5 string advice. Very specific requirements though....

[prowla]

Well, if the bridge is near the end of the body, then the overall length is the same regardless of how many frets, surely.

Me, I've got a Status 5-string, which doesn't seem large. (But it does have 24 frets.)

Edited March 29, 2017 by prowla

[fretmeister]

[quote name='funkle' timestamp='1490775434' post='3267783']
Slick. Expensive bass to mod, but slick.
[/quote]

The MM5 and the tuners were new. The rest I got used or in trades. If you weren't so far away you could pop round to try it.

[Owen]

Status Streamline. Too many frets, I know, but I used to own one and it sits in such a way that everything is SUPER easy to reach.

[fretmeister]

Streamline 5 has 18mm spacing at the bridge as standard, or 16.5mm Custom.

The OP has said he doesn't want 18mm, but I don't know if 16.5 would be too tight for him. It is for me!

The nut width on a Streamline 5 is 48.2mm as well. That's 4mm wider than a Ray 5. That's why I don't own a 5 string Status. I'd have a Streamline 5 in a heartbeat if they did a Ray5 shape for it

[funkle]

I've only tried one 16.5mm...Gerald Veasley bass. Pretty damn tight!

And 24 fret rule maybe isn't an absolute...but as I've explained above people often shift the neck off to the left a bit (and move the bridge away from the tail of the bass) to improve upper fret access....at the cost of first fret access. So in general it's safer to look at 21/22 frets...

[pete.young]

Since I figured out the 'across rather than up and down the neck' strategy with my 5's I find I hardly ever ever do anything below the 4th or 5th fret, unless it's on the 'B' string.

[chris_b]

Put Nordstrand pickups in a StingRay or get ACG to make a bass for you.

[funkle]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1490782892' post='3267883']
Put Nordstrand pickups in a StingRay or get ACG to make a bass for you.
[/quote]

Maybe. But it's a pricy and uncertain option...I'd prefer to find a stock bass that doesn't need expensive pickup replacements.

So far G+L looks like the main contender.

And my experience of custom basses is that if your requirements change, you take a massive bath on them. I'm not interested in custom.

Edited March 29, 2017 by funkle

[funkle]

[quote name='pete.young' timestamp='1490781165' post='3267855']
Since I figured out the 'across rather than up and down the neck' strategy with my 5's I find I hardly ever ever do anything below the 4th or 5th fret, unless it's on the 'B' string.
[/quote]

A reasonable strategy.

[chris_b]

[quote name='funkle' timestamp='1490784373' post='3267903']
And my experience of custom basses is that if your requirements change, you take a massive bath on them. I'm not interested in custom.
[/quote]
That's also why I'm unlikely to ever order a custom bass. My solution to your problem is to have fewer red lines and more flexible goals. The bass is only the platform. What you do after is the important part.

Anyway, sounds like you've homed in on G&L. They're good basses. I'd find a good used one and try it for a few months.

[ead]

What about a Maruszczyk bass. You can have pretty much what you want and decent value too?

[Sibob]

I was going to suggest the Lakland 55-01, until you scuppered me with the 19mm spacing thing haha, love mine!

Out of everything that's been mentioned, sounds like the G&L is the way to go, solid instruments with a good reputation (even the Tributes), and a big sound.
Other than that, I think you're looking at a custom/mod job from somewhere.

Si

[Grangur]

[quote name='funkle' timestamp='1490772668' post='3267745']


Because most manufacturers accommodate the extra frets (even thought the scale length is overall kept the same) by moving the neck a little further out to the left (and keeping the bridge in the same place they are generally accustomed to) - thus making first fret more awkward to reach. This is one of the reasons Warwicks are awkward for me; the upper horn doesn't generally go to 12th fret, so they tend to neck dive when I wear them, and their bridge is so far from the tail end of the bass that the first position is waaaaay off to the left and hard for me to reach.

Occasionally someone moves the bridge closer to the tail end of the bass, thus keeping first fret in easy reach, but mostly they don't. This design requires a deeper cutaway to still allow upper fret access, and I guess many designers don't want to do that.
[/quote]

Funnily on my Warwicks the horn does go to the 13th, which is about typical. Granted, it doesn't on the Thumb.

[mrtcat]

[quote name='ead' timestamp='1490787746' post='3267953']
What about a Maruszczyk bass. You can have pretty much what you want and decent value too?
[/quote]

+1 you can have whatever you want with a maruszczyk and adrian will accomodate all of your requirements.

[ebenezer]

What about a peavey millennium 5.....(another one that is) lol

[Ghost_Bass]

[quote name='funkle' timestamp='1490733521' post='3267567']
(...)[list]
[*]21 or 22 frets max (no 24 fret instruments)
[*]34" or 35" scale; 35" preferred
[/list]
(...)
[/quote]

If you're going for a 35" scale what's the problem with having 24 frets? the neck won't be shorter! If you're looking for a short bass you should look in to short scale basses.

[Ghost_Bass]

I give you an example, my Yamaha is 35" and has the strap button above the 12th fret:


(internet pic)

It's still a bit of a strech to reach the nut, i'm used to it but i think you might struggle with it. If the bass had less frets but retained the strap at the 12th like you asked the size would be the same, only diference would be that the neck would end further from the bridge.

edit: spelling

Edited March 29, 2017 by Ghost_Bass

[eude]

Hey funkle, you've entered very subjective waters here.
I reckon your best bet will be to find a shop with a decent range of basses to try out if you're not willing/able to go custom.

There's Red Dog and Guitar Guitar in Edinburgh, but I hear Guitar Guitar in Glasgow are opening a proper bass department soon, so they might be well worth a visit.

On a personal note, I REALLY don't think you need to have a 35" scale to achieve a good low B, you just need a well designed and built instrument, but your mileage may vary...

Good luck dude!
Eude

[Grahambythesea]

I don't think any 35 ins scale basses with only 21/22 frets exist! It's sounds to me as though you want a custom build, everyone hear says Maruszczyk will build you anything you want for a reasonable price, though I have no direct experience.

[funkle]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts.

I was mainly seeing if there were any stock builds apart from what I knew about already. Custom, like I said, is not currently an option.

The Godin was new to me. But the others by and large I've tried and left behind.

I'd go back to the Peavey Millennium 5 I sold if I could find it. lol. Or a Peavey GV. Both of those 35" 21 frets. Easy reach to 1st fret and ergonomically well made. D'oh

Yamaha TRBs I love the sound of but end up with a wide neck nearer the body end and 18mm spacing.

I've drawn a lot of 'red lines' because I know what I'd like. It's not a straightforward spec, but that's the point.

[funkle]

[quote name='Ghost_Bass' timestamp='1490795447' post='3268086']
If you're going for a 35" scale what's the problem with having 24 frets? the neck won't be shorter! If you're looking for a short bass you should look in to short scale basses.
[/quote]

The issue is that manufacturers tend to shift the neck over (by moving the bridge away from the end of the bass) to get you upper fret access to those extra frets...at the cost of first fret access.

[funkle]

Scored a Peavey GV from the USA. Still some time before it wings its way to these shores...but I'll report in once I've had a go. I'm hoping its pretty sweet. I like graphite necks!

[Ghost_Bass]

[quote name='funkle' timestamp='1490799353' post='3268146']
The issue is that manufacturers tend to shift the neck over (by moving the bridge away from the end of the bass) to get you upper fret access to those extra frets...at the cost of first fret access.
[/quote]

It doesn't make scense, sorry, look again at the pic i've posted (it's just an example)
[quote name='Ghost_Bass' timestamp='1490795657' post='3268090']

[/quote]

The bridge can't be moved closer to the end of the body without adding size to the body, yet the strap button sits on top of the 12th fret. Basicly, to fit your requirements of lesser frets while retaining a 35" scale, this bass would be modded to remove the bottom frets but would still be put together the same way with the same dimensions!

This would happen:





The overall dimension is the same, there's just some frets missing. If you want better access to the first frets you need to extend the top horn so the strap hangs closer to the headstock (above 10th fret for example) bringing the scale closer to your body.

Edited April 13, 2017 by Ghost_Bass

[funkle]

It's a matter of increments.

The TRB above is better than some of the earlier TRBs, but could in fact get the tailpieces a little bit closer to the end of the bass; there is room for a little bit of shift (though small). The upper horn doesn't quite reach the 12th fret; it's in between the 12th and 13th. The ideal is probably sitting between the 11th and 12th, though very few basses do this. (And I happen to find those necks a little wide, as well as the string spacing not quite being narrow enough.)

All the little things add up to where the 35 inches of scale ends up sitting, and how far over to the left it is shifted. At least in my experience. I guess my reach is just a little bit shorter than others.

Edited April 12, 2017 by funkle

[Ghost_Bass]

[quote name='funkle' timestamp='1491984065' post='3276877']
It's a matter of increments.

The TRB above is better than some of the earlier TRBs, but could in fact get the tailpieces a little bit closer to the end of the bass; there is room for a little bit of shift (though small). The upper horn doesn't quite reach the 12th fret; it's in between the 12th and 13th. The ideal is probably sitting between the 11th and 12th, though very few basses do this. (And I happen to find those necks a little wide, as well as the string spacing not quite being narrow enough.)

All the little things add up to where the 35 inches of scale ends up sitting, and how far over to the left it is shifted. At least in my experience. I guess my reach is just a little bit shorter than others.
[/quote]

Again, i'm not saying to buy a TRB (first thing i've wrote about it was that i find it too long to reach the first fret but i'm used to it), i'm just using what i know to try to explain (using a visual aid) how i believe that removing 3 or 4 frets from the fretboard won't make the bass shorter if you maintain the scale length and strap pin position.

I understand what you say about the bridge, it can be pulled back even if it takes the body to have a block of wood extending back but, IMO the best way to get the headstock closer to the body is to extend the upper horn strap pin - above the 10th fret should make it way easier to play - this can be achieved with a bigger upper horn (custom build) or retrofitting a strap pin extender (there are some talk about it in this forum).

Cheers