What Short Scale Basses Can You Recommend?

[Diminished Triad]

Re: What Short Scale Basses Can You Recommend?

Anyone ever hear/play/own a Hofner Violin bass guitar?
They also use 30 inch scales.....some relatively inexpensive on Ebay (not cheap though!). The higher end ones like the one used by McCartney run from over 2k to just under 4k on the net. Can get a decent used one, one of the lower end models, for maybe 300-750. Anyone ever play a Hofner?

[beaubrummels]

Re: What Short Scale Basses Can You Recommend?

Has anyone seen or tried the Fender Japan "Smart Size" Jazz Bass? The site says it's 85% scale.

http://www.fenderjapan.co.jp/jb62ss.html

[astrozombie]

Re: What Short Scale Basses Can You Recommend?

I'm kind of a short scale bass nut. I try to test out any models that come out, whenever I can find them locally. As far as recent/current Squier short scale basses, I have owned the Bronco and the Jaguar Short Scale. In my eyes, the Bronco is hands down the best bang for a buck in any new bass, not just short scale basses. It needs no modifications at all to be gigged. The tuners are the weakest link, and even they work fine in the end. They sound great, look great, play great, and are reliable. The Jaguar is cool too, but mine really sounded like garbage, and had some very rough finish work. The tuners and bridge are really bad quality parts. It required extensive mods to make it into what I'd consider a gig-worthy/reliable bass.

A friend has a silver Jaguar... It was... uninspiring.

[astrozombie]

Re: What Short Scale Basses Can You Recommend?

Maybe my ears are going (it's likely) but I've played 1 or 2 shortscale basses in my time and never noticed them out of tune... except I wasn't playing along with anything else so, who knows.

What does the Bronco SOUND like though? I notice it has 1 single coil.

Does it get good output provided the pickup is set at a "proper" height?

I like the Hofner Violin but it's a little out of my price range considering this is isn't a bass that's going to get a ton of daily use.

[Jeremiah]

Re: What Short Scale Basses Can You Recommend?

erm... not so much...

How wide do your fingers have to be to cover all those strings? I've played an 8-string bass and found it took a lot more accuracy with the fretting hand to fret both strings evenly, I think if I tried on one of those I'd just have to make a bar across the whole neck.

[Simon_F]

Re: What Short Scale Basses Can You Recommend?

It's a shame the Epiphone EB-3 is long scale only. I've long had a hankering after a short-scale EB-3 as used in the early 70s by the likes of Andy Fraser and Pete Agnew. (I was going to add Dennis Dunaway but I think his was an EB-0 with an added Fender pickup). The Epi EB-0 is short scale but I'd like two pickups. I'll just have to hunt down an old Gibson when I win the lottery.

Re: What Short Scale Basses Can You Recommend?

That out of tuneness is part of the short scale sound.

One of my favourite out of tune bass sounds is, in fact, a long scale instrument - the double bass on the Van Morrison album, Astral Weeks.

[crusty philtrum]

Re: What Short Scale Basses Can You Recommend?

Any time i've ever played a short-scale bass or guitar, they always sound out-of-tune somewhere on the fretboard, even when properly (or at least as good as can be achieved) intonated.

However, once again i'm probably in a tiny minority as it doesn't seem to be mentioned much by anyone else. But such have been my experiences.

[ItsaBass]

Re: What Short Scale Basses Can You Recommend?

I'm kind of a short scale bass nut. I try to test out any models that come out, whenever I can find them locally. As far as recent/current Squier short scale basses, I have owned the Bronco and the Jaguar Short Scale. In my eyes, the Bronco is hands down the best bang for a buck in any new bass, not just short scale basses. It needs no modifications at all to be gigged. The tuners are the weakest link, and even they work fine in the end. They sound great, look great, play great, and are reliable. The Jaguar is cool too, but mine really sounded like garbage, and had some very rough finish work. The tuners and bridge are really bad quality parts. It required extensive mods to make it into what I'd consider a gig-worthy/reliable bass.

[astrozombie]

Re: What Short Scale Basses Can You Recommend?

cmon whats another 4 inches any ways
it only hurts to begin with

sigged

[astrozombie]

Re: What Short Scale Basses Can You Recommend?

I refer to the "violin" model hofner.

Small size, nice tone.

I'm still on the hunt though... I've seen her play my P-bass and by the looks of it a shorter neck would be good.

I don't want basses that are black or really "rock" looking, it's a woman and she's not playingin Megadeth.

[post toastie]

Re: What Short Scale Basses Can You Recommend?

Peavey.

Ibanez.

Re: What Short Scale Basses Can You Recommend?

I'm thinking mustang (or bronco) bass is the way to go.

Only current Broncos are Squiers. Not the same series as the VM Mustangs so the material is worse. A lot worse. I couldn't compare both side by side but I think the wood on the Bronco is even thinner.

Just get the VM Mustang or the Mikey Way version, I think they are less than a 100$ more than the Bronco but worth it.

[Bass_Medic_05]

Re: What Short Scale Basses Can You Recommend?

$300 you are limited to only a few new basses, but maybe a used model. Fender Musicmasters are usually more then $300, so maybe a Squire, Epiphone, DiPinto? Good luck!
Try Guitar Centers Used gear you should get some hits

Re: What Short Scale Basses Can You Recommend?

I assume that you refer to the "violin" bass associated with Paul McCartney. Some of the Club and Verithin models are actually a bit of a handful.