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Short scale bass question


lowlandtrees
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I love short scale basses, I have a short scale bass with 45 - 105 string gauge and whilst the strings are slightly looser, the tone to my ears is richer and warmer on the bottom end and sweeter at the top end than a 34" scale bass. I haven't personally found any disadvantage tonally of a short scale bass.

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[quote name='martthebass' timestamp='1507302860' post='3384647']
Can only comment on my Squier Mustang but, in general:

1. The tone is less bright and 'thumpier' - like a P bass on half tone? I like it FWIW
2. String tension is lower
3. String spacing is tighter (think this is a Mustang thing)
[/quote]

This, mainly. I have a MIJ Mustang, and there is a surprising amount of top available from it, so much so that I often dial the tone back to bout 30%, much as I do with a Precision, for that Motown sound. I think of the Mustang as the Precision's snotty punk kid brother.

The shorter scale and narrow neck make a gig feel almost like a night off!

Edited by JapanAxe
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While I love playing short scale basses, lighter, faster, great tone, as I play pretty hard, the E always seems floppy and goes sharp when hit, sorry plucked, and comes back in tune a second or so later. It you play lighter than I do then it will be fine.

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I've got flats on my Short Scale, whereas I've got rounds on my long scale basses (apart from flats on my fretless Jazz - though these are low tension LaBellas)
So I don't really feel the strings on the SS are floppier - in fact, they're higher tension than any of my full scale bass strings

The SS is a P/J - and I have to say, it does the "thump" sound pretty well
For me, swapping to & from it does cause a little issue with left hand positioning / fretting - as I can overshoot / over-stretch if I'm not very careful
It shouldn't really be a problem - but I am also swapping from bass guitar to DB as well.... so maybe that's part of my problem?

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My first "proper" (i.e. half decent / playable) bass was a Fender Musicmaster. That bass did lack a bit of bottom end
Although it has been said that this was due to the fact that Musicmasters used guitar pickups back then...

I once played at an open mic where another bassist had a Squier Jaguar Short scale, with P/J pickups that had been upgraded
That sounded great, and definitely didn't seem to lack any thump

Edited by Marc S
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[quote name='Marc S' timestamp='1507802386' post='3388013']

For me, swapping to & from it does cause a little issue with left hand positioning / fretting - as I can overshoot / over-stretch if I'm not very careful
It shouldn't really be a problem - but I am also swapping from bass guitar to DB as well.... so maybe that's part of my problem?
[/quote]

This is my main problem: switching from my 30" scale to the 34" during a gig is irritating because of the adjustment required.

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Spector make awesome SS Basses - I have a CTB - it is a wonderful instrument.

For the P bass sound - the Mexican Mustang PJ is a great instrument although I'm not wild about the 'J' PU (this is a personal taste thing across all PJ instruments)

To my surprise I've found that I don't have issues switching from 30" to 34" scale.

Others have said it, but there aren't any real downsides.

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