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Short scale bass

kevvo66

By kevvo66,
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kevvo66 Community Regular

kevvo66

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It's probley been asked a thousand times before , I'm really tempted to switch to short scale basses due to a on going medical condition with my hands a thing called havs , I won't bore you with the details , been looking at Chowny bass for starters , but tone wise is some of the tone and growl sacrificed on shortys, my main weapons of choice are as follows mayones jabba 4 and g&l tribute full scale but after a 3hr gig the other night my fingers gave up the ghost ,I alway warm my hands up ,should I struggle on or make the switch to the short side , my live rig barefaced cab 2 of with streamliner 6.0 depends on where I'm playing or do shorts just look like toys that guitarist play because they can't handle real basses ? Please don't take offence at the last comment it's done in jest 😀 Cheers me dears

Edited by kevvo66
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JapanAxe Veteran

JapanAxe

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I don't think it's possible to generalise about tone on short-scales, as it is dependent on so many other factors - construction, pickup choice, pickup placement, strings, and of course your playing style.

As for looks, no a short-scale won't look like a toy, unless you are a massive bloke!

I do recommend you try to borrow a short-scale for a gig. After a 34in bass, a gig on a 30in feels like a 'night off'.

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scrumpymike Veteran

scrumpymike

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Kevvo, I've become a short-scale specialist for similar reasons and the switch has basically allowed me to keep gigging. Although I love all 3 of my current short-scale basses (see below), they are very different from the standard-scale 'norm' - and from each other. The most 'standard-looking/feeling/sounding' one is definitely the Fender Rascal (provided its 9.5lb weight isn't an issue for you). They're still available new at around £600 - a used example would be a great buy but there aren't many out there. Others worth considering would be the Fender Modern Player short-scale Jazz (no longer in the Fender range and pretty rare second-hand) and a short-scale Jaguar (still current I believe).

[url="http://[URL=http://s1149.photobucket.com/user/scrumpymike/media/007_zpsapwoedu4.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1149.photobucket.com/albums/o598/scrumpymike/007_zpsapwoedu4.jpg[/IMG][/URL]"]http://[URL=http://s1149.photobucket.com/user/scrumpymike/media/007_zpsapwoedu4.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1149.photobucket.com/albums/o598/scrumpymike/007_zpsapwoedu4.jpg[/IMG][/URL][/url]

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DavidMcKay Explorer

DavidMcKay

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Had never heard of Chowny basses, but after a brief bit of background reading on the web I am seriously interested.

I'm looking to 'downsize' and will be sad to see my Stingray go, but 34" just doesn't agree with me.

I can vouch for the short scale Squire Jags though. Pickups aren't much to write home about but otherwise you get a lot for your money. At just under £200 you can't go wrong - and one was up for sale on Basschat not so long ago. The thing sold in a couple of hours so if it isn't for you, you'll have no problem passing it on I would imagine.

Edited by DavidMcKay
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Fuzzbass2000 Enthusiast

Fuzzbass2000

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Shorties... love em... Hofner Club / Dano '63 / Mustang Japanese Reissue. All fit in a mono guitar case, so nice and easy to fly! Some shorties don't though, if that's an issue for you (it was for me), I do find the Mustang is the one that feels the "smallest" if that makes sense.

Tuning down - I don't normally but it might get a bit flappy if you get much lower than Eb

Edited by Fuzzbass2000
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Paul S Grand Master

Paul S

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I have recently acquired a Squier Musicmaster Vista Series and it has absolutely no shortage of growl. Aggressive little beast, all things considered, but tamed to something very interesting with the tone rolled off 3/4 or more.. I reckon these Vista models are absolute gems.

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ead Grand Master

ead

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Try All thumbs on here. Top bloke based in Burnley who has quite a collection of SS basses as well as his own model now being produced, I have played several of the prototypes and they are fabulous.

Scott is a top bloke and I'm sure would be more than happy for you to drop round to try a few things out. He has a green Chowny too, plus a few Richwoods and others I can't remember now.

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Twincam Proficient

Twincam

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I have owned a fair few short scales, I don't think there's any tone sacrifice they can sound different but it's no sacrifice.
Any well set up bass and amp should get growl. Even on my bronco bass with its squire strat pu I can get good tone and growl, it's a little weak maybe but useable.

I think it's worth a go trying a ss bass see if that helps, buy something cheap though see what you think. Some shorts do look stupid though! Tiny body's stay away from. I like the mustang body shape just large enough not too look stupid and a classic comfortable shape. Sg shape much the same. Hofner violin bass is tiny but a classic.

Takes me a little while to adjust to the different scale lengths in many ways you have to be more accurate with the shorter scale when playing the higher notes.

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DavidMcKay Explorer

DavidMcKay

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Posted

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1451405388' post='2940220']
If you want a rough idea of how a short scale feels and sounds then take a 34" scale bass.

Downtune it by a whole tone to DGCF.

Put a capo at fret two and you have a 30.3" scale bass tuned EADG.
[/quote]

Thanks Essential Tension - I'm pretty sure that qualifies as a life hack!

I'll give it a try.

Cheers,

David

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3below Mentor

3below

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Posted (edited)

At the moment I alternate between a Warwick Corvette and Gibson SG bass. Chalk and cheese you may think, but with TI flats on both I get a remarkably similar tone. SG (short scale) is faster to play (5'3" small hands), the Warwick has a touch more 'authority' on the lower E string notes (noticeable when recording, not so when played live). In my view the quality of modern strings makes short scale basses a viable proposition (unlike in my youth).

Edited by 3below
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JapanAxe Veteran

JapanAxe

Posted
Posted

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1451586367' post='2941714']
What is a 'life hack'?
[/quote]

[b]Life hacking[/b][color=#252525][font=sans-serif] refers to any trick, shortcut, skill, or novelty method that increases productivity and efficiency, in all walks of life. -[i]Wikipedia[/i][/font][/color]

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EssentialTension Grand Master

EssentialTension

Posted
Posted

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1451586753' post='2941721']
[b]Life hacking[/b][color=#252525][font=sans-serif] refers to any trick, shortcut, skill, or novelty method that increases productivity and efficiency, in all walks of life. -[i]Wikipedia[/i][/font][/color]
[/quote]

So, that's a new phrase for something not new at all.

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Billy Apple Mentor

Billy Apple

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Posted

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1451587142' post='2941724']
So, that's a new phrase for something not new at all.
[/quote]

And it's not a life hack. The easiest short-cut or trick would be to play an actual short scale by buying or borrowing one or trying at a shop instead of farting about with a long scale.

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DavidMcKay Explorer

DavidMcKay

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Posted

[quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1451588011' post='2941737']
And it's not a life hack. The easiest short-cut or trick would be to play an actual short scale by buying or borrowing one or trying at a shop instead of farting about with a long scale.
[/quote]

Which would render it a full scale solution as opposed to a life-hack.

Or I am being a pedant?

Anyways - it allows me to fart about with a long scale whilst I try to get hold of a short scale. I don't even have a capo! So I will need to make one out of some typical household items.

Anyone have a life hack for an impromptu capo?!?!?

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EssentialTension Grand Master

EssentialTension

Posted
Posted

[quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1451588011' post='2941737']
And it's not a life hack. The easiest short-cut or trick would be to play an actual short scale by buying or borrowing one or trying at a shop instead of farting about with a long scale.
[/quote]

Especially if you didn't possess a capo and had to go to the shop to buy one.

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