Warmoth #3: Short Scale Jazz Bass - Planning Mode!
- Thread starter hannaugh
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I built a 30.5" scale bass out of a fullsize Warmoth G5 rig, fretless, so all I had to do was the side dots and bridge placement. I wanted a five-string high-C bass, and that was what was there for it. Anyway, I though that the string tension might be a problem and I was willing to tune it to F or F# (BEAD) if needed, but in fact it works fine in EADGC - I was surprised it wasn't a problem. The only discernible diffie is that the action has to be somewhat higher, but I'm using standard sets of D'Addario "Chromes" (medium +a .20 "C") on it and it works fine.
One truly odd-seeming thing about basses is that they work better with old strings, at least for traditional, muffled thumping around. Flea and Billy Sheehan may have to change strings a lot, but some of the old studio guys were proud of having five-year-old strings! That ultra-treble slappy poppy bass style is really only liked by bass players - lead guitarists and singers want you to shut up and stay back where you belong. Stanley Clarke and Jaco Pastorius are NOT revered in the lead singer ranks.... I imagine being a girl, playing bass in LA, could probably lead to a slew of job opportunities if you're even somewhat in key and not sloppy drunk all the time. (And maybe even more if you are, you'll have to try it both ways. L,Ay.....)
One truly odd-seeming thing about basses is that they work better with old strings, at least for traditional, muffled thumping around. Flea and Billy Sheehan may have to change strings a lot, but some of the old studio guys were proud of having five-year-old strings! That ultra-treble slappy poppy bass style is really only liked by bass players - lead guitarists and singers want you to shut up and stay back where you belong. Stanley Clarke and Jaco Pastorius are NOT revered in the lead singer ranks.... I imagine being a girl, playing bass in LA, could probably lead to a slew of job opportunities if you're even somewhat in key and not sloppy drunk all the time. (And maybe even more if you are, you'll have to try it both ways. L,Ay.....)
Super Turbo Deluxe Custom
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Line6man, I think the 3/8" ream is the only one available for shortscales, which automatically limits one to Hipshot Ultralites or the Gotoh equivalent. Something else that does as much to balance a bass is to shorten the scale length. And for that as scratch build and using a pickguard, pickup choices are usually limited to JJ or PJ. Soapbars would be out of the question (if using a pickguard) on J unless they bent the rules.
As Mister Skuttlefunk (Regenerate Bass Works) and 8.7533 jillion others point out - if you increase the string tension, the note will be sharp. If you build a bass with some method that results in "increased string tension" you're out of tune. if a 30" "G" string is in tune at 25 lbs. of pull, try increasing it to 26 lbs.! Um. :hello2:
First the makers, then the reviewers (for magazines with advertisement revenue from... makers!) have trumpeted the increased tension mantra for a long, long time. Strings through body add sustain... until it's the tunematics turn to add sustain.
Meanwhile, a brief - because I was going fretless and passive and short and I knew I'd be using D-Addario Chromes (ground flats), I went bright in the other regards. Swamp ash body, EMGhZ passive pickup - these things are great, "flat" in the sense that they have highs, mids and lows, as opposed to all midrange like most Humbuckers. EMG actually advocates using a .047 cap, but, fretless? Short? So I wired a .022 and a .033 to a three-way switch - either one or both in the middle position, as capacitors are additive in parallel. One good PU is all I need, ask Jack Casady. And, an ebony board, and a maple neck with WIDE nut. I totally believe neck wood is one thing that's hard to add back to tone, when it's not there in the first place. And five BEEEG tuners, because I like weight in the neck. It was totally neck-heavy till I glued a 1" thick gear in it's butt and filled the rest of the hole with casting resin:
NOW it balances heh heh, only 11 lbs. too. Hey! Here's Peanut Buddha and Binky:
AND re: being a girl and not wanting to gaak your wrists up, good idea. I got the video of Jeff Beck at Ronnie Scott's right in time to have the carpal surgery on my left hand, and before the surgery I saw Tal Wilkenfield playing bass and thought "Yay!" After the surgery I watched the same things and thought "OWWW... poor thng's gonna to have a very short career if she doesn't change that."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drAv2FoYji8&feature=related
at 0:55 she's playing low notes and her wrist is like totally sideways... not a long-term approach. If you watch old-guy players who've been at it since the sixties, their wrists are straight and they don't do the Paul Gilbert/Steve Vai big stretches. Beck is a good example.
Cagey
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StubHead said:
Makes my wrist hurt just to watch people play like that. I don't know how they do it. I do know they can't do it for long. It is as you say - a career shortener.
I remember one of my early teachers made me buy a wrist brace from the local bowling alley and wear it while I played so I couldn't easily bend my wrist. He wasn't trying to save my wrist so much as force me to hold my guitar right to give me more control and to learn to finger the frets rather than manhandle the neck. Worked pretty good. Every once in a while, I'm tempted to get another one.
Corey P.
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I got into 5-string basses more for the ability to play the low E in 5th position, etc. than 5 extra notes. Tal's hand position looks pretty natural to me, her thumb is usually opposite her middle or index finger on the fretboard, and her palm is parallel to the fretboard, yes the reach for her is significant but I can't imagine that kind of wrist position is all that different from anything most double bassists would deal with... :dontknow:
Also that lineup is so ridiculous, Beck and Colaiuta and two of my favorite musicians of all time, and Tal's an absolute monster. If I needed to kick my mother in the face to get vibrato like hers, I'd be on bad terms with my mom.
Also that lineup is so ridiculous, Beck and Colaiuta and two of my favorite musicians of all time, and Tal's an absolute monster. If I needed to kick my mother in the face to get vibrato like hers, I'd be on bad terms with my mom.
Update: I have sent a message to TroubledTreble about his bass pickups. I'm going to go to the big guitar expo in Pomona on the 30th, and I will play around with a bunch of stuff and take notes on what I like.
And I believe I have decided that the body will be swamp ash.
And I believe I have decided that the body will be swamp ash.
Patrick from Davis
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I have a Pau Ferro neck and a Wenge neck on my five strings. They are both dandy. I would get Wenge if I was forced to choose one. It is very easy to deal with. One the Warmoth I built, I put the Musicman pickup in it. I got the quad coil for hum canceling and options. It allows for a lot with the parallel, single, series switch. The parallel sounds like the classic tones I know, and the series has the grinding sounds. I like the series, but I like the Morphine sound as well. I also put an Aguilar OBP-3 preamp in it and I can futz with the boosting of cutting the tone to my hearts content. I honestly don't mess much with it, but it is helpful to get a proper sound with the other people I play with if anyone thinks it needs to be messed with.
As far as the 30/32 inch discussion, I'd play both and see if my hand noticed a big difference. If it was something that turned out to make one more desirable than another, go with what works. Otherwise, I'd get the longer scale for the benefits that it give the string tone. But, I would go for the one that fits the best first. I have found it doesn't matter much for my hands. Good luck with the build.
Patrick
As far as the 30/32 inch discussion, I'd play both and see if my hand noticed a big difference. If it was something that turned out to make one more desirable than another, go with what works. Otherwise, I'd get the longer scale for the benefits that it give the string tone. But, I would go for the one that fits the best first. I have found it doesn't matter much for my hands. Good luck with the build.
Patrick
