Question 35" scale?

[freedok]

Hi ya'all,

There's been a lot of talk recently about 35" scale length bassess with regards to a better sounding low B string. I suppose this would make sense only for 5 and 6 string basses.

What are the chances MM will be coming out with a 35" scale bass in the future?

Peace,

Karl

 

[Big Poppa]

Karl

We experimented with many swcale lengths as when we introduced the sr5 21 years ago there was no standard as they were quite new. I have no issues with our b string and think that in our case 34' is a better bass

 

[freedok]

Yes, I would have to agree with that. I recently purchased a bongo 5 and I am pleased with all aspects of playability and sound. I particularly like mine because it is a bit on the lighter side. My back isn't what it used to be so I steer away from the heavier instruments.

Thanks,

Karl

 

[MingusBASS]

BP and crew, you did it right the first time. The B string on all of my EBMMs are superb. I've played plenty of 35" scale basses w/ decent B strings but they can't match the playability and tone of my Balls. Thanks! My ears and fingers thank you too.

 

[Dr Stankface]

I don't think my B string could sound better.

 

[MrMusashi]

the sr5 does not need a 35" scale!
it has a note definition that is as good as 35" scale basses and it has a very lively sound on the b string. a fretted e on the b string and an open e sounds pritty much the same and that is rather unusual

MrM

 

[Ken Baker]

Please allow me to reverse your paragraphs.

What are the chances MM will be coming out with a 35" scale bass in the future?

You have BP's response. They market analyze, they test, then they build basses.

There's been a lot of talk recently about 35" scale length bassess with regards to a better sounding low B string. I suppose this would make sense only for 5 and 6 string basses.

The B string "superiority" of a 35" scale bass is, in my opinion, essentially nil if the bass in question is of good quality with a well made neck. Strings and frets can have a bigger effect than scale length for the purposes of this discussion, and frets are subjective. We have five 5 string basses across four manufacturers here; a new G&L, a Bongo, a SUB, a Lakland Skyline, and an Ibanez that my son keeps at college. All have really good sounding B strings, even when I use TI Flats with their low tension.

Summary: It's pretty tough to make a blanket case for 35" scale basses. If the boutique builders choose to go that route, more power to them. I can't detect a difference in B string tone in the 35" Lakland that I can actually attribute to the scale length. For the workingman's basses that I have, 34" and 35" work equally well.

Ken...

 

[Smakbass]

I like 34" scale basses I still have one bass in my stable thats 35" and its going,,,,I feel fatigued after playing it maybe cause everything else I have is 34" (with the exception of my 33" fretless) I think even if the B is stronger your talking about adjusting the whole instrument for 5 notes your probably not going to spend THAT much time on,,,I find I like the E alot better on a 34" and in the end I spend alot more time chugging on that E than I do on the B,,,(although I do use the D alot it seems..)

 

[Smakbass]

I agree I think if a bass is constructed well with a good bridge and components and a good break angle there will be no problem.

 

[Rano Bass]

Nahh.... I've had two in the past and didn't noticed any improvement on the B string.

 

[phatduckk]

i trust the guy that builds one of (if not "the") best selling 5 string out there

 

[Caca de Kick]

35" is only for those companies that can't get the resonance right on 34".

Guess what? They hit the nail on the head here with 34"

 

[oli@bass]

35" is only for those companies that can't get the resonance right on 34".

IMO, that's bashing others simply for the sake of bashing them.

I've played 35" for almost ten years. The string tension on the B is higher than on a 34" scale. It feels different, more like the E string on a 34" scale.

 

[Big Poppa]

Oli I disagree with your criticism.....it is reallly a whole lot easier to make the five string sing at 35" We feel that we engineered it right over 20 years ago when alot of these guys werent shavng yet.

 

[bassmonkeee]

IMO, that's bashing others simply for the sake of bashing them.

I've played 35" for almost ten years. The string tension on the B is higher than on a 34" scale. It feels different, more like the E string on a 34" scale.

A 35" scale might improve a B string, but I have never played a 35" scale that didn't have a horrible sounding G string.

Honestly, it has nothing to do with bashing others for the sake of bashing them--there are lots of factors for a good B string and length is only one of them. Personally, I have always felt that neck rigidity is much more important than scale length and that doesn't choke the G string. But, it's easier and cheaper to simply lengthen the scale.

 

[lordraptor1]

if your bass is 35" scale length then no reason to use ernie ball cobalt strings, according to them ( ernie ball) they dont have cobalts for 35" scale length. i would also like to add that 4 string cobalt set fits my 34.25" through body mount just fine but the 5 string cobalt set wont fit my 5 string through body correctly. ernie balls response was to use their nickel long scale strings, honestly to me th8is was a slap in the face if i wanted to use nickel strings on my bass i would have ordered nickel strings to begin with.

fact is if your bass is 35" scale length just buy a different brand, DR, DAddario, etc you wont have a cobalt option but at teh same time you dont really have a cobalt option anyway if your bass is 24 fret 34"+ scale length.

i can only assume that ernie ball had fender guitars and basses available for measurements the day they designed the colbat strings.

by ernie balls comments to me, their cobalt strings will NOT fit traben array obsession, traben pheonix, or my ibanez sr400QM ( specs say it is 34" but measurement from nut to 12th fret show my sr400QM is actually 35" scale length).

sad day for me as i have used cobalt strings exclusively for years and never had a problem till i picked up this 5 string and now im being told that my string choice wont work and coincedentally according to ernie ball cobalts shouldnt even fit on my 4 string ( yet they do).

at the end of the day i dont know if ernie ball changed their cobalts to have a little less wind on them to cut costs or what but to push ernie ball nickel strings to a customer isnt exactly a good idea i mean why spend $22-$25 on ernie ball nickel strings when you can spend $20 on Daddario long scale nickel strings?

so sadly it looks like im jumping ship from ernie ball at this point, i mean they are not supporting my needs and instead are pushing somethign else so its best to just switch brands and support a company that does have products that fit my needs and for less money to.