How does your 34" Warwick sound with a 30" neck ??

T

ThirdthumB

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Hi,

I did something similar a while ago (trying to mimic a 35" bass with a 34" bass). This time, I have a tip to mimick a 30" bass with a standard 34" bass. It's simple: a 30" bass uses the same strings, in terms of thickness, as a 34" bass, and in order to maintain the same tuning as a 34" bass, the tension must be reduced (since the string length is reduced). This reduction in tension will result in different sonical characteristics. How will the sound change ?? Well, check this out: the difference in string length is 4". This happens to be the approximate distance from the nut to the 2nd fret. So if we put a capo (or something that functions as a capo: I've been told there is no such thing as a capo for bass) before the 2nd fret, we will have a 30" bass. In order to maintain the same tuning, assuming it's GDAE, we need to tune the bass so the tunings of the strings at the 2nd fret are GDAE. Simple, this is the case when you detune the bass to FCGD !! In order to check how a 30" bass sounds, you don't need a capo. You can just play your 34" bass tuned FCGD to experience the stiffness and sonical behaviour of the strings. Adding a capo, you can also experience how much shorter the bass will be, that could enhance your playing if you've always felt that you needed to stretch your fretting arm too much. Of course, a 32" scale bass can be modeled similarly.

Cheers. :D
 
A great advice!
I'll give it a try :)

But why do you thinks there's no capos for bass?? :)
 
vates said:
A great advice!
I'll give it a try :)

But why do you thinks there's no capos for bass?? :)
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I've only asked a dude in a shop once, and he said that there's "too much tension", which I don't dig actually. Sure, you may need more tension to press four or five thick strings.............but you don't need that much tension right ?? In any case, I've never seen or heard about a capo for bass............... :roll:
 
Actually, there are a few models that go well with bass. My previous band made many songs in standard tuning, but after a while we went one step down. I only had one bass, so I borrowed a capo so I didnt have to re-tune all the time. Looks weird yes, but i makes thing so easy.

Thing is, a capo can make the strings bend slightly down or up, making them a little out of tune. You must be sure that they get pressed straight down.

Other thing, a normal capo for guitar will loose its tension because of the neck-width, so get yourself one of those capos where you adjust the tension yourself. You should also get one with rubber inside its clamps, so it doesn`t slide or damage your finish.
 
Thou isn't space between frets smaller on 30" bass than on the 34" bass?
 
DiabQ said:
Thou isn't space between frets smaller on 30" bass than on the 34" bass?
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Yes,

however, when you start with the 2nd fret on a 34" bass, then the distance between the second fret and the third will be comparable to the distance between the nut and the first fret on a 30" bass. What you do is "shift" all the notes with two frets, hence reducing fret distance. :D
 
Sorry Thirdy but imho all this changing scale stuff is all wrong.Same as for having 35" on the B & 34" on the G,or whatever it was at the time.Scale doesnt work that way mate.
 
thumperton said:
Sorry Thirdy but imho all this changing scale stuff is all wrong.Same as for having 35" on the B & 34" on the G,or whatever it was at the time.Scale doesnt work that way mate.
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Please elaborate.

It seems straight forward physics to me, but maybe I missed something. :wink:
 
a 32" isnt a 34" minus 2 frets.It's a different scale length.The distance between frets is reduced slightly in a short scale rather than just a couple frets short.That's how I see it.I might be wrong though.I must admit,it's an interesting idea.
 
Actually, I think it's pretty much right...

34" minus the first two frets is roughly 30", but keep in mind that all frets are then "promoted" by two: the 14th fret now becomes the middle of the string, and the 24th becomes the 22nd...
 
JanVanHove said:
Actually, I think it's pretty much right...

34" minus the first two frets is roughly 30", but keep in mind that all frets are then "promoted" by two: the 14th fret now becomes the middle of the string, and the 24th becomes the 22nd...
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Yes yes,

like I said, it's "shifted" two frets roughly. What you get is a scaled down fretboard by a factor of 30/34, which is what you have with a 30" bass. Indeed, the fundamental difference between a 34" bass and a 30" bass is the length of the strings (by estimation I have to mention). I just translated that into the distance from the nut to the frets which happens to be fairly accurate.
 
Jan's right. The 12th fret should be roughly half the scale length. If you measured the distance from the 2nd Fret to the bridge, the halfway point would be the 14th fret - which is now the 12th fret. Sorry, that's probably as clear as mud!
 
I ran this by a luthier & he agreed that scale doesnt work that way.Maybe we're both incorrect about this & you guys are right.
 
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