jerrydf

Anderton
In terms of playing style, the main point to remember about bass is that it's part of the *rhythm* section.

Don't tell us. Tell the three out of four bass players who think they are the main event. 

LOL. give them time to grow up. might take 20 years, though. meanwhile stick to the 1 out of 4
 
IMHO bass is a "don't know what you got till its gone" thing. applies to bass players as well as a good bass line which is never in your face but makes the song fall apart when you hit the mute button on the bass.

Voda La Void
I guess I don't understand the point of the Mikro.  Why the need for a shorter scale?  You guys got little Trump hands or somethin'?  
 

If you’re very used to a guitar’s scale length, which is generally 25.5” or less, playing a long-scale bass fluidly requires a different “muscle memory” because the frets are far enough apart that the frets just aren’t where guitar-based practice and experience says they should be, if you see what I mean. That’s on top of the mental re-mapping needed to deal with the top two strings being “missing” and the different fret-hand fingerings required to accomodate the bigger gap between the frets.

A short scale bass can help with all of that. Though some guitarists find it an effort to switch between Gibson and Fender guitar scale lengths which only differ by 3/4”.

And yes, some people have smaller hands than others.

delete post

tlw

Voda La Void
I guess I don't understand the point of the Mikro.  Why the need for a shorter scale?  You guys got little Trump hands or somethin'?  
 

If you’re very used to a guitar’s scale length, which is generally 25.5” or less, playing a long-scale bass fluidly requires a different “muscle memory” because the frets are far enough apart that the frets just aren’t where guitar-based practice and experience says they should be, if you see what I mean. That’s on top of the mental re-mapping needed to deal with the top two strings being “missing” and the different fret-hand fingerings required to accomodate the bigger gap between the frets.

A short scale bass can help with all of that. Though some guitarists find it an effort to switch between Gibson and Fender guitar scale lengths which only differ by 3/4”.

And yes, some people have smaller hands than others.

What appealed to me about a short scale bass is that it's about the same size as guitar (which I imagine would be comfortable to play). As long as the mikro is decent in tone and playability, that would work for me.
 
I'll also be using some amp sims to sculpture the sound. Possibly in time, I might want more than what a mikro has to offer.....IDK.

tlw

Voda La Void
I guess I don't understand the point of the Mikro.  Why the need for a shorter scale?  You guys got little Trump hands or somethin'?  
 

If you’re very used to a guitar’s scale length, which is generally 25.5” or less, playing a long-scale bass fluidly requires a different “muscle memory” because the frets are far enough apart that the frets just aren’t where guitar-based practice and experience says they should be, if you see what I mean. That’s on top of the mental re-mapping needed to deal with the top two strings being “missing” and the different fret-hand fingerings required to accomodate the bigger gap between the frets.

A short scale bass can help with all of that. Though some guitarists find it an effort to switch between Gibson and Fender guitar scale lengths which only differ by 3/4”.

And yes, some people have smaller hands than others.

To me, and this is just my opinion and personal experience, that's a small adjustment rather than a real issue.  I never even really thought about it.  Just played the bass and adjusted.  I probably sound like an a-hole, but I promise I'm genuinely mystified why that would be a big deal to anyone. 
 
I have short, fat fingers (don't say it!) and switch back and forth from guitar and bass all the time.  It's just not a "thing", I guess.  An entire bass guitar line to circumvent a little adjustment and adaptation.  Seems like I would spend more time shopping for one than it would take to just sit down for a few minutes and adjust. 
 
To each their own, though.  I bought a $400 hi-hat stand to move my hats to a center hat drum kit configuration rather than simply adjust and adapt to cross sticking.  So I guess we each pick our handicaps...rock on.

Voda La Void

tlw

Voda La Void
I guess I don't understand the point of the Mikro.  Why the need for a shorter scale?  You guys got little Trump hands or somethin'?  

If you’re very used to a guitar’s scale length, which is generally 25.5” or less, playing a long-scale bass fluidly requires a different “muscle memory” because the frets are far enough apart that the frets just aren’t where guitar-based practice and experience says they should be, if you see what I mean. That’s on top of the mental re-mapping needed to deal with the top two strings being “missing” and the different fret-hand fingerings required to accomodate the bigger gap between the frets.

A short scale bass can help with all of that. Though some guitarists find it an effort to switch between Gibson and Fender guitar scale lengths which only differ by 3/4”.

And yes, some people have smaller hands than others.

To me, and this is just my opinion and personal experience, that's a small adjustment rather than a real issue.  I never even really thought about it.  Just played the bass and adjusted.  I probably sound like an a-hole, but I promise I'm genuinely mystified why that would be a big deal to anyone. 
 
I have short, fat fingers (don't say it!) and switch back and forth from guitar and bass all the time.  It's just not a "thing", I guess.  An entire bass guitar line to circumvent a little adjustment and adaptation.  Seems like I would spend more time shopping for one than it would take to just sit down for a few minutes and adjust. 
 
To each their own, though.  I bought a $400 hi-hat stand to move my hats to a center hat drum kit configuration rather than simply adjust and adapt to cross sticking.  So I guess we each pick our handicaps...rock on.

Agree with this 100%.  I have small hands as well.  I had to learn to actually use my pinky to play Bass.  That in turn, actually made me a better guitar player.  Bass also strengthened my hands.  
 
I switch from my Rick bass, to my Gibson LP to my Strat daily, really with out any thought or effort.  I've learned to adapt quickly to the instrument I am playing.  The differences in the instruments, influence the style of play.  I may pick up the LP on purpose, because of the style of song I am playing.  
 
Again, as Craig mentioned above, the Bass is a rhythm instrument meant to lock into the drums and hold down the groove.  Perfect timing is more important than speed.  Less is often better.  Unless of course, you are trying to be one of the 3/4 of Bass Players wanting to be the "main event".
 
 

I will admit that the Mikro was initially very appealing to me but then I realized the reason why -- the intent to play it like a guitar. Since I am not fluent on bass as it is, that would just end up muddying the waters to learning bass properly. All of the things that cause me "grief" are because I am trying to play it like the wrong instrument (more often than not actually).

Just curious Michael, wouldn't that be more of a mental thing......to be able to stay within the confines of the bass line? (no matter what size the bass is)
 

In further defense of short scale basses, I offer the following:
 

Mesh
Just curious Michael, wouldn't that be more of a mental thing......to be able to stay within the confines of the bass line? (no matter what size the bass is)
 

Probably. I could also probably play a guitar simulating a Bass much more like a Bass as well, now that I have been forced to think like a Bass Player.

Which is kind of the same answer I would have with Tal, she is a Bass Player.