so as long as the neck is same length then I'd be happy.

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Some basses have the neck set deeper into the body than others.

If 34 inch feels fine, you shouldn't have too many problems in finding another bass to your liking, as it's the most common scale. Best to have a play on each model before buying, though. :)

Edited by bluejay
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The body shape and balance will also affect where the bass sits against your body and where your left hand (if you play right-handed) should be.

My GMR is 35", 24 fret. Jazz Plus is 34", 22 fret. But the nut on the J+ is deceptively further away from me than on the GMR. When I started playing the J+ I was consistently 2 frets sharp on everything. It just feels and plays like the longer neck although technically it's shorter.

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Even the 34" Spector and Warwicks will feel two frets farther left than a Fender style bass. It's fine, but if you're regularly changing between them as I was, it becomes more difficult to play without looking at your left hand and I hate having to do that.

Frank.

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[quote name='machinehead' timestamp='1472072573' post='3118334']
Even the 34" Spector and Warwicks will feel two frets farther left than a Fender style bass. It's fine, but if you're regularly changing between them as I was, it becomes more difficult to play without looking at your left hand and I hate having to do that.

Frank.
[/quote]

Yep I found that. As a Stingray player I also struggled miserably to play fretless bass until I got a fretless stingray. Even thought I play 4's and 5's I now I stick to basses with similar dimensions and feel e.g. MM's G&L's. ESP's and the Yamaha BB series work for me also.

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[quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1472069019' post='3118260']
Some basses have the neck set deeper into the body than others.
[/quote]


This.
It's not just how long the neck is, but how it's set with regards to the body. Some 34" basses feel perfectly fine while others I find the 1st fret is a little too far away... My Warwicks felt longer than others, for instance. And the 35" Lakland 5502 I used to have didn't really feel longer than my Stingray.

Edited by mcnach
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[quote name='Freddie75' timestamp='1472068135' post='3118246']
Any help is greatly appreciated.

Having previously owned at some stage (now sold), the Spector Euro 4lx and Warwick Streamer Stage 1 basses, I'm now looking to get another (Warwick or Spector). The only feature I wasn't keen on was they both had longer necks than I'm used to so wondered if they do shorter necks on both basses mentioned. Should I be looking at 34 scale? If I end up purchasing from another chatter chances are I won't be able to try before I buy so want to know exactly what I need to ask and not end up in the same situation I was in before.

Cheers
Freddie
[/quote]
Look at where the top 'horn' and strap button are situated ... On the Fender the top horn end sits around the twelfth fret and on many 'modern' style basses, such as Warwick, that top horn hovers above the 14th fret. Long Scale on both basses at 34" but the Warwick will feel a longer neck.

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[quote name='mybass' timestamp='1472098206' post='3118461']

Look at where the top 'horn' and strap button are situated ... On the Fender the top horn end sits around the twelfth fret and on many 'modern' style basses, such as Warwick, that top horn hovers above the 14th fret. Long Scale on both basses at 34" but the Warwick will feel a longer neck.
[/quote]

This what makes all the difference to me. It always feels like a 14th fret strap button bass has a neck about an inch longer than a 12th fret.

I simply avoid all basses where the strap doesn't fall above the 12th fret.

My favourite scale length is actually 33.3" - I can definitely feel the difference in scale when playing up around the first 3 - 5 frets (where the "money" is, lol).

33" is fine too - as far as I know Jens Ritter is the only guy who makes 33.3" and I'm not sure what difference the extra .3" really makes in everyday playing.

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[quote name='molan' timestamp='1472113139' post='3118546']
This what makes all the difference to me. It always feels like a 14th fret strap button bass has a neck about an inch longer than a 12th fret.

I simply avoid all basses where the strap doesn't fall above the 12th fret.

My favourite scale length is actually 33.3" - I can definitely feel the difference in scale when playing up around the first 3 - 5 frets (where the "money" is, lol).

33" is fine too - as far as I know Jens Ritter is the only guy who makes 33.3" and I'm not sure what difference the extra .3" really makes in everyday playing.
[/quote]

My (recently acquired as a travel bass) Steinberger XT-2 has the strap button at the 20th fret!! Try reaching for the money frets on that.

I'm making a folding carbon fibre extender to move the strap button to the 12th fret. That should cure it. :)

Frank.

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[quote name='machinehead' timestamp='1472117166' post='3118601']


My (recently acquired as a travel bass) Steinberger XT-2 has the strap button at the 20th fret!! Try reaching for the money frets on that.

I'm making a folding carbon fibre extender to move the strap button to the 12th fret. That should cure it. :)

Frank.
[/quote]

Last time my shoulder was badly screwed up I bought a Status Streamline for precisely this reason - the top of the body extends right out so the stretch isn't as long :)

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Interesting you're choosing between a Warwick & a Spector when the brand's inherent tones are so different despite some of their models having a *cough* similar shape.

As others have said; it's not the scale length that feels off about the Warwick/Spector models compared to the standard Fender feel it's the design/body shape shunting the neck two frets further away - most Warwicks are the same scale as most Fenders ie 34".

I flick between the two all the time; if I've been playing a lot more on the Fender over the Warwick, switching to the Warwick can be a bit of a pain but you do get used to it after a while. If I play both basses every week I don't notice the difference at all.

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[quote name='molan' timestamp='1472117443' post='3118606']
Last time my shoulder was badly screwed up I bought a Status Streamline for precisely this reason - the top of the body extends right out so the stretch isn't as long :)
[/quote]

Off topic - apologies.

I'm enjoying the Steinberger so much that it got me thinking about a Status Streamline as my main gigging bass. They seem to tick a lot of boxes for me. I'm off for three weeks in my campervan tomorrow. I'll be looking into the Streamline when I get home. There seems to be only one or two a year changing hands on basschat.

Frank.

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[quote name='machinehead' timestamp='1472155199' post='3119012']
Off topic - apologies.

I'm enjoying the Steinberger so much that it got me thinking about a Status Streamline as my main gigging bass. They seem to tick a lot of boxes for me. I'm off for three weeks in my campervan tomorrow. I'll be looking into the Streamline when I get home. There seems to be only one or two a year changing hands on basschat.

Frank.
[/quote]

If you were nearer I'd say to borrow mine for a bit and see how you get on.

Only issue for me is that I can't really play them, comfortably, sitting down. Could just be me though!

Mine tends to sit in reserve as a backup bass for more important gigs where i feel like I need a backup :)

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[quote name='molan' timestamp='1472156577' post='3119030']
If you were nearer I'd say to borrow mine for a bit and see how you get on.

Only issue for me is that I can't really play them, comfortably, sitting down. Could just be me though!

Mine tends to sit in reserve as a backup bass for more important gigs where i feel like I need a backup :)
[/quote]

I'm a bit too far away to borrow yours, but it's a very kind thought. :)

I never play bass sitting. I practice at home standing 90% of the time, only sitting when I need to write at the same time.

The Streamline gets more and more interesting.

Frank.

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