How Many Inches Do You Like?

[Billy Apple]

B String. 34" or 35"?
Opinions please

[CamdenRob]

I've played great sounding B's on both 35" and 34". Had a Spector Legend 6 which was 35" with a fantastic B, but my Wal is 34" and the tension and sound is better, but then it would be, it's a completely different level of instrument... I also had a Thumb NT6 at 34" and the B on that was great too...

So in my experience it makes very little difference and I have no preference

Edited May 8, 2016 by CamdenRob

[Billy Apple]

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1462732638' post='3045291']
So in my experience it makes very little difference
[/quote]

So why the difference in scale length?

[Dood]

If I'm going to be slightly facetious, then it's 37" all the way baby!!

[Cameronj279]

37" - Dingwall.

on a non-fan fretted instrument I prefer 34" scale though. Mainly because I find the G/D strings to not feel as good on them. But there will always be basses of both scales that feel and sound brilliant. Construction/build quality has more to play into it than scale length IMO.

[Dood]

In all seriousness though, on occasion I do seriously drop tune my basses and the longer scale length most definitely helps on a bass tuned down to F#.

[Billy Apple]

[quote name='dood' timestamp='1462733218' post='3045314']
If I'm going to be slightly facetious, then it's 37" all the way baby!!
[/quote]

Is that a fan-fret? Are fans of fans called fannies?

Edited May 8, 2016 by Billy Apple

[Dood]

[quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1462733620' post='3045324']
Is that a fan-fret? Are fans of fans called fannies?
[/quote]

Ha ha ha ha!!!! Yes, yes maybe!!! Oh and yeah, fan-fret bass 37"-34" B-G

[Muzz]

Dingwall E string: 36 1/4" ...boom!

[CamdenRob]

[quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1462733176' post='3045311']


So why the difference in scale length?
[/quote]

Oh I understand what the difference is supposed to be... I just can't feel it myself... Then again my technique is a little agricultural to say the least!

[BigRedX]

IMO it's all about the construction of the neck and how it is attached to the body rather than a 1" difference in scale length. The other important factor is finding the right B string for a particular bass. What works on one won't necessarily work on another.

Bear in mind that going from 34" to 35" is not even a 3% increase in length so by all means go for 35" scale if you like the longer spacing between the frets, but don't expect a single inch to make any real difference in how the B string feels and sounds. Also IME 35" scale is used by a lot of cheaper basses to try and compensate for the fact that the construction of the bass isn't really up to the standard required for a 5-string. It doesn't work. Any manufacturer capable of making a 35" scale bass with a good sounding a feeling B string will be able to make one with a 34" scale length just as well.

Scale length only makes a significant difference once you go to 36" scale or longer.

Of all the 5-string basses I have owned, the best B-strings were on the 34" scale basses (Gus, Sei and Warwick). The next best were my 2 Overwater 36" scale basses. The two 35" scale basses I owned (Reverend and Traben) were, apart from a very cheap 34" scale bass, by far the worst when it came to the B string.

[Merton]

33"

[fretmeister]

34. Marleaux.

Even better than any Dingwall I've played

[Musashimonkey]

35" MTD, I don't think I'll ever go back!

[discreet]

OH, COME ON!!

[NickRiffed]

My new ACG that is making its way down from Scotland tomorrow ☺☺☺☺ is a 34".

Saying that, I also like a short scale,
even as short as an Ashbory.

[SICbass]

[quote name='Merton' timestamp='1462740608' post='3045417']
33"
[/quote]

As you mention that, I was curious as to how viable a 33" or even 32" scale low B might be. Does anyone have any info/experiences to share here?

[Billy Apple]

Does a different scale length make a fundamental difference to the quality of the B? If it doesn't then why bother making long scale basses?

[Roland Rock]

[quote name='SICbass' timestamp='1462774367' post='3045491']


As you mention that, I was curious as to how viable a 33" or even 32" scale low B might be. Does anyone have any info/experiences to share here?
[/quote]

33" seems pretty popular with the likes of Fodera and Wood&Tronics, if that counts for anything.

[SpondonBassed]

I have wanted to try an extra long scale bass for ages but you never see them in high street outlets. I understand much of the technicality on this but there is no substitute for a good old grope and pluck!

[eude]

[quote name='SICbass' timestamp='1462774367' post='3045491']
As you mention that, I was curious as to how viable a 33" or even 32" scale low B might be. Does anyone have any info/experiences to share here?
[/quote]

I've been playing 33" basses for a long ol' time now, and I've not found the low B to be any worse than on any 34" basses I've played.
Part of it will be that you can't really get a 33" bass with a low B without getting one made by a proper luthier as a custom bass, so they're likely to always outperform any production line bass, although Ibanez do one now. The only slight issue is that some low B strings are wound a bit longer for long extra long scales and you can end up with a bit of the fully wound string on the tuning post, rather than just the tapered bit. Having said that though, it makes no difference to the playability and sound of the string, it's just a visual thing.

I now also have a 31.5" 6 string bass, tuned B to C and the low B on it is ridiculous considering the scale length! It's not going to be as good as a 33", 34" or 35" low B, but it punches well above it's weight and is absolutely useable.
Here's a quick sample I recorded just after I got the bass to demo the low B string >> https://soundcloud.com/eudeboy/low-b-noodle
I've since swapped the 130 B for a taperwound 120 and the definition is even better, although I may split the difference and try a 125 next for a slightly better feel.

[quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1462774767' post='3045498']
Does a different scale length make a fundamental difference to the quality of the B? If it doesn't then why bother making long scale basses?
[/quote]

Scale length does mate, it's certainly something that can be countered to a certain degree by a talented luthier, but you can't defy physics.
The other issue is strings, almost all string manufacturers make strings to suit 34" and 35" basses, certainly when you're talking about low B strings. Not so much of an issue on a 33" bass, but if you go much shorter you can encounter issues.
My 31.5" 6 string has strings custom wound by Newtone, to try and get the feel of a 34" scale on the shorter scale, using heavier cores. I have to add though, I have tried some regular strings on the bass and they felt pretty darned good, so if Newtone weren't able to make me strings any more it would not be a deal breaker. Callowhill make short scale 5 and 6 string basses which are incredibly well received and he strings them up with regular scale Dunlops.

A lot more luthiers are building shorter scale instruments with extended ranges these days, but I imagine it'll take a VERY long time before it would become mainstream, if ever.

Cheers,
Eude

[Sammers]

[quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1462732963' post='3045302']
B - Lull - 35"
[/quote]

Out of curiosity how do you string the B, through body or normal?

OT: I've only ever played 1 5 string, my 35" Lull, and the B sounds good to me!
I do find that the G sounds a little uneven though, so i'd like to try a 34" Lull to see how it compares.

[eude]

[quote name='Sammers' timestamp='1462782459' post='3045547']
Out of curiosity how do you string the B, through body or normal?

OT: I've only ever played 1 5 string, my 35" Lull, and the B sounds good to me!
I do find that the G sounds a little uneven though, so i'd like to try a 34" Lull to see how it compares.
[/quote]

Long scale gets the best out of low strings and shorter scale suits the higher strings, which is why the Novak(x?) Fanned Fret system makes so much sense, shame it's used to make such enormous basses!
Having played some 35" and 36" basses, particularly on 6 string basses, the high C ends up pretty much unusable.

Eude

[skej21]

[quote name='eude' timestamp='1462779767' post='3045526']


I've been playing 33" basses for a long ol' time now, and I've not found the low B to be any worse than on any 34" basses I've played.
Part of it will be that you can't really get a 33" bass with a low B without getting one made by a proper luthier as a custom bass, so they're likely to always outperform any production line bass, although Ibanez do one now. The only slight issue is that some low B strings are wound a bit longer for long extra long scales and you can end up with a bit of the fully wound string on the tuning post, rather than just the tapered bit. Having said that though, it makes no difference to the playability and sound of the string, it's just a visual thing.

I now also have a 31.5" 6 string bass, tuned B to C and the low B on it is ridiculous considering the scale length! It's not going to be as good as a 33", 34" or 35" low B, but it punches well above it's weight and is absolutely useable.
Here's a quick sample I recorded just after I got the bass to demo the low B string >> https://soundcloud.com/eudeboy/low-b-noodle
I've since swapped the 130 B for a taperwound 120 and the definition is even better, although I may split the difference and try a 125 next for a slightly better feel.



Scale length does mate, it's certainly something that can be countered to a certain degree by a talented luthier, but you can't defy physics.
The other issue is strings, almost all string manufacturers make strings to suit 34" and 35" basses, certainly when you're talking about low B strings. Not so much of an issue on a 33" bass, but if you go much shorter you can encounter issues.
My 31.5" 6 string has strings custom wound by Newtone, to try and get the feel of a 34" scale on the shorter scale, using heavier cores. I have to add though, I have tried some regular strings on the bass and they felt pretty darned good, so if Newtone weren't able to make me strings any more it would not be a deal breaker. Callowhill make short scale 5 and 6 string basses which are incredibly well received and he strings them up with regular scale Dunlops.

A lot more luthiers are building shorter scale instruments with extended ranges these days, but I imagine it'll take a VERY long time before it would become mainstream, if ever.

Cheers,
Eude
[/quote]

Agreed. Also, I'm pretty sure the Ibanez production 33" scale bass (BTB33) is tuned E-C, so the low B wouldn't be applicable :-)

So basically, if you want a nice 33" scale bass with a good low B, custom build is your only option!

Edited May 9, 2016 by skej21

[scannerman]

try a Dingwall (Z3) with a de-tuner for a bottom G. that 37" is [size=4][font=arial, sans-serif-light, sans-serif]phenomenal![/font][/size]