Short Scale Bass Options
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- vojtasTS29
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- bluzdoctor
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- henkstroem
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I teach bass so I have several/have encountered even more smaller size basses. Quick lowdown with automobile equivalents for some perspective:
Squier Bronco "The Jeep"
Simple, does the job, takes a great deal of violence before it breaks. Strat pickup works shockingly well. Only downside is that the tuners are of quite low quality. The hold tune like most tuners, but tend to get damaged quite easy.
Epiphone eb-0 "The Rollswagen"
Crazy plastic kit version of a classic luxury car that is kinda cool in a national lampoon kinda way. Good for some stuff, definitely not all. Bridge is crap on these for student use, multiple issues. Ive had a gibson eb-3 for years and am used to and even like the bridge model but it is not great when in a $150 bass. Pickup is a weird very lo-middy tone, nice tuners. Neck will break when dropped. Horroble sticky black nut.
Höfner Club Bass C-series "The Alfa Romeo"
Sleek looks, nice finish, great sounds, but it really likes the shop better than your garage. This will explode to a million pieces when dropped. Tuners are from a classical guitar. A fender p-bass user will be scared to break stuff all the time. On the other hand it sounds amazing for a $300 piece of plywood. Also worth its price for the great pick tones alone. Not for the student, though.
Gretsch Junior Jet "The Ford Mustang"
It ain't a Ferrari for sure, but reliable family car technology with a big engine is kinda awesome too. This is basically a single pickup Höfner Club with a solid body and bolt-on hardware. P bass bridge, small schaller style tuners. Nice pickup and electronics. It's got its own thing going on, still not a mental own thing like eb-0. Kinda posh looking compared to the Bronco but just as, or even more sturdy.
Theres a few. Emphasis on classroom use, as that is where I mostly use these. I have one each, Höfner for personal use and the rest in schools. For reliability, I would choose the Gretsch. For cool pick sounds and gadget-factor Höfner. For Gibson bass sounds, a Gibson. Strapped of cash the Bronco.
In an ideal world daphne blue Musicmasters for students and a really well worn LPB Mustang Bass for myself.
Squier Bronco "The Jeep"
Simple, does the job, takes a great deal of violence before it breaks. Strat pickup works shockingly well. Only downside is that the tuners are of quite low quality. The hold tune like most tuners, but tend to get damaged quite easy.
Epiphone eb-0 "The Rollswagen"
Crazy plastic kit version of a classic luxury car that is kinda cool in a national lampoon kinda way. Good for some stuff, definitely not all. Bridge is crap on these for student use, multiple issues. Ive had a gibson eb-3 for years and am used to and even like the bridge model but it is not great when in a $150 bass. Pickup is a weird very lo-middy tone, nice tuners. Neck will break when dropped. Horroble sticky black nut.
Höfner Club Bass C-series "The Alfa Romeo"
Sleek looks, nice finish, great sounds, but it really likes the shop better than your garage. This will explode to a million pieces when dropped. Tuners are from a classical guitar. A fender p-bass user will be scared to break stuff all the time. On the other hand it sounds amazing for a $300 piece of plywood. Also worth its price for the great pick tones alone. Not for the student, though.
Gretsch Junior Jet "The Ford Mustang"
It ain't a Ferrari for sure, but reliable family car technology with a big engine is kinda awesome too. This is basically a single pickup Höfner Club with a solid body and bolt-on hardware. P bass bridge, small schaller style tuners. Nice pickup and electronics. It's got its own thing going on, still not a mental own thing like eb-0. Kinda posh looking compared to the Bronco but just as, or even more sturdy.
Theres a few. Emphasis on classroom use, as that is where I mostly use these. I have one each, Höfner for personal use and the rest in schools. For reliability, I would choose the Gretsch. For cool pick sounds and gadget-factor Höfner. For Gibson bass sounds, a Gibson. Strapped of cash the Bronco.
In an ideal world daphne blue Musicmasters for students and a really well worn LPB Mustang Bass for myself.
- bluzdoctor
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Wow, great reviews. And the car analogy works for me. I've actually heard lots of good things about the Gretsch Jets, both the one-and-two-pickup versions.
I noodled around a bit on a Hofner Beatle bass a bit today. It was super light and had nice tone. Tuners seemed cheap.
I also played a Squier Jaguar SS, and it was surprisingly heavy. Didn't seem short scale, unlike the Bronco, which was like playing a guitar with four strings.
I noodled around a bit on a Hofner Beatle bass a bit today. It was super light and had nice tone. Tuners seemed cheap.
I also played a Squier Jaguar SS, and it was surprisingly heavy. Didn't seem short scale, unlike the Bronco, which was like playing a guitar with four strings.
Dios Mio, man!
- Fakir Mustache
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- bluzdoctor
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Finally bought Fender JB62 SS
See below
Last edited by bluzdoctor on Wed Mar 30, 2016 5:26 am, edited 4 times in total.
Dios Mio, man!
The Epiphone EB-3 is actually 34" scale like the old Gibson EB-3L, I wish it was short as the bolt-on EB-0 (which is indeed 30.5") appeals to me infinitely less sound-wise with its lone mudbucker. The more recent "Gibson SG Bass" was a 30.5" EB-3.Nick wrote:Epiphone EB-0/EB-3.
Aug wrote:which one of you bastards sent me an ebay question asking if you can get teh kurdtz with that 64 mustang?
robertOG wrote:fran & paul are some of the original gangstas of the JS days when you'd have to say "phuck"
- henkstroem
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Epiphone used to make a Elitist model EB-3 that was the shorter scale one.paul_ wrote:The Epiphone EB-3 is actually 34" scale like the old Gibson EB-3L, I wish it was short as the bolt-on EB-0 (which is indeed 30.5") appeals to me infinitely less sound-wise with its lone mudbucker. The more recent "Gibson SG Bass" was a 30.5" EB-3.Nick wrote:Epiphone EB-0/EB-3.
- bluzdoctor
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Re: Got a short scale bass
bluzdoctor wrote:Thanks for all suggestions and info. I settled on a short scale Fender Japan '62Jazz bass. An eBay find, it is called JB62SS FOR "Smart size" Body and neck are 15% smaller than reg JB, while scale is 29.5"
I'll review after it arrives and I get playing time.
So I'm selling my 1983 MIJ Fender Bullet long scale on Talk Bass classifieds if any interest. SOLD...
Here are pics of new bass:
Fender Japan Jazz Bass 62 short scale by bluzdoctor[/img]
Fender Japan JB62SS by bluzdoctor
Fender
Japan JB62SS by bluzdoctor http://[/img]
Fender Japan Jazz Bass 62 short scale by bluzdoctor
Dios Mio, man!