scrumpymike Posted May 15, 2020 Share Posted May 15, 2020 12 hours ago, anzoid said: Went hunting last night and the width at the nut appears to 1.65" (42mm??) which is beyond my confort zone... Measured mine at 41mm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrycreed Posted May 16, 2020 Share Posted May 16, 2020 @TheMaartian the single pickup version had a piezo pickup too but this one does look pretty cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrycreed Posted May 17, 2020 Share Posted May 17, 2020 Anyone ever try a Hagstrom Viking short scale ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMaartian Posted May 17, 2020 Share Posted May 17, 2020 20 hours ago, barrycreed said: @TheMaartian the single pickup version had a piezo pickup too but this one does look pretty cool. I believe that the piezo option is available for any of the pickup configurations (1, 2 or 3). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrycreed Posted May 17, 2020 Share Posted May 17, 2020 @TheMaartian true , I didn’t realise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted May 18, 2020 Share Posted May 18, 2020 (edited) On 11/05/2020 at 21:13, therealting said: You and me both! @therealting I've given in and ordered one. Should be here on Wednesday with a bit of luck. This will be my first medium 5 string ever so I'm very curious about how the low B will do. I like the D'addario's that come as standard, but I have a bigger B in the house anyway to experiment. Although I think it is a Tapered. I never used to like tapered strings, but on my Stingray a tapered B sounds much better and with less annoying overtones. So I'm open minded. Edited May 18, 2020 by fretmeister 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
therealting Posted May 18, 2020 Share Posted May 18, 2020 @fretmeister Ooh, look forward to your review! I’ve received two basses in the past few weeks so figure I should probably wait until payday at least 😂 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted May 18, 2020 Share Posted May 18, 2020 Just now, therealting said: @fretmeister Ooh, look forward to your review! I’ve received two basses in the past few weeks so figure I should probably wait until payday at least 😂 I know that feeling! It's coming from GAK as they had stock and because they actually answered my questions about it. Unlike some other retailers who actually answered my emails to tell me they didn't have time to answer!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrycreed Posted May 20, 2020 Share Posted May 20, 2020 I have an opportunity to pick up a short scale Epi EB0 tomorrow for £100 , a 4 hour round trip though by car, so weighing up the options.... I don't really *need* it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMaartian Posted May 20, 2020 Share Posted May 20, 2020 3 hours ago, barrycreed said: I have an opportunity to pick up a short scale Epi EB0 tomorrow for £100 , a 4 hour round trip though by car, so weighing up the options.... I don't really *need* it... Need? There's no 'N' in GAS. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrycreed Posted May 20, 2020 Share Posted May 20, 2020 5 hours ago, TheMaartian said: Need? There's no 'N' in GAS. True. It almost seems to cheap to be worth the punt.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClassicVibes Posted May 21, 2020 Share Posted May 21, 2020 How much easier to play are 30" scale basses compared to 34" scale? Is the neck and body smaller? Are they more lightweight? My short scale experience is very limited. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trueno Posted May 21, 2020 Share Posted May 21, 2020 On 20/05/2020 at 13:38, barrycreed said: I have an opportunity to pick up a short scale Epi EB0 tomorrow for £100 , a 4 hour round trip though by car, so weighing up the options.... I don't really *need* it... Pics and some first impressions would be good... if you get it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrycreed Posted May 21, 2020 Share Posted May 21, 2020 My only experience is the Squier bronco, and it was light, but I also have a squier strat which is light. I don't find 34" uncomfortable, but I think the short scale was more comfy for me around the 8 to the 14th fret Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrycreed Posted May 21, 2020 Share Posted May 21, 2020 1 minute ago, Trueno said: Pics and some first impressions would be good... if you get it. I'll have to wait until restrictions are lifted. According to the seller, it's just dusty and lying around, but has a set of flat wounds on it. If I do get it eventually, I might look at the Di Marzio pickup and a new bridge, but I'll post pics if and when the time comes. There are also a few Gibson SG basses knocking around near me too, one a standard, and one a faded, so infected with a lot of GAS at the moment. Hold out for the Gibson, or just mod the Epi and get stuck into that neck pick up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trueno Posted May 21, 2020 Share Posted May 21, 2020 36 minutes ago, barrycreed said: I'll have to wait until restrictions are lifted. According to the seller, it's just dusty and lying around, but has a set of flat wounds on it. If I do get it eventually, I might look at the Di Marzio pickup and a new bridge, but I'll post pics if and when the time comes. There are also a few Gibson SG basses knocking around near me too, one a standard, and one a faded, so infected with a lot of GAS at the moment. Hold out for the Gibson, or just mod the Epi and get stuck into that neck pick up! Hard to say. I've upgraded my Squier Jag SS into a monster. If the basics are ok... good neck, plays nice and twangly unplugged... then I think it's worth it, as long as you accept you may not get your money back if you sell. Upgrading with a KiOgon loom is a good first step. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anzoid Posted May 22, 2020 Author Share Posted May 22, 2020 12 hours ago, ClassicVibes said: How much easier to play are 30" scale basses compared to 34" scale? Is the neck and body smaller? Are they more lightweight? My short scale experience is very limited. Good question, but from my experience answer is... it depends. I currently have five short-scales - so a comment on each: Cort Action Jr - very light (basswood I think), smaller body than the regular Action series basses. Thin neck and overall the bass feels quite small both sitting down and on a strap. Quality is very good though I did upgrade tuners and bridge just because I could. Hipshot Kickass bridge and ultralite tuners were drop in replacements. Good sound too from the single humbucker. Chowny SWB-1 Standard - body is wide but the short horns means it's pretty compact. Horns also mean on a strap ot sits more like a regular long-scale, but sitting down everything feels, well, shortscale. Slightly chunkier neck but 38mm nut. Strings are a bit close to the edge of the fingerboard, I presume because of the spacing at the bridge. It's pretty heavy - 9lbs or so. Tone is more agressive than the Cort, similar to a Warwick Thumb in some ways. Chowny SWB-1 Pro Fretless - slightly weird one as it's a Pro body (and guts) with a Standard neck. Fretless neck is gorgeous, rest of it is Chowny's usual high standards, but we've not got on so well - don't really know why, maybe I'm just crap at fretless and had two many years fretless long-scale to switch. (Muscle memory has not been a problem on the fretted basses though...) Warwick Corvette Short-scale - regular size Corvette body, stumpy neck. Looks slightly off somehow if you're used to the original But very nice bass, slim neck, 38mm nut. Active pickups and pretty much has the Warwick sound. Lighter than the Chownys at around 8lbs. On a strap sits slightly further out than I waas expecting, mainly because the top horn is quite far from the centre line compared to the others. SBMM Stingray Short-scale - has *that* sound, about same weight as the Warwick and the shortest reach of all five on a strap and sitting down. And the sound... did I mention it sounds awesome? Detuned to D it growls. Of the five it feels the most compact overall. The Chowny Standard tends to be the one I grab when I just want to play something, I love the neck on it (despite the tendancy of the top string to slip off the edge...). It just has the sound for a bass that I've had in my head for the last 30 years. The SBMM is great for recording, just can't get a bad sound out of it. And the Warwick... I just love Warwicks... being the newest acquisition it's not really found it's place yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anzoid Posted May 22, 2020 Author Share Posted May 22, 2020 I guess I'd say, if you want to dip a toe in short-scale waters - try out a Cort Action Jr because for the money they're nicely put together basses, got good upgrade potential and are a fine example of the breed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrycreed Posted May 22, 2020 Share Posted May 22, 2020 4 hours ago, anzoid said: I guess I'd say, if you want to dip a toe in short-scale waters - try out a Cort Action Jr because for the money they're nicely put together basses, got good upgrade potential and are a fine example of the breed. Wonder how it would sound with flatwounds? Something you've tried by any chance? Any love for the Epi rumblekat or Gretsch Junior Jet II ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrumpymike Posted May 22, 2020 Share Posted May 22, 2020 17 hours ago, ClassicVibes said: How much easier to play are 30" scale basses compared to 34" scale? Is the neck and body smaller? Are they more lightweight? My short scale experience is very limited. I find s-s basses much easier to play but I guess anyone with big hands and long arms would feel uncomfortably cramped. Overall, s-s basses are generally more compact and lightweight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trueno Posted May 22, 2020 Share Posted May 22, 2020 I'm 6'2" but I still prefer SS basses. It might be an age thing... I'm also 64. I was playing my rather excellent J bass a few short years ago and thinking... "why the hell am I reaching all the way over there and stretching my bony fingers to span the frets?" I'm not sure they are particularly lighter in weight, though. May depend on the individual bass. I had a Hofner Ignition Club bass which was crazy light. It sounded great with flats... but it wasn't a sound I could use... and I hate flats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anzoid Posted May 22, 2020 Author Share Posted May 22, 2020 (edited) I went short-scale because of a damaged shoulder that just ain't going to get better. It has, basically, meant I can keep on playing. If I had a choice... I would play long-scale basses simply because there's way more choice (and I'd be able to play Warwick Thumb...), but I'm very happy with the short-scales I do have. 6'0", long arms, big hands and don't feel particularly cramped. 2 hours ago, barrycreed said: Wonder how it would sound with flatwounds? Something you've tried by any chance? Any love for the Epi rumblekat or Gretsch Junior Jet II ? Afraid not tried it with rounds, but can imagine it would sound nice - tempting. I've tried a Gretsch Junior Jet II in a local shop - it was before I'd got my Cort and wasn't ready to drop over £300 on a short-scale, but it is on my GAS list. From what I remember of it... feels slightly longer than typical shortscale (like the Chowny) because of the body and lack of top horn. Quality controls, and a good sound (2 pup version), bridge was a bit basic, prefer chunky... Neck was good though, not too thin, but not "baseball bat". Edited May 22, 2020 by anzoid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrycreed Posted May 22, 2020 Share Posted May 22, 2020 Eastwood shortscales? (the sidejack or is the uniflyer type) . All fur coat and no knickers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClassicVibes Posted May 23, 2020 Share Posted May 23, 2020 (edited) The reason I ask is because I've been having issues with standing up for long periods of time with my 11lb Jazz bass. I'm not sure if it's the 34" scale or the weight (or both) but I'm usually exhausted come the end of rehearsal. I have a heart condition so can tire quite quickly and of course, years of lugging equipment around has weakened my lower back. I'm 5'11" so I'm not small by any means and have no problems playing a 34" scale. My question is would playing a short scale be easier on myself and not as tiring? Does anyone have experience of the Maruszczyk short scales? I'm liking the Gretsch Junior Jet: Edited May 23, 2020 by ClassicVibes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
therealting Posted May 23, 2020 Share Posted May 23, 2020 @ClassicVibes 11lb is very heavy for a Jazz. There was a 7lb paulownia bitsa on sale here this week, that’s much more like it and a lighter bass is worth a look. Shorter scales mean less stretching for your arms and fingers. I really like medium scale myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.jpg.7e18f76540598a8efc0e6ca9be453059.jpg)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.