Good short-scale basses?

I (personally) love short-scale basses. The strings are looser and there seems to be more 'thump' to the sound. Some would disagree, but they're great also if you're coming from the guitar-end of things.

Epiphone I think makes a copy of the Allen Woody bass (Allman Bros Band) as well as the EB-0 (the Jack Bruce bass) both short scale and pretty good I've heard. Not that expensive.

Then there's a few from Rondo Music http://www.rondomusic.net/bassguitars4.html , including a Beatle/Viol type bass which is short scale. They also have, on those same pages, short scales but with the nut-side frets spaced like they would be on a 34" scale length bass. It's like they shortened the thing 'from the other end' as a friend once said. So the feel of the fret spacing is like on a 34" bass rather than like on a Hofner or something.

I've got a Jay Turser Beatle which has become my main instrument. I just love the feel and the sound of it, especially with flatwound strings on it.

At one point I had an Ampeg "Lucy Lucite" Dan Armstrong Plexiglas bass (back in the 70s), and it was really a great bass. Short scale too.

And then there's a selection at MusiciansFriend that shows some other brands:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/fg=141/g=bass/search?c=6322

Reissue Mustang. Not bad.

But anyhow, hope this helps.

Take care.

Cool. Thanks much!

Come bck and tell us all what you got and how it plays, man. I'd be real interested myself.

They still make those clear basses?

I play short-scale basses exclusively, and after finding Birdsong's Cortobass, I play it almost exclusively.

Here it the review I did for Harmony-Central: http://www.harmony-central.com/Bass/Data4/Birdsong_Guitars/Cortobass-1.html

Here is a longer, separate review I posted: http://theellingsworths.net/millard/cortobass

Here is the Birdsong Guitars web site: http://www.birdsongguitars.com/

I'm in the pipeline to have another one built. I've played and owned the Fender Mustang and MusicMaster and Epi Allen Woody, all competent guitars, but nothing like a professionally built short-scale.

HTH...Millard

Awsome looking bass Millard! Looks comfortable too.

Yah me too with the short-scales! I find there's this huge predisposition towards 34" scale basses - like if it isn't 34" plus, it's just a toy. Used to be that way with round-wound strings too, and I was a part of that. I read that a lot of guys are going to flats now though they still love their 34" plus scales.

I love the thump, the low tension and how easy it is on my wrist :)

NICE bass that Corto though!

The re-issue Fender Mustang bass is probably one of the better basses available, short-scale or not. While I wouldn't personally play anything other than standard scale, the Mustang is the only shortscale for which I would make an exception.

Awsome looking bass Millard! Looks comfortable too.
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NICE bass that Corto though!

I have a second one on the way. Gorgeous piece of Texas mesquite. Single pickup style with a new Lace Alumitone bass pickup. Should be here next month and I'll post a review nad pix when it shows up. With two different style Cortos and the Mustang, I should be able to craft any sort of thumpy noises a person could want. :)

Millard

Hey, are the Alumitones active or passive? I've been trying to figure out how the things work since I heard about them.

Hey, are the Alumitones active or passive? I've been trying to figure out how the things work since I heard about them.

Passive. I'm still guessing as good info seems hard to come by, but I think it works like a bar pickup. The aluminum "body" is highly conductive and is attached to a copper wire that goes to the pots.

Here's a link to the Lace site: http://agi-lace.com/store/product.asp?id=148&catid=49

And one to AJ's GN review: https://www.guitarnoise.com/reviews/lace-alumitone-pickups/

And the Harmony Central reviews: http://www.harmony-central.com/Guitar/Data2/Lace_Music_Products/AlumiTone-01.html

Millard