It’s All About that Short Scale Bass
Last Updated: December 3, 2025
People come in all shapes and sizes, and so should instrument choices. Whether you’re looking for a bass for a younger learner, an adult with a smaller frame and hands, or you want a bass that is more comfortable to play, there are many fantastic short-scale bass options on the market.
Electric, acoustic-electric and novelty short-scale basses might be small, but they’re jam-packed with musicality!
Short Scale Electric Basses
For players who want a traditional electric bass shape, look, feel, and sound, Epiphone and Fender offer great options. Both offer a 30” scale.
Budget Friendly Epiphone SG E1
The Epiphone SG E1 is a solid instrument and a budget-friendly choice for any musician. This little bass is a pleasing classic cherry red and looks exactly like the full-scale SG. The scale and shape of the neck is highly comfortable for smaller hands to play, but aren’t so small that bassists who play full-size instruments would be uncomfortable picking it up.
What’s also great is that the cutaway shape of the body allows for easy access to the upper frets, so this bass will allow players not just to play simple bass lines, but also to play challenging parts that use the entire fretboard. Also keeping with the specs of the full-scale SG, this bass has a single Sidewinder bass humbucking pickup, providing that recognizable rock sound.
Fender Player Series Mustang PJ Bass
For that true Fender experience, the Fender Player Series Mustang PJ Bass (available in various colours) is the ultimate in short-scale bass options. The Mustang has been a choice of bassists from bands such as The Rolling Stones, Talking Heads, Nine Inch Nails and My Chemical Romance.
Squier Bronco Bass
And don’t forget about the popular and affordable Squier Bronco Bass (available in various colours). The scale of the entire bass and the C-shape of the neck make this option easy to play and comfortable, whether you're seated or standing.
Short Scale Acoustic-Electric Basses
Sometimes bassists want something slightly different from the standard electric options and instead look for a great acoustic-electric choice. There are a couple of fantastic short-scale offerings by both Ibanez and Taylor that bring the acoustic bass guitar down to a more playable size for all bassists.
Ibanez Short-Scale Acoustic-Electric Bass
The Ibanez Short Scale Acoustic-Electric Bass is a beautifully crafted instrument with a parlour-shaped body made of okoume in an open-pore, natural finish. It includes a maple neck, with both the fretboard and bridge made of laurel. The okoume wood body offers players a fast attack and bright tone when playing acoustically.
Ibanez installs D'Addario phosphor-bronze-coated acoustic bass strings on these basses, which also help achieve the instrument's bright, balanced tone. Coming in with a slightly smaller scale than a regular-sized acoustic guitar, at 24.75”, this bass is extremely comfortable for players of all shapes and sizes.
The pickup is an Ibanez undersaddle, and the preamp is an Ibanez AEQ-2T with an onboard tuner. With these on-board electronics, players can run it through effects pedals to get a crunchy rock bass sound, or plug directly into an acoustic amp for a louder sound while maintaining the bass’s acoustic qualities. The musical possibilities with this bass are endless.
Taylor GS Mini Bass
Fans of Taylor GS Mini Guitars should try out their line of mini basses. Using the same level of craftsmanship as all of their acoustic guitars, Taylor has produced a beautiful acoustic-electric bass that is available in maple or sapele/sitka, depending on the sound you’re looking for.
The maple bass has a solid spruce top with maple back and sides, which gives this model a punchy and rich sound, while the sapele/sitka bass has the sitka spruce top with layered spele body wood, and a neo-tropical mahogany neck providing a stunning wood grain, and a warm tone with sweet overtones that emerge as the instrument ages.
Both the maple and sapele models have ebony fretboards, and Taylor is the leader in preserving and protecting ebony forests, so this resource remains renewable and available for years to come.
The scale length on these basses is slightly smaller than the Ibanez short scale bass at 23.5”, and the strings are the D'Addario phosphor bronze coated acoustic bass strings that were specially formulated by D'Addario and Taylor to work on their GS Mini-e Basses. These strings have a nylon core, but still provide plenty of snap and low-end punch.
Both models of the GS Mini-e Bass feature Taylor ES-B pickups with a digital tuner and come with a Taylor GS Mini Bass bag. The onboard electronics help to amplify the rich acoustic sounds of these basses when running through an amp without effects, or musicians can choose to explore built-in effects on their amps or run the bass through effects pedals.
Novelty Short-Scale Basses
Although the bass options in this category are more novelty in nature due to their size and strings, they are still favourites amongst many bassists for their playability and portability.
As the popularity of the U-Bass has increased, several brands now offer these instruments. The common theme among them is a small body, playable neck, onboard electronics, and rubber strings. Some are available as fretted or fretless, and the choice of wood and finish ranges from acacia wood or mahogany to the striking striped ebony.
These basses are excellent options for players who may have trouble with steel bass strings and need a gentler string for their fingers. The rubber strings are very flexible and don't cut into players' finger pads. While on the quieter side when played acoustically, U Basses are great practice basses, and when amplified, they truly shine.
Denver, U-Bass & Kala Short Scale Basses
The Denver Acacia Fretless Bass Ukulele is an affordable option, while a mid-range model is the U-Bass Wanderer Acoustic/Electric Fretted U-Bass. Another option is the beautiful Kala Fretted U-Bass, featuring stunning striped ebony. All 3 of these mentioned models include a gig bag!
Ukulele Basses
Leho's Ukulele Bass has the same body size as a baritone ukulele and serves as a great entry into bass playing for not just children, but also ukulele players and anyone wanting a compact, playable bass.
The sapele wood body offers a solid tone to the low end when played acoustically, and when using the onboard electronics (which include a tuner), this bass can pack a punch with an amplifier and effects pedals. With 16 frets, this model allows most basslines to be played and would also be a terrific addition to a ukulele ensemble or an excellent travel bass for musicians on vacation who still want to practice!
No matter the style or size of short-scale bass, there are options available for every musician regardless of age and ability, and you should visit your local Long & McQuade to try out these fantastic, smaller - but still significant in sound - options in the world of basses.
Kristy is a multi-instrumentalist with an Advanced Diploma in Applied Music. She has been with Long & McQuade at the Bloor St. location in Toronto since 2017 and is the harp specialist for stores across the country.
