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is a fender jazz bass long scale

by Luis Krajcik Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Choosing the Right Scale Length
Most basses such as Fender's Precision and Jazz Bass have a 34” scale—considered a long scale.
Apr 19, 2019

Full Answer

Is the Fender Jazz Bass short or long scale?

Most bass guitars are long-scale instruments. In fact, Fender itself defined the long-scale bass guitar when it introduced the profoundly influential Precision Bass® in 1951. It, as well as many other models that followed, has a 34” scale, which can prove to be a bit of a stretch for players with smaller hands and shorter reach.

Is the Fender Jazz Bass a good guitar?

Yes. Well, to be exact, it's a good bass or a good bass guitar. But, to the spirit of your question, it is versatile, reliable, playable instrument with a good range of tonal options. It's pretty much the standard against which all other basses are judged. I bought my first Fender Jazz Bass, a 1968 in 1976.

What is the weight of a Fender Jazz Bass?

There is no model that is specifically lighter than the other. Weight is hit or miss with Fender. Depends on the wood used for that instrument. The two "lightest" Fenders I've owned was a Highway One Jazz that was 8 and change lbs and my current '72 Jazz which is 8.9 lbs. The lightest "Jazz" type bass I have is my Sadowsky which is 7.5 lbs.

What is the length of the Fender bass guitar?

Fender set the standard for the 34" long scale bass length with the release of their influential Precision (left) and Jazz (right) bass guitars. One of the most important aspects of a bass guitar is its scale length. Short scale basses are usually designated as those with a 30” length.

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Is a Fender Jazz bass long or short scale?

The standard scale for most bass guitars is about 34”. These basses are sometimes called “long scale.” Fender pioneered this scale when they introduced their Precision bass in October 1951. With the success of the Precision bass and later Jazz bass, 34” has become the standard scale for electric basses ever since.

What is the scale length on a Fender Jazz Bass?

34 in.Scale length is 34 in. (864 mm.). Width of nut is 1 1/2 in.

What is considered a long scale bass?

On a modern bass guitar, 30" (76 cm) or less is considered short scale; standard (also called long) scale is 34" (86 cm) for a 4-string and 35" (89 cm) for a B-E-A-D-G 5-string, and extra-long scale basses of 36" (91 cm) also exist.

How do I know if my bass is long scale?

For all bass guitars, if you take a look at the specifications on the manufacturers website you'll see a scale length quoted in inches e.g 32”, 34” etc.

What scale is a jazz bass?

Important Dimensions Of The Jazz Bass The important dimensions of the Fender Jazz bass to consider are: Overall Length – 46.5” (118.11cm) Scale Length – 34” (86.36cm)

What is considered a short scale bass?

Over the years, 'short-scale' has come to mean any bass with a scale length 31″ and under, with the average being 30″ or thereabouts. While it may seem insignificant, subtracting four inches from a bass string's vibrating length (standard scale length is 34") profoundly impacts timbre and feel.

Why short scale basses are better?

Why choose a short-scale bass? The first and most obvious reason to use a short-scale bass is its physical size. With their shorter necks, less distance between frets, and more compact general dimensions, short-scale basses are an excellent choice for players with smaller hands.

What's the difference between a short scale bass in a long scale bass?

Short scale bass guitars have a scale length of 30 inches or less, while long scale bass guitars have a scale length of 34 inches or more. Short scale bass guitars are more accessible to play than long scale bass guitars, making them excellent for beginner bass players.

Is a Mustang bass short scale?

The Mustang Bass is considered a “short scale” bass guitar meaning it's scale length is 30”…. Around 4” shorter than it's P-Bass and Jazz Bass big brothers.

Is a short scale bass easier to play?

I've got a hefty selection of both short scale and regular scale basses. For me, it's definitely easier to have 1-finger-per-fret, if your into that way of playing. It's also easier to play chords and generally just a lot less stressful on my hands.

What scale is a Fender P Bass?

In fact, Fender itself defined the long-scale bass guitar when it introduced the profoundly influential Precision Bass® in 1951. It, as well as many other models that followed, has a 34” scale, which can prove to be a bit of a stretch for players with smaller hands and shorter reach.

Why is it called a jazz bass?

First introduced in 1960 as the Deluxe Model, it borrowed design elements from the Jazzmaster guitar. It was renamed the Jazz Bass as Fender felt that its redesigned neck—narrower and more rounded than that of the Precision Bass—would appeal more to jazz musicians.

Is a short scale bass easier to play?

This, combined with the frets being much closer together, means that short scale basses feel considerably easier to play than their full-length counterparts. These qualities make short scale basses apt for beginners, especially younger players with smaller hands that can't stretch very far.

What scale length is a Rickenbacker 4003?

33.25 inThis design, created by Roger Rossmeisl, was manufactured between 1961 and 1981, when it was replaced by an updated version dubbed the Rickenbacker 4003....Rickenbacker 4001Scale33.25 in (845 mm) (long scale) 30.5 in (770 mm) (short scale)WoodsBodyBound maple (and unbound maple 4001S Model)NeckMaple, Walnut11 more rows

What is the difference between Precision Bass and Jazz?

The Precision Bass neck is meatier at the nut (roughly 43mm) and maintains a pretty consistent thickness along its length. The Jazz Bass neck tapers as you get to the nut (roughly 38mm), where the strings are routed tighter. Some players felt that this tapered feel at the nut offered easier fingering.

Is a Mustang bass short scale?

The Mustang Bass is considered a “short scale” bass guitar meaning it's scale length is 30”…. Around 4” shorter than it's P-Bass and Jazz Bass big brothers.

What is a Fender Jazz Bass?

The Fender Jazz Bass (often shortened to J-Bass) is the second model of electric bass created by Leo Fender. It is distinct from the Precision Bass in that its tone is brighter and richer in the midrange and treble with less emphasis on the fundamental frequency.

How many pickups does a Fender Jazz Bass have?

The Jazz Bass has two single coil pickups with two pole pieces per string. As well as having a slightly different, less symmetrical and more contoured body shape (known in Fender advertising as the "Offset Waist Contour" body), the Jazz Bass neck is noticeably narrower at the nut than that of the Fender Precision Bass.

What wood did Fender use for their basses?

Around the same time, Fender began using ash for most of the instrument bodies. Prior to the early 70's, most Jazz basses had bodies made of alder, except for those that were finished in a clear or ("natural") finish - for those basses ash was nearly always the wood of choice.

What pickup spacing does a Fender Jazz use?

However, Fender's own history is clearly incorrect as there are unquestionably examples of Jazz basses made in late 1970 that use the 4" pickup spacing. Both 3.6" and 4' spacing are found in Jazz basses made in 1971, and there are even a few Jazz basses made in 1972 that use the older 3.6" spacing.

When did CBS buy Fender?

A number of cosmetic changes were made to the instrument when CBS purchased the Fender companies in 1965. During 1965/66 the Jazz Bass received bound rosewood fingerboards with pearloid dot position inlays (which replaced the older "clay"-style of the early 1960s) and oval-shaped tuning machines.

What is Highway One Jazz Bass?

The Highway One Jazz Bass is a moderately priced American-made bass introduced in 2003, featuring a Leo Quan BadAss II bridge with grooved saddles, Posiflex graphite neck support rods, 1970s styling, and a Greasebucket tone circuit since 2006.

How far apart were the pickups on the Jazz Bass?

From 1960 until late 1970, the two pickups on the Jazz Bass were spaced 3.6 in (91 mm) apart. The bridge pickup was then moved .4 in (10 mm) closer to the bridge, creating a spacing of 4 in (100 mm).

When did Fender introduce the Jazz Bass?

All in a package that was more easily transported than a bulky double bass. Fender further innovated the bass with the release of the Jazz Bass in 1960. Originally called the Deluxe, the Jazz Bass was conceived as a stablemate to the Jazzmaster guitar, which was introduced two years prior. For over five decades, artists have fallen in love ...

What is a P bass?

Created to team with the popular Fender Telecaster both musically and aesthetically, the Precision Bass gave musicians something they never had previously—it could be strapped across their shoulders, it had frets and it could be plugged into an amplifier. All in a package that was more easily transported than a bulky double bass.

What is a P bass pickup?

The original P Bass pickup was a chrome-plated single-coil, but in 1957, it was updated to a hum-canceling split-coil pickup with staggered polepieces that delivered thunderous low-end and clear high-end.

When did the Precision Bass come out?

There was a time in recorded music history when there was no electric bass to complement the sweet sounds of the electric guitar, but that all changed when Leo Fender unveiled the groundbreaking Precision Bass in 1951. As the story goes, the amplified guitars of the time were beginning to drown out their accompanying acoustic standup ...

Can you mistake a P bass neck for a Jazz bass neck?

Nobody will ever mistake a P Bass neck for a Jazz Bass neck.

What is the scale length of a bass guitar?

In the context of guitars, bass guitars, and other string instruments, scale length refers to the distance between the bridge and the nut, not the length of the neck. What we call “long-scale” basses have become more or less the standard scale length for basses, thanks to Leo Fender and the Precision Bass he introduced in 1951. While the 34″ scale is now considered the standard, it wasn’t always so.

Why choose a short-scale bass?

The first and most obvious reason to use a short-scale bass is its physical size. With their shorter necks, less distance between frets, and more compact general dimensions, short-scale basses are an excellent choice for players with smaller hands. They’re also ideal for guitarists who want to explore the bass, since they feel more like a standard electric guitar than a long-scale bass does, thus making the transition easier. But, short-scale basses aren’t chosen simply for their convenient size. Serious players and studio pros have long known a secret about short-scale basses: despite their more diminutive footprint, they have a massive sound with a fat low end unique from long-scale basses, and it can excel at filling in a mix.

What famous musicians play short-scale bass?

As mentioned above, Sir Paul is perhaps the musician most identified for sporting a short-scale bass. But countless legendary bass players representing numerous genres are in the short-scale club. Classic short-scale bass players from the 1960s and 1970s include Jack Casady (Jefferson Airplane), Phil Lesh (Grateful Dead), Bill Wyman (The Rolling Stones), and Jack Bruce (Cream).

What was Jack Bruce's first short scale bass?

Of these players, Jack Bruce was one of the most emphatic short-scale enthusiasts. One of his first short-scale basses was the Fender Bass VI, an oddball of an instrument with six strings tuned down an octave lower than a guitar with an added tremolo arm, which produced some truly diverse bass sounds.

How to tell if a basse is short scale or long scale?

This is easily demonstrated on any stringed instrument. For instance, play an E on the 12th fret of the low E string. Then, play the same note on the 7th fret of the A string. While the pitches are the same, the timbre is different. The E played on the 12th fret of the low E string is darker than the E played on the A string, which is due to the shorter length of string resonating in that position. So, because of their reduced scale length, short-scale basses are inherently darker and, arguably, richer in tone than long-scale basses.

What did Weymouth do with her basses?

But she experimented with many short-scale basses over the years. Weymouth has said in interviews that short-scale basses helped her to get her confidence up before folding long-scale basses into her repertoire. Another notable short-scale player from that period is Mike Watt from Minutemen, Dos, and Firehose.

What is a compact fingerboard?

Long stretches between notes are far more manageable. The compact fingerboard is great for speedy, note-filled bass lines. Playing full chords is no problem and sounds incredible — and you can bend the strings on a short-scale bass without crippling your fingers.

What is the best scale for bass?

To see that formula in action, let’s apply it to the C Minor scale. This scale is one of the best minor scales for beginner bassists to learn to play since it’s found in a number of popular songs. The C Minor scale pops up quite a bit in the blues and jazz genres.

What is the most common type of bass scale?

The Major Scale . The major scale is the most common and important type of bass scale. Many songs are written in a major key, making use of a variety of major scale s to set the tone. In terms of sound, a major scale has a bright and cheery feel when you listen to it.

What makes the blues scale different?

What makes the blues scale different is that it adds a sixth note to a pentatonic major or minor scale, which is often calledthe blue note.” It’s this extra, chromatic note that gives this essential scale its unmistakably soulful tone.

What is the blues scale?

Whether you play it on a six-string guitar or a four-string bass guitar, the blues scale formula is actually a variation on the pentatonic major or minor scale.

How many notes are in a minor pentatonic scale?

Like the Major Pentatonic scale, the Minor Pentatonic scale is made up of five notes. The Minor Pentatonic scale, however, has its own unique formula that can be applied to construct this type of scale. Like the regular Minor scale, the Minor Pentatonic scale has a sadder, more dramatic tone to it than its Major Pentatonic counterpart. You’ll hear the Minor Pentatonic scale in jazz, blues, and hard rock / heavy metal genres, lending that mysterious, downtrodden tone to a song or musical composition.

Why is minor scale important?

As one of the most important bass scales for beginners, learning to play minor scales can help you to recognize and create music that has a greater range of emotions when played.

What does the bottom line on a tablature chart mean?

In order to read tablature, the lines on a tab chart represent the strings on your bass, with the bottom line representing the lowest-toned string (E). The highest line on the chart represents (you guessed it) the highest toned string on your bass (B). The numbers on a tablature chart represent which fret you’ll place your finger on -- on a particular string -- in order to play the correct note.

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Overview

Design features

The Jazz Bass has a bright sound, with more high end than the Precision Bass. This makes it ideal for slap playing as well as finger-style players. This bright sound is because of the two pickups at different points in the string's length. The bridge pickup gives a tone with more treble, while the neck pickup will yield a rounder sound. The ability to blend the volume of both pickups allows for a wider variety of tones than the Precision Bass can produce. Pickups are RWRP (reverse wound, r…

History

First introduced in 1960 as the Deluxe Model, it borrowed design elements from the Jazzmaster guitar. It was renamed the Jazz Bass as Fender felt that its redesigned neck—narrower and more rounded than that of the Precision Bass—would appeal more to jazz musicians.
The Jazz Bass has two single coil pickups with two pole pieces per string. As well as having a slightly different, less symmetrical and more contoured body shape (known in Fender advertisin…

Models

• Standard Jazz Bass
• Standard Jazz Bass Fretless
• Standard Jazz Bass V
• American Performer Jazz Bass

Signature models

Fender has designed signature Jazz Bass models for notable players including:
• Roscoe Beck
• Mark Hoppus
• Geddy Lee
• Jaco Pastorius

24-fret Jazz Bass

In July 2005, Fender introduced its first 24-fret bass since the Fender Performer Bass, the Fender Jazz Bass 24. The Jazz Bass 24 featured a sleek alder body, a 34"-scale length, modern "C" shaped maple neck with a two-octave rosewood fingerboard, abalone dot inlays, 24 medium-jumbo frets, Hipshot-licensed tuners, Fender/Gotoh High Mass top-loading bridge, two custom-wound Seymour Duncan SJB-3 Quarter Pound pickups, a passive/active push/pull volume knob and a 3-band activ…

Fender Jaguar Bass

In 2005, Fender introduced the Fender Jaguar Bass, as of 2008 available in Hot Rod Red, Olympic White, Sunburst and Black finishes, with a three-ply white or tortoise pickguard. This is a variation on the traditional Jazz Bass design—differences being that it has only one master volume and tone, but additional on/off switches for pickup selection, series/parallel switching, and a two-band active preamp with bypass switch.

See also

• Fender Musical Instruments Corporation
• Fender Precision Bass
• Fender Aerodyne Jazz Bass
• List of signature model bass guitars

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