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Scale Length - Overall Length


Frank Blank
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Despite having played bass for (I think) around forty odd years I had, until very recently, not played a Fender Precision although I have had plenty of chances to do so since being on BC. I hadn’t bothered because I assumed that the scale length would be 34” and my Godin A4 has a 34” scale length and the headstock is, frankly, in the distance and subsequently gives me shoulder gyp. However, my bass tutor has a couple of Precisions so I tried his 1971. I was confused, it was lovely but surprisingly short compared with my Godin, short enough to be very comfortable indeed but I think it has a 34” scale. So, my question is (and forgive my utter technical ignorance) just because a bass has a certain scale length, that scale length does not necessarily mean the bass has to be a specific overall length? (As I’m reading this back it’s sounding increasingly stupid). I cannot see an ‘overall length’ spec on the Fender site, is this not something usually taken into consideration? Or am I just missing something really obvious? Naturally I would not buy a bass without trying it but if I measured that 71 Precision I could then compare that overall length with that of other basses in order to at least narrow the field of try outs.

Edited by Frank Blank
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The length is really just down to where the bridge is and a little of how big the headstocks are. That is why thunderbirds are so long, they have huge headstocks and the bridge is half a mile up the body.

Pretty well all Ps would, I assume, be the same length.

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What makes the Godin feel longer is the position of the top strap button which is opposite frets 14-15 (compared with fret 12 on a P bass) and the position of the bridge which is some distance in from the end pin (on a P the bridge is closer to the end pin). The effect of both of these is that the neck sticks out further from the  body and from the top strap button. The resulting hanging position on a strap means you have to reach further for the low frets. 

Edited by ikay
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5 minutes ago, ikay said:

What makes the Godin feel longer is the position of the top strap button which is opposite frets 14-15 (compared with fret 12 on a P bass) and the position of the bridge which is some distance in from the end pin (on a P the bridge is closer to the end pin). The effect of both of these is that the neck sticks out further from the  body and the top strap button. The resulting hanging position on a strap means you have to reach further for the low frets. 

I play seated without a strap but yes, the bridge is much further from the end pin on the Godin than on the P. Typical me, just looking at specs rather than at the actual bass!

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Try playing a Warwick Thumb and it feels you are reaching out for miles to get to the first position. Yet it has the exact same  34" scale length as your Godin and a Fender P. All due to tiny body.

11347767_800.jpg

Edited by Clarky
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I had the same BFBO moment when I first played my cheapo eBay purchase Marlin (P style),  Both my EB3 and my 335 shape basses were a big stretch, and became uncomfortable to my back and shoulder after a while, but the Marlin's bridge and strap button positions meant it sits several inches further right, bringing the headstock much closer in for a more comfortable playing position.

Trouble is, I prefer the other two!

Edited by Baxlin
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2 hours ago, Baxlin said:

I had the same BFBO moment when I first played my cheapo eBay purchase Marlin (P style),  Both my EB3 and my 335 shape basses were a big stretch, and became uncomfortable to my back and shoulder after a while, but the Marlin's bridge and strap button positions meant it sits several inches further right, bringing the headstock much closer in for a more comfortable playing position.

Trouble is, I prefer the other two!

Similar thing with me and a Hohner B2A (Steinberger style). Loved the bass, but just couldn’t get on with the reach for the lower frets when standing. At first thought this was some trick due to it’s headless design, but then realised it was the small body/strap button position which made it so uncomfortable to play. Of course, soon after I sold it I discovered (on here) that there were some aftermarket strap button extenders available to remedy this very problem. 😡

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8 hours ago, Clarky said:

Try playing a Warwick Thumb and it feels you are reaching out for miles to get to the first position. Yet it has the exact same  34" scale length as your Godin and a Fender P. All due to tiny body.

11347767_800.jpg

Your tiny body?

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