ShortScale.org

Hi, Everyone!

This is my first post, and I am actually on the hunt for my very first short scale guitar!

I have narrowed it down to a few:

The Squier Supersonic
The Kurt Cobain Fender Mustang
or... I may wait and snag one of the new short scale modern player telecasters that are coming out.

I REALLY prefer MIJ Fenders... I'm not sure why. They just feel really nice to me. I currently own a Pawn Shop 51, which I love.

Can you guys give me the pros and cons of each of these guitars, or even tell me which would be the better value in the long run?
If I had the money, I'd just buy all 3, but I'm having to choose.

Anyway, all opinions and advice welcome!

It will depend on a lot on the sound you're after and the neck profile you prefer, for starters. If you give us a bit more information about your playing, we can probably offer more useful suggestions.

The four guitars you mentioned are apples, oranges , lemons and pears. Different.
As said figure out your sound and feel . Supersonics and Mustangs are shortscale.
But then you mention MIJ teles . Sounds like you might wanna get out away from the computer and go take some time to play these things to see what you'll like.

How long you been playing? What you wanna spend?

I always wanted a Super Sonic until I actually played one and kept hitting my hand on the volume knob. It couldn't be more in the way. Still love the look, just hate the layout.

mixtape wrote:It will depend on a lot on the sound you're after and the neck profile you prefer, for starters. If you give us a bit more information about your playing, we can probably offer more useful suggestions.

I play in a "mathrock" band and use a lot of two hand tapping techniques. I would need something that takes pedals well and need something with a little spunk, but also dishes out a nice clean tone. I stay in standard tuning and play 11-48 gauge strings.

Here is a link to my band's first album, but my sound has evolved from this. I mostly need something all around versatile that I can shred on. I'm used to the way my fender 51 plays and feels, but my first guitar was a 1961 sg jr with a slim neck, which I loved.

Http://toastofficial.bandcamp.com

Rox wrote:The four guitars you mentioned are apples, oranges , lemons and pears. Different.
As said figure out your sound and feel . Supersonics and Mustangs are shortscale.
But then you mention MIJ teles . Sounds like you might wanna get out away from the computer and go take some time to play these things to see what you'll like.

How long you been playing? What you wanna spend?

I have played a wide range of guitars over the 7 years I've been playing. The teles I mentioned are a new 24" scale that are coming out. I figured I'd wait to see if fender japan releases something similar, as I have a preference for mij fenders.

Just wondering, how come you're after a short scale? From what you described about your playing, and listening to your EP (good stuff by the way), I don't think I could recommend any of the MIJ short scales, including the Super Sonic and Jagmaster. Short scale, small frets, and 7.25" radius don't go very well with tapping, sustain-y type riffs. But the new modern player Tele does sound like it would do the job. Maybe take a look at a Classic Player Jaguar as well? Or the Blacktop models? Those have 9.5" radius and bigger frets. You can get both with humbuckers, too.

Dillon wrote:Just wondering, how come you're after a short scale? From what you described about your playing, and listening to your EP (good stuff by the way), I don't think I could recommend any of the MIJ short scales, including the Super Sonic and Jagmaster. Short scale, small frets, and 7.25" radius don't go very well with tapping, sustain-y type riffs. But the new modern player Tele does sound like it would do the job. Maybe take a look at a Classic Player Jaguar as well? Or the Blacktop models? Those have 9.5" radius and bigger frets. You can get both with humbuckers, too.

I am 5'8 and have an ectomorphic body type. I have small hands and my fingers start to ache while playing. Also, I make a lot of jazz chords on the upper frets that are starting to hurt me as I'm getting older. I've always wanted a guitar that actually felt like it "fit" if that makes sense? With the style I play, I don't want to buy anything that will be a pain to keep in tune or something that will not work well on the lower frets (around 15-17)

If you have small hands and enjoy MIJ Fenders and slim necks, you will love the Super Sonic. Tuning stability shouldn't be an issue if you get it set up correctly. The stock pickups are pretty good for distorted stuff, but the clean tones can get a little muddy, so you might be looking at an upgrade there.

mixtape wrote:If you have small hands and enjoy MIJ Fenders and slim necks, you will love the Super Sonic. Tuning stability shouldn't be an issue if you get it set up correctly. The stock pickups are pretty good for distorted stuff, but the clean tones can get a little muddy, so you might be looking at an upgrade there.

I'm really leaning towards the supersonic if I can get a good deal. If I could find one for under 500, I'd probably get that and the mp telecaster

those blue sparkle and silver sparkle Supersonics look so nice to me, but I'd even jump for a black or white one.

I'm obviously a Super-Sonic fan. And I tend to mod mine so that they do what I want them to do. Volume knob in the wrong place? Move it. Pickups not ideal? Change them. Hardtail them. Whatever it takes.
I like the white ones nowadays.

I have the Cobain Stang and the Fender Supersonic (not Squier).
Both are the best guitars I've ever played, in their own right.
The Supersonic has more of what I'd call a 70's hard rock tone, and due to its shape and balance, to me, it wants to be played sleazy like Jimmy Page's Les Paul.
And Teh Kurdtz, is an absolute tone dream and impeccably comfortable.
I have hard-tailed both of them, the Mustang I locked down the trem and flipped the cigar around; the Supersonic I crafted a block of hardwood to fill the trem slot, then added two extra trem springs. Both are now solid and stay in tune. Before I locked them down however, I simply could not get either one of them to stay in tune for more than 1 song, despite all that I learned from the gurus here. I nearly returned Teh Kurdtz simply because it wouldnt stay in tune before I locked it down. And the Supersonic wasnt much better. But now they are both as stable as any other guitar you might compare them to.

You could also get a Duo-Sonic, and maybe upgrade the pickups. Just a thought. That guitar is lovely too.
Tone-wise, The Duo Sonic is my 50's guitar, The Supersonic my 70's guitar, and The Mustang my 90's guitar.

MIJ Jaguar?

timhulio wrote:MIJ Jaguar?

Never been big on them

My Blue Mustank is the one i play the most. I own a super-sonic i gun metall flake. Our buy a strat. I mean if you gonna go safe? Huuh

weeping_moon wrote:buy a strat. I mean if you gonna go safe? Huuh

I already own a Pawn Shop 51 strat, which I love. I just really want to get a short scale model.

I think I've decided that I'm going to go for the supersonic in sparkle blue if I can find one in good condition under $500, but if the short scale teles come out before then, I'll probably go for the telecaster ha.

Thanks for all the help, guys!

If you haven't played a guitar with a 7.25" radius and "vintage" sized frets, I'd do that before committing to a purchase. It's like nothing else, in both good and bad ways. But it's definitely a love-or-hate kind of thing.

I've played mustangs in music stores, and one of my best friends plays a fender pawn shop mustang special which is nice.

HellaMelos wrote:one of my best friends plays a fender pawn shop mustang special which is nice.

They are but they're 9.5" radius with medium jumbo frets.