Newbie bassist considering building a J-style short scale, left-handed

[stollie]

Hi all,
I'm new to this forum, new to playing guitar (10 months) & bass (a couple of months). Hopefully I'm posting in the correct thread.

Per the bass, the long-scale may be compounding some (recent) shoulder pain to the point that I'm thinking about building a short-scale, which should serve me well as I join the 65+ age bracket in a couple of months. I'm primarily into playing reggae & funk on the bass, which may be a J-style. Alder body with transparent yellow finish, roasted maple neck with rosewood fretboard. I'm already picturing it!

Anyway I just wanted to introduce myself to the forum in anticipation of asking y'all for help & input.

For instance, I'll likely need advice on choosing some thumpin' pickups for my genres of choice. No shortage of pickup options out there!

Cheers!

 

[Scab Pickens]

Welcome! I have no worthwhile input when it comes to the bass side of Warmoths, although I will probably try a bass build at some point. Looking forward to how your journey develops . I do love some funk and reggae .

 

[stratamania]

Welcome to the forum.

It certainly sounds like an SSB may be well worth considering.

 

[TBurst Std]

Some thoughts as I am a guitarist and bassist.

Something I noticed the other day (guitar based) due some conversations on another forum: How the instrument hangs on you potentially impacts what you're inspired to play. But in this I noticed the distance from the butt of the guitar to nut is quite different between the Strat and Jazzmaster. Though the same scale length, the nut is about 1 " further away (in fact the nit on a Strat is about equal with fret 1 of a Jazzmaster). Ahh that explains why when playing the JM I feel I have to reach out further.

From what you said, you are trying to minimalize that reach. In that case you may want to look at the shortscale PB body. You can still have it routed of Jazz pickups and use the Jazz narrower neck..

I'll pull out my P and J Basses later and see if the observation remains true.

For funk, definitely get SS frets, as you'll want to use Rotosound Swingbass strings. They can chew up regular frets after a few years.

 

[stollie]

Thanks for your replies thus far. Some initial questions:

1. Per the attached image, what's the input control, is that for an active bass? I'm planning on passive.
2. Is that a good jack route choice?
3. Warmoth's site says that double-expanding truss rods are standard on SSB's.
- what are the rods made of? I remember reading that graphite is lighter, which helps alleviate neck heaviness and helps with the balance of the instrument.

 

[TBurst Std]

1. That's the std Jazz Bass layout. Neck pup vol, Bridge pup vol, Master tone.
2. Yes thats the jack rout you want. ALWAYS go with 7/8
3. The Truss rod is metal. The graphite are stiffening rods, separate from the truss rod. I wasn't sure, but in looking at their website, the SSB neck do not use stiffening rods it appears. The the Double expanding Truss "Rods" is actual "Rod" There is just 1 assembly. Not 2 next to each other ala a Rickenbacker 4003 or a Gecko.

Also noted, the SSB neck's only nut width is that of a Jazz Bass.

 

[Hodgo]

Input = front mounted jack. No need to get one if you’re getting a side jack rout too, but the traditional jazz bass layout has the jack on the front.