Muzz Posted May 4, 2023 Share Posted May 4, 2023 Hokay, so I'm in a couple of bands right now, plus doing a weekly Jam Night, and so I'm looking for something small and light to ease the load of three gigs a week (sometimes four) - I started down the road with a Hondo Alien short scale headless*, just to see if I could get on with the whole minimalist body thing, and while that one wasn't a very good bass, it proved a point, so I've moved it on for a Westone Quantum, which is a medium scale headless and a league above in terms of quality (once my local tech Matt Ryan had given it a good fret dress and setup). It's a good size, and easy in terms of logistics, the only issue being it's surprisingly heavy for a medium scale headless at pushing 7lbs 3oz. Soooo (and to get to the point), any suggestions for anything small and headless (not one of those Wing things, mind) that'd come in around/under the 6lbs mark, but would still be a quality bass? I could push the budget towards a grand for the right bass, and as I say a medium scale would be good (I've just got my sweet spot for string tension sorted with D'Addario Balanced Tension strings, which have a .120 E), but I suppose I could have another run around the short scale/tension hoohah if necessary... I've just looked at a Yamaha BX1, which, while undoubtedly a quality bass (and I love a Yamaha), is a 34" scale and weighs more than the Westone...shame, as I rather liked them... * And also for something small and bolt-on to get onto a Ryanair flight for some gigs in Italy, which unfortunately haven't panned out... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itu Posted May 4, 2023 Share Posted May 4, 2023 Axstar, BX1, Hondo/Kramer, Warwick's headless (and the name was Nobby Meidel?), Rail bass, Riverhead... are these all from the 80's? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeftyJ Posted May 4, 2023 Share Posted May 4, 2023 (edited) Ibanez EHB shortscale and short multiscale versions! The EHB1000S is the headless shortscale, and there's the EHB1005SMS 5-string headless short multiscale. https://www.ibanez.com/eu/products/model/ehb/ Edited May 4, 2023 by LeftyJ 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted May 4, 2023 Author Share Posted May 4, 2023 The first four are all 7lbs or more, but I'll have a look at the Rail (which is even more, erm, challenging than the others...Riverheads are very rare and, I suspect, expensive because of that 'made of Unobtainium' thing... Thanks for the suggestions, tho... 👍 Hmmmm, Sweetwater (as an example) have one of those EHB1000S's at 6lbs 9oz (the Multiscales are all 5s, not for me)...interesting... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted May 4, 2023 Share Posted May 4, 2023 I got to play the prototype of this https://blackstaramps.com/carry-on-guitar/ It's extra short scale at 23.5 inches. The neck dive is fairly crap, but it sounds very good indeed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted May 4, 2023 Share Posted May 4, 2023 Hohner B2 - about 3kg, 34" (865mm) scale. Aria Sinsonido - 2kg, 34" scale. There was another one mentioned on BC a while ago which I finally managed to unearth - Snapdragon folding bass, https://snap-dragon-guitars.com/collections/bass-travel-guitars/products/snap-dragon-e-bass - 2.8kg, 29" scale. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemmywinks Posted May 5, 2023 Share Posted May 5, 2023 (edited) R&T Music in Barrow have an EHB1000S for £799, not too far from you: https://reverb.com/uk/p/ibanez-ehb1000s-short-scale Edited May 5, 2023 by lemmywinks 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted May 5, 2023 Share Posted May 5, 2023 There's one on Gumtree for £650 https://www.gumtree.com/p/guitar-instrument/ibanez-ehb-series-e-bass-ehb1000s-pmm-short-scale-pink-gold-metallic-mat-bag/1457318449 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted May 5, 2023 Share Posted May 5, 2023 (edited) Yamaha B Motion MB-II: https://www.zikinf.com/annonces/annonce-2155344 But it's not headless... I need some more coffee. 🤦🏻♂️ Edited May 5, 2023 by Hellzero Because I'm an idiot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyJohnson Posted May 5, 2023 Share Posted May 5, 2023 1 hour ago, TheGreek said: There's one on Gumtree for £650 https://www.gumtree.com/p/guitar-instrument/ibanez-ehb-series-e-bass-ehb1000s-pmm-short-scale-pink-gold-metallic-mat-bag/1457318449 That headstock looks familiar. Didn't MusicMan put out a Bongo with something similar? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted May 5, 2023 Author Share Posted May 5, 2023 21 minutes ago, Hellzero said: Yamaha B Motion MB-II: https://www.zikinf.com/annonces/annonce-2155344 But it's not headless... I need some more coffee. 🤦🏻♂️ Close, but no banana: 3.4kg = heavier than the Quantum I have now, unfortunately...I quite like that, tho...those pickups look very like the ones in the BX-1, too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted May 5, 2023 Share Posted May 5, 2023 Check Biarnel in Italy, they make at least one super light model, in Scorcio series, at 32 inches scale: https://www.biarnel.com/eng/biarnel-instruments/biarnel-electric-basses/biarnel-scorcio/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted May 5, 2023 Share Posted May 5, 2023 And of course Status has declined the KingBass in 32 inches scale with the BendWell thingy. Don't forget @skelf ACG 32" headless models! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted May 5, 2023 Author Share Posted May 5, 2023 For that sort of money I'll be speaking to Jon Shuker about a chambered headless, to be honest (perhaps one of his Superleggeras)...which I may yet do...although I'll have to sell something to do it... 🙁🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted May 5, 2023 Share Posted May 5, 2023 The Shuker Superleggera is a great idea too... But it will double your budget as you already said, just like a Biarnel or a Status (maybe triple here). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted May 5, 2023 Author Share Posted May 5, 2023 Now look what you've done - I've emailed Jon Shuker... 🤪 🙂 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted May 5, 2023 Share Posted May 5, 2023 54 minutes ago, Muzz said: Now look what you've done - I've emailed Jon Shuker... 🤪 🙂 I'd check to see if he's running a "Build your own bass" courses this year - buy all the parts in advance, glue up any wood you might want to use and go prepared... Dib dib dib, dob dob dob. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iconic Posted May 9, 2023 Share Posted May 9, 2023 (edited) Not headless, but incredibly lightweight. Yamaha RBX4-A2M..... 32", super light, jazz style pups. They aren't quite unicorns, as they do come up for sale occasionally. A wanted ad' may bag one? https://www.musicradar.com/reviews/guitars/yamaha-rbx4-a2m-bass-197674 Edited May 9, 2023 by iconic 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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