The Short Scale Bass Appreciation Society!

[Stub Mandrel]

26 minutes ago, scrumpymike said:

This design is based on the Watkins Rapier that came out in the late '60s. My first bass was a pale blue one (also available in red) and I'd be all over one of these if the bridge wasn't so far from the bottom edge of the body. It just adds to the weight and negates the 'easy reach to the lower frets' benefit that many s-s basses offer. Even so, I'd still have a test run if I could find one locally.

 

I saw a 1960s Rapier for £700 in a Manchester music shop. Was lovely to look at and play. I nearly dropped the cash.

[Paul S]

On 01/07/2025 at 11:29, YellowLedBetterBass said:

Are there any short scale P Basses that actually sound like a P Bass out there? After Glasto this weekend and seeing so many people using them (especially Inhalers bassist who sounded fantastic with that Ampeg behind him), I really fancy a P bass.

 

Harley Benton Shorty does.  I bought one when they came out and it blew me away - I don't know how it is possible to make a bass that is so good for the price of a night out.  The tone, through my set-up, was very similar to the gorgeous woody tone of P bass in Santana's Europa.  Out of preference for a bit more bite I changed the stock pickup to a Tonerider and it is now awesome.  I have sold off most of my basses, including an MIJ Mustang, but keeping the HB Shorty for my Precision flavoured moments.

[mikebass456]

38 minutes ago, Paul S said:

Out of preference for a bit more bite I changed the stock pickup to a Tonerider

I've swapped out the pickups for Toneriders in a couple of my P basses - an immediate improvement in sound, and the cost of them makes it a complete no-brainer! 😎🤘🤘

[scrumpymike]

11 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said:

 

I saw a 1960s Rapier for £700 in a Manchester music shop. Was lovely to look at and play. I nearly dropped the cash.

There was a very nice red one up for sale on here a couple of years back. Probably should have bought it but didn't because I wanted the blue finish that I had. They were £33 new back then.

[RichT]

On 01/07/2025 at 11:29, YellowLedBetterBass said:

Are there any short scale P Basses that actually sound like a P Bass out there? 

 

I have a short scale Maruszczyk Jake 4P 30. Styled like a P with a slightly scaled down body, albeit with the pickup more in the Mustang position. It has the Haussel PB4 pickup and to my ears sounds like the kind of vintage P tones I hear on records - caveat being that I've never had a full scale P bass so can only compare with what I hear in recordings. 

 

Prices on them seem to have increased significantly recently though. I got mine only just over a year ago from Bass Direct for £1250. They have a couple in stock now and since then the prices have gone up to £1700! Honestly that seems rather steep. I'd recommend one at £1250. It's a much harder sell at £1700.

[martthebass]

On 01/07/2025 at 11:29, YellowLedBetterBass said:

Are there any short scale P Basses that actually sound like a P Bass out there? After Glasto this weekend and seeing so many people using them (especially Inhalers bassist who sounded fantastic with that Ampeg behind him), I really fancy a P bass.

There's always the Sandberg Lionel, I love mine though it's more of a modern P sound than an older school thump.  a number of users on here have swapped to EMG Geezers on their Lionels for a more vintage tone.

[Obrienp]

21 minutes ago, RichT said:

- caveat being that I've never had a full scale P bass so can only compare with what I hear in recordings. 

I’ve always found them disappointingly bright but I guess I have the James Jameson sound in my head. You might think that rolling off the tone would get there but then you can’t hear the top string at all. I always ended up throwing money at them to try to improve the tone and never got there. Shorties seem to provide that tone much more easily. However, that’s just IMO.

 

Agree about Maruszczyk prices; especially when you see what used examples sell for in the BC listings. I have an Elwood 4a 32” that I bought used and I could never afford to replace it with a new one now, if it got pinched.