32" Medium Scale Bass Thread

[RikiB]

You can see from the picture to that the headstock is even smaller

[RikiB]

What strings do you recommend for 32” scale?

[0175westwood29]

1 minute ago, RikiB said:

What strings do you recommend for 32” scale?

honestly i just use standard regular EB slinkys on mine

[RikiB]

Won’t they have thicker parts to go in tuner pegs and maybe be different tension than a 32” scale needs?

 

Do 32” need higher tension strings I’m unsure of the science.

[0175westwood29]

2 minutes ago, RikiB said:

Won’t they have thicker parts to go in tuner pegs and maybe be different tension than a 32” scale needs?

 

Do 32” need higher tension strings I’m unsure of the science.

never been an issue for me even on my 30" Jaguar, and tension wise they feel great in standard and drop d.

[ezbass]

49 minutes ago, RikiB said:

Won’t they have thicker parts to go in tuner pegs and maybe be different tension than a 32” scale needs?

 

Do 32” need higher tension strings I’m unsure of the science.

I use standard strings on my 30" basses, the tension isn't an issue at all. As to fitting into the tuner holes/slots, I've only experienced a little problem with the E string, when using flats, fitting into the smaller tuners on my Harley Benton (Gotoh 9mm capstans) and I just unwrap a small section to get it seated, roundwounds would be more straightforward. The 1/2", 14mm tuners on Mustang and shorty 'Ray have no issues in this dept at all.

[Lozz196]

Same, just use regular scale on my Mustangs

[RikiB]

Oh I thought different scales maybe benefit from different tensions or something.

I just put some old Roto flats on (full scale) and they do go on but the silk parts are a lot higher so not under the string tree and the low E has no thinner bit of the string left to wrap around the tuner post. Still works but think I’ll look for a 32” set to put on there.

[Obrienp]

18 hours ago, RikiB said:

Oh I thought different scales maybe benefit from different tensions or something.

I just put some old Roto flats on (full scale) and they do go on but the silk parts are a lot higher so not under the string tree and the low E has no thinner bit of the string left to wrap around the tuner post. Still works but think I’ll look for a 32” set to put on there.

I know a lot of people say it is fine but I haven’t had great success using standard 34” scale strings on short and medium basses. I guess if you have through body stringing it might work fine but for most, you end up with an unsightly mess round the machine head, tuning instability and in one case a flat wound E that started to unravel. I might have been unlucky. 
 

For my medium scale (Maruszczyk Elwood) I am really enjoying using D’Addario Standard Light gauge (45-100)  medium scale nickel round wound strings. The tension is fine, although I do have to be a little careful not to end up doing unintentional bends when fretting the E string. That is largely down to my poor technique and I got used to it pretty quickly. The D’Addario’s aren’t ridiculously expensive, last well and give a nice growl when you want it. 
 

The Maruszczyk had flats on it when I bought it (secondhand). I think they must have been their own brand, which are pretty cheap but seemed fine. I only changed them because they weren’t giving the sound I was after. Might be worth a look/try if you like flats. I think Bass Direct stock them. 
 

Generally though, there are even fewer choices for medium scale, than there are for short scale and there tends to be a price premium. Supply and demand I guess.

[Cliff Edge]

23 hours ago, RikiB said:

What strings do you recommend for 32” scale?

I have short scale TI Jazz flats on a 32” Aria TSB 650.   Fit well, play great. 
Some useful info here <https://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/blog/how-to-measure-bass-scale-length/>

[RikiB]

2 hours ago, Cliff Edge said:

I have short scale TI Jazz flats on a 32” Aria TSB 650.   Fit well, play great. 
Some useful info here <https://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/blog/how-to-measure-bass-scale-length/>

Great guide thanks.

aomething for me to look for is definitely the ball end as I don’t want the silk park going onto the bridge or the thinner inner bit.

[3below]

On 29/06/2023 at 11:23, Rayman said:

I’d never seen a 32.5 scale bass (that I was aware of) until this came along.

 

A very nice thing, nice to play, lovely fretboard, I like it a lot. Surprisingly high output, lots of highs and lows being active. It does feel different, the scale length, but comfortable.

Amazingly I have one have one of these, bought from BC many years ago.  Surprisingly for the body shape, It has no neck dive and is remarkably light weight.  A really nice thing to play. Google it and you will find very little information about them (unless new info has appeared).  At one time the only images I could find were of the BC listing of mine.

[Rayman]

9 hours ago, 3below said:

Amazingly I have one have one of these, bought from BC many years ago.  Surprisingly for the body shape, It has no neck dive and is remarkably light weight.  A really nice thing to play. Google it and you will find very little information about them (unless new info has appeared).  At one time the only images I could find were of the BC listing of mine.

Yep, I couldn’t find any information at all. A red one popped up on the bay a few days ago, but disappeared really quickly before I could consider it.

[DaleASmith]

Anybody know a good source for a 32" Jazz neck in the UK?

 

Not strictly Jazz, but something of that type ( P or Jag perhaps )

 

cheers

[Obrienp]

On 02/07/2023 at 10:54, DaleASmith said:

Anybody know a good source for a 32" Jazz neck in the UK?

 

Not strictly Jazz, but something of that type ( P or Jag perhaps )

 

cheers

Wish I did. I have had a 32” project bass at the back of my mind for ages but producing a neck myself is beyond my skills. I would be very interested to see if anybody knows of a reliable source.

[DaleASmith]

5 hours ago, Obrienp said:

Wish I did. I have had a 32” project bass at the back of my mind for ages but producing a neck myself is beyond my skills. I would be very interested to see if anybody knows of a reliable source.

best bet at the minute is buying a Squier 32” Jag and stripping it for parts. 

[Baloney Balderdash]

9 minutes ago, DaleASmith said:

best bet at the minute is buying a Squier 32” Jag and stripping it for parts. 

I'd personally prefer the Ibanez SRMD200 Mezzo neck.

 

The Ibanez Mezzo though is a bit more expensive than the Squier Jag, and the Squier neck might fit the neck pocket on most available bass bodies better (not sure about the latter though).

 

Edited July 4, 2023 by Baloney Balderdash

[Kyndainverse]

On 02/07/2023 at 10:54, DaleASmith said:

Anybody know a good source for a 32" Jazz neck in the UK?

 

Not strictly Jazz, but something of that type ( P or Jag perhaps )

 

cheers

I can't vouch for the quality and it's the wrong headstock, but it is 32" 
https://retrovibe.co.uk/product/retrovibe-bass-neck-32-medium-scale-20-fret-maple-blackwood/

[DaleASmith]

1 hour ago, Kyndainverse said:

I can't vouch for the quality and it's the wrong headstock, but it is 32" 
https://retrovibe.co.uk/product/retrovibe-bass-neck-32-medium-scale-20-fret-maple-blackwood/

I did see these, and they do a Tele bass version also, but they're not available. No idea if they've sold out of stopped making them.

[MarshallBTB]

Grabbed this medium scale fretless (think it’s been converted to fretless) jazz, with trem from eBay recently. Really great fun, now on a bit of a hunt for a fretted version / or fretted neck to fit. 
I really like how the body and headstock are slightly smaller too. 

Edited July 8, 2023 by MarshallBTB

[RikiB]

3 hours ago, MarshallBTB said:

Grabbed this medium scale fretless (think it’s been converted to fretless) jazz, with trem from eBay recently. Really great fun, now on a bit of a hunt for a fretted version / or fretted neck to fit. 
I really like how the body and headstock are slightly smaller too. 

I really like that.

[RikiB]

Just got my 2nd 32” fender.

 

[uncle psychosis]

This thread has been far too inactive. 

 

Can anyone remind me of what the "normal" thinking is re:strings for a 32"? 

 

I can't remember if I can buy standard long scale ones or if short scales fit or if it's even more niche than that... 

 

 

[Geek99]

9 minutes ago, uncle psychosis said:

This thread has been far too inactive. 

 

Can anyone remind me of what the "normal" thinking is re:strings for a 32"? 

 

I can't remember if I can buy standard long scale ones or if short scales fit or if it's even more niche than that... 

 

 

Read back to @Lozz196 

[Kateplaysbass]

On 17/02/2024 at 22:49, uncle psychosis said:

This thread has been far too inactive. 

 

Can anyone remind me of what the "normal" thinking is re:strings for a 32"? 

 

I can't remember if I can buy standard long scale ones or if short scales fit or if it's even more niche than that... 

 

 

La Bella do medium scale - I have their medium scale Low Tension flats on my 32" ACG and I love them.

 

Thomastik also do their Jazz Flats in a combined short/ medium scale length. I bought a set of these for an Artcore I used to own; hated them. Tried them on 2 other basses - same. I'd pretty much given up on them, but then I got a 32" Aerodyne which came with rounds, and the TIs were the only medium scale flats I had. To my surprise, I really like them on the Aerodyne, so perhaps they really do pair well with a J.