The Short Scale Bass Appreciation Society!

[Dazed]

Thanks @BabyBlueSound

 

With that said, why do we need short scale specific sets and not just cut down standard length strings?
When I was looking at SS  string sets a while ago I noticed they were often a significant price jump up compared to their long scale versions. 

[RichT]

41 minutes ago, Dazed said:

Is the Starstream short scale and have you cut down standard length Elixirs for it? No issues ?

 Yep it's 30" short scale, and yes they're standard length Elixirs cut down to fit. I've done it with Elixirs multiple times, never had any issues at all. It's not like Elixirs have silk windings, it's all metal directly wrapped around the tuning post no matter what length they are. I just make sure to crimp the string before cutting it. 

 

I think generally it's only likely to cause an issue with some types of flatwound strings where they could potentially unravel. But as it goes, I've got sets of Ernie Ball Cobalt flats fitted to my Ibanez EHB (34" scale but had to cut to fit as it's headless) and Hofner HCT Club (not cut, but long scale strings fitted to a short scale bass, so great big string wraps around those tiny tuning posts) and so far they've been perfectly fine.

Edited June 6 by RichT

[ezbass]

20 hours ago, LeftyJ said:

 

Actually, it's Sandberg that have the pickup closer to the classic P position relative to the scale length . 5.5" from the bridge on a 34" bass versus 5.5" on a 30" bass will sound warmer on the shortscale because it's actually further from the bridge relative to the entire scale length. 

 

17 hours ago, RichT said:

 

Ah that's interesting! The Maruszczyk certainly does sound warm, but I took that as kind of being factored in with the short scale. I'm happy with that, maybe that's why it sounds so good with rounds on it when I was expecting to have to use flats to get the kind of tone I was after. A lot of the P bass GASsing was wanting that mellower more vintage vibe that would do the jobs the Stingray couldn't, without being as downright awkward (in all senses) as my Hofner HCT Club!  I wondered about whether the pickup position would/should be based on relative scale length. I haven't played a Lionel to compare but I've seen a few posts where they're described as bright sounding, wasn't sure if that was to do with the pickup being closer to the bridge or more to do with pickup & electronics.

Here's the relative position of the pickups on a Mustang, Jake, P bass, and Lionel, resized to be the same scale length. The Jake is more in the Mustang position.

[BabyBlueSound]

8 hours ago, Dazed said:

Thanks @BabyBlueSound

 

With that said, why do we need short scale specific sets and not just cut down standard length strings?
When I was looking at SS  string sets a while ago I noticed they were often a significant price jump up compared to their long scale versions. 

 

It's just nicer, and a bit easier to install, but there's really not a lot of difference. A new set of Elixirs is actually on the way.

 

Currently I use EB Cobalt flats, those do not have a shortie version either.

[Pauld]

Ernie Ball have started doing short scale cobalt flats. They only do a couple of sizes.

https://ernieball.co.uk/guitar-strings/bass-strings/slinky-cobalt-flatwound-electric-bass-strings/slinky-cobalt-flatwound-short-scale-electric-bass-strings

[BabyBlueSound]

Oh, I did not realise! Cool

[RichT]

4 hours ago, Pauld said:

Ernie Ball have started doing short scale cobalt flats. They only do a couple of sizes.

https://ernieball.co.uk/guitar-strings/bass-strings/slinky-cobalt-flatwound-electric-bass-strings/slinky-cobalt-flatwound-short-scale-electric-bass-strings

 

I use the 45-105 shorties on the Stingray. The 40-95 gauge needed for the Hofner only come in long scale, although Hofners take medium scale strings due to the tailpiece so it was just about possible to bodge it. 

 

EB should 100% start making a set which properly fit Hofners. After much faffing trying out various flats, rounds, tapes and pressurewound strings on mine and never being satisfied with the results, I ended up with a spare set of the 40-95 cobalt flats and thought what the hell, see if I can make them fit. Turned out to be exactly the sound I was looking for. 

[BabyBlueSound]

Cobalt flats are so good. I don't like the flat sound but love the flat feel under my fingers, so it's perfect for me with it's round-like sound.

 

However once it gets dull, it SUCKS. I

have a new set so will do a comparison soon, but it's hard to record a bass-like sound with a used one. Lifeless thumps. Lifespan is much, much shorter than Elixirs. Sometimes the string ends can get a bit brownish rust on them, and I don't even store it in a humid environment!

 

I keep the old ones on the Sterling to practice now, so I don't wear the new ones down before recording them. They're expensive for the sound's lifespan.

Edited June 7 by BabyBlueSound

[RichT]

19 hours ago, BabyBlueSound said:

Cobalt flats are so good. I don't like the flat sound but love the flat feel under my fingers, so it's perfect for me with it's round-like sound.

 

However once it gets dull, it SUCKS. I

have a new set so will do a comparison soon, but it's hard to record a bass-like sound with a used one. Lifeless thumps. Lifespan is much, much shorter than Elixirs. Sometimes the string ends can get a bit brownish rust on them, and I don't even store it in a humid environment!

 

I keep the old ones on the Sterling to practice now, so I don't wear the new ones down before recording them. They're expensive for the sound's lifespan.

 

I kind of know what you mean with the tone of older cobalt flats when the bass is played solo, they can sometimes seem a bit lifeless and I feel like they need more top end and presence, but here's the thing, as soon as I play the same instrument in a mix (even just with drums) it suddenly sounds exactly right. Not quite sure I can explain why. 

[BabyBlueSound]

50 minutes ago, RichT said:

I kind of know what you mean with the tone of older cobalt flats when the bass is played solo, they can sometimes seem a bit lifeless and I feel like they need more top end and presence, but here's the thing, as soon as I play the same instrument in a mix (even just with drums) it suddenly sounds exactly right. Not quite sure I can explain why. 

 

I can imagine it's fine in a band where you mostly need the low end, I am also quite alright with it when plugged in to my tiny home amp, but try recording it...  it's really the worst.

 

Of course one should never record with old strings anyway, so... 😁 But still, this price/lifetime ratio is the only factor keeping me from buying these strings forever.

[Simon C]

On 07/06/2024 at 15:06, BabyBlueSound said:

Cobalt flats are so good. I don't like the flat sound but love the flat feel under my fingers, so it's perfect for me with it's round-like sound.

 

However once it gets dull, it SUCKS. I

have a new set so will do a comparison soon, but it's hard to record a bass-like sound with a used one. Lifeless thumps. Lifespan is much, much shorter than Elixirs. Sometimes the string ends can get a bit brownish rust on them, and I don't even store it in a humid environment!

 

I keep the old ones on the Sterling to practice now, so I don't wear the new ones down before recording them. They're expensive for the sound's lifespan.

I have Cobalt flats on my shortscale Ibanez (EHB1000s). I bought them for my fretless, to try something different to the D'Addario Chromes it came with. They were useless on the fretless as they were so sticky / high friction that I couldn't slide into notes. So they came off and went on the EHB. They are fine on there. I thought that as they are flats they may last a good while. To be honest though I'd quite like them to die a bit more than they have so that I get a bit more of the signature shortscale fundamental. 

[BabyBlueSound]

1 hour ago, Simon C said:

To be honest though I'd quite like them to die a bit more than they have so that I get a bit more of the signature shortscale fundamental. 

 

Interesting you mention the stickiness, I consider these very slippery strings and I like them for it! Never tried on a fretless though.

 

If you want them to die a little bit, I think you need literally any other flats that sound more "dead" from right the start  

[bremen]

Going to collect this tomorrow...last time I played anything less than 34" was 1977. No idea what to expect, but a bit excited.

[bremen]

...and I've already made a newbie error, ordered strings from Newtone as recommended by you lot and ordered "short" when it needs "medium". Am I right? I emailed to ask them to hold until I'd confirmed

 

[MichaelDean]

1 hour ago, bremen said:

...and I've already made a newbie error, ordered strings from Newtone as recommended by you lot and ordered "short" when it needs "medium". Am I right? I emailed to ask them to hold until I'd confirmed

 

Nope, because it isn't a string through the body, the short scale will be fine. I've got one - enjoy it!

[vates]

Spotted a Mullarkey in the wild!

 

 

Steve of Morcheeba played the whole set with it.

[RichT]

13 hours ago, vates said:

Spotted a Mullarkey in the wild!

 

 

Steve of Morcheeba played the whole set with it.

 

Always gives me a nice warm feeling when seeing bands in the real world playing interesting non-Fender basses. Fenders are so ubiquitous online you'd be forgiven for thinking they're the only choice if you want to be seen as a 'real' bassist, but real life is thankfully somewhat more varied. 

 

A few weeks ago I was at the Dart Music festival in Dartmouth and there were bands there with bassists playing Warwick Corvette, Hofner 500/1, Mike Lull jazz, Supro Huntington III, and Status basses, plus a jazz band with an upright. I love playing spot the bass (or guitar) when it's a non-Fender headstock, had a ball that day. I'd never seen a Status in the wild before, that one foxed me for ages until he switched his LED's on 😁

[bremen]

Well I've got the JagWah. It's immaculate.

 

No culture shock adapting to the scale length ( it's 30", which surprised me a bit; are there two versions?) and the narrow nut. The strings weren't as wetnoodly as I'd been warned but a bit fretbuzzy when clumsily flailed with a pick, so looking forward to the higher tension Newtones. No sharp frets.

 

3.9kg, heavier than my P but I won't know if that's heavy till I've done a full rehearsal with it. Bit more neck dive than my P, but to be fair everything has more neck dive than a P and nowhere near as bad as some have reported. I don't think it'll be an issue.

 

P pickup is great. J is useless on its own but might blend...it actually sucks some level out of the P as it's turned up. Apparently that third knob can be turned anticlockwise should one need a more muffled tone. I haven't tried 😉

 

BBOT bridge is as basic as a bent bit of tin can be, doesn't even have grooves for the saddle screws. Don't know if that'll be an issue but no biggy to upgrade if it is.

 

Anyway, it's a new bass and I love it, rehearsal Wednesday where I might or might not discover stuff I don't like so much. But none of the negatives I've read online have manifested, and it was a bargain. The only upgrades I feel it needs is new strings and black pickguard screws. Might stick my Seymour Duncan alnico J in there. But not any time soon, its fine playing and sounding as is.

 

Happiness!

 

 

[ezbass]

3 hours ago, bremen said:

it's 30", which surprised me a bit; are there two versions?

IIRC, yes.

 

3 hours ago, bremen said:

P pickup is great. J is useless on its own but might blend

Upgrade to a premium, matched set, I’m considering the EMG GZR set for my HB ‘Stang, but…

 

3 hours ago, bremen said:

Might stick my Seymour Duncan alnico J in there.

… that might do the trick.

[meterman]

Quick question for the short scale community, of which I belong to.

 

The humble Squier Bronco. A friend has offered me his kids old, unused Bronco bass for a very cheap price, and I might take him up on the offer. But, it’s one of the 2010’’s era ones with the Musicmaster style bridge.

 

I know plenty folks here have owned these, so what I needed to know is: can you swap out the Musicmaster bridge for a regular BBOT one, ie P or Jazz style, or is there a difference in the string spacing at the bridge that makes changing it out difficult?

 

I can live with the Musicmaster style bridge aesthetically, just not sure about the intonation though? Never owned a Bronco, but for 60 euros I’m tempted to give it a try.

 

If anyone here has done the bridge swap on one of these, let me know. Thank you folks 🙏 

[Obrienp]

There is a thread here: 

it is one of many on the subject. I was looking for a load of posts I did on modifying a Bronco but couldn’t find it. Maybe you will have better luck. 
 

The string spacing on your Bronco will be narrower than the “standard” Fender 19mm. I think it is 17.5mm, maybe even less; memory fails me. Someone here will know. The other hassle with changing the bridge is that it doesn’t have the usual Fender style 5 screws in a row fixing. Finding one that is a direct replacement may be tricky.  You may have to drill some holes.

 

TBH I would change the pickup before anything else and there are plenty of threads on that. I gave up on drop in replacements and replaced bridge, pickups, pickguard, electronics and machine heads. This involved quite a lot of woodworking but in the end I had a nice little bass with a Tone Rider P bass pickup in it.

[meterman]

37 minutes ago, Obrienp said:

There is a thread here: 

it is one of many on the subject. I was looking for a load of posts I did on modifying a Bronco but couldn’t find it. Maybe you will have better luck. 
 

The string spacing on your Bronco will be narrower than the “standard” Fender 19mm. I think it is 17.5mm, maybe even less; memory fails me. Someone here will know. The other hassle with changing the bridge is that it doesn’t have the usual Fender style 5 screws in a row fixing. Finding one that is a direct replacement may be tricky.  You may have to drill some holes.

 

TBH I would change the pickup before anything else and there are plenty of threads on that. I gave up on drop in replacements and replaced bridge, pickups, pickguard, electronics and machine heads. This involved quite a lot of woodworking but in the end I had a nice little bass with a Tone Rider P bass pickup in it.

Thank you! 🙏 

 

I'm generally not into modding instruments beyond adding a tugbar or changing strings but I'll see about the bridge. 
 

Pickups, pots, etc, are beyond me as my soldering skills are abysmal plus my hands aren't steady enough to do a clean job. 
 

But swapping out a bridge, I reckon I could do that. Will post pics if / when my mate brings the bass 'round my house.

[Obrienp]

4 minutes ago, meterman said:

Thank you! 🙏 

 

I'm generally not into modding instruments beyond adding a tugbar or changing strings but I'll see about the bridge. 
 

Pickups, pots, etc, are beyond me as my soldering skills are abysmal plus my hands aren't steady enough to do a clean job. 
 

But swapping out a bridge, I reckon I could do that. Will post pics if / when my mate brings the bass 'round my house.

You are welcome. You might also want to look on Talk Bass, as there are masses of posts on modding Broncos on that forum. However, some of the parts mentioned are hard to find outside the USA.

 

WRT changing the pickups: you don’t have to solder if you keep the original pots etc. You can drop a Stratocaster rail pickup in. To wire it, cut the original lead close to the pots (leave enough length to be able to work with it while avoiding breaking the original solder connections).There should be a white (hot) wire and black (ground) wire. Colours can vary but ground is generally black; it will go to the back of the volume pot normally. Strip a bit of the shielding off the original wires and do the same for the new pickup wires (if not already done). Get a small screw type electrical connector block with two connectors (you normally buy them in a strip and cut off the number of connectors you need). Then just use it to connect white (hot) pickup wire to white original wire and black (ground) pickup wire to black original wire. It should work fine and you can change pickup again without soldering.

[Baloney Balderdash]

35 minutes ago, meterman said:

Thank you! 🙏 

 

I'm generally not into modding instruments beyond adding a tugbar or changing strings but I'll see about the bridge. 
 

Pickups, pots, etc, are beyond me as my soldering skills are abysmal plus my hands aren't steady enough to do a clean job. 
 

But swapping out a bridge, I reckon I could do that. Will post pics if / when my mate brings the bass 'round my house.

Well, you can connect the pickup wire to already exciting soldered wires with solderless wire muffs/terminals, which can be bought at Ebay or just about any hardware or electronics shop, which would solve your issue with being no good at soldering and make the swap relatively simple and painless, and it would be just as sturdy as if it was soldered.

 

Edited June 10 by Baloney Balderdash

[bremen]

Newtone strings for the JagWah arrived today, very quick service.

Disappointingly, they don't seem any less floppy than the strings that came with it (presumably stock). If I'm to benefit from the easy action I'm going to have to learn to play with a lot less physicality than I'm used to. Either that or concede that, short-arsed streak of piss though I am, I'm more suited to a Precision.

 

However. Fingerstyle sounds beautiful. Horses for courses it is then!

Edited June 11 by bremen