3 short scale basses

NickS · Post by **NickS** » Mon Jan 06, 2014 1:35 pm

I went into Guitar Store in Southampton on Saturday looking for the Squier or Pawn Shop VI. They didn't have any (though they a have nice-looking Custom/Japanese VI that's out of my price range) but they did have a Gibson SG bass at what seemed like a reasonable price, Â£525. It turned out that was because it was used, but apart from a small ding on the neck you wouldn't know. On playing it, however, it fretted out on the 13th on the G string. They took it away and tweaked it, but that just made the action too high. Apparently it's only a 20 minute fret dress job but their guitar tech wasn't in.

Johnny, the sales guy serving me, suggested I try the Epiphone Viola bass. Huh? Really? Yep. 30.5" scale, set neck and surprisingly un-plunky. Apparently the bass player in his R'n'B covers band uses one, after trying it in the shop, no feedback issues. And they're about Â£220 from a bunch of places.

Final option was the Coronado bass, but that's Â£670ish so more than I was really looking to pay and with a fat body that would also be tricky to find a case for. Again, I was pleasantly surprised by the tone. So, I came away without anything which is probably for the best.

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Mon Jan 06, 2014 2:01 pm

By 20 minute fret dress they mean sand down one offending fret, presumably. Unless they got a Plek machine!

Not been in quite some time. Last time I had a go on the Pawn Shop stang and thought it played reet good. Too spendy for me though

BearBoy · Post by **BearBoy** » Mon Jan 06, 2014 2:18 pm

I've got one of these:

Not very spendy (got mine when Fender were doing one of their rebate offers so extra cheaps) but super comfortable to play and can produce a nice variety of tones with the PJ combination.

JordanD · Post by **JordanD** » Mon Jan 06, 2014 2:29 pm

My friend Chris has the viola bass and I think it's very nice. The weight of it really surprised me. It feels really solid for what he paid for it (200 I think).

The bassist in my band (who's friends with the same guy) thinks that it's really nice too. We haven't heard it plugged in though so can't comment on that side of the spectrum.

Cymbaline · Post by **Cymbaline** » Mon Jan 06, 2014 2:59 pm

Got the Mikey Way Mustang bass recently - highly recommended, way ballsier than the squier Jag basses.

Ankhanu · Post by **Ankhanu** » Mon Jan 06, 2014 4:21 pm

BearBoy wrote:I've got one of these:

Not very spendy (got mine when Fender were doing one of their rebate offers so extra cheaps) but super comfortable to play and can produce a nice variety of tones with the PJ combination.

I got one of these for my wife, but she doesn't really play it. That said, they're incredible, and not just for the price; they're great basses.

I opted to use this rather than my Aerodyne Jazz Bass when playing 4-string on my band's album recordings.

Fakir Mustache · Post by **Fakir Mustache** » Mon Jan 06, 2014 4:42 pm

Crap shop, no Bronco.

Just kidding, there's lots of fine shops without Broncos, unfortunately.

endsjustifymeans · Post by **endsjustifymeans** » Fri Jan 10, 2014 6:23 pm

Ankhanu wrote:
BearBoy wrote:I've got one of these:

Not very spendy (got mine when Fender were doing one of their rebate offers so extra cheaps) but super comfortable to play and can produce a nice variety of tones with the PJ combination.
I got one of these for my wife, but she doesn't really play it. That said, they're incredible, and not just for the price; they're great basses.

I opted to use this rather than my Aerodyne Jazz Bass when playing 4-string on my band's album recordings.

I rock one as well. one of my best purchases ever, everything I wanted in a bass.

paul_ · Post by **paul_** » Sat Jan 11, 2014 2:58 am

The Epiphone Viola bass always struck me as one made from largely the same parts as a billion other import Beatle Basses, so I'd check those out too before you take the plunge as they're always cheaper. They are VERY plunky though, the sole exception probably being the Hofner accent/ignition/contemporary beatle bass with the solid center block (which will be at least twice the price of the Epi). Another large factor in their plunkiness besides the hollow body/footy bridge revolves around whether you put flatwounds on it or not, though with the more Hofnery circuit (volumes and on/offs for each pickup, rhythm/solo switch with treble bleed capacitors) you are kind of running with that "tone rolled off" sound all the time. It would be really easy to just rewire it Jazz Bass style like the Epis are.

I have a Jay Turser JTB-2B like this one, it was also sold under the Rogue name and a bunch of others (pretty sure they have some on Rondo) and you can also buy the exact same thing as a kit. Note that apart from the zero fret and circuit it's damn near identical to the Epi, and mine had no quality/durability issues over the past 10 years.

► Show Spoiler

I don't find Beatle basses as remotely versatile as Fender shortscales though; you aren't getting any P/J Fendabass tones out of them and the playability is a massive departure (they don't fingerpick as well, especially down by the bridge, everything's a bit more cramped, the bridge and hollowbody makes the response a bit slower/thumpier and the neck pickup is really muddy being right up against the fretboard like Gibson mudbuckers, and any ham-fisted pick work will knock the floating bridge and/or notched-fretwire-saddles out of whack). I ended up getting a cheap Jazz Bass to do "everything else" and then ended up favoring it for just about anything.

They're definitely cool but decidedly far better suited to '50s/early '60s types of bass work.

DanHeron · Post by **DanHeron** » Sat Jan 11, 2014 7:54 pm

These Hofner Galaxie short scales look pretty cool. Never tried one out though..

[youtube][/youtube]

George · Post by **George** » Sat Jan 11, 2014 8:01 pm

that hofner looks great, i love the inlays. not sure about that guys tones

what about this. damn..

i may have got that instead of the vintage gold top

NickS · Post by **NickS** » Sat Jan 11, 2014 10:33 pm

Strings look a bit light for a bass.

dezb1 · Post by **dezb1** » Sat Jan 11, 2014 11:03 pm

George wrote:that hofner looks great, i love the inlays. not sure about that guys tones

what about this. damn..

i may have got that instead of the vintage gold top

Oh that's nice what's it called...

George · Post by **George** » Sat Jan 11, 2014 11:26 pm

colorama i believe

serfx · Post by **serfx** » Sun Jan 12, 2014 6:25 am

I had a squier Jag bass.. like the one pictured

loved it, wish I still had it..
but I sold it after I picked up a Gibson Sg bass (the EB-3 Re-issue) and found I just never played it anymore.

contemplating the jag bass again, but the new mustang bass with the humbucker looks and sounds soooooo good..

currently sorting funding for that (aka getting my line of credit at Long & Mac paid down enough to toss it on there.. damn Custom Shop hollowbody, that i love and play almost every day, even if just for 3 - 5 minutes..)

Peter Bond · Post by **Peter Bond** » Sun Jan 12, 2014 1:58 pm

I have wanted one of these for a while:

Just to mess about with really.

dezb1 · Post by **dezb1** » Sun Jan 12, 2014 5:10 pm

George wrote:colorama i believe

You're an evil man George are you trying to upset my wife, by showing me guitars I didn't know I wanted....?

Noirie. · Post by **Noirie.** » Sun Jan 12, 2014 10:06 pm

I wanted one of them. But every modern Hofner I've played has been utter shite.

dezb1 · Post by **dezb1** » Sun Jan 12, 2014 10:39 pm

Noirie. wrote:I wanted one of them. But every modern Hofner I've played has been utter shite.

That bad? Did you play this model?