The Short Scale Bass Appreciation Society!

[Slick Bass]

Looking for a cheap lightweight short scale bass. Any recommendations?

Harley Benton PB Shorty for £74 delivered seems amazing for a new bass.

Squier Bronco in Red for £141 delivered. Is it twice as good?

Gretsch Junior Jet secondhand maybe a bit more pricey, but seem to be very highly regarded.

I can’t seem to find weights anywhere and Thomann’s won’t weigh or give weight information.

Any advice appreciated

[Baloney Balderdash]

2 hours ago, Slick Bass said:

Looking for a cheap lightweight short scale bass. Any recommendations?

Harley Benton PB Shorty for £74 delivered seems amazing for a new bass.

Squier Bronco in Red for £141 delivered. Is it twice as good?

Gretsch Junior Jet secondhand maybe a bit more pricey, but seem to be very highly regarded.

I can’t seem to find weights anywhere and Thomann’s won’t weigh or give weight information.

Any advice appreciated

I'll recommend an Ibanez GSRM20B Mikro Bass.

Even shorter scale, just 28,6", but in my opinion not with any obvious trade offs, on the contrary it will be even easier to play, and lighter, and they are truly great little basses.

And if that matters to you with 3 more frets than the Harley Benton and the Bronco, and considerably better upper fret access than the Gretch.

As for the difference in quality between the Bronco and the Harley Benton my best bet is that they'll be pretty much about the same level of quality, and personally I'd prefer the flatter fretboard radius and P pickup configuration of the Harley Benton to the small Strat guitar like single coil of the Bronco (though it could of course be upgraded to a Tele/Early P Bass single coil, but that then would be extra money, on top of it already being double the price, likely without any obvious improvement gained for that money), plus the Bronco will be hard to get to intonate properly with it's just 2 saddle bridge arrangement vs. the proper 4 saddle bridge of the Harley.

Edited January 6, 2021 by Baloney Balderdash

[Slick Bass]

1 hour ago, Baloney Balderdash said:

I'll recommend an Ibanez GSRM20B Mikro Bass.

Even shorter scale, just 28,6", but in my opinion not with any obvious trade offs, on the contrary it will be even easier to play, and lighter, and they are truly great little basses.

And if that matters to you with 3 more frets than the Harley Benton and the Bronco, and considerably better upper fret access than the Gretch.

As for the difference in quality between the Bronco and the Harley Benton my best bet is that they'll be pretty much about the same level of quality, and personally I'd prefer the flatter fretboard radius and P pickup configuration of the Harley Benton to the small Strat guitar like single coil of the Bronco (though it could of course be upgraded to a Tele/Early P Bass single coil, but that then would be extra money, on top of it already being double the price, like without any obvious improvement gained for that money), plus the Bronco will be hard to get to intonate properly with it's just 2 saddle bridge arrangement vs. the proper 4 saddle bridge of the Harley.

Nice one, thanks. Looks like another option. Yes, I thought about upgrading the bridge and pup on the Bronco, but then that does give other options for price.

[Frank Blank]

1 hour ago, Slick Bass said:

Gretsch Junior Jet secondhand maybe a bit more pricey, but seem to be very highly regarded.

Really nice basses but I was quite surprised how heavy they are.

[Slick Bass]

21 hours ago, Frank Blank said:

Really nice basses but I was quite surprised how heavy they are.

Any idea what weight? I can see a few references around 7lb

[Frank Blank]

On 06/01/2021 at 22:35, Slick Bass said:

Any idea what weight? I can see a few references around 7lb

‘Fraid not, I tried one about a year ago along with an Ibanez Talman and a Squier Jaguar. I just remember it being the heaviest of the three. I bought the Squier*.

*which I sold after about a month because I didn’t get on with it btw.

Edited May 16, 2021 by Frank Blank

[Paul S]

On 05/01/2021 at 23:21, Slick Bass said:

Looking for a cheap lightweight short scale bass. Any recommendations?

Harley Benton PB Shorty for £74 delivered seems amazing for a new bass.

Squier Bronco in Red for £141 delivered. Is it twice as good?

Gretsch Junior Jet secondhand maybe a bit more pricey, but seem to be very highly regarded.

I can’t seem to find weights anywhere and Thomann’s won’t weigh or give weight information.

Any advice appreciated

I've had a Bronco and still own the HB Shorty.  The Bronco isn't twice as good, it is half as good.  Shorty weighs 3.2kg.   I have never owned a bass that is such miraculous value for money.

[naxos10]

I own a HB Shorty and it is very good and ripe for upgrading if you wish to.

[hooky_lowdown]

I've owned a couple HB shorties, later got a SX short scale in LPB. The SX is lighter in weight than the Shortie, looks a lot better, sounds better, plays better. It costs more than the HB, but we'll worth it imho.

[Slick Bass]

5 hours ago, hooky_lowdown said:

I've owned a couple HB shorties, later got a SX short scale in LPB. The SX is lighter in weight than the Shortie, looks a lot better, sounds better, plays better. It costs more than the HB, but we'll worth it imho.

That’s a lovely looking bass, damn another good option 😂

[scrumpymike]

Just done a quick search for SX basses online but they don't seem to quote scale lengths except that some are stated as 3/4-scale.  Are they all s-s with 3/4-scale even shorter?

[slojo]

16 minutes ago, scrumpymike said:

Just done a quick search for SX basses online but they don't seem to quote scale lengths except that some are stated as 3/4-scale.  Are they all s-s with 3/4-scale even shorter?

The only short scale SX bass I can find locally is the blue P-bass. Looks very good for £160. I believe it is 30” scale. https://www.dawsons.co.uk/230621/sx-electric-bass-pb-blue-3-4?istCompanyId=f16c2387-744c-456f-941a-ef6c2f7c5239&istFeedId=55d15576-631e-4559-aefa-7460513112a8&istItemId=iqtailqpr&istBid=t

There seems to be a 3tsb version available in the US https://therockinn.com/products/sx-pb-bass-3-4-size-solidbody-electric-bass-guitar

[Len_derby]

On 07/01/2021 at 07:50, Paul S said:

I've had a Bronco and still own the HB Shorty.  The Bronco isn't twice as good, it is half as good.  Shorty weighs 3.2kg.   I have never owned a bass that is such miraculous value for money.

Another very satisfied HB shorty P owner here.

[scrumpymike]

1 hour ago, slojo said:

The only short scale SX bass I can find locally is the blue P-bass. Looks very good for £160. I believe it is 30” scale. https://www.dawsons.co.uk/230621/sx-electric-bass-pb-blue-3-4?istCompanyId=f16c2387-744c-456f-941a-ef6c2f7c5239&istFeedId=55d15576-631e-4559-aefa-7460513112a8&istItemId=iqtailqpr&istBid=t

There seems to be a 3tsb version available in the US https://therockinn.com/products/sx-pb-bass-3-4-size-solidbody-electric-bass-guitar

If standard = 34", then presumably the 3/4-scale advertised will be 25.5" - which would be 4.5" shorter than I would want to play.

[horrorshowbass]

2 minutes ago, scrumpymike said:

If standard = 34", then presumably the 3/4-scale advertised will be 25.5" - which would be 4.5" shorter than I would want to play.

I'm selling the full scale SX p bass if anyone is interested, PM for pics. Lake placid blue looks unreal!!

[Baloney Balderdash]

59 minutes ago, scrumpymike said:

If standard = 34", then presumably the 3/4-scale advertised will be 25.5" - which would be 4.5" shorter than I would want to play.

30" short scale basses are quite often, I'd even say commonly, advertised as 3/4 basses, even if they are not mathematically/technically speaking. 

Edited January 8, 2021 by Baloney Balderdash

[slojo]

58 minutes ago, scrumpymike said:

If standard = 34", then presumably the 3/4-scale advertised will be 25.5" - which would be 4.5" shorter than I would want to play.

If you look at the 2nd link in my other post, the one for the sunburst, it states 30” scale. Pretty sure I saw this in an advert for the blue one somewhere too. I’m guessing it’s the body that’s 3/4 scale.

[meterman]

Both my basses now are short scale, the tiny little Tanglewood EB-18 with the 25.5” scale and La Bella flats, and the Hofner Ignition violin bass (30”).

They are both great to play and very different to al the other basses I’ve owned.

[Maude]

That little Tanglewood looks cool. Is it a decent bass to play, or more of just a fun thing to have around? 

[meterman]

3 hours ago, Maude said:

That little Tanglewood looks cool. Is it a decent bass to play, or more of just a fun thing to have around? 

Well, both really. I bought it from a charity shop thinking it might turn out to be a rubbish-y toy but with the La Bella’s on it’s actually a great little bass to record with. I’ve done records with it, and there’s a new 7” single out this month that I used it on both sides of, and it just sounds like a P with old flats on. As soon as I get a link to that I’ll post it.
 

The pickup is quite pokey, it’s a stronger sounding bass than the Hofner, it just sounds more... solid, if that makes any sense? If I found another one cheap I probably would get it and convert it to fretless. I’m aware it looks like a kids toy but it’s actually decent. I think the strings help enormously though.

 

[Maude]

Thanks @meterman, it sounds like it's great. I wasn't sure how to word my question without it sounding rude. But you've said what I'd hoped, it's a capable instrument despite its size.

🙂👍

[meterman]

3 hours ago, Maude said:

Thanks @meterman, it sounds like it's great. I wasn't sure how to word my question without it sounding rude. But you've said what I'd hoped, it's a capable instrument despite its size.

🙂👍

Ah, I never would have interpreted that as rude at all

I actually prefer the sound, tone and playability of the little Tanglewood to the last couple of Mustang basses I had. Yes of course it looks like a daft toy but I can get pretty close to the “Histoire De Melody Nelson” sound with it, which makes it a keeper for me. Didn’t Scott Whitley have one that he put a badass bridge on and hipshot tuners? 
Worth a go if you can get one cheap I’d say 👍

 

[Dolis]

sorry if this isn't the right thread but i have a question as never having had a shortscale bass before. So, whenever i read about these, it is obviously the neck length that is shorter, to slightly different dimensions, my question is, what about neck width?, for example, what recommendations are there for good shortscale bass with thin necks to make playing an octave less 'stretchy' for my diddy hands?

[scrumpymike]

2 hours ago, Dolis said:

sorry if this isn't the right thread but i have a question as never having had a shortscale bass before. So, whenever i read about these, it is obviously the neck length that is shorter, to slightly different dimensions, my question is, what about neck width?, for example, what recommendations are there for good shortscale bass with thin necks to make playing an octave less 'stretchy' for my diddy hands?

Depending on the make and model, the neck-width of 30"-scale basses ranges from 38mm to 41mm as measured at the nut.  Neck profile and fretboard radius also greatly affect the playability.  Theoretically, the one for you to avoid would be a s-s bass with a wide, chunky-profile neck and flat fretboard.  Having said that though, my s-s basses have different width/profile/radius permutations and I find them equally easy/comfortable/enjoyable to play.  Ideally you should draw up a short list based on manufacturers' data and owner feedback, try them out and then make your final decision based on how they feel to you.  Obviously, trying stuff out under current circumstances isn't really practical and you won't go far wrong making  your decision based on feedback from this forum.  Let us know how much do you want to spend so we can make some sensible recommendations.

Edited January 14, 2021 by scrumpymike

[Maude]

Hofners have very narrow string spacing. 

Spacing at the nut and the bridge are two different things and can make the playing experience drastically different. In general people quote nut width but not bridge width. 

Stadard Fender spacing at the bridge is, I think, 19mm (between each string). The Squier Bronco is 17mm. Hofners are 14mm from memory, with parallel strings, as in they don't get any further apart from nut to bridge and as such feel very different to play.