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Petite daughter - best 3/4 bass guitar


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Hi All

I am new to this website - my daughter has just taken up bass guitar at the age of 10 - she quite petite and I wondered if anyone could recommend a decent 3/4 bass guitar or full starte set ie with amp etc. I have no idea on AMPS either to plug it into. I am sorry but am clueless on this. She is quite a good musician and her teacher thinks she will pick up the bass guitar really quickly (she has just had one lesson and he was stunned by how quickly she picked things up). She is a grade 5 flute player, grade 4 double bass player and grade 5 singer. Any advice would be really appreciated.

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The squier 'vintage modified' short scale jaguar bass is a very good bass for the money. I have gigged my candyapple red one a lot. A secondhand one it should hold its value if she doesn't get on with it.

The sunburst version is available as a pack with a decent practice amp & strap, tuner, cable, gigbag etc

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Standard (often called "long scale" on the string packets) scale basses are usually 34"
Short scale basses are either 30" or often 30.5"
Less common is Medium scale which is 32" - between the other scales

When you say your daughter is petite, it may be the bulk of a bass which hinders her, as much as scale length
As she already plays DB - stretching her left hand may not be such an issue, but weight may be, if she's small

When looking at short scale basses - look at the size and bulk / weight of the body. A hollow bodied instrument can often weigh less
Try as many as you can in shops, and ask to try them with a strap so she can judge the weight

Also, she could consider something even smaller - there are shorter scale basses out there e.g. The Ibanez Mikro gets good reviews
I think that's around 25.5" scale - small & super light weight

Amps? There's another thread! lol - choice will depend on how & where it's to be used....

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Just echoing Jean Luc's comment above - the Squier VM Jaguar is a good starter. Though be sure to seek out the Short Scale (SS) version,
as I think they do a long scale version too? Try one of these, then try some more models - as many as possible....
If the SS Jaguar feels too heavy & bulky - try the Ibanez Mikro
Good luck to you both

ooo - Hofner do a bass called the "Shorty" - it's 30" scale, but it's got a tiny body- so can feel odd to play. It's designed as a travel bass
But it's light and quite cheap

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Many here sneer at them, but the Hofner Violin bass (commonly called the 'Beatle' bass...) is an excellent instrument, and comes at several price points. Not simply short scale, it's also very light, and has a slim body. See if your daughter 'clicks' with its form (more like a double bass than a Jaguar, at least..!), and maybe look at the range offered to see if there's one for your budget..? B)
A bonus advantage, for practising at home, they have enough tone to not need amplifying.
Just sayin'; Hope this helps.

Edited by Dad3353
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This
[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/STAGG-CA-20B-Bass-Guitar-Amplifier-Combo/142457988211?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tanglewood-Elfin-Mini-Bass/172810864893?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649[/url]

Tanglewood make really good instruments which are well priced

and this
[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/STAGG-CA-20B-Bass-Guitar-Amplifier-Combo/142457988211?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/STAGG-CA-20B-Bass-Guitar-Amplifier-Combo/142457988211?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649[/url]

same for Stagg - great value reliable kit

and you'll need a lead and a strap but any local music shop will have those

Your daughter might find this lady interesting/inspirational [url="https://www.facebook.com/musiclisha/"]https://www.facebook.com/musiclisha/[/url]

Hope that helps

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Nobody ever seems to mention them in this sort of discussion, but I always think a Danelectro Longhorn would be good for youngsters. Short scale, very lightweight, cool funky looks and generally lovely to play.

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[quote name='ricksterphil' timestamp='1502295089' post='3350535']
This...
[/quote]

The 'Tanglewood' link seems to be wrong. Here's a good'un ...

[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tanglewood-Elfin-Mini-Bass-/172810864893?hash=item283c5488fd:g:ygsAAOSw8apZiExg"]Tanglewood Elfin Mini-bass ...[/url]

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I have a petite 10 year old daughter as well. She has an Ibanez Mikro which sounds good but which is still too big for her TBH. The Mikro is about the size of a standard guitar.
Re amps, if she's like my daughter she'll prefer a beaten up second hand 80s trace elliot combo rather than something new.

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[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1502296425' post='3350551']


The 'Tanglewood' link seems to be wrong. Here's a good'un ...

[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tanglewood-Elfin-Mini-Bass-/172810864893?hash=item283c5488fd:g:ygsAAOSw8apZiExg"]Tanglewood Elfin Mini-bass ...[/url]
[/quote]

Thanks Dad

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A short scale Harley Benton P bass is available in combination with a starter amp:

[url="https://www.thomann.de/gb/thomann_junior_bassset.htm?ref=prod_rel_172084_0"]https://www.thomann....od_rel_172084_0[/url]

Can recommend the bass as I've got one.

Edited by naxos10
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[quote name='naxos10' timestamp='1502304250' post='3350595']
A short scale Harley Benton P bass is available in combination with a starter amp:

[url="https://www.thomann.de/gb/thomann_junior_bassset.htm?ref=prod_rel_172084_0"]https://www.thomann....od_rel_172084_0[/url]

Can recommend the bass as I've got one.
[/quote]


I bought one of these a few weeks ago as a B stock, delivered for £70. I can`t find any reason why it is a B stock, no signs of use. But it is a great piece of kit. The tuners and bridge aren`t the best quality (I swapped out the bridge for one I had kicking about) but the tuners do the job. I stuck on a set of D`Addario short scale strings which cost £21 and the bass is now great fun to play.

The body is like a 3/4 size P bass.

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[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1502296425' post='3350551']
The 'Tanglewood' link seems to be wrong. Here's a good'un ...

[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tanglewood-Elfin-Mini-Bass-/172810864893?hash=item283c5488fd:g:ygsAAOSw8apZiExg"]Tanglewood Elfin Mini-bass ...[/url]
[/quote]

I bought one of these when my then-small son showed an interest. 19.5 inch scale. Very playable and sounds surprisingly good.

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[quote name='Cato' timestamp='1502299314' post='3350565']
Not shorscale but it might be worth looking for a Steinberger Spirit.

It's just about the smallest bodied bass out there, pretty light too.
[/quote]

Cheaper and available used would be the Hohner equivalent cricket bat. A pal (weighing in at a portly 22 stone) has both a four string and a five string and is on the lookout for the guitar version! Plans to screw them together as a three neck. Weird bloke....
But the basses are light, well balanced and if you hunt around a bit not at all expensive.

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[quote name='converse320' timestamp='1502350486' post='3350784']
As someone who bought a 3/4 scale, I'd recommend a 1/2 scale if you can find one.
[/quote]

Indeed. With no disrespect intended to anybody posting here, recommending a short scale bass to a 'petite' 10-year old is completely missing the point. Lest we forget. a shortscale bass is basically a full sized instrument that just happens to have a slightly shorter scale length than normal. I used to teach in a number of primary schools, and IME most 10-year-olds could barely cope with a full sized guitar (around 25" scale), never mind a bass - even a shortscale one.

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[quote name='Maude' timestamp='1502295833' post='3350545']
Nobody ever seems to mention them in this sort of discussion, but I always think a Danelectro Longhorn would be good for youngsters. Short scale, very lightweight, cool funky looks and generally lovely to play.
[/quote]

I was going to chip in with this....you beat me to it.

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My daughter (9) has an Ibanez Mikro which is probably still too large for her. (Doesn't stop her though :) )

On a slight tangent, does anyone have any recommendations for a decent strap for a short 9 year old? Every one I've seen leaves the bass round her ankles.

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Perhaps something of this size would suit.



This red Westfield has a 25.5-inch scale and is fitted with flats. It plays very easily and sounds great as those who saw it at last years SE bash can testify.

I bought it for my Grandson but he is not particularly interested so would be prepared to sell.

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[quote name='Maude' timestamp='1502295833' post='3350545']
Nobody ever seems to mention them in this sort of discussion, but I always think a Danelectro Longhorn would be good for youngsters. Short scale, very lightweight, cool funky looks and generally lovely to play.
[/quote]

Excellent recommendation.

Here's another, the Hofner Club Bass. Short scale , super light, classic look and fun to play.

Blue

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[quote name='naxos10' timestamp='1502304250' post='3350595']
A short scale Harley Benton P bass is available in combination with a starter amp:

[url="https://www.thomann.de/gb/thomann_junior_bassset.htm?ref=prod_rel_172084_0"]https://www.thomann....od_rel_172084_0[/url]

Can recommend the bass as I've got one.
[/quote]

Got my lad a left handed one of these and had it made up as a Man City bass (don't ask - I hate football) and that's the one in my avatar.

Great little bass. He's 8.

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