Gilman wrote:
My biggest concern is transitioning from a shorter scale to a longer scale and vice versa. Don't want it to become an issue down the road.
I wouldn't worry about it. I play a variety of basses that I own with different scale lengths; from my Stagg EUB-43", to my Custom-built bass-36", to most of my other basses at 34", and even my little Kala U-Bass at 20-1/8"... I've never had a problem transitioning from one-to-another, even when playing multiple basses on the same gig.
If you like the Alveraz Bass, then go for it - you really won't notice the difference!
The granddaddy of all acoustic basses. Super rare. Not a lefty, but appears to be an easy conversion. Unlike most acoustic guitars/basses, the bridge doesn't have an angled saddle:
1 more possible option, though not in your under $500 range. Boulder Creek has several lefty options now. I played one at NAMM a few years ago and was very impressed:
pjmuck wrote:1 more possible option, though not in your under $500 range. Boulder Creek has several lefty options now. I played one at NAMM a few years ago and was very impressed:
Glad to see they now offer left hand basses. I contacted them about four years ago about lefties, and at that time they weren't available. Would like to try one some day...
fivebass52 wrote:
I wouldn't worry about it. I play a variety of basses that I own with different scale lengths; from my Stagg EUB-43", to my Custom-built bass-36", to most of my other basses at 34", and even my little Kala U-Bass at 20-1/8"... I've never had a problem transitioning from one-to-another, even when playing multiple basses on the same gig....
Agreed, 100%. I have a couple of 34", one acoustic 32", and one 36" scale. You will have absolutely no problems picking one up and playing. You really will not notice any difference in scale.
Though not in your price range, I have a Martin Mahogany body bass that I absolutely love. It is a 34 inch. I have it strung up with TI flats. Acoustically, it is just barely enough to keep up with a small guitar, like a 00 bodied guitar. Plugged in, it has a full round, percussive tone that I use frequently when playing without a drummer. I use mine around the house when I don't want to set up the electric bass. I am glad I have mine, and sometimes wish I could use it more. Hope yours works out!
I keep reading that most guys here have one just to grab and play on the couch or when a particular song comes on the radio (do those still exist?). That is exactly why I got mine. But, I have used it often - sitting in onstage with a bluegrass group several times, in church with other acoustic instruments (violin, cello, acoustic guitar, etc.), and several times onstage with a country group over the years. They have a different, more "round" sound compared to solid bodies, and they fit into several venues quite well. If something happened to mine, I would definitely get another.
