Short Scale Basses

[funkle]

[quote name='Audiokostas' post='869751' date='Jun 17 2010, 11:02 AM']I 've been into short scales for quite some time and I will like to add my experience if you can bear my use of English.
Quite few of them have been through my hands.
Having small (relatively) fingers and incidents of "frozen shoulder", left me with the one-way option of short scales.
I' ve been through some crappy ones and some brilliant ones.
I will be honest with you and say that the only that they leave me short with, is my vanity on stage.
Because when you play bass live with a band you want everybody to see the Man With Bass.
As we say in Greece (loosely translated) "Beauty is more important than pain".

If the instrument (short) is good (i.e. the absolutely fantastic Landing L2) there is no reason for a long scale. To my ears and fingers at least.
There still around (quite few of them actually) and of good quality in fact.
The Aria Pro Series II TAB-60, Ibanez AGB200, Epiphone Allen Woody, SX SJB-62 Short Scale, Alembic Series 1, Hagstrom HIIBN are all just wonderful basses. To hold, to look and to play with. Even the cheap Dean XM Evo I used to have (and giged with) was a quite respectable bass.
I have to say though that I was not that keen on the Fenders and the EB-0. But that's just me.

But, In my opinion I believe that medium scales (32) are the best option (still have two of them) that combine both worlds (long & short) advantages.
But that's another subject.......[/quote]

Did you ever get to try out a medium scale (32") Fender Jazz (MIJ)? They look pretty tasty...

[url="http://compare.ebay.com/future/250653255158?var=svip&sort=BestMatch"]http://compare.ebay.com/future/25065325515...;sort=BestMatch[/url]

I'm looking at the Ibanez AGB200 recently too - great value for money...

[GarethFlatlands]

Anyone tried the uber-cheap Epiphone EB basses around at the moment? I had a play in the shop and apart from a bit of buzz, really liked it. Very muddy, thumpy tone if you're into that sort of thing. I'm thinking of switching as I'm a short guy and reckon the smaller scale would suit me better. The low frets on my Warwick Rockbass are a stretch unless my bass is held pointing the ceiling.

[henry norton]

[quote name='GarethFlatlands' post='878342' date='Jun 26 2010, 07:31 PM']Anyone tried the uber-cheap Epiphone EB basses around at the moment? I had a play in the shop and apart from a bit of buzz, really liked it. Very muddy, thumpy tone if you're into that sort of thing. I'm thinking of switching as I'm a short guy and reckon the smaller scale would suit me better. The low frets on my Warwick Rockbass are a stretch unless my bass is held pointing the ceiling.[/quote]
I bought a nearly new Indonesian Made one off a Basschatter a while back and got on famously with it right from the start. The tone was a bit limited but all in all, the earlier mahogany EB-0s are really nicely made instruments worthy of an upgrade or two. I added a bridge pickup and a varitone and it ended up as my main bass. You can do the muddy, wooly blues/dub type thing but now it'll do Precision growl and Jazz pops and slaps as well. I tried an epoxy coated fretless neck on it too and that sounded really nice, with plenty of treble and (dare I say it), sustain.

Try getting hold of an earlier one as the later Chinese made ones I've seen have had heavier maple necks and are generally not so well put together.

[GarethFlatlands]

Thanks, got some cash coming in from a synth sale so I'll keep my eyes peeled for a bargain on here or e-bay. Paypal money isn't real money right?

[funkle]

[quote name='funkle' post='878018' date='Jun 26 2010, 10:47 AM']Did you ever get to try out a medium scale (32") Fender Jazz (MIJ)? They look pretty tasty...

[url="http://compare.ebay.com/future/250653255158?var=svip&sort=BestMatch"]http://compare.ebay.com/future/25065325515...;sort=BestMatch[/url]

I'm looking at the Ibanez AGB200 recently too - great value for money...[/quote]

I'll answer my own question here.

I bought a Fender MIJ JB62M 32" medium scale Jazz from Ishibashi recently. Pics are here - [url="http://isbs1484.kir.jp/ikebukuro/127288/"]http://isbs1484.kir.jp/ikebukuro/127288/[/url]

It sounds just like a good Jazz should to me. I've strung mine with DR Nickel Lo Riders 40-100s and given it my usual 'very light touch' setup. A real plus is slightly sweeter tone on the higher strings/frets when soloing. Plenty enough low end for me too, losing 2" from the scale doesn't seem to have changed that (although given the Jazz is basically a mids machine, it may not be that surprising).

8.3 lbs, so easy on the shoulders. The body and peghead are appropriately downsized from the full size Jazz, so it looks proportional. Neck dive not an issue.

I'm very pleased, and I suspect most people wouldn't be able to tell the difference between this and a full size 34" scale Jazz either by looking or by listening.

Pete

Edited September 26, 2010 by funkle

[geoffbyrne]

I've just bought one of these:

[url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_hbp90bk_shortscale_ebass.htm"]http://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_hbp...scale_ebass.htm[/url]

Works out at 29" scale. I've put on a set of Roto 88s which I had to 'fix' to get through the winder holes by unravelling some of the outer coatings.


For £55 it's pretty decent.

Neck's straight, frets aren't sharp, strings intonate. Original strings felt like Roto 66s and were pretty zingy, the 88s bring the thump

Tone's good, particularly with the treble at about 4, and the output from the pickup is good enough.

I don't know what the body's made of as I haven't taken it apart to check, but it's pretty light. A plywood body ought to be heavier.

All in all, a pretty decent 55 quids worth.

G.