The Short Scale Bass Appreciation Society!

[Guest gazzatriumph]

13 hours ago, scrumpymike said:

Good question! The first thing to say is that a few years back I decided to limit myself to 3 basses - two for gigging in my classic rock covers band and one more that I'd keep changing just to scratch the GAS itch. My first '3rd bass' was a Mensinger Cazpar that I bought new from the Public Peace online shop for what now seems like a real bargain price of £890. I just wanted something compact and lightweight for home/practice use and ended up really loving it so I sold it to try other Cazpar variants including a fretless and a headless bought off this FS forum. I was so impressed with the quality and value for money that I bought a used s-s Elwood off here with a view to gigging it. That was a nice bass too but the quality wasn't as good as the Cazpars. Anyway, I decided to bite the bullet and get a custom Elwood L made and that was where it all went wrong. When it finally arrived, there were quality issues with bubbles in the paint finish, a chip on the neck near the headstock, and badly fitted screws. You could see from the screw heads in the scratch-plate that they hadn't gone in straight and when I tried to fit Schaller strap locks screw holding the original button sheared off. When I finally managed to extract it from the body you could see it had gone in at a stupid angle and bent straight when it was tightened down on the button. Adrian made me an offer that I was satisfied with but that was me done with Maruszczycs.

 

The Sandy Llionel I bought off here was just perfect in every way and for me was a much better player than any of the Maru's.

Thanks for your reply, it amazes me how many threads you read people saying that a certain bass was the best bass they had and they selling it, or it was perfect and they sell it. I had my Warwick corvette $$ for 7 years it did everything I needed. I only sold it because, like you, I'm nearly 60 and I'm getting arthritis starting and needed something a bit lighter and less of a stretch hence going to short scale. I'm surprised you had the issues you did with your last Maruszczyk but can understand it putting you off, although you will find horror stories from most brands and not just limited to guitars. Personally my custom made one looks and plays great, obviously it's still in its honeymoon period but I hope it will be a keeper and more than likely my last bass.

Edited August 15, 2022 by gazzatriumph

[Baloney Balderdash]

3 hours ago, gazzatriumph said:

Thanks for your reply, it amazes me how many threads you read people saying that a certain bass was the best bass they had and they selling it, or it was perfect and they sell it. I had my Warwick corvette $$ for 7 years it did everything I needed. I only sold it because, like you, I'm nearly 60 and I'm getting arthritis starting and needed something a bit lighter and less of a stretch hence going to short scale. I'm surprised you had the issues you did with your last Maruszczyk but can understand it putting you off, although you will find horror stories from most brands and not just limited to guitars. Personally my custom made one looks and plays great, obviously it's still in its honeymoon period but I hope it will be a keeper and more than likely my last bass.

To be honest I was stupid enough to sell probably the best bass I ever owned too, a Jerry Jones Longhorn Bass, which is kind of a high end boutique clone of the Danelectro Longhorn Bass, though the guy who owned that company since retired and closed down production, and they are kind of both really rare to find and really expensive used now.

 

Played amazing, and I loved how the 2 lipsticktube pickups sounded when connected in series with each other, which was one of the stock modes on the 4 way rotary switch pickup selector.

 

Astonishing tone, especially though my Ampeg B-15S, 60W tube amp from 1968, which I by the way also was stupid enough to sell at some point.

 

 

Edited August 15, 2022 by Baloney Balderdash

[Woodinblack]

1 hour ago, gazzatriumph said:

I'm surprised you had the issues you did with your last Maruszczyk but can understand it putting you off, although you will find horror stories from most brands and not just limited to guitars.

 

Well, although I love my Maruszczyk, the screws they use are made of cheese, and I am guessing the weakest of the weak, and sometimes it is easy for things to get 'lost in translation' and not meet spec - seems their config checking is fairly poor.

The screw on the strap button on mine also broke when I tried to replace it for strap locks and if I didn't have a friend who was good at woodwork who got it out perfectly it would have been awkward to get out, and Adrians response was.. shall I say less than helpful or sympathetic, which is why I said in another thread if you can get it through bass direct do so, as it is a layer of protection.

[Guest gazzatriumph]

1 hour ago, Woodinblack said:

 

Well, although I love my Maruszczyk, the screws they use are made of cheese, and I am guessing the weakest of the weak, and sometimes it is easy for things to get 'lost in translation' and not meet spec - seems their config checking is fairly poor.

The screw on the strap button on mine also broke when I tried to replace it for strap locks and if I didn't have a friend who was good at woodwork who got it out perfectly it would have been awkward to get out, and Adrians response was.. shall I say less than helpful or sympathetic, which is why I said in another thread if you can get it through bass direct do so, as it is a layer of protection.

I got Maruszczyk to fit my strap locks, I've only had it just over a month but it looks decent quality,  time will tell. 

[Woodinblack]

2 hours ago, gazzatriumph said:

I got Maruszczyk to fit my strap locks, I've only had it just over a month but it looks decent quality,  time will tell. 

 

Hopefully they decided to buy some decent screws now after complaints, they don't cost much in the grand scheme of a bass

 

[Guest gazzatriumph]

1 hour ago, Woodinblack said:

 

Hopefully they decided to buy some decent screws now after complaints, they don't cost much in the grand scheme of a bass

 

Yeah hopefully,  you got yours a few years ago I believe so by now they should have found a decent supplier. As I said mine looks great and excellent value for money. 

[Guest gazzatriumph]

1 hour ago, gazzatriumph said:

Yeah hopefully,  you got yours a few years ago I believe so by now they should have found a decent supplier. As I said mine looks great and excellent value for money. 

⁰

[scrumpymike]

On 15/08/2022 at 11:53, Woodinblack said:

 

The screw on the strap button on mine also broke when I tried to replace it for strap locks and if I didn't have a friend who was good at woodwork who got it out perfectly it would have been awkward to get out

Awkward? It was a b**ch! The screw had sheared off flush with the body and I had to make a special tool to do the job.

Edited August 16, 2022 by scrumpymike

[Woodinblack]

1 hour ago, scrumpymike said:

Awkward? It was a b**ch! The screw had sheared off flush with the body and I had to make a special tool to do the job.

 

Yep, exactly the same. He cut up a piece of brass tube he had and used it to drill round the remaining part of the screw, then when it was out put a dowel in, chisel it down and smooth it, colour it black (although it was smaller than the area covered by the straplock, so it didn't show). I say awkward because I don't think I could have done it. He did it, if he hadn't I would have had to pay someone to do it.

First thing I did when we finished was take the other strap out, and use a proper screw for the other straplock!

It took the new bass feel off the bass, and coloured my opinion of them. I still love that bass (and I still have it), but it tainted it a bit

[Guest gazzatriumph]

2 hours ago, scrumpymike said:

Awkward? It was a b**ch! The screw had sheared off flush with the body and I had to make a special tool to do the job.

With the effort they take making them, you'd think they would have used decent screws, hopefully mines ok, it appears fine.

What year did you buy the one you had a problem with, I know woodinblack got his around 2016.

[Frank Blank]

Just sayin'

 

 

[naxos10]

That ACG is a great looking bass, shame the scale length is not 2" shorter (for me).

[eude]

5 minutes ago, naxos10 said:

That ACG is a great looking bass, shame the scale length is not 2" shorter (for me).

Yup, 32" is medium scale, isn't it?

[naxos10]

Yep, I have 2x 30.5" ACG basses a third would be nice but 32" is just a stretch to far😁

[scrumpymike]

On 16/08/2022 at 15:20, Woodinblack said:

 

Yep, exactly the same. He cut up a piece of brass tube he had and used it to drill round the remaining part of the screw, then when it was out put a dowel in, chisel it down and smooth it, colour it black (although it was smaller than the area covered by the straplock, so it didn't show). I say awkward because I don't think I could have done it. He did it, if he hadn't I would have had to pay someone to do it.

First thing I did when we finished was take the other strap out, and use a proper screw for the other straplock!

It took the new bass feel off the bass, and coloured my opinion of them. I still love that bass (and I still have it), but it tainted it a bit

Ha, that's just what I did! You need a piece of thin-wall round tube (long enough to get to the bottom of the screw left in the wood plus enough for your drill chuck to grip securely) with inner diameter slightly bigger (pref +0.5mm) than the screw diameter. Notch some teeth into one end of the tube using a small file or junior hacksaw blade - and away you go!

[dmckee]

New to me recently, this Wilcock MM. Picked it up in a trade. Just got it back from my tech, who did a setup with new Labella flats, changed the bridge to the Hipshot Kickass, and (more superficially) made me a new scratchplate. It’s a nice bass. 

 

Only issue I have is the lack of a smooth taper on the volume control. When I first got it, it seemed to do very little for the majority of its travel. Tech said it was a 250k pot and we should try a 500k instead, which apparently is more common for humbuckers. So he installed one and it’s even worse. Almost completely binary. Anyone any ideas on how to fix that? 

 

 

[LeftyJ]

2 hours ago, dmckee said:

Only issue I have is the lack of a smooth taper on the volume control. When I first got it, it seemed to do very little for the majority of its travel. Tech said it was a 250k pot and we should try a 500k instead, which apparently is more common for humbuckers. So he installed one and it’s even worse. Almost completely binary. Anyone any ideas on how to fix that? 

Very cool bass, I like the Shergold / Hayman vibes it radiates.

 

500k is typically brighter than a 250k pot, but will not have a different taper. That's the difference between logarithmic and linear pots you're looking for. Typically, a logarithmic pot is used for volume because it gives a more even decrease and increase of volume across the sweep of the pot. 

 

Funny: you're describing a typical lefty problem . On affordable instruments we often get linear pots (or worse, logarithmic pots wired in reverse!) because manufacturers don't stock up on reverse logarithmic pots. Sometimes it happens on expensive instruments too. Two months ago I bought a used G&L USA ASAT Special guitar that has useless pots too! 

Edited August 18, 2022 by LeftyJ

[Baloney Balderdash]

39 minutes ago, dmckee said:

New to me recently, this Wilcock MM. Picked it up in a trade. Just got it back from my tech, who did a setup with new Labella flats, changed the bridge to the Hipshot Kickass, and (more superficially) made me a new scratchplate. It’s a nice bass. 

 

Only issue I have is the lack of a smooth taper on the volume control. When I first got it, it seemed to do very little for the majority of its travel. Tech said it was a 250k pot and we should try a 500k instead, which apparently is more common for humbuckers. So he installed one and it’s even worse. Almost completely binary. Anyone any ideas on how to fix that? 

 

 

 

That bass looks awesome, I love the color in particular! 

 

Can't help you with your volume pot issue though, sorry.

[Fuzzbass2000]

On 05/08/2022 at 16:16, grenadillabama said:

I got my first Squier. It sounds different than the PJ 'Stang I have. An insect landed on it.

What kind of insect is best for heavy metal?

[Clarky]

11 minutes ago, Fuzzbass2000 said:

What kind of insect is best for heavy metal?

Obviously the Black Witch Moth

[MichaelDean]

Nah, it's got to be the Deaths Head Hawkmoth! 💀

[Baloney Balderdash]

4 hours ago, Clarky said:

Obviously the Black Witch Moth

Yeah, that one is the Goth Moth!

 

1 hour ago, MichaelDean said:

Nah, it's got to be the Deaths Head Hawkmoth! 💀

This is the Metal Moth!

[dmc79]

Don’t know if anyone saw this on eBay but they don’t come up often so I had to grab this - Squier Vintage Modified Mustang, the ones that were only made from around 2011-2013. 

 

It’s on its way now and I’m stupidly refreshing the tracking like my life depends on it. I’ve never played a Mustang and never like Sunburst but think this looks pretty nice with satin maple neck & string thru’ bridge, and figured if I don’t like it, I can easily move it on. 

 

[meterman]

15 minutes ago, dmc79 said:

Don’t know if anyone saw this on eBay but they don’t come up often so I had to grab this - Squier Vintage Modified Mustang, the ones that were only made from around 2011-2013. 

 

It’s on its way now and I’m stupidly refreshing the tracking like my life depends on it. I’ve never played a Mustang and never like Sunburst but think this looks pretty nice with satin maple neck & string thru’ bridge, and figured if I don’t like it, I can easily move it on. 

 

I wanted one of those at the time but just couldn’t find one for sale, so bought one of the black / black / maple versions instead. The body and pickups were excellent on mine. Hopefully yours is a good one! 👍

[dmc79]

5 minutes ago, meterman said:

I wanted one of those at the time but just couldn’t find one for sale, so bought one of the black / black / maple versions instead. The body and pickups were excellent on mine. Hopefully yours is a good one! 👍

Ideally I’d have preferred a black one but I only recently even knew this model ever existed after doing some of my own research into Mustangs. It seems there was a FSR Candy Apple Red of this too.
 

I guess they don’t come up for sale often due to a combination of relatively not many being made before being discontinued, and people liking them so much they hang onto them