I've been playing guitar for about 2 years now, and I'm attempting to take up the bass so that I can add some depth to our sound when I play with my guitarist buddies. I've played my brothers P-style bass before, but it just seems too big and bulky for my hand size. One of my friends has a Squire Bronco Bass, which I tried and it seemed much more natural feeling. So, I'm just wondering, before I go out and buy one, are there any drawbacks to short-scale basses? Also, what are good brands to buy?
I don't know much about which brands make short-scales, but I would assume that short-scale basses have basically the same advantages and disadvantages of shorter scale and mini-guitars: smoother, less twangy tone, shorter reaches, less room on the higher frets (not much of a problem on bass though), less string tension and thus floppy strings when drop-tuning, and more tendency for string buzz. I think the string tension thing could be fixed just by using heavier strings, so unless you notice any other problems when testing out a short scale bass it sounds like a good idea to me.
I played a Gibson short-scale with a body that looked like an SG. It was very light and sounded fine, but I kept over-reaching when I wasn't looking.
No reason not to get one if it works for you.
-Laz
uke415: Good suggestions here.
I started out on a Sears Silvertone Beatle bass, which was short scale, then had my eyes set on a Fender Precision. This was back in the 70s somewhere. I didn't get the P-bass, but I did manage to find an Ampeg Lucy Lucite, which was also short scale. I didn't particularly want or need a short scale, it's just the way things worked out for me.
Then for several years I owned a Rickenbacker 4001 stereo. Great bass, but it was just under the 'standard' 34" scale. It was something like 33.75" or something. Wonderful instrument. It got stolen a couple years ago and my wife got me two basses to take its place: an Essex (Rondo Music) 5-string and a Squier P-bass Special. Both incredible instruments, especially the Squier.
Then, the hankering for a Beatle bass started and last year I got a Jay Turser Beatle, put flatwound Rotosounds on it and it's now my first choice bass for everything. Not only is it kinder on my wrist, but I just LOVE the vibe.
It's short scale as well and I've had no problems with buzzing or a floppy sound. You just get used to it. I actually had my Rick low-tuned (BEAD) to write for the 5-string bassist in our now defunct band and still had no problem with rubber band feel. You just play a little more gently.
Not everyone's into the Beatle bass vibe, but I can highly recommend it as an all-around sort of bass -- even with the flatwounds. It's all in how you play and how you set your amp (model, in my case), and whether you use picks or fingers or whatnot.
Rondo music also has a Beatle type. I haven't heard anything bad about them and I almost got one, but they ran out of lefties. But...Rondo also has a P-bass style short-scale bass. A friend on another board got one, but he said the frets were wider apart than he'd expected. He also had a Turser Beatle. We decided that the manufacturer shortened the bass from the 'other' end, meaning from the bridge side -- thus the wider fret spacing. It's quite inexpensive though.
Epiphone also makes the Allen Woody short scale -- the guy from Allman Brothers. And...they have also reintroduced the EB-0 short scale bass, much like the Gibson Laz was talking about. The "Jack Bruce" bass.
Any of these can do the job, some straight out of the box, some with a little setup and tweaking.
Hope this helps.
Take care!
