Short scale. Hmmmm.

[Bridgehouse]

I don't have a short scale bass - mine are all 34's.

I feel I may be missing out. Am I?

[Trueno]

I always regret selling my Fender Mustang. It was easy to play, great for long rehearsals and quite cool to gig with (IMO). Bit of a different presentation to a 34, but well worth trying. When the subject comes up I always end up pointing out that I'm 6'2" and quite comfortable playing a short scale. I'm currently casting a covetous eye over Hofner Club basses... the contemporary version with the centre block.

[JapanAxe]

Just been listening to 1996 re-master of Deep Purple's album Fireball, and inside are 3 pics of Roger Glover toting a Mustang. Here's one:



Took mine out on a blues gig on Saturday and it worked really well, especially as stage room was very limited!

Edited August 7, 2017 by JapanAxe

[T-Bay]

I have one and enjoy it when I play it, but for some reason it's not ever my go to bass and I have never gigged with it (or taken it as a backup for that matter).

[Cato]

The only shortscale I've ever played was a friend's unmarked fretless a few months back.

I have to admit that gave me a few problems.

Must be easier with frets though.

Edited August 7, 2017 by Cato

[three]

I know there are a few helpful shortscale threads on BC - worth a look through. However, to answer directly here, I simply find shortscales easier to use (reduced tension, increased compliance), usually lighter, ergonomically efficient (less stretching for arms and fingers), and the tone lacks nothing - at least with a decently built instrument. I find that shorties are fun - quick and light - easy to pick-up and wander around with

[scrumpymike]

[quote name='three' timestamp='1502184320' post='3349769']
I know there are a few helpful shortscale threads on BC - worth a look through. However, to answer directly here, I simply find shortscales easier to use (reduced tension, increased compliance), usually lighter, ergonomically efficient (less stretching for arms and fingers), and the tone lacks nothing - at least with a decently built instrument. I find that shorties are fun - quick and light - easy to pick-up and wander around with
[/quote]
+1

[mikel]

Listen to Jack Bruce playing with Cream and his bass sound lacks nothing in the tone department. Ditto Andy Frazer with Free.

[naxos10]

Can only agree with the comments above, you lose nothing in tone and gain an ease in playing. Only need to get rid of my 5 string Spector and all my basses will be short scale.

[Marc S]

Years back, in my first era of bass playing, I had a Fender Musicmaster. It was quite old back then (early 80's)
At the time, I sold it to get a 34" scale bass. Now wish I'd kept it. At the time, I felt it lacked a bit of bottom end
Though that was probably due to string choice, set-up and my inexperience with amps / EQ'ing

I've got a SS Jazz that I don't use much - its just nice to have it there lol
It certainly lacks nothing a 34" has. Yes, it's lightweight and I don't have to stretch my left hand as much
But short scale feels a bit odd to me - I can over-stretch or over-shoot notes if I'm not concentrating
I've got a 32" Medium scale P bass, and I find that's an effortless switch from long scale

EDIT: Some of my "problems" re scale length may be due to the fact I also play DB

Edited August 9, 2017 by Marc S

[burno70]

To the op: I wouldn't say you were missing out - they sound exactly like a regular 34er. But they do feel different at the low end. I've got small hands and I find them way easier to get around the first few frets - they''re very comfortable for me to play. But other than this I wouldn't say it was necessary to have one.

[spongebob]

I tried a Gibson SG bass last year.

Owned it for a few months - it was just kind of, well, okay.

The neck dive was ferocious. Never really understood what that meant until I played the SG!

Tone was again, okay....it was nothing special on any level. Maybe I was expecting the massive 60's EB3 vibe, which sadly, this bass did not have.

Best thing was the neck - played very easily. Worst thing was strapping a 'regular' bass back on - it made it feel like I was playing an upright around my neck!

[DorsetBlue]

My Chowny shortscale is my main bass, nice and light and easy to play. Great tone too, helped by fitting flatwounds.

[Happy Jack]

Very surprised at the suggestions that a shortscale sounds just like a longscale. Quite clearly YMMV, but every shortscale I've owned (= lots) sounds markedly different to a longscale, with a greater degree of "thuddiness" which works very well for some things (blues, reggae, quite a bit of light jazz) but not so for other things.

[Trueno]

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1502269142' post='3350296']
Very surprised at the suggestions that a shortscale sounds just like a longscale. Quite clearly YMMV, but every shortscale I've owned (= lots) sounds markedly different to a longscale, with a greater degree of "thuddiness" which works very well for some things (blues, reggae, quite a bit of light jazz) but not so for other things.
[/quote]

I agree. I'm terrible at describing tone, but it does seem a bit different to me. Doesn't put me off, though, just a bit different.

[converse320]

I mostly play the Ibanez Micro that i bought for my daughter. Its just easier all round and doesn't sound like its missing anything to me. Needed quite a bit of work on it to get it playable though.

[Bridgehouse]

[quote name='Marc S' timestamp='1502265728' post='3350257']
Years back, in my first era of bass playing, I had a Fender Musicmaster. It was quite old back then (early 80's)
At the time, I sold it to get a 34" scale bass. Now wish I'd kept it. At the time, I felt it lacked a bit of bottom end
Though that was probably due to string choice, set-up and my inexperience with amps / EQ'ing

I've got a SS Jazz that I don't use much - its just nice to have it there lol
It certainly lacks nothing a 34" has. Yes, it's lightweight and I don't have to stretch my left hand as much
But short scale feels a bit odd to me - I can over-stretch or over-shoot notes if I'm not concentrating
I've got a 32" Medium scale P bass, and I find that's an effortless switch from long scale

EDIT: Some of my "problems" re scale length may be due to the fact I also play DB
[/quote]

Part of my original thought re a short scale was seeing an old music master bass and wondering if it would be a fun addition..

My understanding of the lack of bottom end on the original ones was because they used a guitar pickup - you can swap them out and get a lot more low end thump apparently..

[yorks5stringer]

You need a hum-bucker pickup then....

No issues with my Ibanez Artcore V short scale

[No lust in Jazz]

[i]"Very surprised at the suggestions that a shortscale sounds just like a longscale. Quite clearly YMMV, but every shortscale I've owned (= lots) sounds markedly different to a longscale, with a greater degree of "thuddiness" which works very well for some things (blues, reggae, quite a bit of light jazz) but not so for other things." [/i]

May I ask which are the musical styles that you consider a short scale to be less suited? - just curious..

My Mustang does a mean P Bass tone and I'm yet to find a musical style where a P bass doesn't work

[Rob MacKillop]

My Danelectro Black Longhorn Dead On 58 (what a name!) is short sale, 30.5, but has extra frets, which somehow give the impression you are playing standard scale. I love playing this bass, though the controls don't seem to do much...

[josie]

I've just seriously over-indulged myself in a 1966 Gibson EB2. Short scale, but the neck is pretty much the same length as a standard P - the bridge is roughly where it would be on a "normal" guitar. Semi-hollow body. The sound is quite crisp and light until you hit the bass/ baritone pushbutton which switches it to a seriously deep punchy growl. Much loved by reggae players in its day apparently.

[project_c]

I've been thinking about buying one of the new Mustang basses but the lack of access to the upper frets is a big problem for me, I use that area of the neck a lot. It's really hard to get anywhere near the last 3 frets at the top of the neck. Other than that it felt great, and would have been perfect. Might still get one at some point.

[Bridgehouse]

Great replies so far everyone.

I guess it was curiosity tbh. Maybe I should find a cheapie short scale to see if I like them...?

[bassmayhem]

There is a nice short scale Greg Curbow bass for sale in Sweden for £1600. Not the Cort version, but the real deal:
https://vend.se/408903-curbow-international-petite
Nothing for me, though. I prefer going the other way...

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='No lust in Jazz' timestamp='1502276175' post='3350377']
[i]"Very surprised at the suggestions that a shortscale sounds just like a longscale. Quite clearly YMMV, but every shortscale I've owned (= lots) sounds markedly different to a longscale, with a greater degree of "thuddiness" which works very well for some things (blues, reggae, quite a bit of light jazz) but not so for other things." [/i]

May I ask which are the musical styles that you consider a short scale to be less suited? - just curious..

My Mustang does a mean P Bass tone and I'm yet to find a musical style where a P bass doesn't work
[/quote]

I have no doubt that your Mustang is a great bass, and plenty of great rock songs have been recorded using one. The same is true of Hofners, Mosrites, and any number of shortscale basses.

But if I got a call to play on a rock gig I'd be more inclined to reach for a Precision or a Thunderbird than for a Mustang.

No bass does a meaner P bass tone than ... erm ... a P bass.