Short Scale Basses Compared: Mustang, Stingray, Jaguar, Talman

[Mr. B]

Coming to bass from guitar a couple of years ago, I have been amazed how much difference a good set of strings make. It matters on guitar to some extent too, but it can completely make or break a bass' tone. I don't know what they put on basses from the factory, but they always sound dead and lifeless to me even new out of the box. I yank them asap. That is one of the reasons I hate judging a guitar/bass's tone in the store. You really just don't know til you get it set up to specs with good strings on it.

[alex1fly]

Coming to bass from guitar a couple of years ago, I have been amazed how much difference a good set of strings make. It matters on guitar to some extent too, but it can completely make or break a bass' tone. I don't know what they put on basses from the factory, but they always sound dead and lifeless to me even new out of the box. I yank them asap. That is one of the reasons I hate judging a guitar/bass's tone in the store. You really just don't know til you get it set up to specs with good strings on it.

Very good point. And unlike guitar, dead strings on a bass can be a good thing - if they're dead in the right ways! I've copied the old funk cats and soaked a couple sets of strings in various goops to deaden them quickly. Worked great. Still playing those sets now 3-4 years later but it really shaved off the first 6 months worth of deadening so I was able to get *that sound* pretty much immediately. Thuddy as can be. Unscented lotion was the cleanest and least gross goop, just lather up the strings and let them sit for a few days. The goop fills in the gaps in the windings and mimics several months worth of finger and skin oil getting in there.

[Erlend_G]

^^ lol alex1fly, imagine Youtube Glenn (angry canadian metal guy) reading your post. xD \m/ ♪

[Erlend_G]

I used to own an Epiphone EB-0 . It was an awesome instrument...

.I planned on modding it with a heavier bridge, and adding a bridge PU. But unfortunately i lost it in 2018, in "my" house fire..

These days I don't own a fretted bass; but if I'm going to get one, it's gonna be a hollow/semihollow short scale fretted .

-E

[Mr. B]

Made a video series out of the info I posted.

[Mr. B]

[DCikes88]

Informative videos, thanks for this!

These forum folk here would have you put a quarter-pounder in just about anything. A vintage bass, a short scale bass, a bass uke... Even in a cinnabon.
And they'd watch you chew on them slugs and ask derangedly:
arrrre ya likin da thump? Thems sum tasty trebles right? Gdarn I luvs me sum QP sizzle!

[Mr. B]

Yeah, I tried the Quarter Pound PJ Set in a full size Jaguar Bass and short scale Jaguar bass, and Mustang Bass, and I felt like it was a little too over the top and scooped sounding in all of them. I have the Seymour Duncan Vintage P and Vintage J in both of them now and am much more satisfied with the pickup balance and tone.

[DCikes88]

Yeah, I'm not dissing the pickup, and especially not this forums experience and recommendations regarding the QP. It's certainly a great pickup and this community knows it's stuff alright.

I was just after a very true vintage P-sound and I feel the QP is a bit too much for that, and with the Fender vintage P available, I couldn't justify spending more on an antiquity, or even the spb1, which I both loved.

When I require more versatility from my (first and only) bass, it'll get routed for an additional pickup.

[Mr. B]

I actually liked those "Duncan Designed" P/J pickups that came in the Squier Vintage Modified Jaguar bass for a while. I thought they sounded pretty good.