The Short Scale Bass Appreciation Society!

[Obrienp]

 

[Pea Turgh]

🤞🏻

[Chienmortbb]

21 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said:

 

Jaguar SS are a bit special though 🤩

I thought Jaguars were 32” scale length?

[Obrienp]

27 minutes ago, Chienmortbb said:

I thought Jaguars were 32” scale length?

About 10 years ago there was a run of short scale P/J Squiers. They are very good basses. I regret selling mine. They do suffer from neck dive but not as bad as the medium scale humbucker versions.

[Stub Mandrel]

33 minutes ago, Chienmortbb said:

I thought Jaguars were 32” scale length?

 

The Affinity is 32", but the legendary Squier Vintage Modified Short Scale is definitely 30".

[JJMotown]

1 hour ago, Stub Mandrel said:

 

The Affinity is 32", but the legendary Squier Vintage Modified Short Scale is definitely 30".

There's a CV which is also 32inch.

[Obrienp]

1 hour ago, Stub Mandrel said:

 

The Affinity is 32", but the legendary Squier Vintage Modified Short Scale is definitely 30".

And it’s a very good bass.

[JellyKnees]

I have finally joined the club, and now own a short scale bass for the first time since 1984, when I sold my off-white Fender Musicmaster for £50... if only I knew!

 

Ongoing lower back issues have forced me to consider something light and less strenuous to play, especially for long band rehearsals, so after much research and trying out a couple of basses from the fairly limited options available to me locally, I ended up ordering a Reverend Sentinel in Black from Merchant City Music in Glasgow.

 

I'm very happy with my purchase, the sound is tight and punchy, the quality of the bass and the components is excellent and I love the 50s retro look of it - to my eyes it is much better proportioned than a lot of short scales seem to be, which I think is mainly down to the head stock size. Great value for the money, and I'm sure it will give me years of excellent service. I'd highly recommend it to anyone who hasn't tried one. 

 

Here's me with my old Fender back in the day...

[scrumpymike]

16 minutes ago, JellyKnees said:

I have finally joined the club, and now own a short scale bass for the first time since 1984, when I sold my off-white Fender Musicmaster for £50... if only I knew!

 

Ongoing lower back issues have forced me to consider something light and less strenuous to play, especially for long band rehearsals, so after much research and trying out a couple of basses from the fairly limited options available to me locally, I ended up ordering a Reverend Sentinel in Black from Merchant City Music in Glasgow.

 

I'm very happy with my purchase, the sound is tight and punchy, the quality of the bass and the components is excellent and I love the 50s retro look of it - to my eyes it is much better proportioned than a lot of short scales seem to be, which I think is mainly down to the head stock size. Great value for the money, and I'm sure it will give me years of excellent service. I'd highly recommend it to anyone who hasn't tried one. 

 

Here's me with my old Fender back in the day...

Great pic!! Wonder if the bass has survived as you obviously have.

[JellyKnees]

2 minutes ago, scrumpymike said:

Great pic!! Wonder if the bass has survived as you obviously have.

 

Who knows! I have wondered what happened to it though... It was my entry to the world of bass and I'm still trying to master it some 40 years later!!

[scrumpymike]

Just now, JellyKnees said:

 

Who knows! I have wondered what happened to it though... It was my entry to the world of bass and I'm still trying to master it some 40 years later!!

Me too. It's a never-ending journey!

 

My first bass was a new short-scale Watkins Rapier in pale blue like the one pictured below. At the time I didn't even know there were different scale lengths available. Just got it because it was the only thing in our local guitar shop that I could afford. Paid £31 IIRC.

 

If a used one of these came up I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

Watkins Rapier bass 1965.avif

[JellyKnees]

23 minutes ago, scrumpymike said:

Me too. It's a never-ending journey!

 

My first bass was a new short-scale Watkins Rapier in pale blue like the one pictured below. At the time I didn't even know there were different scale lengths available. Just got it because it was the only thing in our local guitar shop that I could afford. Paid £31 IIRC.

 

If a used one of these came up I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

Watkins Rapier bass 1965.avifUnavailable

It certainly is, there's always more to learn, which is the joy of it.

 

Pretty much the same story as me, the musicmaster was all I could afford, and I don't think I was particularly aware of scale lengths either! 

 

Can't see your photo unfortunately, but I googled them and they look pretty cool!

[Woodinblack]

Maybe this was yours a few years ago?

https://auctions.gardinerhoulgate.co.uk/catalogue/lot/a9f986cf25c045e44fe1c6a5bcf21298/63b778f7668dabe928d3800924a99077/the-guitar-auction-four-day-sale-including-guitars-e-lot-364/

 

[scrumpymike]

3 hours ago, JellyKnees said:

It certainly is, there's always more to learn, which is the joy of it.

 

Pretty much the same story as me, the musicmaster was all I could afford, and I don't think I was particularly aware of scale lengths either! 

 

Can't see your photo unfortunately, but I googled them and they look pretty cool!

Doh! Just realised it says only available on my device.

[scrumpymike]

2 hours ago, Woodinblack said:

Maybe this was yours a few years ago?

https://auctions.gardinerhoulgate.co.uk/catalogue/lot/a9f986cf25c045e44fe1c6a5bcf21298/63b778f7668dabe928d3800924a99077/the-guitar-auction-four-day-sale-including-guitars-e-lot-364/

 

Certainly looks like mine 🙂 

[Obrienp]

2 hours ago, scrumpymike said:

Certainly looks like mine 🙂 

Cool looking bass! One you would actually want to own and play.

 

Mine was a short scale Vox. I think it was called a Clubman or similar. It had two surfy looking chrome covered pickups and an ashtray bridge cover. It got off loaded onto me by a school friend who had decided he wanted to play drums instead. I had not idea about scale lengths, truss rods, or intonation. I remember it being horrendously out most of the time but I had no idea how to fix it. After leaving that school band, I didn’t touch a bass again until I was in my 60s, the experience was so traumatic. I definitely would not want to buy that bass back! 
 

 

[Count Bassie]

42 minutes ago, Obrienp said:

Cool looking bass! One you would actually want to own and play.

 

Mine was a short scale Vox. I think it was called a Clubman or similar. It had two surfy looking chrome covered pickups and an ashtray bridge cover. It got off loaded onto me by a school friend who had decided he wanted to play drums instead. I had not idea about scale lengths, truss rods, or intonation. I remember it being horrendously out most of the time but I had no idea how to fix it. After leaving that school band, I didn’t touch a bass again until I was in my 60s, the experience was so traumatic. I definitely would not want to buy that bass back! 
 

 

Glad you made it back around!

[GeeCee]

On 02/12/2025 at 15:31, scrumpymike said:

Thanks for the good thought but I'm definitely going to pass on this one.

It's genuine, I know the guy who had it made (for his daughter, I believe).  There are half-a dozen short scale JDs out there.  This is one of the more plain ones.  It's a Roadie II, passive and was originally cherry red.  The short scale design is referred to as a series IV.

PS. Roadies are part of the Supernatural range of basses too.

Edited Monday at 04:15 by GeeCee

[GeeCee]

Here is a fancy series IV Jaydee:

 

[Obrienp]

5 hours ago, GeeCee said:

Here is a fancy series IV Jaydee:

 

No good for someone like me: if you are going to draw that much attention to yourself, you’ve got to be a very good player!

[Muzz]

Au contraire; I used to go to a jam night where a chap would turn up with a fully Xmas Lighted Status to plod some serious straight 8s all evening - you just have to have the confidence... 😀

[Woodinblack]

1 hour ago, Obrienp said:

No good for someone like me: if you are going to draw that much attention to yourself, you’ve got to be a very good player!

 

Absolutely not, noone listens to the bass anyway, you just need to put on a show!

[fretmeister]

4 hours ago, Obrienp said:

No good for someone like me: if you are going to draw that much attention to yourself, you’ve got to be a very good player!

 

I'd play it.... because I'm delusional! 

[Linus27]

Hey everyone,

My 17 year old daughter has decided that she wants to learn to play bass. This obviously excites me as my son already plays Jazz piano and so I am very happy she has chosen bass. She does however have short arms as we've discovered from 5 years of karting and needing a variety of seat inserts. So a short scale is on the cards. Before justifying my man maths and going head first into either a Japanese Fender Mustang or a JMJ Mustang, I'm considering a starter bass for her. My choices are,

 

Squier Bronco

Harley Benton Mustang Copy

Squier Classic Vibe Mustang

 

Each one has differing price ranges so just asking for thoughts and opinions and any clear winners. Thanks in advance.