sblueplanet Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 (edited) Im planning on getting a small, lightweight, short scale P style bass with the emphasis being on cheap with the possibility of upgrading the pup at a later date. Been looking at these two basses. Anyone have experience in using these for rehearsals or even gigs? Im also wondering if both have the reduced small-sized bodies. Looking for something to fit in a guitar gigbag. Edited January 29, 2017 by sblueplanet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
therealting Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 Would also like to hear about this. Been looking at Mustangs and these are pretty cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
addictedtobass Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 on the verge of buying one of the harley benton shorties also. i own a couple of HB bits of kit and i cant find a bad word to say about them. very very good for the money Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basskit_case Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 What about a Corsair MCR1 http://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/Greg-Bennett-Corsair-MCR-1-Mini-Bass-Black/1IFU Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
therealting Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 [quote name='basskit_case' timestamp='1485696431' post='3225844'] What about a Corsair MCR1 http://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/Greg-Bennett-Corsair-MCR-1-Mini-Bass-Black/1IFU [/quote] I have one of those - the scale length is much shorter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blablas Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 The Harley Benton has a reduced body size. To get some idea how much smaller, the HB pickguard on top of a standard P guard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sblueplanet Posted January 29, 2017 Author Share Posted January 29, 2017 That is interesting to see the pickguard comparison. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben4343 Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 The Harley Benton is great for it's price, sounding fine. Notably neck heavy though; the body is more Strat sized than Precision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blablas Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 And the two basses together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBunny Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 Drop Steve, solo4652, a message. He has a HB and is really impressed. I but an Entwistle pickup in it for him and it sounded great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blablas Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 Body comparison in more detail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sblueplanet Posted January 29, 2017 Author Share Posted January 29, 2017 Im liking the smaller size. Is it the full size tuners that are making the HB neck heavy or is the body just ply? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
therealting Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 Smaller basses with proportionally longer necks are usually neck heavy unless they have a long top horn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blablas Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 The body is solid poplar. Neck heavy is relative, I've got several of these HB shorty's and they don't have any neck-dive when used with a strap. When sitting down with them they have, but almost all basses do when played on your lap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solo4652 Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]HB Shorty is ridiculously good for the money. I bought it primarily to see how I got on with short scale. I'd read that the stock pickup was weak, so I bought some Entwistle PBXN's at the same time and BassBunny of this Parish put them in. That means I can only really comment on the HBS with the Entwistle pickups. I find the bass very comfortable to play. The body is a little smaller than the Talman MB-30 I had and the HBS hangs a little more neck-up, even with a shiny strap. It's a bit lighter than the Talman too. The HBS was a bit noisy when I first got it, but the Entwistle pickups, plus aluminium shielding inside the cavities sorted that out nicely. I wire-woolled the back of the neck to get it baby-bum smooth. It certainly does a classic P-thump tone. The Entwistles are pretty hot. With tone pot rolled a little back from full on, I get a full, rich P tone that still has quite a bit of mid-range punch. Not woolly or indistinct at all. Being a P bass, it's a classic "one-trick pony" and you probably won't get it to sound like a jazz or a Stingray. I don't play slap, but I'm pretty sure you'd struggle to get a clanky slap sound out of it. When I bought it, my main bass was a Yamaha BB1024. I took the HBS to band rehearsal (pop covers) and I was amazed when the guys said they preferred the HBS . [/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]The HBS convinced me that short scale was the way to go to cope with the Arthritis in my neck and arm. I bought the Ibanez Talman MB-30, thinking it would be my main bass, with the HBS as back up. Well, no. The HBS turned out to be a little easier to play, so I sold the Ibanez and bought a Fender Japan FSR Mustang. The Mustang is my main bass, and the HBS is the backup. Very different sounds - the Mustang has a brighter, punchier sound. First bass I've ever had where I've found myself turning the mids [i]down[/i] on the head EQ. The neck of the Mustang is pretty skinny compared to the HBS. The HBS neck is appreciably wider and deeper front-to-back. I'd have absolutely no hesitation gigging the HBS. [/font][/color] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrumpymike Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 Interesting to see how impressed Andyjr was with the quality as received (i.e. before he modded it) of the HB he's just customised. Basically sound as a pound (before our recent currency collapse that is). Btw I also noted a sequence of incredibly tasty looking HB basses flashing up on my screen when I Googled NAMM 2017 to check out this year's new stuff. Haven't got round to following up on them yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miles'tone Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 (edited) I've got a HB Shorty P and it's really really good. I've had it a couple of years and it's the only bass that I've ever had that I've never modded. I haven't even had to adjust the neck or intonation! It still wears the strings that it came with. I daren't change a thing as it plays and sounds so good. The stock pickups are punchy as hell by the way. Best £70 I've ever spent. Edited January 30, 2017 by miles'tone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sblueplanet Posted January 31, 2017 Author Share Posted January 31, 2017 Is the pickup size the same as other stock P pickups as in no mods needed to get them to fit? Also, what strings are people putting on their Shorty? I fancied flats for mine if I get one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miles'tone Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 [quote name='sblueplanet' timestamp='1485889842' post='3227559'] Is the pickup size the same as other stock P pickups as in no mods needed to get them to fit? Also, what strings are people putting on their Shorty? I fancied flats for mine if I get one. [/quote] Yes, regular size P pickup. Not changed strings yet but if I do I'll be going for a set of TI flats myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solo4652 Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 (edited) If I remember correctly, the Entwistle PBXN's dropped straight in with no mods needed to the body rout or the pickguard. Mine's strung with Staus Hotwire halfrounds. Edited February 4, 2017 by solo4652 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solo4652 Posted February 4, 2017 Share Posted February 4, 2017 (edited) [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Update I've replaced the wiring loom with a drop-in pre-wired one with CTS pots, Switchcraft jack socket and some sort of Russian green capacitor thingy; [/font][/color]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Precision-bass-upgrade-loom-CTS-pots-/252745893325?hash=item3ad8d445cd:g:NLQAAOSwmc1XPNzc [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Bit of a struggle to squeeze it all into the control cavity - I had to pare away some of the cavity shaping with a craft knife. Worth it in the end to get rid of the unreliable jack plug and the scratchy pots. Also, the barky nature of the Entwistle PBXN's seems to have been smoothed out. Giggable? - Hell, yeah.[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]So:[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Bass + Entwistle PBXN's + new wiring loom/pots/jackplug = £107. Extraordinary. [/font][/color] Edited February 4, 2017 by solo4652 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sblueplanet Posted February 4, 2017 Author Share Posted February 4, 2017 Excellent stuff. I would rather fancy a red tort pickguard replacement for mine. Im guessing there are still peeps on here offering such a service? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfretrock Posted February 6, 2017 Share Posted February 6, 2017 [quote name='miles'tone' timestamp='1485905578' post='3227696'] Yes, regular size P pickup. Not changed strings yet but if I do I'll be going for a set of TI flats myself. [/quote] I think TI flats are 34" or 32", not seen a 30" set. I've got Status Hotwire flats on my shorty , but they sound a bit thumpy, no top end. I've got some 32" TIs on another bass, I'll check with a tape measure but I suspect E, at least, will have the fat part of the string around the post if you fit 32s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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