The Definitive "Pro" Shortscale...?

ZenG

ZenG

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Dec 13, 2013
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#1
We all know that if you walk into a studio with a Fender P and you are a good player, whoever else is there isn't likely to raise their eyebrows and 'tut tut' over the bass you brought in. After reading an infinite number of posts about this on TB and elsewhere over time, it seems the Fender P gets hugs and kisses from sound engineers and producers.

However no doubt there are studios that allow a wider margin of choice for other basses too, depending on what the needs are at the time.

Safe to say there are more than a few basses one could walk into the studio with and not raise alarm.

So if a Fender P gets through the door everytime...then...which shortscale would be considered "pro" ?

I have three budget shorties. They are all modded. And if I made a record at home (which I can do) I wouldn't have any trouble using them.

But let's say I got a call to be the bassist on some famous artist's project and I walk into the studio with my modded Bronco...well you get my drift..

Haha...right...they'll say "Where's your Fender P ? "

Seriously...for the times when studios will use a shorty...which one gets the nod automatically?
 
#6
Well Garry Tallent's been bringing short-scale basses to some pretty popular recordings with that Springsteen fellow for a long time.
Danelectro Longhorns, Guild Pilots, and lately that beautiful PRS custom.

Then there's that bloke from the Beatles and his Hofner...

It'd be a brave and foolish studio that thought they weren't up to the job.

Of course if a studio's that concerned about what bass you're bringing, I'd be worried that that's because their engineers aren't good enough to get a decent sound.
 
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#9
I'd say Fender Mustang or the new Starcaster, just because it says Fender on the headstock. I think there are many short scales that are capable of being every bit as versatile as the P or the J, but you probably won't get people to believe it unless you've got that Fender logo.
 
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#10
my slightly modded longhorn - usually gets the ok from people i play with
 

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#12
Not a high profile pro studio but the engineer at our local demo studio offered to let me use his late '60s J bass when he saw my Hofner Ignition Club bass come out of it's bag. We decided to compare them and we both preferred the Hofner. He liked it so much he offered to buy it from me on the spot.

I'd no have no problem bringing my Ibanez AFB200 and/or Hofner Ignition Club and/or modded MIJ Mustang RI. If they have a problem with any of those they can either provide a bass or call someone else.
 
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#13
Justin Meldal-Johnsen has been using a vintage Mustang for a long time on Beck records (as well as other drool-worthy vintage Fenders). Fender even made him a signature model of it.

Seems to me that people have to really hear a short scale being played in order to understand how thick and beefy they can be
 
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#15
I think that before studios start considering a "pro" short scale, first the manufacturers (and the bass world in general) need to start accepting the short scale as "pro".

Even though there have been many legendary short scale bassists, it seems that people still need to justify choosing a short scale instrument. Once manufacturers start to treat SS the same as the rest of their instruments (i.e: not just one model with 2 colours so they can say they make them) then we may see some positive movement on the acceptance level.
 
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#17
This was something of a sore subject for me. I was gigging in cover bands and backing up singer-songwriters with a Birdsong cBass, a marvelous short-scale instrument. Then I got my first studio gig, and when I walked in with it, I got the hairy eyeball. Around the same time, one of my favorite drummers began a lobbying campaign, telling me I really needed a Precision, he could hear it better, blah-blah-blah. Surrendering to peer pressure, I sold the Birdsong, and then went through a series of P-basses, none of which I was ever truly comfortable with. Even so, I got a little more studio work and everybody else was happy about it. Then I moved out of state, and the studio work went away. I started playing a Lakland, which I was very happy with. But I still missed that Birdsong. And got a happy ending: It came up for sale here recently, and I was able to snag it. Began gigging with it right away, and man, it is never going out of my hands again!
 
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#18
Bunk McNulty said:
This was something of a sore subject for me. I was gigging in cover bands and backing up singer-songwriters with a Birdsong cBass, a marvelous short-scale instrument. Then I got my first studio gig, and when I walked in with it, I got the hairy eyeball. Around the same time, one of my favorite drummers began a lobbying campaign, telling me I really needed a Precision, he could hear it better, blah-blah-blah. Surrendering to peer pressure, I sold the Birdsong, and then went through a series of P-basses, none of which I was ever truly comfortable. Even so, I got a little more studio work and everybody else was happy about it. Then I moved out of state, and the studio work went away. I started playing a Lakland, which I was very happy with. But I still missed that Birdsong. And got a happy ending: It came up for sale here recently, and I was able to snag it. Began gigging with it right away, and man, it is never going out of my hands again!
Click to expand...

NEVER. LISTEN. TO. DRUMMERS. ABOUT. YOUR. BASS. AGAIN! ;)
 
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#20
JACink said:
I think that before studios start considering a "pro" short scale, first the manufacturers (and the bass world in general) need to start accepting the short scale as "pro".

Even though there have been many legendary short scale bassists, it seems that people still need to justify choosing a short scale instrument. Once manufacturers start to treat SS the same as the rest of their instruments (i.e: not just one model with 2 colours so they can say they make them) then we may see some positive movement on the acceptance level.
Click to expand...

It's coming. Short scale is gaining crazy amounts of steam lately.
 
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