Short Scale Basses....Recommendations?

[pickinatit]

I put  Short Scale Thomastik Jazz Flats on both my Mustang R.I. and the Gretsch  (not sure if my Gretsch is the G2202) but it sure looks exactly like that.  Anyway the Thomastiks sound real good on them.

[Mike B.]

The Gibson SG bass that they currently make would be a great choice. As someone mentioned here, put some Rotosound flats on it and stand back!!

I have an original 1965 EB3, but those are getting a bit pricey these days, so the current SG bass would be a better choice if you don't have tons of extra dough sitting around! Good luck!

Mike

[grimniggzy]

Dan Armstrong Plexi Bass
Best sounding short scale you can find.

[D.M.N.]

I'll vote for the Gibson SG. They go used from around $750+. I played the Allen Woody, and though it was by all accounts an excellent bass, the neck just felt way to tiny, like broom stick size, but you may like that. If you're worried about mud, either put on some brighter strings or if you have the $$$ buy a dark star pup for the neck position. If you go to talkbass there are plenty of modded SGs with DS pups.

[pickinatit]

ive got the same problem and a small collection of short scale basses which include a heit hollowbody (335 copy) from the 60's, the Gretch electromate, a fender mustang, and fender musicmaster.  i thought that the electromate had kind of a weak tone and doesnt get very loud even with the pickup raised fairly high.  id suggest either of the latter 2.  older musicmasters are actually installed with a guitar pickup which gives it a real dirty sound, while the mustang has a stacked pick up  almost like a p-bass and has a more bass conventional sound.  plus playing them is easy and musicmasters and ri mustangs are fairly cheap for the good sound they put out.   id go with either one depending on the sound you want

My experience with the Gretsch Electromatic is a little different.  The pick-up is WAY hotter on my Gretsch then the Fender Mustang,  surprisinglly so.  I agree about the tone to some extent, but my Sunn amps seem to create a great tone regardless of what bass I play thru them.
With the Gretsch, the tone knob is fairly useless, but I've discovered that the tone can be varied from a deep bass thump (picking up closer to the neck) to an almost guitar-like treble picking down closer to the bridge)  by varying pick attack and especially the pick location. I get a tone variation that I'm very satisfied with that way.  Don't know how that works out if your a finger player, I'll have to experiment with that.  I've taking the Gretsch to rehearse with lately because it's so very, very light and easy to play.

[pickinatit]

I still say the Gretsch G2202 Electromatic Jr. Jet has the hottest passive pickup of any short scale bass I've ever owned!  It's far and away the most powerful sounding short scale I've heard.  The reviews on Harmony Central all praise this bass.  If you have that exact model and the pickup isn't quite strong, I'd say there's something wrong with it or with the electronics.

Yeah,  that's what I'M sayin' too.

[siamesetwins]

Dan Armstrong Plexi Bass
Best sounding short scale you can find.

Backed hard. Would kill for a '69 Dan Armstrong.

[grimniggzy]

I have a few other votes as well:
the Danelectro Longhorn is damn good for a bass with one pickup, very simple yet effective.
Fender Mustang Bass seems like something to look at as well.
Also a Gibson SG or EB-3 can definitely be muddy but can also be perfect for a punky sound.
I just think the Dan Armstrong is the one I like the best as it's got incredible sustain and the tone knob changes the sound so drastically that it is very versatile. Not to mention it has switchable pickups.
All depends what kind of sound you're looking for though.

[Jeff Troy]

Hi, Guys,

I have to emphatically echo grimniggzy and siamesetwins. I've had an original Dan Armstrong Ampeg Bass (first edition without the tone switch) since 1969, and wouldn't trade it for any other bass in the world.

This thing is heavy enough to cripple you permanently, but it punches, it bends, it's sweet and it's nasty, and you can get any sound you want with no more than the volume and tone controls and the way you strike the strings. The timber is in your hands, and the instrument just brings it all out.

Two bits of advice are to 1) always use a 90-degree plug to the input jack or you'll crack the pickguard (guess how I learned that one - twice!) and 2)  never use a solid state amplifier with an Armstrong bass, or it could be the worst-sounding bass you've ever owned instead of the best.

Warmest regards...