The Short Scale Bass Appreciation Society!

[neil___lien]

13 hours ago, ead said:

In order to try and find a bass that doesn't set off my on-setting arthritis I have joined the club having just done a part ex and received this bass as part of the deal.  I know the brand (Fenix by Young Chang) but have never come across this particular bass.  Does anyone know anything about them?

 

 

 

 

 

Looks awesome! Must be so comfy to play!

[ead]

Thanks @scrumpymike

 

As I understand it the Bone White (I know, get a different hobby) is original.  There are a few nudges in it but this is experimental for me and it's more about the practicality of the bass for me in terms of size, neck profile etc.  I think the nut and the p/up are not original and the electronics have been upgraded.  One tuner is different too but the whole bass is really very engaging and works really nicely together.

[Hacksawbob]

2 hours ago, ead said:

Thanks @scrumpymike

 

As I understand it the Bone White (I know, get a different hobby) is original.  There are a few nudges in it but this is experimental for me and it's more about the practicality of the bass for me in terms of size, neck profile etc.  I think the nut and the p/up are not original and the electronics have been upgraded.  One tuner is different too but the whole bass is really very engaging and works really nicely together.

There was a website with some info only available on wayback machine now.

https://web.archive.org/web/20190115110144/http://fenix-sh.info/

Also if you do FB there is a Fenix group.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/128212226340/?locale=en_GB

[scrumpymike]

1 hour ago, Hacksawbob said:

There was a website with some info only available on wayback machine now.

https://web.archive.org/web/20190115110144/http://fenix-sh.info/

Also if you do FB there is a Fenix group.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/128212226340/?locale=en_GB

 

I love the bright red one shown on the first link.

[Bigwan]

I remember seeing ads for these and the rest of the Fenix line, possibly in Guitarist magazine, WAY back.

[AlexDelores]

Who’s put a humbucker on a Mustang? 
 

Has it noticeably changed the sound? 
 

I’d like to give mine a more ‘woolly’ sound as I’m not a massive fan of the single coil ‘twang’ and tend to dial the tone right down. 
 

Humbuckers are generally my favourite pickup sound but I’m cautious that the positioning and scale of the Mustang might not impact the sound that much. 
 

I’m pretty clueless when it comes to mods etc so just getting an idea of if it’s worth it before I go down a rabbit hole. 

[Mikey D]

New basses announced by Ibanez including this multiscale short scale. A natural wood version of the previous ehb1005SMS: https://www.ibanez.com/eu/products/detail/ehb1505sms_1p_01.html 

[HoorayForAnonyms]

12 minutes ago, Mikey D said:

New basses announced by Ibanez including this multiscale short scale. A natural wood version of the previous ehb1005SMS: https://www.ibanez.com/eu/products/detail/ehb1505sms_1p_01.html 

Really interesting. I’d love to try this with an e-c tuning. Oh dear…..

[mikebass456]

1 minute ago, HoorayForAnonyms said:

Really interesting. I’d love to try this with an e-c tuning. Oh dear…..

Nice.......🤪🤭

[cousindave]

Squier Mustang project bass!

I have been into short scale basses for a good few years now as I am getting older and have a trapped nerve in my shoulder often using them instead of my long scales as they are lighter and give an easier reach to the lower frets, all are active, a Spector Bantam and two Sector Shorty basses so my Squier CV Mustang had remaind virtually unused. It played and sounded really good with a low action and the neck stayed reliable and in tune but I got used to the tonal variety and power that comes with active basses.
As I had a pair of EMG HZ pickups and Tone Pump preamp lying around I decided on a bass project. The preamp is in a route under the pickguard, battery box on the back and jack socket moved to a plate on the side to make way for the extra knob position.
Routing was done by my excellent friend Terry Goodchild and is a fabulous job, everything fitted great! The wiring is a seriously tight fit under the chome plate but it works really well, I may revisit it at some point. Changed the plastic knobs to Chrome to finish it off, fresh strings and set up properly to my liking with a seriously low action, it is a really powerfull little beast! and it sounds great!
All I had to pay for was the battery box and side jack plate so a really cheap project that has given me a bass that suits me better.

[mikebass456]

Nicely done! Looks great😉👍

[HoorayForAnonyms]

9 minutes ago, cousindave said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Great mods. Modern sound but with vintage looks. How does the sound compare with the Bantam? 

[Bone Idol]

4 hours ago, AlexDelores said:

Who’s put a humbucker on a Mustang? 
 

Has it noticeably changed the sound? 
 

I’d like to give mine a more ‘woolly’ sound as I’m not a massive fan of the single coil ‘twang’ and tend to dial the tone right down. 
 

Humbuckers are generally my favourite pickup sound but I’m cautious that the positioning and scale of the Mustang might not impact the sound that much. 
 

I’m pretty clueless when it comes to mods etc so just getting an idea of if it’s worth it before I go down a rabbit hole. 

Have you tried increasing the value of the cap on the tone pot?... That would only cost pennies and should make the tone darker as you turn down the tone pot.

Changing from single coil to humbucker pickups usually requires changing the pots too as their values will be different.... I'd try changing the cap as it's 5 minutes with a soldering iron and only about £3 from your pocket....

If you don't like it, you can put the original one back in... Hope this helps.

Edited 14 hours ago by Bone Idol

[cousindave]

37 minutes ago, HoorayForAnonyms said:

Great mods. Modern sound but with vintage looks. How does the sound compare with the Bantam? 

Now the sound is in the same ballpark as the Bantam, really thick bass though and zingy high end,  the Bantam has an active emg system and the pickup blend works really well, the Mustang has two volume controls which act more like a Jazz Bass, if you turn one down a little you get pretty much the other pickup on it's own.

It does sound huge....better than I was expecting!

[spyder]

Did anyone spot this at Bass Bros yesterday....

 

https://bassbros.co.uk/sold-basses/1960-dallas-tuxedo-bass-ex-mo-foster/

 

1960 Dallas Tuxedo Bass Ex. Mo Foster

 

 

Edited 13 hours ago by spyder

[LeftyJ]

20 minutes ago, spyder said:

Did anyone spot this at Bass Bros yesterday....

 

https://bassbros.co.uk/sold-basses/1960-dallas-tuxedo-bass-ex-mo-foster/

 

1960 Dallas Tuxedo Bass Ex. Mo Foster

 

 

LOL, that modern Schaller 2000 bridge looks really out of place on it. But if it looks stupid but it works, I guess it ain't stupid 

[JohnDaBass]

1 hour ago, cousindave said:

Squier Mustang project bass!

I have been into short scale basses for a good few years now as I am getting older and have a trapped nerve in my shoulder often using them instead of my long scales as they are lighter and give an easier reach to the lower frets, all are active, a Spector Bantam and two Sector Shorty basses so my Squier CV Mustang had remaind virtually unused. It played and sounded really good with a low action and the neck stayed reliable and in tune but I got used to the tonal variety and power that comes with active basses.
As I had a pair of EMG HZ pickups and Tone Pump preamp lying around I decided on a bass project. The preamp is in a route under the pickguard, battery box on the back and jack socket moved to a plate on the side to make way for the extra knob position.
Routing was done by my excellent friend Terry Goodchild and is a fabulous job, everything fitted great! The wiring is a seriously tight fit under the chome plate but it works really well, I may revisit it at some point. Changed the plastic knobs to Chrome to finish it off, fresh strings and set up properly to my liking with a seriously low action, it is a really powerfull little beast! and it sounds great!
All I had to pay for was the battery box and side jack plate so a really cheap project that has given me a bass that suits me better.

That is a really nice mod. Well done looks fantastic. Congrats & enjoy.

May I ask what is the distance from the Centre line of each to the 12th Fret

[Obrienp]

On 07/01/2025 at 22:22, ead said:

In order to try and find a bass that doesn't set off my on-setting arthritis I have joined the club having just done a part ex and received this bass as part of the deal.  I know the brand (Fenix by Young Chang) but have never come across this particular bass.  Does anyone know anything about them?

 

 

 

 

 

I think the Cort Action Junior is channeling this. Single soap bar pickup quite far back, exaggerated horns, sort scale. All for less than £170 (if you shop around). Anybody tried one?

[scrumpymike]

3 hours ago, mikebass456 said:

Nicely done! Looks great😉👍

Agreed!

[cousindave]

3 hours ago, JohnDaBass said:

That is a really nice mod. Well done looks fantastic. Congrats & enjoy.

May I ask what is the distance from the Centre line of each to the 12th Fret

The mid pickup is in the same position as the original Mustang split coil, I was a bit worried that the new route wouldn't  cover the pickguard hole but it was just slightly larger.
This pickup centre line is 235mm from the 12th fret, the bridge pickup is 315mm, sounds a bit more Stingray than Jazz I think.

[fretmeister]

5 hours ago, Mikey D said:

New basses announced by Ibanez including this multiscale short scale. A natural wood version of the previous ehb1005SMS: https://www.ibanez.com/eu/products/detail/ehb1505sms_1p_01.html 

and a straight fret version!!!

 

https://www.ibanez.com/eu/products/detail/ehb1505s_1p_01.html

 

[mikebass456]

Reminds me of the Westone Super Headless from back in the day...😉

[scrumpymike]

3 hours ago, fretmeister said:

and a straight fret version!!!

 

https://www.ibanez.com/eu/products/detail/ehb1505s_1p_01.html

 

If they did the 4 in pretty much any finish other than the Burgundy Mist (now sold out) and Sea Foam Green Matte, I'd buy one. The ones shown on the two posted links are stunning.

Edited 6 hours ago by scrumpymike

[Obrienp]

41 minutes ago, scrumpymike said:

If they did the 4 in pretty much any finish other than the Burgundy Mist (now sold out) and Sea Foam Green Matte, I'd buy one. The ones shown on the two posted links are stunning.

I don’t see a short scale 4 string EHB on the Ibanez website. Has it been discontinued? If they released one in the new finishes on those 5s I would be interested. I kind of regret selling my Sea Foam 4 but I was always missing my notes on it. I kept hitting a tone too low. I had to look at the neck all the time to make sure I didn’t make a mistake. I could have done with the neck being a bit narrower too but it was manageable as is. 

[DF Shortscale]

15 hours ago, AlexDelores said:

Who’s put a humbucker on a Mustang? 
 

Has it noticeably changed the sound? 
 

I’d like to give mine a more ‘woolly’ sound as I’m not a massive fan of the single coil ‘twang’ and tend to dial the tone right down. 
 

Humbuckers are generally my favourite pickup sound but I’m cautious that the positioning and scale of the Mustang might not impact the sound that much. 
 

I’m pretty clueless when it comes to mods etc so just getting an idea of if it’s worth it before I go down a rabbit hole. 

 

The G&L Fallout is basically a Mustang with a humbucker, they might be worth a look if you like that sound.