short scale bass

[Gus]

Looking for a 30" short scale bass.
Issue is the two I am interested in  are not stocked at the local stores.
I am thinking about the Squier Vintage Modified Jaguar Bass Special SS Short-Scale Electric Bass Guitar or the Ibanez TMB30

Anyone know anything about the differences?

 

[Gold]

I’d find a place that has some. With the Mexican  Fender’s , word on the street is you should play a bunch and pick the good one.

 

[Jarno]

I have a DIY shortscale 5 (through neck), and another one (bolt-on) in the works. I also have a Squier Bronco and a Squier Mustang "Mikey Way". You might say I am a shortscale fan

The Bronco I modded quite a bit, the stock tuners are shit, and I did not like the standard pickup. I put in a single coil sized humbucker with rails rather than pole pieces, it also has one of my stingray preamp clones, and a midi pickup. As it is the cheapest offering by Squier, expect a little work, the pickguard was also pretty lame, so I put in a nicer 3 ply for that as well. All in all a very nice bass, I like playing it. It currently has half round strings on it, which I dislike (but YMMV).
The Mustang I have not modded yet, but I want to put in a preamp in that one as well. Also, I think the soapbar which is in there now is too muddy, so I might address that as well.

 

[alexc]

Hofner fan here  ... the violin bass is of course a classic for good reason; I like some of the knock offs too.

Fav is the modern china Hofner Stu Sutcliffe model, short-scale  .... 

Nothing does the 'boofy' bass like a flat wound Hofner short scale!

I have a fender bass vi , which is very similar to a jaguar bass setup  ..  except it is long-scale.  I love the sound and balance of the body, but yep ..  a bit harder to play with my small hands than the short-scale.

Other basses  I like are the china 'eastwood' gretsch-inspired short scale semi-solid  bass  and the 'guild starfire' china semi-solid bass  ..  I think there is both short and long.

 

[pucho812]

the bass player in my last band was all short scale basses.  most often used was a gretsch electromatic. was far fron expensive and sounded very nice.

 

[Gene Pink]

Hofner fan here  ... the violin bass is of course a classic for good reason; I like some of the knock offs too.

Me too, a Japanese knockoff called RythymLine, short scale. Can't really play any other bass at this point.

It was probably sold at Sears in the mid '60s for about 50 bucks. I ended up with it. Sounded horrible, tinny pickups prone to feedback. Some advice from Evan Johns (and the H-bombs) on how to pot pickups was quite helpful. That bass went from crappy to amazing. Thanks Evan, RIP.

Alexc. do you know anything about the history of these things?

Pic of my bass, er, sorry JR, my bas.

 

[clintrubber]

I have a fender bass vi , which is very similar to a jaguar bass setup  ..  except it is long-scale.  I love the sound and balance of the body, but yep ..  a bit harder to play with my small hands than the short-scale.

The Fender Bass VI _is_ 30"-scale, but is a thing of its own - obviously, I guess it's not too universal in the role of a short scale bass.... string spacing is narrow ...  bridge & nut need to be modified when wanting to use 'real bass strings' and then there' s still the bridge/tremolo construction that will keep it away from sounding like a real bass . (Which didn't hold back several famous bass players though)
 
I love mine (I have the Sq. version) but it doesn't have the oomfph of either 'real short/long scale basses.
It does have a lot what other instruments don't have though ;-)

 

[Gus]

I know about the other short scale basses I am looking for a short scale PJ pickup type bass.

The issue is the two basses are not in local stores so I thought I would ask here if anyone has tried the two in the first post before ordering one.

I do not trust most/all sound or video files on the web or most reviews and though I would ask here first. I am most interested in the neck shape/size.  I can change pickups if I don't like them and want a passive model.

 

[alexc]

do you know anything about the history of these things?

Pic of my bass, er, sorry JR, my bas.

Nope - looks like a nicely done violin bass   

Sounds like you have the bass in good trim and with enthusiasm to play. 

...

Mine is a 'Bryce' ..  back in the day they were one of the few companies that would ship to Aust.  It took a few years to settle down ... I still play it all the time  .. but real spruce is top of the mountain.

 

[efinque]

I've played a short-scale Fender Jazzmaster.. very nice bass.

I have a Squier Vintage Mod which I modded a bit, repainted, added chrome bridge & pickup cover and a thumbrest. Also replaced the originals with Warwick strings.

I think the paint job wasn't much of a success but at least it stands out a bit. It used to be 3TSB. I read afterwards that nitrocellulose lacquer would've been more vintage and become crackly too after some time but oh well.. I used some modern self-crackling lacquer I found from a book store.

EDIT : I also made a soft gig bag for it

 

[alexc]

USA!  USA!  ;D

 

[alexc]

The Fender Bass VI _is_ 30"-scale, but is a thing of its own - obviously, I guess it's not too universal in the role of a short scale bass.... string spacing is narrow ...  bridge & nut need to be modified when wanting to use 'real bass strings' and then there' s still the bridge/tremolo construction that will keep it away from sounding like a real bass . (Which didn't hold back several famous bass players though)
 
I love mine (I have the Sq. version) but it doesn't have the oomfph of either 'real short/long scale basses.
It does have a lot what other instruments don't have though ;-)

All very accurate info     The Beatles' of course, used the f.bass6 ..  mssrs J and G  and a fair bet that P had a lefty too.

The unforgettable vid, from the day,  with them sitting around sPM's grand ..  let it be sessions ...  'long and winding road' I think it was.  Could be wrong, but I like to think I can hear it in my all time fav Beatles song 'octopus's garden'    I love that song!

Anyway .. I need to check my references for accuracy! I could be 'cross remembering' a few diff BEatles clips.

 

[clintrubber]

All very accurate info     The Beatles' of course, used the f.bass6 ..  mssrs J and G  and a fair bet that P had a lefty too.

The unforgettable vid, from the day,  with them sitting around sPM's grand ..  let it be sessions ...  'long and winding road' I think it was.  Could be wrong, but I like to think I can hear it in my all time fav Beatles song 'octopus's garden'    I love that song!

Anyway .. I need to check my references for accuracy! I could be 'cross remembering' a few diff BEatles clips.

Made me curious, went looking for that clip, didn't find, have a link ?

Did run into this Bass VI one:
Helter Skelter - The Beatles (Isolated bass track)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8GOFbETxWI

Pretty gnarly in isolation (somebody suggested: "it's Yoko on bass"  ), but sure fits the total  8)

 

[alexc]

Nice  ..

It was  JL  playing the FB VI sitting down ...  song Let It Be from the film of the same name  00:53:14    ..

As I think of it, there's also a clip with GH playing an FBVI  ...  could even be the same one, they did used to share some guitars. But equally could have been a second example, as they also used to get one each of some nice guitar.

I have to check that one  and I'll get back    (to you)

I'd include a pic .. but  ...  you know ...

Cheers to all of the guys wherever they are now 

The other JL git I thought was significant was he had a Guild SF 12 string semi-solid  '67 model I think
In the picture, he had the Guild on the floor right next to him ..  like it was his lounge guitar  ...  a few 'reel-to-reel' tape machines lying about him ..  tapes ...  and a ham sandwich, as I recall.

There was also a pic around of sPM and what looked like his bass amp  with a small wooden rack to one side containing a fc660.  Looked like it was at Abbey Road  ...  definitely that drab backdrop  and somewhat near to that upright piano he would play.

I'm sure I won't find that pic again  ..  it's in my files somewhere  ..  it could have been from that book that details all their exact studio recording sessions  ...

ANd another of sPM and his big american amp ..  fender bassman but with the big speaker set  ..as a combo  .. they're out there, kind of rare  ..  and fairly heavy I would say.

The guys were both with silverface deluxe reverbs I think it was, at that time.