3/4 or short scale basses

[action_panzer]

Hi guys,

I have a friend who is after a 3/4 scale bass (he's a guitarist finding it hard to adapt to the scale of a bass) and thought I'd ask you lot in your infinite wisdom if there are any brands or models known to be OK in this area?

He probs has a budget of no more than £200 but isn't precious about buying new.

I ask cause the only short scale bass I've played was my first - a 3/4 length Encore and I can't even remember how it played!

Thanks,

AP

[edstraker123]

Hi AP,
I've just been looking into short scale basses too (just bought an ibanez gio in our basses for sale section !) but came across a few other contenders ;
Squier Vintage Modded Jaguar or Mustang, Gretsch Junior Jet, Cort Action Junior.There is a Dean as well. Think if I was buying new I would have gone for the Gretsch
Regards,
Ed

[Paul S]

I'd add a Squier Bronco or Epiphone EB0 to the list. Both can be bought *very* cheap secondhand - under £100 - if he tries and doesn't like they can be moved on with next to no loss. Or, again sold on and something nicer bought if he does get on with it.

[MoonBassAlpha]

I bought a Bronco on behalf of someone and could barely put it down while it was with me. It was great for about £72 s/h in immaculate condition. I really enjoyed it.

[alyctes]

Give the Ibanez GSRM-20 a look. Short scale (28.6"), so very fast and compact; they fit guitar gigbags. They are decently made and finished for the cost, they sound decent, and at £160 or so from Thomann they are not bank-breakers. Just make sure you change the stock strings... eww

Thomann links: [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/ibanez_gsrm20gb_ca.htm"]http://www.thomann.d...gsrm20gb_ca.htm[/url] or [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/ibanez_gsrm20gb_bk.htm."]http://www.thomann.d...srm20gb_bk.htm.[/url]

Edited February 26, 2014 by alyctes

[Donnyboy]

Squier Vintage Modified Telecaster bass, might be an option ( it's medium scale), as mentioned the EB0 is cheap but a bit variable in quality from what I gather.

[action_panzer]

Update: My mate picked up a second hand Ibanez [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]GSRM-20 for £56! Bit of a steal I reckon!

Thanks for all your help![/font][/color]

[Marc S]

There is also a short scale electro acoustic bass
Can't recall who markets it in the UK
But I think it's branded with the name "Swift" (of London?)

I played one I had on loan for a short while
It's got a slim neck, and was dead easy to play
Sounded really good through an amp too

And I did see them on ebay, for around £50

I could have bought it for around £30!

but although my first couple of basses were short scale
I couldn't swap back down to the short scale easily.....

Edited March 11, 2014 by Marc S

[Hutton]

I have a Squier Bronco which I think is excellent for the money. I have also played a Hagstrom HB-4 which was very nice and well worth a look.

[Phil Adams]

Gibson Sg is also 30.5" scale

[dannybuoy]

Thomman have a few bargains too such as this - £54.64 for a shortscale P anyone?

http://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_hbp90bk_shortscale_ebass.htm

[Twincam]

I've had one of those shortscale Harley bentons. And for the price there ok. Strings are horrible on them. Finish and fit are passable. I thought the pickups were stronger than the Yamaha rbx 170. Hardware looks junk but works and won't break. Volume and tone controls not great but provide more option than a epiphone eb0.
Didn't like the neck to flat and wide.
If you wanted to try a shortscale like I did before getting something better I think these are a ok option.

[Hutton]

[quote name='Hutton' timestamp='1394532065' post='2392215']
I have a Squier Bronco which I think is excellent for the money. I have also played a Hagstrom HB-4 which was very nice and well worth a look.
[/quote]

I notice that there is currently a Hagstrom HB-4 in the for sale pages. I know that it is a bit out of your range but it is well worth considering and making an offer. These basses are just short of £500 brand new. http://basschat.co.uk/topic/227846-price-drop-l280-hagstrom-hb4-34-length/

[Spoombung]

There should be far more choice with short scale basses. Normal scale length is unnecessarily, ridiculously huge IMO

[skej21]

Another vote for the Gretsch G2220 Junior Jet here. Stunning quality for the price and sounds HUGE through a nice amp :-)

Edited March 13, 2014 by skej21

[EliasMooseblaster]

[quote name='Hutton' timestamp='1394702311' post='2394104']
I notice that there is currently a Hagstrom HB-4 in the for sale pages. I know that it is a bit out of your range but it is well worth considering and making an offer. These basses are just short of £500 brand new. [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/227846-price-drop-l280-hagstrom-hb4-34-length/"]http://basschat.co.u...-hb4-34-length/[/url]
[/quote]

I'll second that - I have the 8-string version and it is an excellent little bass - both of those humbuckers are coil-tappable so you get a ridiculously wide range of tones.

But yeah, if the budget's more constrained then you can't go too wrong with a Squier Bronco. I started out on one of those and look at me now...actually, don't, it's not a pretty sight. The Epi EB-0s are also good instruments, but maybe more of an acquired taste.

[Green Alsatian]

I acquired an Eastwood Hi-Flyer a few weeks ago on eBay for £127. It's a 30.5" scale with two P90 pickups, Volume and Tone controls. Soundwise, the neck pickup gives a clearer rendition of the mudbucker (if a little more polite) and the bridge pickup was a big surprise - I was expecting something overly trebly-souding, but it's actually a bit of a monster. Both pickups gives a sort of scooped jazz tone, but more balanced than you'd hear on the likes of the Epiphone EB-3.

One thing I noticed, is that it had been wired (at the factory) with the pickups out of phase, so with both pickups on, it was a nasty nasal sound, so I rewired the neck pickup, sorting the problem. It's sounding particularly nice sporting a set of GHS Boomers flatwounds.

http://www.eastwoodguitars.co.uk/Bass/hi-flyer/hiflyerBass_frm.htm

[Bassassin]

I've wanted to try a short scale for a while now, had a few low-end 70s JapCrap examples (mostly cheap EB-0 copies) but that's not what I want.

I have had some significant GAS for one of these for quite a long time now:

Which is a Daisy Rock Stardust Elite - I think it's stunning and it's had some excellent reviews.

I do appreciate that wanting to own this - and indeed gig it - means that I may well not be as other men. But that's not a bad thing.

Jon.

[Prosebass]

[quote name='Spoombung' timestamp='1394703038' post='2394111']
There should be far more choice with short scale basses. Normal scale length is unnecessarily, ridiculously huge IMO
[/quote]

Couldn't agree more, unfortunately they are seen as 'lesser' basses, or basses for kids and as such there are very few top quality short scales about.
I still have faith in them and will return to producing them in the near future.

[attachment=157538:homeoriginal01copy.JPG]

Edited March 13, 2014 by Prosebass

[Evil Undead]

I have two short scales, the Squier VM Jaguar, and a Warwick Rockbass Corvette. I'd recommend either, they're both great basses.

[artisan]

I absolutley love my SG to bits.
It sounds ace & is a total breeze to play.

[BassHappy]

Hello Everyone....

Newbie and mostly medium scaler here, but I DO own one short scaler - a custom Rob Allen. Rob is in Santa Barbara, California and does some pretty amazing work. Mine is flamed and spalted, piezo pickup only and just a single control (volume) in the bridge. Great for writing and long stints drilling parts - tape wounds are very easy on the fingers!

Edited March 29, 2014 by BassHappy

[SubsonicSimpleton]

Harley Benton 30" scale violin bass looks like a very promising buget option, I'm quite tempted to give one a try as a lightweight back relief option.

http://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_beatbass.htm