Short Scale Basses - now NBD

dindude

I think I'm gonna be in the market soon for a very cheap bass just to lay down some lines when recording (which is just home noodlin stuff really). As my man-cave hasn't room to swing a cat and as I'm a guitarist through and through, I was thinking of a short scale - prob a 30".

What do they sound like though, I.e. What is the compromise in tone for having something easier to play and swing around?

I'd probably be looking at the Ibanez Talman shortscale or the new Squier Jag bass shortscale.

Any experiences appreciated, this bass lark has me out of my depth!

Bridgehouse

Short scales do have a distinctly different tone. They can have less sustain and be more 'plunky' for want of a better word.

To be honest, I don't think the scale length difference will really help. If you are worried about the feel of it as a primarily guitar based player, then I would suggest low tension strings on a full scale. The neck width and feel will make more of a difference as a guitarist.

Depends on the sound you are after. Want that classic bass thump? Get a Precision. Want something more rounded and defined - like a Motown or funk sort of sound? Get a Jazz. Or you could get a PJ which is a bit of both. 

I would go with a Squier Affinity or something in that range - or maybe one of the Yamaha lower range ones - all great basses. The Squiers tend to have thinner necks which you will appreciate more. 

Or or you could strike up a friendship with a friendly bass player and get them to put lines down to your noodling - bass players are often on the lookout for projects they can do at home to play along with!

dindude

Thanks. TBH, the tension doesn't bother me, more about the shear size of the thing and how far the neck extends. However, I def don't want plinky plonky, want a nice solid low, prob closest to the P sound.

Maybe a full scale P type but with a slightly smaller body would do the trick.

Sporky

Bridgehouse said:

Depends on the sound you are after. Want that classic bass thump? Get a Precision. Want something more rounded and defined - like a Motown or funk sort of sound? Get a Jazz. Or you could get a PJ which is a bit of both.

Don't listen to this.

Buy a Stingray.

It might as well be the only bass, because it's the best bass by such an enormous margin.

JezWynd

The shorter length results in a sound that is slightly reminiscent of a double bass, something to do with the reduced string tension and overtones. In a live setting you probably wouldn't notice a difference but when recording the subtle differences are more likely to show. It's a while since I played a long scale, but the short scale has a sound that centres more fully on the fundamental with less overtones. I play a short scale bass exclusively these days, any slight reduction in sound is more than compensated for in the ease and fluidity of play I'm able acheive.

Bridgehouse

Sporky said:

Bridgehouse said:

Depends on the sound you are after. Want that classic bass thump? Get a Precision. Want something more rounded and defined - like a Motown or funk sort of sound? Get a Jazz. Or you could get a PJ which is a bit of both.

Don't listen to this.

Buy a Stingray.

It might as well be the only bass, because it's the best bass by such an enormous margin.

Yeah, that's true. If you want to sound like you are stuck in the 80s.

Otherwise, get a P

ICBM

Bridgehouse said:

Short scales do have a distinctly different tone. They can have less sustain and be more 'plunky' for want of a better word.

JezWynd said:

The shorter length results in a sound that is slightly reminiscent of a double bass, something to do with the reduced string tension and overtones.

The Fender Pawnshop Mustang Bass is nothing like any of that - it's an absolutely massive, full sound - quite like a P-Bass, but thicker. So much so that with the stock pickup wiring it's almost overpoweringly so - I rewired mine from series to parallel, which opened up the tone a lot and reduced the volume a bit, which isn't a bad thing as it's quite mental otherwise .

Granted they are not cheap for a 'student' short-scale bass, but they really are good. Now if I could only remember where mine is… I think I last saw it disappearing into my daughter's bedroom...

dindude

Well well, this isn't helping at all. If you could all form one consensus please!

What I do know is this shortscale Jag bass looks cool as, and as I'm spending teenage money on one, there's nought wrong in using teenage principles to choose...

http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/n505/dindude/IMG_1535_zpsfyp6ncsr.jpg

Bridgehouse

Meh. Get a man size full scale. 






I may or may may or may not be considering a junior girly student short scale musicmaster for my collection... ahem

ICBM

dindude said:

What I do know is this shortscale Jag bass looks cool as, and as I'm spending teenage money on one, there's nought wrong in using teenage principles to choose...

http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/n505/dindude/IMG_1535_zpsfyp6ncsr.jpg

Those are good too. With a lot of the Squiers the stock strings are poor though, so factor a set of good quality ones in with the price before you start.

Bridgehouse

ICBM said:

dindude said:

What I do know is this shortscale Jag bass looks cool as, and as I'm spending teenage money on one, there's nought wrong in using teenage principles to choose...

http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/n505/dindude/IMG_1535_zpsfyp6ncsr.jpg

Those are good too. With a lot of the Squiers the stock strings are poor though, so factor a set of good quality ones in with the price before you start.

And don't fall off your chair when you see how much a good set of bass string cost. I bought a cheap set of la Bella low tensions - and they were £35

ICBM

Bridgehouse said:
And don't fall off your chair when you see how much a good set of bass string cost. I bought a cheap set of la Bella low tensions - and they were £35

On the bright side, I don't remember when the last time I changed a set of bass strings because they were worn out was… several years ago anyway, and it was because they were Rotosound Swing Bass, which I'm not a fan of really - their cheap 'Roto Bass' ones are actually better in my opinion.

DRs seem to last for ever. Before I got my Rickenbacker I think I changed basses more often than strings .

EricTheWeary

Because short scale basses sound a bit tubbier or fatter they don't work as well for some styles but unless you are intending to be the next Mark King it might not be an issue. 
If you are thinking teenage what about the Gretsch short scale basses? You can pretend to be in Royal Blood. 

thermionic

I bought a used bass about a year ago... took the strings off my old bass and put them on the new one!

My bass playing sounds pretty much like the OPs, but never found a full scale bass to be a problem (although I don't think I've played a short scale bass since my bandmate's Kay in the 80s...)

Teyeplayer

Had a wicked short scale ebo copy back in the nineties, I wish I knew what it was as it was unbranded on the headstock. Picked it up for £60 never once changed the strings on it, gigged it, toured it and sold it to a mate who wanted to learn to play bass. I've always whished I hadn't as the rumble and thump on that thing was awesome. Find a good short scale and I reckon you can't go far wrong.

pintspiller

I used to use a Harley Benton shortscale. It's ok, but I prefer my Squier Jazz to be honest.

Bridgehouse

I think the quality of cheap basses is phenomenal - much better than cheap guitars.

There are some real 80s and 90s bargains to be had out there. Take Peavey - less than £400 for high quality USA made kit

pintspiller

Carol Kaye recommends Ibanez guitars and basses.

Paul_C

My Squier jag bass is still for sale . . .

It's red, not black, and currently has 30-90 Rotosound strings on (I've still got the original strings here somewhere) barely been played and sounds pretty good.

dindude

Paul_C said:

My Squier jag bass is still for sale . . .

Priced higher than a new one and with no photos, I reckon it will still for sale for a while too...

Paul_C

dindude said:

Paul_C said:

My Squier jag bass is still for sale . . .

Priced higher than a new one and with no photos, I reckon it will still for sale for a while too...

I confess I'm not aware of current prices (or what I was asking for in my post, TBH), so asking for a "best price inc.shipping" might have helped had you been interested - and if you really need a couple of pics taken on a phone which tell you nothing much other than it exists then ask for some