Getting used to long scale

[corny]

Hi,
 
Being the new owner of a long scale Mark King standard I wonder if I'm the only one who experiences the neck really as LONG.
 
My previous bass was a Fender Jazz. The necklength of that bass was the same, but since the bridge on the Alembic is positioned a little
more to the left and since the upper horn is shorter, the peghead on the Mark King seems miles away, even though I have pretty long arms.
 
It is not that I can't reach the left side or so, but it certainly doesn't encourage you to use the lower range as I did with the Fender.  
 
Is this just a matter of getting used to or are there more players who experience this?
 
I found out that hanging my bass a little higher helps a bit.
 
Kind regards,
 
Cor.
 

[811952]

Hang it high and don't play blues in F.  And enjoy...
John

[desmosteve]

Hello yes I have also experienced the length of the neck after using my stingray for a few years the Alembic seemed so much longer I wear mine quite high and it still not easy to get to that bottom F still the sounds makes up for any inconvenience.
Also on the subject of the mark king standard this is the bass I have too and was wondering what the control knobs actually control as I never got any info with mine, there is 4 rotary control which one is volume and there is 2 small flick swithches one of the rotary one has a middle position and the other 2 dont I guess thats the balance and the others are EQ but what are the flick switches for sorry for being a bit of a gimp but any help to understand will be very much appriciated.
Thanks Steve H  

[lowlife]

Corny:  
I recently purchased a used MK Standard with a 34 scale neck.  The 34 neck is (I've discovered) not the problem as much as where the measurement begins.  On mine, it begins about 4 or so inwards from the point, which pushes everything out so it seems like a 38 neck.  I also have a 34 scale Spoiler, but it begins only 1.5 from the end so it's much easier to play.  
 
Steve:  
My controls are Volume, pickup pan, low pass filter, low pass filter.  The 2 little switches are 'Q' switches.  Usually they are 'on' in the down position, and I use then for slapping & snapping.  
 
By the way, I'd like to welcome both of you to the club.
 
Ellery (Lowlife)
 
(Message edited by lowlife on October 15, 2004)

[pookeymp]

Hi Cor,
 
You're definitely not alone, Brother.  I had a 5-string Mark King built for me in 2002 with a 34 scale neck.  And while all my basses are 34 scale and I have no problem with them, like Ellery said, the reach on the Mark King is much further out due to the body size and where the measurement of the neck starts in relation to the body.
 
I gave it a chance and tried for about a year and a half to get used to it, but the strain in my shoulder at gigs where I was playing in first position regularly was not going away, so I just sold my Mark King a few months back.  I hope to be able to replace it soon with a short-scale Stanley model, but, with a new baby coming in another month, and now the need to buy a home (need more room)...it won't happen anytime soon.  I'm actually hoping by mid next year...we'll see how it goes.  I do miss the tone and the beauty of that bass.
 
I would definitely give it some time and you may become accustomed to it.  Many guys have no problem with it.  I'm 5'10 with an average reach and for me it was a problem, but my 16-year old son, who is 6'3 had no problem whatsoever.  And, I know other fellows my height who don't mind the reach...so it really all depends on you.
 
Good Luck!
 
Mikey/

[glocke]

Ditto...I mainly play fender jazz basses.  I got my first alembic (a series 1) a year ago after wanting one for a loooong time...
 
It is defintely a different beast.  I am hoping I will get used to it.  In the meantime I am looking around for a used medium scale Mark King or series so I can see if I would be more comfortable with that...

[the_mule]

Hoi Cor, for comparison: I'm really only slightly more comfortable with the 32 scale of my EVH and Elan. As the 34 Orion was my first Alembic, I played it very intensively AND exclusively then, and I therefore get used to it very fast after playing it a while. I now can switch easily between those two scale lengths. So IMHO you don't have to worry, you'll get used to your MK, just play it like there's no tomorrow!
 
Wilfred

[David Houck]

Steve; as Ellery said, you have a volume, balance, neck pickup filter, neck Q switch, bridge pickup filter, and bridge Q switch.  
 
Basically, the filter control is a low pass filter; as you roll it back it lowers the point at which it passes low frequency signals and blocks high frequency signals. To quote Mica, the range is from 350Hz-6KHz. Wherever you set the filter, only frequencies below that cutoff point are passed. The Q switch works in concert with the filter and provides an 8db boost at the cut off frequency you've set with the filter. When the switch is off you get a flat response up to the filter setting. Again to quote Mica, the Q affects mainly the attack portion of the note.
 
(Message edited by davehouck on October 15, 2004)

[bassman10096]

I like my medium scale balance K just fine.  The neck is pushed to the left as you all described and that is an adjustment.  But with the scale length 2 shorter than standard (@ 32), and wearing it high, it's pretty good.  I happen to like the accessibility of the upper ranges a lot, so that's a benefit to shifting all to the left, I guess.  All that said, I've not found 34 scale standard body Alembics very easy to play.
Bill

[geddy]

It's all in the body shape. A 34 orion is MUCH easier for me to play than a 30.75 small standard body.

[hollis]

I'm a little confused... (okay, okay, a lot confused, but a lttle about this)...
Apparently common wisdom is to hang the bass high to help with scale length....  That seems exactly the opposite of what works for me.  If I sling the bass lower, and tilt it upwards, the low range seems closer to my reach.....hmmmmm

[lowlife]

I tried it up in my arm pit,and down by my belt level. I tilted it up, down and all around.  I'm not confused, just sad.  The bass is a work of art with an amazing range of tones, but I'm terribly uncomfortable while playing it and in the sitting position,  it's only marginally better.  I guess that it's time to sell it.
Contact me directly if anyone here is interested.
 
Ellery (Lowlife)

[bsee]

Hollis, lower with a lot of tilt will make the upper registers easier to reach without extending your arm so far, sort of like playing an upright.  The down side is that it creates an awful angle for slapping or use of a pick if you're into those styles.  The high position tends to be very comfortable for the picking hand as well.  To each his own.  What really matters to me is that I can get a comfortable wrist angle.  I can get this from the high position in spite of having to play with a bit more arm extension, and I really like the position for any right hand technique I want to use.
 
Ellery, I am sorry to hear that the bass isn't working out for you!  I think you should have no problem finding a buyer.  Those front laser LEDs are really cool.  Good luck with your sale!
 
-Bob

[hollis]

Thanks Bob,
 
The fog is lifting a little....

[bigredbass]

Whether or not you master the 'hang' of the traditional Alembic Point/Omega body in long scale, only time will tell.  
 
ALL of us have gone through this.  After a few months, I found the spot where I was comfortable
with it.  (I'm 61, and I wear a 44 size coat, and playing in F or B-flat in first position is a little bit of a stretch.)
 
I have also found that mostly I need to play it every day to keep my 'reach' trained in muscle memory.  If I go a week or two, it takes me a little while to find my 'spot' again, and my wrists remind me of the time off.  For me, my best fit is about like the pictures you see of Jimmy Johnson, a little up from horizontal.
 
But, everything has an upside.  I learned on my five string to play lots of second position, and really learned a lot more about second than I EVER did before.  And the shape allows SO much of the neck to be free of the body, something I really feel confined about on virtually anything else.
 
But that shape IS Alembic to me, so I taught myself to accomodate it.  When I play something else, they seem so short, and the body gets in the way really quick.
 
J o e y