The standard 34” bass scale length was popularised by Fender with its Precision Bass model. Neither is better than the other of course - it’s all down to preference! Full-Scale Bass Guitars While a 34” scale is considered the industry standard, shorter-scale basses have many plaudits that appreciate their more ergonomic feel. Some can be slightly longer or even shorter than 30”, but generally this is the customary specification for short scale basses.īoth full-scale and short scale basses have their pros and cons. Boasting scale lengths that measure at around 30”, these instruments have a considerably shorter feel than most bass guitars. As basses are conventionally tuned an octave lower than most guitars thicker strings and a longer scale are therefore required to compensate for that loss of tuning tension.Īs we said at the beginning, short scale bass guitars typically sit in the middle. While electric guitars usually have a scale length that spans between 24”-26” (depending on brand and model), the majority of standard bass guitars have a much longer 34” scale.īut some of you may be thinking: “why do bass guitars have a longer scale length than electric guitars?” Well, scale length ultimately affects string tension the longer the scale, the greater the tension. If you’re unsure what ‘scale length’ means, it refers to the distance between a guitar’s bridge and nut often measured in inches.
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