Is there really a resurgence for short scale basses?

[jazzyvee]

I have started to notice in the past couple of years or so there seems to be more on-line conversations about short scale basses and also a number of bass companies have started making short scale basses. I know there have always been shorties about but I wonder what is driving this upsurge in popularity since these companies wouldn't really tool up to do such things if they didn't think there was some money to be made. Any newly famous players driving this demand?
 

[hieronymous]

I think the perception of short scale basses has been changing for a much longer time than that - the Epiphone Allen Woody Rumblekat bass came out in the early 2000s I believe and is still in production. Even further back, Sheryl Crow playing a Guild M-85 drove up interest in those - but there's a backstory there with her bassist on Tuesday Night Music Club (1993) using the earlier hollow-body M-85 with Bi-Sonics (hers was the later one with Guild humbuckers) and a growing fascination with those, leading in to the Fred Hammon Dark Star pickups, which I think was part of the fascination with the Guild short scales of Jack Casady & Phil Lesh. In recent years Guild has reissued the both the Starfire & M-85.

Also in more recent years, maybe the reintroduction of the Fender Mustang bass? There were MIJ reissues, they have a more recent MIM version with PJ pickups (which I find hideous but the "average" bassist seems to like), and now there's a Jason Meldal-Johnsen signature Mustang.

In general I think there has always been a general perception of short scales as "beginner instruments" or "for girls" when actually, people who knew how to play them (regardless of gender) knew that they were so much more.

[rv_bass]

It might just be that they are easier to play, tend to be lighter, and sound just as good! 

[elwoodblue]

Here is G&L's new shorty...


https://bassmagazine.com/gear/g-l-guitars-releases-new-fallout-short-scale-bass

[edwin]

I think the perception of short scale basses has been changing for a much longer time than that - the Epiphone Allen Woody Rumblekat bass came out in the early 2000s I believe and is still in production. Even further back, Sheryl Crow playing a Guild M-85 drove up interest in those - but there's a backstory there with her bassist on Tuesday Night Music Club (1993) using the earlier hollow-body M-85 with Bi-Sonics (hers was the later one with Guild humbuckers) and a growing fascination with those, leading in to the Fred Hammon Dark Star pickups, which I think was part of the fascination with the Guild short scales of Jack Casady & Phil Lesh. In recent years Guild has reissued the both the Starfire & M-85.

That would be Dan Schwartz playing with Sheryl Crow. AKA MGod. He's a wealth of info about Guild, Alembic, short scales, etc., as well as a fantastic bass player.

[mario_farufyno]

I feel the same Jazzy and relate that to the college/alternative rock scene and bassists like Justin Medal Johnson (and Tina Weymouth way before).