Medium and short scale basses

[jazzyvee]

http://www.innertainment.net/medium.html

Here is an interesting article on medium and short scale basses. Its a long article but well worth reading.

[gtrguy]

I have both long and short scale bass instruments. I disagree with the article. I like the play-ability of short scale instruments though.

[keith_h]

I think he makes a good point on playing what is comfortable to you. For me that happens to be short scale basses. Even before I started playing Alembic basses I always found my short scale Hagstrom to be easier to play than my Jazz Bass or Vox MkIV.

[edwardofhuncote]

Interesting read. Guess I'm an exception to the rule, but I get what he's talking about... I grew up playing upright bass with a 42" scale, which is quite a physical challenge anyway. Until my Alembic came along every bass guitar I had was a 35" scale. It's still not a big deal switching between them, but I do prefer the medium scale.

[hammer]

Interesting article.  My take way is..."play what's most comfortable to you and does the job you want your bass to do."


My experience with various scales has ranged from my first "early days" long scale Fender Jazz, to an EB-3 I still own, to the 4 Alembics currently in my stable.  My personal experience has been that the feel of the neck (width & depth) are a lot more important to me than the length or scale. My first Alembic was sold to me as a medium scale but when measured was actually a long scale bass.  To tell you the truth I never really noticed it because the neck played a LOT easier that the short scale EB-3 which was the only other bass I owned at that time.  The necks on my medium scale custom signature and short scale SC play so easy that the only difference I notice when I go back and forth between them is some difference in string tension which probably could be reduced if I was willing to play on any set of strings other than TI-flats which I love (in spite of the crazy price).


   

[jazzyvee]

i have both short scale 4's and long scale 4 and 5 string alembic basses and don't have any playability issues with any of them no dead spots or changing scale lengths when I take a long and a short to gigs. All those basses are neck through. I do have one bolt on bass that is just for practicing away from home and that is a long scale 35" hand made custom from Thailand and I have to say that none have any dead spots anywhere on the necks. My preference for 4 string bass is the short scale alembic. I don't have any real playing experience with different brands of basses to know whether I agree with a lot of his comments about different basses but what I have a don't find any issues with that can't be ironed out by practicing and playing those different scales more regularly.

[jacko]

The first few paragraphs sound like he's trying to defend something that isn't actually under attack. I've never once heard anyone suggest that a short or medium scale bass is a 'student' or 'beginner' instrument or that the player is in any way inferior to someone using a long scale bass.

Graeme

[keith_h]

I have the proverbial dead spot on my 76 Jazz Bass. It is most pronounced on the 6th fret of the G string but also exists  to a lesser degree at the fifth fret and for the same C# on the D string. The amount of thud tends to vary wit the seasons as well. For the most part it isn't really an issue and when it was I would play notes on the D string. I haven't noticed it on my set neck basses but neither have I listened for it. I suspect it might be there but the glue joint being better attached to the body suppresses changes the resonance characteristics.

The article does sound like the author was challenged about his use of short and medium scale basses. I think the beginner or student comments comes from many short scale instruments having been sold as such. The Fender Mustang comes to mind and some of the Hoffner basses. I remember many music stores selling them as student models with the long scale Precision basses and Jazz Basses being sold as a professional instruments.