Short/Med scale

bertie · March 2022

ok - so give me some pro's/cons on the various shorter scale lengths

its just for farting about at home / non-serious recording malarky so not really looking to spend much more than £200/£250

28.5
30
32

34 is out the window so dont even bother

thankee kindly

crunchman · March 2022

I've got a 32" 80s Squier P bass, and a cheapy 30" Ibanez. The 32" does seem to keep some of the punch that the shorter scale loses. It doesn't quite sound like a full fat P bass though. I don't know if that's just because of the scale length, or the fact that the body is slightly reduced in size.

I did have a 32" Ibanez Mezzo for a while, but I didn't like the active electronics.

munckee · March 2022

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 ;

bertie · March 2022

munckee said:

I recently bought a Gretsch junior jet bass, £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.

yeah - that's where Im "sitting"

I was tempted by a couple of Ibanez - but they're 28.5" - so "wondering" how much that impacts it, considering the "lack of things" I need it for

fretmeister · March 2022

The Ibanez Mezzo 32 inch scales are very nice and are within budget.

MagicPigDetective · March 2022

fretmeister said:

The Ibanez Mezzo 32 inch scales are very nice and are within budget.

They are, I have one. I'm just an occasional bass dabbler; it does the job nicely and is very easy to play.

CaseOfAce · March 2022

From another thread...

"Her daughter goes to, or I think possibly runs a jam night in Essex. Mate of mine and the bass player from his band were there, with his favoured short scale bass. Suzi (Quatro) turned up and was encouraged to sit in, picked up the bass and said "what pussy plays this"! "

bertie · March 2022

meow

wrinkleygit · March 2022

I have 34” 32” and 30”, even with shortish arthritic fingers, it’s 32” for me.

paulnb57 · March 2022

I have a slightly modded Squier Bronco, its great!

UnclePsychosis · April 2022

Overgeneralising somewhat deliberately.

30" is for when you want a thumpy shortscale sound.
32" is for when you want a "normal" sound but have stubby fingers.
28" is for when you should just buy a guitar.

Personally I like 32" the most, but there are bugger all 32" options out there. There's the Ibanez Mezzo and thats about it.

If I was spending £200, and 34" basses were out, then I'd buy a Mezzo. Much more versatile than a 30".

ICBM · April 2022

I've said this before I know, but the design and construction of the bass is much more important than the scale length.

For example, a Fender/Squier Mustang Bass sounds completely different from a Gibson/Epiphone EB-0, and they also feel quite different too - despite both being 30" scale. The Mustang feels and sounds much more like a slightly smaller Precision than it does like the EB.

Choose based on the type of sound you prefer - if you want to sound like Jack Bruce or Andy Fraser then an Epiphone EB is going to be the most suitable regardless of scale length. If you want to sound like Flea there's a short-scale OLP version of the Stingray available... and so on.

bertie · April 2022

ICBM said:

I've said this before I know, but the design and construction of the bass is much more important than the scale length.

not for someone who "physically" cannot manage a 34"

fretmeister · April 2022

bertie said:

ICBM said:

I've said this before I know, but the design and construction of the bass is much more important than the scale length.

not for someone who "physically" cannot manage a 34"

He means that a 30 scale bass can be built to sound like a regular 34.

The old 30=thuddy just isn’t true anymore.

ICBM · April 2022

fretmeister said:

bertie said:

not for someone who "physically" cannot manage a 34"

He means that a 30 scale bass can be built to sound like a regular 34.

The old 30=thuddy just isn’t true anymore.

Exactly - and it never really was. Like I said, a Mustang Bass isn't really a thuddy-sounding bass despite being a 30" scale - at least not if you use the right strings.

What I meant was that a scale length by itself doesn't have a sound, really - it's the other aspects of the design and construction of the bass which do. The scale length is only a small factor.

I'm still surprised you 'can't physically manage' a 34" - I'm 5'6" with small hands and I can. I find neck size a much more important factor in whether I can get on with a bass or not, and the geometry - for example, I find my Aria SB 34"-scale fretless effortless to play, but I struggle with a Gibson EB even with a fairly thin neck, because the whole thing is too far to the left.

bertie · April 2022

ICBM said:

I'm still surprised you 'can't physically manage' a 34" - I'm 5'6" with small hands and I can.

shoulder and elbow problems, TBH some days I struggle with a "25" guitar and have to play "spanish" stye or capo at the 2nd

ICBM · April 2022

bertie said:

shoulder and elbow problems, TBH some days I struggle with a "25" guitar and have to play "spanish" stye or capo at the 2nd

Ah, fair enough

.

When I broke my left elbow badly a few years ago I couldn't play my Rickenbacker (33.25" scale - yes, they just have to be different...!) properly for a while, so I used a Fender Mustang Bass for gigs.

Which is also how I know that short scale doesn't really mean a different sound. It did sound slightly different.... and I mean slightly. I can guarantee that no-one who wasn't on the stage noticed.

The Mustang is also very good for the left-arm-challenged as it's not only short scale, the neck is set very deeply into the body so it feels much shorter than even most other short-scales.

The Squier Bronco is also worth considering, it's the same body shape and although it's very cheaply-built in some ways, they usually sound pretty decent. A friend has one which is genuinely great, although they're not all quite that good...

fretmeister · April 2022

If you want to spend a little more...

https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/224845/for-sale-ibanez-mezzo-srmd200-medium-scale-32-inch-bass-with-massive-upgrades?new=1

bertie · April 2022

ICBM said:

bertie said:

shoulder and elbow problems, TBH some days I struggle with a "25" guitar and have to play "spanish" stye or capo at the 2nd

Ah, fair enough .

When I broke my left elbow badly a few years ago I couldn't play my Rickenbacker (33.25" scale - yes, they just have to be different...!) properly for a while, so I used a Fender Mustang Bass for gigs.

Which is also how I know that short scale doesn't really mean a different sound. It did sound slightly different.... and I mean slightly. I can guarantee that no-one who wasn't on the stage noticed.

The Mustang is also very good for the left-arm-challenged as it's not only short scale, the neck is set very deeply into the body so it feels much shorter than even most other short-scales.

The Squier Bronco is also worth considering, it's the same body shape and although it's very cheaply-built in some ways, they usually sound pretty decent. A friend has one which is genuinely great, although they're not all quite that good...

its actually induced by the "wrist" but its the tendons at the elbow that are the issue, I had them debrided/repaired about 18 months ago - and they're not "healing" well (yes even with physio Oli

)

so its the "mechanical playability" that is the #1 criteria, sound "not so" important - but obviously dont want something that sounds just like a down tuned "bottom E"

cosmetically, Id prefer something with a r/wood board............not more "not maple"

ICBM · April 2022

bertie said:

cosmetically, Id prefer something with a r/wood board............not more "not maple"

Do you mean "not Indian Laurel"?

I'd just get one and some rosewood stain, to be honest... once they're darkened a bit there's really not much difference compared to some of the nasty rosewood that's often used now.

If so then the Squier Classic Vibe Mustang should be within budget second hand.

bertie · April 2022

ICBM said:

bertie said:

cosmetically, Id prefer something with a r/wood board............not more "not maple"

Do you mean "not Indian Laurel"?

I'd just get one and some rosewood stain, to be honest... once they're darkened a bit there's really not much difference compared to some of the nasty rosewood that's often used now.

If so then the Squier Classic Vibe Mustang should be within budget second hand.

no, I just really dont like maple fretboards

ICBM · April 2022

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 · April 2022

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

fretmeister · April 2022

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 · April 2022

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 · April 2022

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 · April 2022

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 · April 2022

My shortscale

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

Image: https://scontent.fltn3-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/277771790_10159513846293726_9064504665420881896_n.jpg?_nc_cat=108&ccb=1-5&_nc_sid=730e14&_nc_ohc=hteDQivn-rsAX_ZcKTq&tn=DyBS0J7dhOvpfwAB&_nc_ht=scontent.fltn3-2.fna&oh=00_AT_MOmkxjz3KkEpOh55PIE6d2TyS6e2q6JigwdTERTSrwQ&oe=6254D70C

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 · April 2022

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 · April 2022

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 · April 2022

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.

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Short/Med scale

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