The Short Scale Bass Appreciation Society!

[Obrienp]

I was idly looking at the short scale basses for sale on Reverb the other day and I noticed that EBMM shop are advertising two USA made short scale Stingrays for around £2,100 each. Shipping was quoted as around £160, if I recall correctly but I guess there would be import duties to pay on top of that.
 

The basic specs seemed to be identical to the Sterling SS Rays: 38mm nut, passive electronics with the 3 way selector knob for series/single/parallel modes, etc. The finishes looked nicer though. I wonder if the USA made tag really warrants them being around 3 times the price of the Sterling models?
 

Anyway, they might be of interest to somebody on here. Less pricey than the Comerford specials but still out of my league.

P.S. There are 5 on there today. I particularly like the “Brûlée “ finish with Ebony fingerboard.

Edited September 10, 2023 by Obrienp

[fretmeister]

I’ve decided to go back to rounds on my Lionel. I like the flats I had but sometimes I need a little more bite.

I’ve also gone up a gauge to 50-110 DR Hi Beams. I did the hand cream thing to dull them a little before fitting as they are very bright when new.

 

With a bit more tension I’ve also been able to lower the action a bit too. I like a really low action and I play quite gently to avoid too much clank.

[JohnDaBass]

Looks as if Gibson are doing a Gene Simmons in the same way Fender did the Mike Kerr Tiggar/Barbie bass.🤣

 

https://www.gibson.com/en-US/Electric-Bass/Gene-Simmons-Bass-EB/Ebony?sc_src=email_1190958&sc_lid=133982208&sc_uid=OOyVKBC9MJ&sc_llid=130602&sc_customer=c58dfdf9-85db-4dc2-ace1-8e54b0ffd644&utm_source=Emarsys&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=9.19.23%3A+Gene+Simmons+EB-0+Bass+Launch

 

Gibson | Gene Simmons EB-0 Bass Ebony

 

Crazy price !!!!!!

[MichaelDean]

I don't hate the idea of that. Not sure about the execution or price though! The bridge cover looks a bit weird. Doesn't cover the whole bridge, which looks to be a Kluson copy of the Fender high mass bridge...

[JohnDaBass]

15 minutes ago, JohnDaBass said:

Looks as if Gibson are doing a Gene Simmons in the same way Fender did the Mike Kerr Tiggar/Barbie bass.🤣

 

https://www.gibson.com/en-US/Electric-Bass/Gene-Simmons-Bass-EB/Ebony?sc_src=email_1190958&sc_lid=133982208&sc_uid=OOyVKBC9MJ&sc_llid=130602&sc_customer=c58dfdf9-85db-4dc2-ace1-8e54b0ffd644&utm_source=Emarsys&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=9.19.23%3A+Gene+Simmons+EB-0+Bass+Launch

 

Gibson | Gene Simmons EB-0 Bass Ebony

 

Crazy price !!!!!!

I have to say it does look fantastic.

I like the body thro bridge and the Pup in the sweet spot (10ins from the 12th fret).

It will probably have a bit of neck dive with the strap located at the heel of the neck, it may have been better to fit the strap on the upper horn just like the Les Paul Jr Tribute DC. 

The Pup is the SG humbucker and not a Sidewinder Mudbucker like the original EBO. 

Edited September 19, 2023 by JohnDaBass

[scrumpymike]

20 minutes ago, JohnDaBass said:

Looks as if Gibson are doing a Gene Simmons in the same way Fender did the Mike Kerr Tiggar/Barbie bass.🤣

 

https://www.gibson.com/en-US/Electric-Bass/Gene-Simmons-Bass-EB/Ebony?sc_src=email_1190958&sc_lid=133982208&sc_uid=OOyVKBC9MJ&sc_llid=130602&sc_customer=c58dfdf9-85db-4dc2-ace1-8e54b0ffd644&utm_source=Emarsys&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=9.19.23%3A+Gene+Simmons+EB-0+Bass+Launch

 

Gibson | Gene Simmons EB-0 Bass Ebony

 

Crazy price !!!!!!

 

£7199!! What planet are these people on?

[Paul S]

4 minutes ago, scrumpymike said:

 

£7199!! What planet are these people on?

 

C'mon, you do get a box of Gene Simmons picks.  Well worth the £6.5K over the cost of a LP Jnr DC.

 

[Obrienp]

31 minutes ago, Paul S said:

 

C'mon, you do get a box of Gene Simmons picks.  Well worth the £6.5K over the cost of a LP Jnr DC.

 

Have to say that his signature Thunderbird is much better value and given the comparable hardware on both, I can’t really understand the ridiculous price differential. After all, you get less wood with the EB0, which looks like a Les Paul Junior anyway.

[scrumpymike]

2 hours ago, Obrienp said:

Have to say that his signature Thunderbird is much better value and given the comparable hardware on both, I can’t really understand the ridiculous price differential. After all, you get less wood with the EB0, which looks like a Les Paul Junior anyway.

My thoughts exactly! I did an online search for Gibson basses after John's original post and spotted the signature T-bird. I'm guessing that someone at Gibson has messed up the currency conversion on the EB-0.

[Tim Chapple]

Good evening!

Here's me with my  bitsa Musicmaster.

 

The neck is dated 1971, everything else has been replaced - I'm not sure about the age of the body which has been resprayed, and has a huge hole under the pickguard where a neck pickup used to be.

 

Sounds amazing and has La Bella flats on it,

 

Edited September 21, 2023 by Tim Chapple

[BassAgent]

Added a second short scale to the collection, next to the Mustang. I've always wanted a Höfner Club and finally pulled the trigger on an Ignition SE. I have considered the Contemporary but I wanted a full hollow Club  I'm really really surprised by the quality, actually. The finish is immaculate, the frets are really good and it sounds great. I did put some Labella flats on it.

[EssentialTension]

8 hours ago, BassAgent said:

Added a second short scale to the collection, next to the Mustang. I've always wanted a Höfner Club and finally pulled the trigger on an Ignition SE. I have considered the Contemporary but I wanted a full hollow Club  I'm really really surprised by the quality, actually. The finish is immaculate, the frets are really good and it sounds great. I did put some Labella flats on it.

 

I have a Hofner Club Ignition strung with Pyramid Flats which sounds great. I'd call  it very good value for money.

 

But it doesn't have the teacup knobs or the Hofner logo on the upper horn. Are they additions?

[mr4stringz]

3 minutes ago, EssentialTension said:

 

I have a Hofner Club Ignition strung with Pyramid Flats which sounds great. I'd call  it very good value for money.

 

But it doesn't have the teacup knobs or the Hofner logo on the upper horn. Are they additions?

Those are (I think I’m right) the difference between the Ignition and the fairly recently released Ignition SE. That one is an SE.

[BassAgent]

Correct! It's an SE.

[Baloney Balderdash]

I got some serious GAS for the fretless version of the Harley Benton Beatbass FL, Beatles/Violin Bass, and will no doubt buy at some point, would become my first fretless.

 

This demo starts out straight from the box and straight DI without any further processing of the signal:

 

The fretboard is treated Amaranth (Purple Heart), which is very close to being as hard and stiff as Ebony.

 

Unlined, but got dots on the side of the neck marking where the frets would be.

 

Edited October 2, 2023 by Baloney Balderdash

[BassAgent]

It's a great pair with the Mustang.

[bassist_lewis]

Took delivery of the Sandberg Florence from Bass Direct on Tuesday. It's a very nice bass, skinnier neck than I'm used to (I usually use a Serek MW2 5 string and it has a chunky neck), but the mud bucker has a super cool tone. Almost P-ish but less mid-range and highs. The only slight con is the balance is a bit towards the body, but not hugely and it'll be fine on strap.

[Old Horse Murphy]

5 minutes ago, bassist_lewis said:

Took delivery of the Sandberg Florence from Bass Direct on Tuesday. It's a very nice bass, skinnier neck than I'm used to (I usually use a Serek MW2 5 string and it has a chunky neck), but the mud bucker has a super cool tone. Almost P-ish but less mid-range and highs. The only slight con is the balance is a bit towards the body, but not hugely and it'll be fine on strap.

Looking forward to seeing pics 👍

[bassist_lewis]

Pictures are a bit blurry (it's late and my phone is a bit s**t). It's showing up more red but its darker and browner in the flesh.

 

 

[bassist_lewis]

And also my collection of short scales. Left to right: Sandberg Florence; Callowhill MPB; Fender JMJ Mustang; Serek MW2 5-string; Nordstrand Acinonyx.

[fretmeister]

I really need to find a 5 string shortie. 

[bassist_lewis]

19 minutes ago, fretmeister said:

I really need to find a 5 string shortie. 

Mr Callowhill (Tim Cloonan) died in 2016 so only available secondhand, and not very often at that. Sereks are amazing, but pricey. Ibanez make a couple of reasonably priced short scale 5s: the Talman and the EHB1005.

[BassApprentice]

10 hours ago, fretmeister said:

I really need to find a 5 string shortie. 

As with everything - depends on budget.

 

I'm sure Sandberg would do you a 5 string short scale Lionel if the price was right.

[rwillett]

I got a Fender Mustang (MIM) a few weeks ago and I'm finding I'm playing that over my 97 MIJ Jazz. 

 

Being able to change the pickups on a switch and the sheer ease of playing is wonderful. The more I play it, the more I want to play it. 

 

I love the Jazz but the Mustang is so much fun. 

[LeftyJ]

11 hours ago, bassist_lewis said:

Mr Callowhill (Tim Cloonan) died in 2016 so only available secondhand, and not very often at that. Sereks are amazing, but pricey. Ibanez make a couple of reasonably priced short scale 5s: the Talman and the EHB1005.

 

Atelier Z has / had a couple. The ZPO 5 is a Precision-shaped model with two J pickups and active 3-band. The Baby Z 5J is a Mustang-shaped model with two J pickups and active 2-band boost-only. There are also some Jazz-shaped models I think. The Baby Z is fun and the most affordable of the bunch, I have the 4-string version. It's slightly neckdivey but incredibly easy to play and it sounds great. Similarly to the Fender Musicmaster, the string spacing at the bridge is quite narrow at just 16.5 mm even on the 4-string, so it's probably not for everybody. 

 

That Callowhill had me squinting at my screen for a moment because of its proportions. It looks like they took a picture of a fullscale PJ bass and just squeezed it down to a shorter length. That's brilliantly funny! Looks really cool. 

Edited October 2, 2023 by LeftyJ