Short/Med scale

ICBM

bertie said:

no,  I just really dont like maple fretboards   

Aha .

In that case...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185344595971

This one is probably a bit optimistically priced, but it at least serves to illustrate what I mean about the neck position - notice that the strap button is parallel with the 12th fret, or even a tiny bit beyond it - most other short-scale basses have the neck further out of the body. This makes the Mustang feel very compact and reduces the wrist rotation at the far end problem, which I had after my elbow operation too.

Sadly the Bronco only comes with a maple board as far as I can tell.

Funkfingers

Is it the wood or the varnish to which you object? Rickenbacker 4001/4003 has a rosewood 'board smothered in clear varnish.

fretmeister

No idea if these are any good - but it's cheap, and it's a 30 inch scale.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/guitarexchange/permalink/5056494714430122/?sale_post_id=5056494714430122

AustrianJohn

I have mild arthritis and struggle playing full size bass. I bought a short scale acustic bass to play at home but now use it live - easy to play and sounds great https://www.thomann.de/intl/ibanez_pnb14e_opn_acoustic_bass.htm

A friend has this, and it is also easy to play https://www.thomann.de/intl/jackson_js1x_concert_minion_satin_blk.htm

Short scale basses still sound like basses - I don't really understand why most bass guitars are long scale. I'm sure there's a reason, but not obvious to me 

Funkfingers

The 34" scale of the first Fender electric bass guitar is a compromise between the 25.5" of his electric Spanish solidbody guitar and the 40" of an orchestral contrabass.

bertie

Funkfingers said:

Is it the wood or the varnish to which you object? Rickenbacker 4001/4003 has a rosewood 'board smothered in clear varnish.

purely (shallowly) cosmetic however, pending vet bill delays purchase.............. Winnie's off to the vet later........ may require x-ray


thank you for everyone's input  

fretmeister

My shortscale

It's actually an SX but they didn't have a UK dealer so they were rebadged.




30 inch scale, jazz profile neck. Roto flatwounds.

As it happens this shorty is a thumpy thing - but that's what Roto Monel flats do when they've bedded in.

It's only 7.5lb but at some point I'll do my usual thing and put a set of Hipshot Ultralite tuners on it. The tuners will be more expensive than the bass!

davros

I bought an Ibanez Mikro 28.6" scale bass "for my son". It's bloody brilliant, about the same size as a guitar albeit the bridge is further back on the body. Fits in a guitar gig bag.

Sounds great and super easy and fun to play with my stubby fingers.

p90fool

I have a left hand injury which means I struggle with normal basses these day, so I bought one of these and it's bloody brilliant.

https://www.thomann.de/gb/ibanez_tmb30_mgr_talman_short_scale.htm

My bass background is mainly vintage Fender and Wal, but this is the most fun I've had on bass for years. It has excellent depth and twang, and is nothing like the thud normally associated with short scales.  

fretmeister

munckee said:

I recently bought a Gretsch junior jet bass (for munckee jr), £310 brand new I think, light, 30 inch scale and sounds like a bass and plays well.  I'm not a proper bassist but for messing about with is perfect for the job.

https://i.imgur.com/Kt6omgm.jpg ;

Fender / Gretsch fraud on the description....




10 years of the wrong information.

fretmeister

I think I need a Sandberg shorty.

https://youtu.be/0USwr08v8f4

crunchman

p90fool said:

I have a left hand injury which means I struggle with normal basses these day, so I bought one of these and it's bloody brilliant.

https://www.thomann.de/gb/ibanez_tmb30_mgr_talman_short_scale.htm

My bass background is mainly vintage Fender and Wal, but this is the most fun I've had on bass for years. It has excellent depth and twang, and is nothing like the thud normally associated with short scales.  

I've got one of those (in black).  I was going to sell it when I bought my 32" eighties Squier, but my daughter has decided she wants to learn bass, and wants to make use of it.

It is a good bass.  I'm not sure there is a huge difference between that and a Mustang that costs three times as much.

lucky

I bought an old 30" on a whim a few years back and expected it to be just a bit of fun but not something that would compete soundwise with my 34"s. Jokes on me as it's basically put them out of business and left me questioning why I have them any more... In terms of sound and contruction my shorty is similar to my pbass and i'm pretty sure the only person that could realllllly tell the difference blindfold is me after literally A/B-ing them. 

The only thing I would say is if you use lower than standard tunings then go for the longest scale length you can manage IMO as my shorty has much more fretboard rattle when downtuned. Or plan for it and get fatter strings 

PAL

Any inexpensive bass won't sound as good as the real deal but if it's recording then it can work.
 I've tried many of them and settled on a Fender JMJ bass short scale with flat wound strings Seymour Duncan pickups sound and plays great.