small travel bass guitar

Bass Gear Guide

10 best ‘on the road’ travel basses.

Bass Musician continues the holiday gear shopping season with our best ‘on the road’ travel basses…

Moollon bass.

Quite a few of the touring musicians I have interviewed ( Most recently, Tim Lefebvre ) are playing these reliable workhorses.

Kala Sub Bass

Wing Bass NT

Traveler Guitar TB-4P

At 6.8 lbs, this bass is easy on your shoulders when you are the go.

M-Bass 23-Inch Scale Acoustic-Electric MicroBass

Ernie Ball Music Man 40th Anniversary “Old Smoothie” Stingray

Taylor GS Mini Series

Fender American Professional P Bass

Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Bass Natural

Review – Boss GT-1B Bass Effects Processor

On-Location with Étienne M’Bappé at Revolution Hall

Beginner Bass Guitars and Essential Gear for Kids & Teens… A Parent’s Guide

Beginner Bass Guitars and Essential Gear for Kids & Teens… Wishlist Suggestions

This article contains a list of suggestions to help you in navigating gear if your child is asking for a bass guitar..

One of the main considerations is that most children who start playing a musical instrument either change their minds as to what they want to play or quit altogether.

Here is my list of bass gear if I were going to put together a bass starter package for my child:

Ibanez Gio GSR100EX Bass Guitar – [ VIEW ] $199.99 This is a very simple but effective member of the Soudgear Series basses. The Oil finish won’t show dings and dents as much as a glossy one, The slim neck will work great for smaller hands but this still has a full-length scale.
Jackson Spectra JS2 Bass Guitar – [ VIEW ] $199.99 Here we have a metallic blue finish, full-scale jazz bass with a slim neck profile, and jumbo frets. This one sports a gloss finish.
Squier Mini Precision Electric Bass – [ VIEW ] $149.99 This is a good choice for the smaller players as it is about 3/4 the size of the full-scale models. You can’t go wrong with a P-bass with a split single coil pickup.
D’Addario 3″ Padded Woven Bass Guitar Strap – [ VIEW ] $16.99
Levy’s M26PD-BLK Top Grain Leather Guitar Strap – [ VIEW ] $29.99
Gruv Gear SoloStrap Neo – 4″-wide Neoprene Guitar Strap – [ VIEW ] $64.99
Gator Economy Gig Bag – [ VIEW ] $29.99
Fender FBSS-610 Short-scale Bass Gig Bag – [ VIEW ] $59.99
Ibanez PowerPad Designer IBB541 Electric Bass Gig Bag – [ VIEW ] $99.99
D’Addario PW-CGTPRO-10 Classic Pro Straight to Straight Instrument Cable – [ VIEW ] $14.99
Pro Co EGL-10 Excellines Straight to Right Angle Instrument Cable – [ VIEW ] $13.99
Fender 0990820092 Deluxe Series Straight to Straight Instrument Cable – [ VIEW ] $27.99
Fender 7250M Nickel Plated Steel Long Scale Bass Guitar Strings – .045-.105 Medium – [ VIEW ] $13.25
DR Strings MR-45 Hi-Beam Stainless Steel Bass Guitar Strings – .045-.105 Medium – [ VIEW ] $19.99
D’Addario EXL170 Nickel Wound Bass Guitar Strings – .045-.100 Regular Light Long Scale – [ VIEW ] $21.99
Snark SN-1X Guitar and Bass Tuner – [ VIEW ] $13.89
D’Addario PW-CT-17CBK Eclipse Cello/Bass Tuner – [ VIEW ] $14.99
Korg AW-LT100B Clip-on Bass Tuner – [ VIEW ] $29.99
Positive Grid Spark Mini Portable Combo Amp – [ VIEW ] $229.00 This little guy doesn’t take up much space and has a ton of features to offer >>> check out our review here
Fender Rumble 25 1×8″ 25-watt Bass Combo Amp – [ VIEW ] $77.99
Hartke HD15 1×6.5″ 15-watt Bass Combo Amp – [ VIEW ] $129.99
Samson SR550 Closed-back Studio Headphones – [ VIEW ] $39.99
JBL Lifestyle Tune 500 Wired On-ear Headphone with 1-Button Remote/Mic – [ VIEW ] $24.95
Sennheiser HD400S Folding Closed-back Headphones with Smart Remote – [ VIEW ] $49.95
Gator Frameworks GFW-GTR-1000 Single Guitar Stand – [ VIEW ] $16.98
Hercules Stands GS200B EZ Pack Guitar Stand – [ VIEW ] $23.49
Fender Universal A-frame Electric Stand – [ VIEW ] $59.99
If looking for an easy book to get them started, check out Hal Leonard’s Essential Elements for Band – Electric Bass Book 1 with EEi – [ VIEW ] $12.99

Opening a Can of Worms… 5 Bass Players Take on 15 Instrument Cables For An Unscientific Analysis

Instrument Cables…

Let’s first separate out the tangibles from the subtle: .

Now, I’m not saying all of these assertions are purely marketing hyperbole, to the contrary, they literally are explaining what may make their product different from the crowd. But, as always, I’m not a lab tech, I’m a player. I don’t have the tools (or the desire) to put cables through rigorous bench testing apparatus. it’s just not where my interests or my strengths are.

When I thought of how I could be of value to this conversation…

I invited a handful of cable manufacturers to submit their products for this process and we had a blast listening and critiquing each cable against one another. , here is the list of cables we tested: .

CHART - Opening a Can of Worms… 5 Bass Players Take on 15 Instrument Cables For An Unscientific Analysis

As we cycled through these at random, I played each for a bit (the same line or two over and over) as consistently as possible, and the fellas commented on what they heard.

Some of the less expensive cables like the Rapco, ProCo and Hosa’s had a more “EQ’d sounding” and forward-accentuated high end, which some of the primarily live players thought might actually be more ideal for cutting through a busy mix on a loud stage.
Some of the higher-end cables traded a bit of this articulate “spanky” high-end for more integration in the midrange, cleaner, less “congested” lows and general transparency overall. The mainly studio players among us tended to favor some of these, while the primarily live gigging players’ ears were drawn toward the cables with more audible bite. This, to me, is not surprising, given the goals of each type of player.
One factor that wasn’t captured in this double-blind listening test was the concept of how a cable “feels” as a player experience, vs. how it sounds as a third-party listener. As the guy who played through all of these cables many times, I can attest that some cables felt faster, with a wider dynamic range, whereas others felt slower or more compressed to the touch. I do agree that this was more palpable as a player’s experience, as opposed to a listener’s. This is actually a big can of worms, as we often ask ourselves as testers or players “Yeah it kinda sounds xyz but is anyone gonna hear that on a gig?”. Well, if you FEEL that on a gig, that’s not nothing, regardless of whether the drunk frat party at table 6 is knocked out by your stellar bass tone. Your experience with your instrument and your sound as a player is super important, and will affect the way you perform, and likely how much you enjoy the experience. That’s true for me anyways.

Well, let’s get down to it, In the category of bass instrument cables, the Oscars go to:

If i had to pick the top 3 as collectively indicated by the group for sound quality probably these: .

Asterope : “It had a certain clean, crisp yet warm character” that pretty much everyone loved right off the bat and kept referring to as a benchmark. This was my favorite-sounding cable of the bunch, all things considered.
Lava Ultramafic: “Super quick sounding, very clear in the lower and upper octaves”, “Nice build quality, perfect blend of beefy but not bulky feeling”.
Evidence Audio Lyric HG : “Really nice high end, lots of presence but not “poky” like some are up there”, “Very cohesive from top to bottom with excellent clarity”.

Best value MVP’s:

Hosa Edge: Great sound with clear highs and balanced mids and lows, Neutrik connectors, lifetime warranty. A lot of bang for $44.
Rattlesnake Snakehead: Very “big” sounding with “bone-rattling” low-end definition and good integration, at a competitive price point and with a lifetime warranty.

Some interesting and notable comments shared by the group:

Control (Mogami) : Dark, dry, a bit sterile, but well integrated.
Lava Retro Silent Coil : “has a “spongy” sound to it.” “Almost like you put tubes in the head”.
Zaolla Silverline : “Quick and clear, uncolored, highs and mids are well connected”
Proco Evolution : “Ballsy in the low mid and low frequencies. Slower transients than some”

So, where is all this going?

Got some thoughts on this , and huge thanks to all of the companies who participated, and sent us cables for testing:, all about flatwound strings.

All About Flatwound Strings…

What are flatwounds and how did they first come about, are there advantages to flatwound strings.

One thing to note about flatwounds. They seem to be one of the few sets of strings that can vary widely depending on the manufacturer. A set like D’Addario Chromes will sound much brighter and different than GHS Precision Flats, and yet they’re both flatwound strings. It’s common to see players use different sets of flats, to match the tonal flavor they’re going for.

Are flatwounds just for Motown/vintage-style players or instruments?

What are some of the newer and more interesting versions of flatwounds and how did they come about , are flatwounds easier on the fingerboard and your fingers , what are tape wounds and what are they for , why do flats feel like they’re higher tension/stiffer , do all flats have more fundamental to their sound than roundwounds , who are some of the more famous players who use flats (and maybe some that are surprising given their style or sound) , what is the ratio of round to flat sets that ghs sells , a buying guide to effects pedals.

A Buying Guide to Effects Pedals…

Overdrive and distortion effects, analog and digital effects, best guitar cables for bass: try these instrument cables now.

The Best Guitar Cables / Instrument Cables for Bass Players…

Here is our current ‘best of’ guitar cables / instrument cables for bass:.

Check out bassist Derek Jones review of the Asterope Cables!

Rattlesnake Cable Company

Cordial Cables

Analysis Plus

More guitar cables for bass on our radar.

Phil Jones Bass The PJB BI-12 Shielded Bass Cable has not only one shielded cable but three. By the combination of carefully chosen materials such as 99.999% oxygen-free pure copper and PTFE die-electric insulation, the BI-12 unleashes the true tone from your bass and gives you a whole new experience. The PJB 4′ Speaker Cable (SS-4) has the lowest possible internal resistance for efficient power transfer. VISIT >>>> pjbworld.com

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Carry-on Mini Bass

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FULL-SIZED PLAYABILITY

The Carry-on Mini Bass is a portable travel-sized guitar that plays and feels like a full-sized instrument.

LIGHTWEIGHT & COMPACT

At only 2.1kg and only 84cm long, Carry-on Mini Bass is ideal for travel and will fit in airline overheads. Perfect for learning to play and taking to any destination.

CONSTRUCTION

Constructed using poplar bodies and a bolt-on nato neck, the Carry-on Mini Bass guitars are built for beautiful looks and playability.

PLAY ANYWHERE

PLAY, LEARN, ROCK ‘N’ ROLL

Unlike many mini bass guitars the Carry-on Mini Bass guitar is built to the same standards as a full-size instrument using quality materials and a low action, this helps children develop when learning to play.

SMALL SIZE, BIG SOUND

Offset coil pickup
Chrome sealed tuners
Scale length 59.6cm
18 fret laurel fingerboard
Volume & Tone controls
Toploader style bridge
125-105-85-65 custom gauge strings

Carry-On Mini Bass Guitar | Take-Anywhere Guitar That Feels Like Your Full-Size Electric

Specifications

Privacy Overview

Top Travel Bass Guitars for On-the-Go Musicians

Imagine standing in the heart of the bustling crossroads of the world, Times Square in New York or Piccadilly Circus in London. Suddenly, you feel an irresistible urge to produce some soul-stirring bass guitar music, right there, right then. But there’s a problem – lugging around a standard bass guitar isn’t a picnic. Enter the concept of a travel bass guitar , a streamlined, portable instrument that has revolutionized my approach to bass music on the go.

As a luthier and engineer, the phenomenon of the travel bass guitar caught my attention and filled me with excitement. Marrying portability with the deep, soulful sound of bass guitars was a tantalizing challenge; one that I gladly accepted. Creating instruments that retain their signature sound even when pared down was no small task, yet the journey was exciting and deeply rewarding.

Today, I bring the fruits of this journey to you, fellow bassists who are always on the run. This is an exploration of top-tier bass guitars for travelers , where portability meets acoustic perfection, and function dances harmoniously with form. From the Hofner HCT-SHB-BK-O Shorty Bass Guitar to the Steinberger XT-2DB Standard 4-String Electric Bass, here’s where you’ll find it all. Through a meticulous review of these instruments, together with a detailed buying guide and maintenance instructions, I aim to guide you in your quest to find the perfect travel-friendly bass guitar.

Let’s venture into the dynamic world of travel bass guitars and discover how they can redefine your musical journey!

Top-Rated Travel Bass Guitars

Hofner hct-shb-bk-o shorty bass guitar, best for compact design.

The Hofner HCT-SHB-BK-O Shorty Bass Guitar is a dream come true for an on-the-go musician . The first thing that caught my attention was its compact design. I remember being backstage at a gig watching a fellow musician effortlessly unpacking his Hofner Shorty. It was a sight to behold – a truly compact bass guitar that piqued my curiosity.

This short-scale bass offered playability that was a delight. Importantly, it did not compromise on rich tones. I had believed that a smaller instrument would equate a less vibrant sound but I stand corrected. In my experience with this guitar, the basslines resonated with a depth and richness that one could call counterintuitive.

Compact and short-scale design for easy mobility.
Offers rich sound despite its small size.
The size might be uncomfortable for some players used to standard-sized instruments.
It does need more frequent tuning than larger bass guitars.

In comparison with other guitars such as the Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Bass and the Kala U-Bass, the Hofner Shorty stood out in terms of size and sound. The compact design of the Shorty gives it an edge in portability, while its unique shorter scale contributes to a fuller tone . So, if you’re a traveling musician with a taste for deep and rich bass tones, then this ‘Top-Rated Travel Bass Guitar’ is a winning choice.

Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Bass

Best for ultra-lightweight construction.

The ‘Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Bass’ lives up to its name. This electric travel bass is as lightweight as they come, weighing in at under four pounds . The minute I held it, memories of my ergonomic research days flooded back. I sought to achieve just this: minimize strain without trading off sound quality. This guitar squares that circle triumphantly.

Putting it to use thrilled me. Its feather-light touch gives it an effortless feel, a stark contrast to rival bass guitars. It comes with a robust bass guitar gig bag, adding a convenient touch for all traveling musicians. But don’t let its nimbleness fool you, the Ultra-Light offers incredible acoustic depth and richness.

Compared to the Kala U-Bass and the Steinberger XT-2DB, the Ultra-Light holds its own, boasting a full-scale neck, yet offering superior portability.

Ultra-lightweight bass guitar for effortless mobility.
Sound quality that defies its weight class.
May require some getting used to for those accustomed to heavier instruments.
Could benefit from a wider variety of color options.

In conclusion, the ‘Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Bass’ is a testament to the magic of engineering—how to create a bass guitar that’s compact, travel-ready, yet refuses to compromise on the sweet and deep tones we bassists live for. For the on-the-go musician, it’s a worthy contender in the realm of top-rated travel bass guitars.

Kala U-Bass

Best for acoustic-electric versatility.

Delving into the ‘Top-Rated Travel Bass Guitars’, the Kala U-Bass shines as a beacon of acoustic-electric versatility . As a seasoned luthier, it’s exhilarating to find an acoustic travel bass that melds the delightful charm of a ukulele with the potent depth of a bass. It’s comparable to my own journeys in experimental lutherie, where the aim is to find surprising synergies between varied facets of stringed instrument science.

I recall an instance observing a close friend effortlessly playing the U-Bass. Its compact size and unique sound had every eye in the audience glued to him. The product, an electric ubass, was a fantastic choice because it allowed for the transition between acoustic and electric playing styles on-the-go, which truly highlighted its versatility.

Remarkable blend of ukulele and bass characteristics.
Superb acoustic-electric versatility suited to travel.
Steep learning curve initially.
A little pricey for beginners.

Comparatively, the Hofner HCT-SHB-BK-O Shorty Bass has a more classic bass profile, ideal for those preferring a conventional approach. While the Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Bass leans towards a more design-oriented appeal, the Kala U-Bass steers clear with its hybrid innovation. And as we delve further into more options like the Steinberger XT-2DB Standard 4-String Electric Bass and the Wing Instruments W01 Bass, it’s clear that the U-Bass’s magic lies in its unique acoustic-electric combination. So for on-the-go musicians seeking versatility with a twist, the Kala U-Bass unquestionably brings a unique ukulele bass experience to the table.

Steinberger XT-2DB Standard 4-String Electric Bass

Best for silent practice with headphone amp.

In my time as a bassist, few instruments fascinated me like the Steinberger XT-2DB Standard 4-String Electric Bass . It is immediately distinguishable in the ‘Top-Rated Travel Bass Guitars’, providing a spectacular avenue for silent practice on a bass guitar with a headphone amp.

Last summer, I carried my Steinberger XT-2DB to a week-long outdoors retreat. Its collapsible design made transport hassle-free. One memorable evening, I plugged it to a headphone amp and the world around me disappeared. The hours spent on silent practice sessions were so immersive that pulling off riffs knocked against the quietude of the campsite passed unnoticed.

Steinberger’s approach not only offers portability and noise reduction but also a quality of sound that is uncompromised. It’s a solution for every bassist who appreciates privacy during practice while affording respect to those around.

Compact for travel
Excellent for silent practice with a headphone amp
Not ideal for amplified stage performances
A higher price tag compared to Kala U-Bass

This guitar might not be as light as the Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Bass or as affordable as Kala U-Bass but its design and sound quality are superior. Its silent practice provisions are unmatched making it a top choice for travel and practice. After all, the student in me knows, practice makes perfect!

Wing Instruments W01 Bass

Best for durability and ergonomic design.

As an experienced bassist, the proficiency of the ‘Wing Instruments W01 Bass’ translates into my performances. Its resilience and ergonomic design are a standout in travel bass guitars, thanks to its carbon fiber construction and paddle-bodied bass design . These features illustrate why this bass has a solid reputation for durability.

I remember an instance where my gig was outdoors, and I was caught in the rain. My Wing Instruments W01 Bass withstood the entire episode without any damage. Compared to my previous bass, the ‘Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Bass,’ which was affected by similar situations, this was a huge win.

Yet, while being easy-to-handle due to its ergonomic design, it is soulfully deep in delivering high-quality sound . An aspect where it outruns my ‘Kala U-Bass,’ which while convenient in terms of portability, didn’t quite reach the depth of the Wing W01’s resonance.

Durable carbon fiber design.
Ergonomic, easy-to-handle nature.
Deep, high-quality sound.
Slightly more expensive than competitors.
Less portable due to its unique shape.

In conclusion, the ‘Wing Instruments W01 Bass’ delivers on its promise of durability and ergonomics, standing out as magnificent engineering within top-rated travel bass guitars. It truly is a steadfast companion for any on-the-go musician.

Travel Bass Guitar Buying Guide

Key features to consider.

After well-rounded evaluations of the top-rated travel bass guitars, it’s essential we delve deeper into the key features to consider. Armed with my background in engineering and countless experiences on the road as a musician, I have identified three crucial attributes – scale length, weight, and collapsibility.

Short-scale bass guitars are a perfect choice for on-the-go musicians. Their reduced scale length offers a comfortable playability and allows for a manageable packing size without sacrificing tonal quality. Lightweight bass guitars are equally important. Continuous travel can be a physically taxing venture, and carrying a lightweight instrument can significantly lessen this burden. A lighter bass guitar ensures comfortable mobility, which is integral if you’re performing in various locations in quick succession.

Packed schedules and compact travel arrangements also highlight the importance of collapsible bass guitars. These instruments are designed for easy assembly and disassembly, saving you precious time and space on your journey. You can carry its various parts in a single case, making transportation easy and protecting the instrument from accidental damage.

Each of these features is more than a mere convenience; they are a culmination of ergonomic and acoustical principles that contribute to both the musician’s comfort and the instrument’s performance. As you find your perfect road companion, remember the significance of short-scale, lightweight, and collapsible features.

This assessment will guide the next section, where we will discuss additional accessories for the traveling bassist, further shaping your complete travel bass kit.

Accessories for the Traveling Bassist

As a seasoned bass guitarist, one rule I swear by is: never overlook the power of accessories. As the true unsung heroes in a musician’s journey, the right bass guitar accessories are crucial when traveling. Simply owning a remarkable travel bass won’t cut it. It’s crucial to pair it with apt add-ons.

Take the humble bass guitar gig bag , for instance. A meticulously designed gig bag is a bastion for your bass, protecting it from wear, tear, and accidental detriments while offering comfort during transit. I often muse about the days when I made my custom gig bags, choosing the right padding for both protection and handiness, lessons I now regard as fundamentally enriching experiences.

Moving on, can one truly appreciate the euphoria of creating music in new environments without a headphone amp bass guitar ? An intimate relationship between the musician and his instrument, a headphone amp allows you to maintain your practice routine, honing your craft while you explore new horizons.

The right accessories not only unite practicality and performance, they also contribute to your personal musical growth. Judiciously selected add-ons reflect your tastes, eventually becoming part of your musical journey itself. Remember, investing in high-grade bass guitar accessories is as crucial as selecting an apt travel bass, and it can significantly enhance your performance, comfort, and overall journey.

How to Maintain Your Travel Bass Guitar

After meticulously exploring the world of travel bass guitars and having spent many an hour using them both on tour and in quieter moments of personal practice, the next crucial element to master is the art of maintenance. It’s common knowledge that these mini bass guitars are a significant investment – they are more than a mere bass practice tool. Therefore, preserving their optimal performance ought to be a priority for all musicians. This requires more than just a good cleaning routine; it’s about fostering a connection with your instrument that respects its individuality.

As someone who has personally witnessed the magic a well-maintained travel bass guitar can do in boosting a musician’s confidence, I can’t stress enough the importance of such an endeavor. Preserving the fidelity of your travel bass guitar is much like preserving precious moments; each requires finer attention to the joys of now. By this, I mean approaching maintenance with care and a genuine appreciation of the instrument’s role in your musical journey.

While it might seem disproportionate to compare guitar maintenance to relationships, bear with me. Maintenance of an instrument is akin to nurturing a relationship – it demands attention and care. It’s about understanding that your travel bass guitar has a personality, a feel, and a voice of its own that needs protection and upkeep. Much like nurturing a relationship, the more you invest in maintaining your travel bass guitar, the more rewarding your bond with it becomes.

No two travel bass guitars are the same. You could have two identical models, but how you handle each instrument will inevitably result in a different feel, sound, and lifespan. Regardless of your guitar-model, however – a Hofner HCT-SHB-BK-O Shorty, a Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Bass, a Kala U-Bass, a Steinberger XT-2DB Standard 4-String Electric Bass, or a Wing Instruments W01 Bass – your relationship with it should be established on a foundation of proper maintenance.

This is not something to be flippish about or ignore until a string snaps. Instead, try to perceive your instrument as you would a valued companion. Don’t you want to keep it sounding its best for as long as possible? Don’t you want to safeguard that beautiful, unique tone it took you so long to find? Remember, the reward of a beautifully aged and well-maintained bass far outweighs the time you invest in its nurture.

Ultimately, the upkeep of your travel bass guitar is an idiosyncratic journey that aligns with your musical career. As I draw from my musical and teaching experiences, I hope this in-depth exploration into how to maintain your instrument will empower you to treat your travel bass guitar with the respect it deserves.

What are the top travel bass guitars for on-the-go musicians?

How much do travel bass guitars typically cost, why choose a travel bass guitar over a regular one.

Our journey through the world of travel bass guitars might end here, but your exploration strums on a new chord. From our robust traveler bass reviews to the specifics of the Hofner HCT-SHB-BK-O Shorty, the Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light, Kala U-Bass, and the Steinberger XT-2DB Standard 4-String Electric, we’ve delved into the eminence of each model. Be it the wing-like design of the Wing Instruments W01 Bass or the efficiency of compact bass guitars, we’ve nabbed the melody of what makes them special.

Moving beyond the gears, our travel bass guitar buying guide served as an epicenter, making the complex decision-making process a breeze. Heading the call of our wanderlust-infused tunes , the requisite accessories and the maintenance tips ensure a smooth journey. Indeed, a harmonious blend of knowledge and application.

Drawing the curtains on this medley of insights, I reflect on my journey from engineering to lutherie. The art of creating and sharing the joy of music with travel bass guitars is a symphony of technical mastery and expressive soul that I’ve strived to play throughout my career. But remember, each melody has its unique depth. So tune in to your notes, and play your rhythm. I hope these insights help you create your harmonious symphony on the go. The stage is yours.

R.M. Mottola, an engineer-turned-luthier, revolutionizes stringed instrument design with his deep focus on acoustics and ergonomics since 1994. As editor of the Savart Journal and a key contributor to American Lutherie, Mottola merges science with artistry in lutherie. He enriches the field with his extensive knowledge, shared through his Liutaio Mottola website, making him a beacon in the world of modern instrument craftsmanship.

Best short-scale basses 2024: the ultimate guide to the greatest pint-sized bass guitars at all price points

From Fender to Gibson, Gretsch to Spector, here are our top picks for the best short-scale basses on the market right now

Best overall

Best for classic rock

Best budget option.

Lightweight option
For vintage tones
Best for metal

More options...

Buying advice
How we choose

1. The list in brief 2. Best overall 3. Best for classic rock 4. Best budget option 5. Best lightweight option 6. Best for vintage tones 7. Best for metal 8. More options... 9. Buying advice 10. How we choose

The short-scale bass – underappreciated, misunderstood and damn fun to play! Now, I think we can all agree that the bass guitar as we know it owes everything to its founding father, the Fender Precision Bass. This revolutionary instrument forever changed the face of popular music when it was released back in 1951, and it's still being mimicked today – with its 34″ scale length, arguably the most copied element of its iconic design. That said, not all basses follow in the footsteps of the P-Bass as this guide to the best short-scale basses proves.

Before getting into our top picks for the best short-scale bass guitars on the market, it's essential to understand what makes the short-scale bass such a different animal. Over the years, 'short-scale' has come to mean any bass with a scale length of 31″ and under, with the average being 30″ or thereabouts.

To keep this guide diverse, we've chosen bass guitars from a wide range of brands from Fender to Gibson, Jackson to Spector, covering a myriad of genres. We've also included handy buying advice at the end of this piece to help you better understand the world of short-scale instruments. So without further ado, let's dive into our choices of the greatest short-scale basses on the market that are sure to help you bring the thunder.

As a Senior Deals Writer on Guitar World, I write about guitars for a living, but in a past life, I worked in music retail for seven years, advising customers on the right guitars, basses, drums, pianos and PA systems for their needs. During this time, I played bass in a classic rock covers band, performing songs from the likes of Rush, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath and more.

Best short-scale bass: Quick list

Combining the vintage look of the original with the superbly versatile PJ pickup configuration, this Mustang certainly kicks out a tremendous amount of tone. The popular C profile neck, with its 9.5″ radius fingerboard, will fit most hands. At the same time, the Satin Urethane finish gives the instrument a silky smooth feel.

Best short-scale overall

Best short-scale bass: Fender Player Mustang Bass

1. Fender Player Mustang Bass

Our expert review:

Specifications

Reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

The Mustang Bass has made quite the impact since it was released back in '64, finding its way into the hands of everyone from Tina Weymouth of the Talking Heads, Bill Wyman of The Rolling Stones and even Mikey Way of My Chemical Romance. Now, as cool as the original Mustang was, it wasn't the most sonically diverse. Well, that's where the new Fender Player Mustang comes in.

So if you are longing for a versatile, good-looking bass that packs a punch, then you need to try the Fender Player Mustang.

Best short-scale bass: Gibson SG Standard Bass

2. Gibson SG Standard Bass

Normally referred to as the EB-3, Gibson now calls the devil-horned short-scale bass the SG Standard Bass – and let's be honest, that's what most people call it anyway. While not exactly the same as the original EB-3, the SG Standard does sport all the hallmarks you'd expect from this bringer of low end.

The deeply sculpted mahogany body of the SG isn't just beautiful, it's also functional. The rounded edges make it incredibly comfortable against your body, while the lightweight nature of the SG means it's less taxing on your back.

Best short-scale bass: Ibanez TMB30-IV Talman Series

3. Ibanez TMB30-IV Talman Series

In the incredibly crowded beginner bass market, it's difficult to stand out. Still, the Ibanez TMB30-IV most definitely sets itself apart from the competition. Featuring a funky offset design and PJ pickup configuration, this bass looks as good as it sounds – couple this with the Talman's 30″ scale and you get a bass that it's insanely fun to play.

If you are a budding bass player looking for a budget bass to get into the short-scale game, the Ibanez TMB30-IV is the bass for you.

Best lightweight option

Best short-scale bass: Gretsch G2220 Junior Jet II Bass

4. Gretsch G2220 Junior Jet II Bass

Many great players have proven that they don't need expensive gear to sound great, and nobody quite expresses this sentiment more than Mike Kerr of Royal Blood. The frontman and bass rule-breaker can often be seen putting this affordable Gretsch through its paces on stages around the world.

With a basswood body, bolt-on maple neck, 30.3″ scale length and basic control layout, it's fair to say the G2220 is a simple affair, but that's part of the charm. The mini humbucking pickups deliver all the low end you could ask for while bringing enough high frequencies to the table to ensure you hear every detail in your playing.

For us, this affordable bass gives you everything you need to get the job done. It's comfortable, lightweight and sounds outstanding – what more do you need from a bass?

Best for vintage tones

Best short-scale bass: Höfner Ignition SE 500/1 Violin Bass

5. Höfner Ignition SE 500/1 Violin Bass

Few basses are as distinctive and iconic as the legendary violin bass, thanks massively to a certain Liverpudlian who loved its lightweight, small neck and sweet tone.

The Ignition Series leverages the low cost of Asian manufacturing to offer a remarkably affordable take on the venerable classic. Combining a spruce top with maple back and sides, this bass doesn't just look the part, it sounds it as well!

With many details inspired by the original, including the set neck, Staple pickups and rosewood bridge, this is a surprisingly close replica for not a lot of money - and yes, it's available in a right-handed edition, thankfully.

Best short-scale for metal

Best short-scale bass: Jackson JS1X Concert Minion

6. Jackson JS1X Concert Minion

As the smallest bass on this list, the Jackson JS1X Concert Minion is the perfect weapon of choice for the budding metalhead. Coming in at only 28.6″, this bass is clearly designed with youngsters in mind. That said, Jackson hasn't held back on features.

So if you are looking to get your little minion started on the instrument – but you want them to do it in style – the Jackson JS1X Concert Minion is definitely the bass you've been looking for.

So those are our top picks, but there are may more great options to choose from that offer something a little different in terms of features and performance. We've selected some more of our favorites below.

Best short-scale bass: Squier Classic Vibe Jaguar Bass

7. Squier Classic Vibe Jaguar Bass

Yes, we are fully aware that the Jaguar comes in a little longer than the rest of the basses on this list, but at 32″, it's still shorter than most standard basses, so we'll give it a pass.

For as enduring as the Jaguar shape is in the world of electric guitar , it may surprise some to learn that Fender didn't officially release a Jaguar bass until 2006 – we have no idea what took them so long. Nevertheless, the asymmetrical design lends itself so well to the larger size of the bass guitar, and the timeless styling means it looks like it has always been a part of the Californian guitar maker's impressive catalog.

This Squier variant offers players a look at what a Jaguar bass released in the '70s would look like, with its 3-Color Sunburst finish, era-inspired decals and block inlays. Luckily the Classic Vibe has a tone to match its handsome good looks, as the Fender-designed alnico single-coil pickups pack plenty of punch.

We have to mention the dual concentric pots, which, as you'd expect, offers control over the volume and tone for both pickups. This configuration leads to an elegant control layout, adding to the aesthetic of the bass as well as being functional.

8. Spector Bantam 4

Don't let its lightweight, chambered alder body fool you, the Spector Bantam is heavy where it counts – in tone! Its deep-inset bolt-on neck has been meticulously designed to deliver perfect resonance and projection, while the EMG active pickups produce enough low end to level a building.

Featuring the classic NS body style, the Bantam is fully carved and contoured to fit your body, giving you the most comfortable playing experience possible. The aerodynamic silhouette is shown off in all its glory with the addition of a gorgeous quilted maple top, which certainly adds a touch of luxury to this bass.

So if you are looking for a beautifully crafted short-scale bass, you can't get much better than the Spector Bantam 4.

Best short-scale bass: buying advice

Fender Player Mustang bass on dark blue background

What is a short-scale bass?

If you were to measure the distance between the bridge and the nut of a bass guitar, you'd get its scale length. Most commonly, basses are 34″, and as we said before, this is a direct result of the popularity of Fender's Precision Bass.

Now, other basses of the time, such as the Gibson EB-1 and the Höfner 500/1, would try and break the established scale-length mold – by sporting finger-friendly sub-31″ scales – but unfortunately, this shrunken bass style wouldn't become the norm. The short-scale bass would go on to gain the reputation as a niche instrument for beginners and retro geeks – but as you can see with the entries on this list, that really isn't the case!

As the name suggests, short-scale basses reduce the distance between the bridge and nut and typically opt for a scale length around 30″.

This small change drastically affects how the instrument feels to play. As the neck is physically smaller, the frets are closer together, making chords, long stretches, and other taxing techniques easier to pull off, thanks to the tighter confines.

There's a direct correlation between the scale length of a bass and the tension of the bass strings . The reason basses need a longer scale when compared to, say, an acoustic guitar , is that they need to compensate for the loss in tension when tuning an entire octave lower. It stands to reason then, if you were to shorten that scale length – even by only 4 inches – you'll drastically affect how the bass feels to play. The strings on a short-scale bass guitar feel looser and slinkier.

Who are short-scale basses for?

The quick answer is short-scale basses are for anyone! Unfortunately, there's a common misconception among players that short-scale basses are reserved for your early years as a bass player – and it's simply not true. Some players just prefer the feel of the shorter instrument, while others gravitate towards its punchier low frequencies.

Now, while it's true that these shrunken basses are perfect for young players who may struggle to navigate the larger neck of a full-scale bass, they shouldn't be thought of as merely beginner instruments.

Gibson, Spector, Fender, and many other companies have high-end, professional-grade short-scale basses in their catalog, with many of them appearing on popular albums without you even realizing it.

Famous short-scale players

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Many famous players have relied on the short-scale bass to achieve their iconic sound. Arguably the most famous 'bassman' of all time, Paul McCartney, used a Höfner 500/1 on many legendary recordings and live performances. In fact, he still uses the bass today!

For many people, when they think of the iconic Gibson EB-3 (SG bass), they think of Cream's inspirational bassist Jack Bruce, who used the short-scale bass to devastating effect on the majority of the band's renowned tracks. This bass was pivotal to the band's sound, and it's interesting to think how they would've sounded if the EB-3 wasn't in the picture.

Another notable fan of the shorter bass is Tina Weymouth of Talking Heads fame. Tina could often be seen putting a Fender Mustang bass through its paces as well as the Fender Musicmaster and Höfner Club.

Taking a look to the modern-day, we have Royal Blood's Mike Kerr, who not only employs the help of the Gretsch G2220 Junior Jet to achieve his earth-shattering tones but, more recently, he's been turning to the Fender Jaguar bass to pull off his effect heavy riffs.

How we choose products

Mike Kerr playing one of the best short-scale basses

Here at Guitar World , we are experts in our field, with many years of playing and product testing between us. We live and breathe everything guitar and bass related, and we draw on this knowledge and experience of using products in live, recording and rehearsal scenarios when selecting the products for our guides.

When choosing what we believe to be the best short-scale basses available right now, we combine our hands-on experience, user reviews and testimonies and engage in lengthy discussions with our editorial colleagues to reach a consensus about the top products in any given category.

First and foremost, we are musicians, and we want other players to find the right product for them. So we take into careful consideration everything from budget to feature set, ease of use and durability to come up with a list of what we can safely say are the best short-scale basses on the market right now.

Read more about our rating system, how we choose the gear we feature, and exactly how we test each product.

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As a Senior Deals Writer at Guitar World, I help create and maintain the site's 200+ buyer's guides, scour the internet for the best possible deals on a range of guitar products, and spend a lot of time getting hands-on with the latest guitars, amps, pedals, and more. My gear reviews have also been featured in many prominent publications, including Total Guitar and Future Music magazines and MusicRadar.com .

During my career, I have been lucky enough to talk to many of my musical heroes, having interviewed members of Sum 41, Foo Fighters, Slash featuring Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators, Creeper, Thrice and more.

In a past life, I worked in music retail. For a little under a decade, I advised everyone from absolute beginners to seasoned pros on the right gear for their needs.

I also have a passion for live sound. I'm a fully qualified sound engineer who holds a first-class Bachelor's degree in Creative Sound Production from the University of Abertay and I have plenty of experience working in various venues around Scotland.

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Travel Bass Guitars: Our Extensive Guide

Introduction to Travel Bass Guitars

Hey fellow bass enthusiasts! Have you ever found yourself yearning for your bass while on a trip? Travel bass guitars can fill that void. Not to mention the wear and tear on your expensive main instruments.

Why Consider Travel Bass Guitars?

Travelling, especially for music lovers, offers golden opportunities to get inspired. Whether you’re catching the sunset at Santorini or hiking the Rockies, these moments can spark creativity. And having your travel bass guitar by your side means you can instantly translate that inspiration into music.

Size and Portability

When we talk about traveling, carrying lightweight gear is paramount. Your musical muse shouldn’t be a reason for back pain. A travel bass guitar is designed keeping in mind both ease of transport and musical efficiency.

Sound Quality vs. Size

Now, while these guitars are compact, technology has come a long way. Brands have innovated techniques to ensure that while the size is small, the sound quality remains intact. The bass tones might surprise you!

Durability: Built for the Road

These aren’t just regular bass guitars shrunk down. They’re built for the rugged terrains, the constant packing and unpacking, and the bumps along the journey. The best ones are almost like the off-roading SUVs of the bass world.

Top 3 Travel Bass Guitar Recommendations

The WanderBass – Its ergonomic design ensures no compromise on comfort. Ideal for those long jamming sessions by the campfire. Roamer’s Rhythm – Made with a special coating, it’s resistant to both moisture and dust. Perfect for beach bonfires or mountain retreats. Nomad Notes – With its adjustable neck, it’s versatile enough to suit any playing style. Personal Experiences with Travel Bass Guitars

In Spain, I found myself playing flamenco with local street musicians, my WanderBass echoing perfectly in the historic streets. And in Japan, playing under cherry blossoms was surreal. Each string resonated with nature.

Custom vs. Store-bought: Which to Choose?

For those who like a personalized touch, custom-built options can be enticing. Maybe you want a specific wood for the fretboard or a unique design to resonate with your persona.

Advantages Over Traditional Bass Guitars

Apart from portability, another bonus is their adaptability. They can adjust to various music genres. Blues, jazz, or pop, these bass guitars have you covered.

Potential Drawbacks to Consider

While their compact nature is a boon, it can sometimes limit the richness of sound. But, remember, they’re not designed to replace your primary bass but to complement it.

Making the Most of Your Travel Bass Guitar

Cherish the spontaneity they offer. With a travel bass, impromptu lakeside concerts or surprise gigs at local pubs become the norm.

Embarking on a journey with your travel bass guitar is like taking along a trusted friend. Every note, every strum tells a story of your adventures. It’s not hard to take them on flights or stow it in your car. It helps me wind down and enjoy my travels even more.

How do I protect the fretboard while traveling? Using a fretboard conditioner can prevent it from drying out. Also, a soft cloth cover can keep dust away. Do I need special insurance for my travel bass guitar? If it’s a high-end model, consider getting it insured. Frequent travels can sometimes be unpredictable. How do I adjust to the smaller size? It might take some time, but regular practice helps. Often, musicians find they can play faster on travel bass guitars! Is the setup process different for travel bass guitars? Not significantly. But always refer to the manufacturer’s guidelines. Can I perform live concerts with my travel bass guitar? Absolutely! While they might not be the first choice for big concerts, for intimate settings, they’re perfect.

Steve Lewis

I initially stared out to build a website around something I enjoy. But it has turned into a labor of love. Reconnecting me with knowledge I had forgotten or never learned. I hope it inspires and enlightens others.

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Home » Guitars » Bass Guitars » 14 Best Short Scale Bass Guitars in 2024 (All Price Ranges)

14 Best Short Scale Bass Guitars in 2024 (All Price Ranges)

Commonly disregarded for their long scale relatives in the bass family, I consider short scale basses to be some of the coolest instruments out there. People would usually go for a longer and bigger bass but let me tell you, these little basses pack quite a punch so don’t be fooled by their size and appearance.

A regular bass guitar is designed to have a longer body and a heavier weight. Unfortunately, those design characteristics are why some people may be turned off from learning the bass guitar. The short scale bass guitar has its distinctive charms to offer. The shorter scale makes it easier for you to tune and play. Specifically, for people with shorter hands and beginner players that are younger, it’s a blessing.

Some of the Best Short Scale Bass Guitars on the Market

So what does a short scale bass offer except for better playability for people with shorter hands? While it is smaller and easier to play short scale basses can also produce peculiar tones that are different from what you may expect from standard scale-length bass guitars.

I’ll start this article by jumping into reviews on some of the best short scale bass guitars at each price point, but if you want to learn more about them before reading reviews, check out our buying guide at the bottom of the page.

Here Are the Best Short Scale Bass Guitars

1. ibanez gsrm20 micro (budget pick).

Ibanez GSRM20 Micro Short Scale Bass Guitar

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My Review: What stands out about this bass is the capability of delivering a nice sound. The pickups work great with a good response, whether the sound is clear or muddy. The lower notes are quite stable and you can find your way around the fretboard smoothly. It’s quite light and feels like a toy which I like a lot, as can be expected from a short scale bass. A compact bass when using it for touring as it doesn’t take too much space.

Key Specs and Features: The body is a pretty standard Ibanez design made out of Agathis it maintains the same contours as the rest of the GSR line. While Agathis might not be the high-end tonewood, in beginner bass guitars it does a pretty good job. The slim-shaped maple neck is really interesting as it comes with a scale of 28” which is significantly shorter than your average scale bass. The fretboard is rosewood with pearl dot inlays and 22 medium-size frets. It’s mounted with a standard bridge with fully adjustable saddles on one side, and die-cast tuning machines on the other. The pickup setup is a precision split-coil at the neck and a single-coil at the bridge which showed to be quite versatile. These are controlled by your standard Tone, Bridge pickup volume, and Neck pickup volume knobs.

Target Customer: This is the instrument aimed at someone looking for a product that is affordable while at the same time providing value. It works well for somebody with smaller hands and also amazing if you want to teach children to play. It will especially be appreciated by someone looking for an instrument that is not too bulky and can easily be used by someone who travels a lot.

Bottom Line: This is a solid bass guitar in its price range and probably one of the best beginner guitars I’ve ever seen in a while. As a beginner, you cannot go wrong with Ibanez GSRM20 Mikro. This Ibanez model seems to have pretty much everything a full-sized GSR bass guitar would. In my opinion, this is the best cheap short scale bass out there.

2. Ibanez GSRM25 (Best 5 String)

My Review: This Ibanez bass came as surprise to me considering it is a short scale five-string bass that is quite light easy to carry. It is an entry-level bass but still, it provides a wide range of tone shaping, it has a nice warm sound with a good low-end response. For the price range of course there are going to be limitations on what you can do, but still, the dual single-coil pickups will give you a lot of possibilities in different musical styles. Ibanez tried to make a bass with a little bit of everything which I think is a good thing as that is something quintessential for beginner bass players.

Key Specs and Features: The body is a smaller size according to the shorter scale neck made out of poplar which is quite light and it gives the bass a warm tone with good presence. The rounded edges of the body make it comfortable to hold and play as the bass sits nicely on the shoulders. The body has a nice gloss polyurethane finish. The thin short scale neck is made out of maple whit white dot inlays on a smooth jatoba fretboard. There are 22 medium-jumbo frets with a scale length of 28.6”. The pickup setup is two single-coil magnets, at the bridge and neck positions. It has a plastic nut and a set of Ibanez die-cast tuning machines that hold the intonation with a B15 Fixed Bridge.

Target Customer: It is an overall great beginner’s bass, with good playability, smooth neck, and design. Some experts would say shorter scale basses are more for beginners, or travel purposes, which is true. This bass is also relatively lightweight and the 5th sting adds that extra low range for the player.

Bottom Line: Great compact size makes it fit for carrying outside and using in space-restricted home studios. Sturdy and loud Ibanez GSRM25BK is a real hit for the bucks.

3. Fender Mustang PJ (Best Value)

My Review: As short scale basses are gaining steam I’m sure Fender has no regrets about releasing the Mustang in 1966. The Mustang is comfortable to hold and play, sitting horizontally across the player’s body the balance of the bass is really good. The short scale gives the bass a cozy feel and the cutaway allows for a nice fingerboard approach. The bass is well set up. There are no sharp edges along the 19-fret maple neck. The satin finish and rounded C-shaped profile contribute much to the playability of the bass. With the split-coil magnets, the sound that comes out of this thing is really impressive. Mustang still offers a full punchy tone and a fair degree of sustain. The sound is warm, responsive, and great for playing precision stuff. The cool detail is that both the volume and tone controls operate across the whole turn of the pot so the bass doesn’t lose in providing a full bass tone.

Key Specs and Features: The body of the bass is a solid built made out of alder with a nice satin finish. The neck is a C-shaped bolt-on maple neck with a Pau Ferro fretboard sporting 19 medium-jumbo frets and a scale length of 30”. The neck is firmly bolted to the body and the neck pocket is very tight. There are White position markers on the front and side neck facings. The fretboard radius is 9.5”. It is equipped with P and J Bass single-coil pickups that offer that classic Precision Bass sound and vibe with a dynamically intense tone. It has a 3-way toggle switch as well as volume and tone controls. The 4-saddle standard bridge keeps intonation quite well. The hardware is in chrome.

Target Customer: Perfectly designed with its 30″ scale length, the compact dimensions are extremely comfortable for smaller players and keep the weight down for longer gigs.

Bottom Line: The bass that is extremely comfortable to play it ticks all the boxes if you’re looking for a classic vibe and has enough tonal variety for most players and musical styles. It’s a serious instrument with the hardware and fit-and-finish one would expect of any pro-level bass.

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4. Lakland Skyline Hollowbody-30 (Editor’s Choice)

My Review: I’ve been very impressed by the quality of this bass. The sound is very rich and full and the single-coil pickups have a barely noticeable amount of hum. The bass is light and balances well which is to be expected from a hollow-body bass. String tension is fantastic and the whole thing feels as solid as a rock despite being a hollow-body. A bass that plays like a dream with a nice vintage tone, the pickups give you a warm, rounded bottom, detailed mids, and a smooth natural high end. When using the neck pickup it’s a nice fat, deep sound, and then blending the bridge pickup there’s some good variety so it’s not a one-trick pony.

Key Specs and Features: The body of the bass is carved mahogany on back and sides with a carved maple top. The bass is pretty light, around 7 lbs which is awesome. The neck is a familiar J Taper design made out of maple with a Pau Ferro fretboard with 20 frets. The neck is decorated with dot inlays keeping that vintage look. The bass is equipped with the special Chi-Sonic pickups that work so damn well. You get a high output with a wide frequency response. It has a custom Lakland bridge that utilizes a through bridge stringing only. It has two volume controls and one master tone control knob.

Target Customer: This Skyline bass is perfect for experienced players who want to experiment and change things up.

Bottom Line: Lakland has produced a bass that is going to raise them even more in the bass guitar market, once again proving the quality of the instruments that come out from their shops. Price aside, I think this is the best short scale bass guitar out there right now. Buy once, cry once.

5. Gibson Les Paul Junior Tribute DC Bass (Best Under $1000)

Gibson Les Paul Junior Tribute DC Short Scale Bass

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My Review: As a lover of any Les Paul model, this little bass is a must for me. Les Paul Junior embraces its name as a tribute. The distinct double-cutaway body with modern elements can keep this bass a reliable and trusted part of a player’s arsenal for years. The design is rock solid. The single big BassBucker pickup is amazing. The tone of the bass is fun, different. It’s has a robust thick tone. The tone control on the Les Paul Junior Tribute gives just enough articulation and presence. I find it great playing reggae on it. With the tone rolled off playing closer to the neck gives you that fat muddy sound. Cool bass to have if you are doing studio recordings, it can leave some long-scale basses in the dust trust me.

Key Specs and Features: The bass features a mahogany body with a classic Les Paul double-cutaway design. The neck is made out of maple with a smooth rosewood fretboard and 20 frets. Acrylic dot inlays decorate the fretboard for better playability. The scale length is 30.5”. The bass is equipped with a 3-point adjustable bridge and Hipshot Ultra-Light Mini-Clover tuners that keep the bass in tune. Les Paul decided to go with a single BassBucker pickup which was a cool choice. The single humbucker has more than enough punch for this short scale killer. The controls are simple, one push-pull volume and one tone control knob. The bass comes with chrome-plated hardware.

Target Customer: If you are playing more than 3 sets a night this little thing can be a lifesaver. Or if you love recording at your home studio this is a bass you can do a lot with.

Bottom Line: There are a lot of styles and approaches in which this bass can fare nicely. It is a solid instrument that carries that Les Paul vibes with style.

Popular Article: The Best Guitar Tuners Out There Right Now

6. Gretsch G2220 Junior Jet II (Best Under $500)

My Review: The thing that surprised me about the Gretsch G2220 Junior Jet II Bass is the versatility. You can comfortably play different music styles. The tone you get out of it is perfect for precision work as well as smooth bass lines. The general perception is that short scale instruments, especially basses, sacrifice some tone for comfort and playability but that is not the case here. The tone from both pickups is clear and bright, the passive pickups do a reasonable job of conveying the tone of the instrument. It has just enough of fatness and punch. It provides plenty of vintage sounds that work well in rock as they do with many other modern genres that require a little retro feel on that low-end.

Key Specs and Features: The single-cutaway body shape is made out of basswood. The black gloss-finish fits perfectly with the D-shaped, sleek, and slinky maple neck. It’s easy to navigate, and the set-up is generally very good with no sharp fret ends. The neck is a shorter scale that features a rosewood fretboard with 20 well-placed medium jumbo frets and a Jet style headstock. It comes with a vintage bridge that sports a set of four fully adjustable saddles. All the hardware is chromed, the tuners are accurate and the bridge holds intonation quite well. It has a set of Gretsch mini-humbuckers with a chrome cover on each one. This gives the bass some character. Basic controls, master volume knob, and a tone control knob.

Target Customer: For people who like a simple instrument without all the bells and whistles and are looking for an equally simple tone without too much fuss, the Junior Jet II is not going to disappoint. For those bassists that like some soulful grooves this may tick your boxes.

Bottom Line: Solidly built, solid tone, comfort, playability. If you’re looking for a decent bass with surprisingly good sound but and don’t have much money to work with this bass gives you plenty of bang for your buck. In my opinion, this is the best short scale bass under $500 right now (number 2 on this list is also a great option).

7. Epiphone EB-0

My Review: The Epiphone EB-0 is a nice little bass guitar. I liked it as someone accustomed to playing acoustic and electric guitars, the short scale makes it easier to play. The tone it produces is super rich and I found it great when recording stuff. It has a nice 60’s sound, which I find attractive. I find it remarkable that the price of the bass is so reasonable compared to the quality. Sounds good in blues, country, and rock and is bombproof.

Key Specs and Features: The body is the recognizable shape of Epiphone, the body is made out of mahogany that provides really good sustain. The interesting part is that the neck is also made out of mahogany which is a decision worthy of respect. The SlimTapper D profile bolt-on neck has a standard rosewood fretboard with pearl dot inlays. The 30.5” scale neck is easy to play and has a good range of tones which makes it easier to navigate the fretboard. It is perfect for beginners and players with smaller hands. The bridge is a fully adjustable three-point Tune-O-Matic style piece bridge. It keeps the intonation quite well. The pickup configuration is a little different than the rest as it has a single humbucker in the neck position. With this configuration, the bass has a fat warm sound. It is equipped with simple controls, a single tone, and a volume knob.

Target Customer: If you are looking for a great starter instrument this is it. Also if you are an experienced bassist you can try it out. Great bass for a beginner that doesn’t want to spend a lot on a bass. Very cool bass for players that want to transition from guitar to bass.

Bottom Line: With Epiphone EB-0 you get a lot of bass for the price. The bass is solid built, good for traveling and gigging, and also for practicing at home. Epiphone is no stranger when it comes to great bass guitars in the affordable segment of the market.

8. Eastwood Airline Map Bass

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My Review: I was intrigued the instant I saw an ad for Eastwood’s Airline Map bass. It just looks so retro with an interesting body shape and cool finish. The finish is smooth, shiny, and deep and the neck fits the body just perfectly. Even though the shape of the bass is odd, to say the least, the bass is quite balanced and pretty light. The bass is certainly easy on the shoulders as it weighs just under 9 pounds. The sound is full and round with an emphasis on the low-end. The bridge pickup sounds bright and clear. It’s awesome for funk, blues, and R&B music. Not a bass to slap a lot, I find it performs better with finger techniques.

Key Specs and Features: The body of the bass is made out of mahogany sporting a retro design. It comes in finishes such as black, seafoam green, and white. The neck is bolt-on made out of bound maple with a rosewood fretboard and block inlays. The most unique feature on the bass is the National Style Striped Pickguard which I love. This pickguard gives the bass that retro smooth feel. It is equipped with a Tune-o-Matic bridge with a trapeze tail that holds the bass in tune good. Two Alnico Hot-10 Humbuckers at the bridge and neck positions are in charge of providing the fat low-end of the bass. It has a 3-way pickup switch control with two volume controls and tone control. The controls along with the pickups bring out the vintage design even more.

Target Customer: The Eastwood Arline Map bass is perfect for advanced players that love to play those Motown bass lines. If you are a pocket funky player this bass is more than good enough.

Bottom Line: A funky short scale, perfect for playing fat grooves. The quality and the design give the bass a distinctive retro feel. It’s the perfect bass for gigs that require maximum grooviness.

Popular Related Article: Our Favorite Acoustic Bass Guitars

9. Dean EVO XM Bass

My Review: The pure performance of this little axe is what caught my attention. Almost everything was better than expected, the two humbucking pickups have enough punch and the natural mahogany finish of the bass is so smooth. In my opinion, the warm tone is perfect for blues and rock music, with the simple tone controls you can meld the tone the way you want. It is thick, warm, and all kinds of groovy. The low tones and the high tones are equally expressive.

Key Specs and Features: The design of this bass is not meant to be attractive, but simple and effective. Some people dislike it but in my opinion, it’s cool in its minimalistic way. The top wing of the guitar is larger than the bottom. The body is made out of mahogany with a flat top giving it wonderful resonance and fat lower tones, which is a must-have quality in a bass guitar. The smooth and finely tuned bolt-on C-shaped neck is made from maple and it features a fingerboard made from walnut and vintage abalone dot inlays with 24 frets. The hardware is a standard vintage-style bridge with four fully adjustable saddles and a set of die-cast tuning machines on the headstock. The bass is equipped with two DMT designed humbuckers that allow the bass to be responsive and highly adaptable to different styles of music. The controls are quite basic and come in the form of a volume and treble controls.

Target Customer: This is a great practice bass for beginners who need an inexpensive setup. It is very affordable and made for long playing sessions without compromising on sound quality or your overall experience and also if you are transitioning from guitar to bass this little thing can prove to be a good start.

Bottom Line: The Dean EVO XM bass sounds great, and it’s well built and sturdy considering its short scale. It is offered at a very affordable price range a true bang for the buck bass guitar. For all the beginner musicians looking to buy the first musical instrument, this can be a perfect pick.

10. Jackson JS1X Concert Bass Minion

My Review: The bass that got me intrigued was the Jackson JS1X Concerts Minion and the first impressions were great! The curvy body design and nicely balanced weight were to be expected from a Jackson bass. For an affordable price, you get your fill of bass that you can shred with. It feels versatile and able to perform in different styles of music but the one style it was best suited for is metal. It just performs the best in metal and rock, and that is to be expected from a Jackson bass. The jumbo frets are a great feature for beginners just starting to find their way around the instrument. I’m sad I didn’t have this bass when I was a young metal shredder.

Key Specs and Features: The body is made out of softer poplar which is an economy-focused design choice Jackson keeps going back to which is cool in the affordable price range. The poplar gives the bass a fat meaty tone. Its curvy and lightweight body may not be as popular as ash or mahogany but it offers different qualities. It has a bolt-on one-piece maple neck with a 28.6” scale length with 22 jumbo frets and a fretboard made out of amaranth with a 12” radius and Pearloid sharkfin inlays. The neck has a smooth satin finish and is equipped with a graphite-reinforced rod and scarf joint. The bass is fitted with a P/J pickup configuration that performs well. It has one single-coil at the bridge and a split-coil pickup at the neck. It has simple controls, bridge and neck volume controls, and a master ton knob. It has a hardtail bridge with individual saddles that along with the tuning machines that are Jackson-designed hold up tuning quite well.

Target Customer: The Jackson JS1X is a bass that will make beginners want to pick it up and practice and slowly turn them into shredders. For people who like to rock or those who want to get into playing that funky music, it can deliver.

Bottom Line: An excellent, affordable short scale bass that is made for little shredders, it can bring out the rock star in you. The JS1X bass emerges as one of the most affordable and versatile offerings you can find in the short scale bass marker.

Related Article: Great Bass Guitars for Beginners

11. Squier by Fender Bronco Bass

My Review: I didn’t expect the punch this bass can deliver with its single-coil magnet. This bass can do well in a lot of different styles of music with its warm and rich tone, it can carry the low end quite well, of course, you can’t expect the depth of a P-bass, but it certainly proves its worth.

Key Specs and Features: For a cheaper bass I’m really surprised how sturdy it is, the body is double-cutaway made from solid agathis and it’s quite light, the neck is slim C-shape made out of one-piece maple with a satin finish that provides a solid tone and is very comfortable to play. As it’s a short scale (30”) it lacks the depth of long-scale basses, and the sound it produces is less wiry. The fretboard is also made from maple and it has 19 medium jumbo frets which are good for beginners, the radius of the fretboard is 9.5”. As expected from a short scale bass, sacrificing the range of notes for a lighter and more playable instrument. It has just one specially designed single-coil magnet that shapes the sound of the bass with the passive setup. With the 2-saddle chrome bridge, tuning on the bass holds up fine as long as you don’t start digging in too much. It contains two knurled dome control knobs, a master volume knob, and a master tone knob similar to a P-bass. All of the hardware is in chrome finish.

Target Customer: A good buy for beginner bassists, the shorter scale provides easier playability, its perfect if you want to jam or practice. Also if you are a little bit smaller built or have smaller hands it’s a good pick for you, also a good start if you are transitioning from guitar to bass.

Bottom Line: As far as simplicity goes you can’t go much farther than this bass, less hardware fewer problems, keep it simple and groovy. A bass anyone can play, for 200$ you get your money’s worth.

Popular Article: Headless Guitars You Need to Know About

12. Danelectro Longhorn

My Review: The Danelectro Longhorn Bass is a short scale bass guitar with an interesting not so commonly seen design. Playing the Longhorn Bass I was pleasantly surprised how the instrument can deliver low deep driving notes as well as warmer higher notes. It can perform in a wide range of tonal possibilities which is neat. The bass is quite versatile and playable. The two high output pickups deliver a rich punchy tone and the addition of double-stacked controls also add to the spectrum of sounds that can be experimented with. The Longhorn Bass is one of the heavier short scale bass guitars available in the market which is not great but still lighter than the long-scale basses. This may turn some away from purchasing especially those who play live music.

Key Specs and Features: This short scale bass guitar features a slick black alder wood tonewood and the body of the guitar is shaped with a distinctive horn. The alder tonewood makes the sound characteristics of the Longhorn bass very clear and versatile. Deep horn cutaways give you access to all higher notes on the fretboard. The neck is a C-shaped bolt-on made out of maple with a Pau Ferro fretboard with classic dot inlays. The scale length of the guitar is 29.75” which is the medium range for short scale bass guitars. The Longhorn Bass comes fitted with 24 frets, providing players with access to two whole octaves. It has a traditional bridge with Pau Ferro saddles. Danelectro Lipstick pickups deliver vintage single-coil tone and bring a certain character out of the bass.

Target Customer: The price of the guitar is also in the medium range and could be a great option for beginners to move on to, or for more experienced long scale bass guitarists to experiment with. This bass is great for recording at home and showing the great design to your friends.

Bottom Line: The Danelectro Longhorn bass is certainly a classic amongst short scale bass guitars. With its unique looks, it can deliver sounds that will make you go “I didn’t expect that”.

13. Dean Edge E09M

My Review: You are probably thinking why this bass made it on this list when it is a long-scale. I put it on the list just because the way the bass was built, it can pass as a short scale as it has a custom joint/heel design that makes it easier for bassists to hit those high notes. The bass has a single pickup with enough punch that is rarely seen on basses in this affordable price range. In my opinion, the warm tone is perfect for blues and rock music, with the simple tone controls you can meld the tone the way you want. It is thick, warm, and all kinds of groovy. The low tones and the high tones are equally expressive.

Key Specs and Features: The design of this bass is not meant to be attractive, but effective. Some people dislike it but in my opinion, it’s cool in its minimalistic way. The top wing of the guitar is large while the lower wing is small and short. The body is made out of basswood and mahogany giving it wonderful resonance with the lower tones of an instrument, which is a lovely quality to have in a bass guitar. The smooth and finely tuned bolt-on neck made from maple wood, featuring a fingerboard made from rosewood and vintage abalone-dotted inlays with 22 frets. The hardware is a pretty typical, standard vintage-style bridge with four fully adjustable saddles and a set of die-cast tuning machines on the headstock. The bass is equipped with Dean sourced soap-bar form passive mode pickup which allows the bass to be responsive and highly adaptable to different styles of music. The controls are quite basic and come in the form of volume and treble controls.

Target Customer: This is a great practice bass for those who need an inexpensive setup. It is very affordable and made for long playing sessions without compromising on sound quality or your overall experience.

Bottom Line: The Dean E09M Edge has good tuning, sounds great, and it’s well built and sturdy. The best part, all of this offered at a very affordable price range a true bang for the buck bass guitar. For all the beginner musicians looking to buy the first musical instrument, this can be a perfect pick.

14. Hofner Ignition Series Violin Bass

My Review: How can you not love this vintage-inspired bass? It looks fabulous and brings a certain vintage vibe or dare I say Beatles vibe. Paul McCartney defined his playing with this vintage model. The body is lightweight, while the short scale neck feels beautiful to play and would certainly suit smaller bassists. The bass certainly delivers the vintage sound that you would expect. It great warmth and clarity that just takes you back in time.

Key Specs and Features: The designers have tried to keep as close as they could to the old vintage violin bass bringing us the slightly modern version of it. The semi-hollow body is made out of spruce on top and maple on the back. It features beautiful vintage decorations whit a nice violin sunburst finish and white binding and plastic pickguard. It has a 30” scale maple neck with a rosewood fretboard and 22 frets. Simple dot inlays decorate the fretboard. The Hofner Fretted bridge is also made out of rosewood. The bass is equipped with two Hofner Ignition Staple Nickel humbuckers at the bridge and neck position, which are fantastic at delivering the warm tones Hofner is known for. Each pickup has a volume control knob along with three switches that switch the pickups on and off. The rest of the hardware is according to its vintage looks and style.

Target Customer: For people who love to play old school music in the Beatles style this is just a must buy. It looks great and it sounds great, you can put that hat on and do those Paul McCartney bass lines.

Bottom Line: The ignition Series brings us an affordable vintage bass that meets the expectations. The quality of the craftsmanship is very admirable considering this is still an affordable bass. The playability, tone, and build quality are excellent for under $500.

Choosing the Right Short Scale Bass (Buying Guide)

This section of the article will give you information on short scale bass guitars and how to choose the right one for you.

Parts and Features

So the first thing you need to know is that the bass guitar is composed of a lot of different parts and features. Some features are more suited for different styles of music so you should choose your bass regarding the style of music you are going to play. Knowing that you are going for a short scale bass, you probably know what you are going to use it for, except if you are a beginner player who is just starting.

Body Shape and Material

You need to have a basic understanding of different body shapes and materials the body is made out of.

The shape of the bass doesn’t necessarily have a big impact on the sound but it does have an impact on the way you play and your posture, which is very important. Getting a short scale is probably the best choice when it comes to the weight of the guitar and playability. Most commonly you are going to come across solid body type basses. Made from solid pieces of wood, the solid body offers greater sustain than a hollow body guitar but is somewhat heavier. There are hollow and semi-hollow basses out there which are good, but for now, I think the best choices are solid body bass guitar.

It is very important that the shape of the guitar suits your posture and makes you feel comfortable while standing or sitting.

The body material is the next important part, not only does it matter to the sound the bass produces but also to the longevity of the instrument as some materials are lighter and prone to damage more than others that is heavier and sturdier. I prefer something that is light but has a good sound, or at least a mixture of the two. The qualities that looked in the wood are those that provide great resonance, tone, and playability. The tone the bass produces depends heavily on the density or softness of the wood. Harder woods are more aggressive and brighter sounding while softer is more resonant and warm. It all comes to personal preference at the end of the day. These days some materials are becoming more popular than others, because of their properties and low cost.

Most commonly used are maple, mahogany, poplar, basswood, alder.

Maple is quite heavy, with medium hardness and density, great sustain, and warm sound with emphasis on low-mid and lower-range tones.

Basswood has very short sustain and is quite inexpensive. More and more companies are starting to use basswood because of its price and availability.

Poplar is similar to alder in tone qualities, and thus a bit brighter. Poplar is one of the softest/lightest hardwoods of similar quality as basswood.

Mahogany is heavy, with medium hardness and density, great sustain, and warm sound with emphasis on low-mid and lower-range tones. Basses with a mahogany body can be expensive

Most P-basses are made out of alder . With a full balanced tone with excellent clarity, warm sound, alder became popular quickly in the bass guitar community.

There is also some other type of wood you can come across but these are the ones you are most likely to get your hands on. Tonewood is what makes the bass sing apart from skilled hands. With short scale basses, you don’t need to worry too much about weight but still take notice when picking the bass for yourself in terms of your physique.

Fretboard, Frets, and Nut

The next thing that you need to know is what types of neck and fretboard there are. As your fingers are going to fly over the fretboard a lot, the materials that these components are made from are important. The finish of the neck and fretboard can make a big impact on the playability of the instrument.

The role of the neck is projecting the sound from the strings into the body of the bass and the pickups as well as laying in your hand comfortably. Different systems are used to attach the neck to the body. Some are more reliable than others and some are more expensive and rarely seen on cheaper instruments.

The most common system used is the bolt-on neck system. The bolt-on is the most popular neck design. The neck is bolted onto the body with nuts keeping it in place so it doesn’t move around. This type of neck offers a great string vibration, good sustain, and great stability. Bolt-on necks are the most common type of necks found on cheap and some more expensive bass guitars.

Other systems such as set neck and thru-body neck can be found on more high-end basses. Set-necks are more reliable and better than bolt-on but also more difficult to attach. The thru-body neck is the best option that works the best but is also the most expensive one usually.

The kind of wood the bass is built from is the heart of its tone. I think that is pretty clear now. Tonewood can be tricky, sometimes you can have several guitars made from the same piece and somehow they would all behave differently. That’s why the material of the neck is very important, in combination with the body of the bass you get a lot of different variations.

The most commonly used woods for necks are maple and rosewood in my experience. While maple has a clear bright tone and is usually bright in color also, rosewood is the opposite of maple, its softness gives it a warm mellow sound.

The fretboard apart from the neck is the next important feature you need to pay attention to. The material from which the fretboard is made out, the quality of the frets and nut are the things that impact playability and the quality of the sound. Why are they important? The fretboard is the piece of wood that is glued on top of the neck and the frets that are placed on the fretboard along with the nut regulate the transfer of vibrations from the strings to the body of the bass. So when the fretboard and the frets are done in quality fashion you get a nice-sounding instrument that is comfortable to play.

The wood most commonly used for the fretboard is maple and rosewood. Rosewood is of fine quality usually brown in color and has a warm, dark tone while the maple is white and has a more percussive sound. Both of these tonewoods have distinctive properties that suit some playing styles more than others.

The frets are thin wire strips spaced at very precise intervals along the entire length of the fingerboard. Basses usually have 21, 22, or 24 frets as that depends on the scale length. basses mostly have jumbo frets. The size of the fret does impact the playability, jumbo frets for example provide better playability and sustain because it’s easier to press the strings. Along with the nut, they can make wonders for your sound or vice versa.

As it’s the point where the vibration is transferred to the wood the density of the material the nut is made of is really important. Each material has its benefits but in my experience nuts made from bone are the best ones. It’s a good thing you can replace them so you can try out different ones for yourself and see which one is best suited for your style of playing.

Scale Length and Radius

The scale length refers to the distance between the nut and the bridge. Why it’s important because it impacts the playability and the sound of the instrument in a big way. It affects the quality of the tone you get from the strings, the lower the pitch the longer the strings. The standard these days is 34” which we call “long-scale” basses but there are also short (30-32”), medium (32-34”), and extra-long (36” plus) scale basses. Not all scale lengths are the same and there aren’t any firm rules on this between bass and strings manufacturers so it’s something you should pay attention to. A lot of players have a problem with choosing their string lengths which is why you need to know your scale length.

In short, the radius is the curvature of a circle of which the small segment is equal to the width of the fingerboard. For example, a circle with a 12” radius yields a 12” fingerboard radius, which is slightly flatter than a 9.5” radius on a fingerboard of the same width, the lower the measurement, the greater the curvature, and vice versa. Why is this important? Because it impacts playability, for example, a bigger radius is better for playing single notes while a smaller one is better for chord playing.

Difference Between a Short Scale and Long Scale Bass Guitar

In the early days of electric basses, some of Fender’s competitors like Gibson sold basses with shorter scale lengths. These more finger-friendly basses are referred to as “short scale” because the scale length they have is 31″ or less.

One of the most recognizable short scale basses back in the day was the Hofner Violin bass. Designed by Walter Hofner in 1955, had a 30” scale length and a signature violin shape. Craftsmen who were working for Hofner were used to building classical instruments used their knowledge to design a bass that has that classical look to it. The Violin Bass became very popular when Paul McCartney from the Beatles started performing with it in the mid-’70s. Since then, it has remained a staple in the world of short scale basses.

In the mid-’60s Fender also entered the short scale business with the Mustang Bass, which attained a level of cult status after it went out of production in 1981. They restarted the production in 2002, but it gained steam again after Fender released a version in its Squier line in 2011. Since then it has remained in Fender’s permanent line-up with several configurations. The Fender’s Bronco Bass which was released in the mid-’60s was another short scale option that never quite achieved the same reputation as the Mustang bass. The production was halted in 1981. However, the Bronco bass has recently found its way back into the bass game.

The main difference between the short scale and the bigger long-scale is that people usually so the short scale as a child instrument. That certainly dropped the short scale bass’s cool factor, turning more serious players away from them and toward long-scale basses. There was a boom in the ’60s of short scale basses but most of the instruments were poorly built, with bad electronics and hardware and that’s why many players avoided them, apart from the fact that they were aimed at the student market, so the short scale bass earned a reputation as an instrument for children.

But now the short scale bass guitar is back and cooler than ever. More and more players are choosing to go for the smaller basses that are equally built with quality parts and have a great sound like their bigger counterparts.

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. If you are a guitar player who wants to explore the bass they are perfect since their short scale makes it feel like you are playing something in-between a bass and a guitar thus making the transition easier. However, you would choose an instrument just because of its size. One of the main things regarding the short scale basses is the massive sound with a fat low-end you can get. Serious players and studio pros have long known this secret about short scale basses.

A simple example of how the short scale behaves differently than a long-scale, each note played on bass includes a series of harmonics that are predictable ratios of that note. These harmonics give an instrument its unique tone and feel so when the string length is shortened the tonal properties of those harmonics change.

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 harmonics are 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.

Another reason to choose a short scale bass over a long-scale bass is its distinctive feel. Traditionally short scale basses were equipped with the same string sets as long-scale basses but on a short scale bass, the strings are under less tension because they are shorter. The strings have a looser, slightly “floppy” feel, which impacts the instrument’s feel, attack, sustain, and dynamics. For players looking for a tighter feel, many string manufacturers started developing strings that respond more like standard strings on a long-scale instrument. But, even with those strings, a short scale bass retains its dark tone but with a more focused low-end.

Additionally, short scale basses let you employ techniques that are difficult to pull off on long-scale basses. As the neck is more compact long stretches between notes that are far away are more manageable. The compact fingerboard is great for speedy, 16note-filled bass lines. Playing full chords is also much easier and poses no problem. Because of the more relaxed strings, you can bend the strings on a short scale bass without crippling your fingers. All of this combined makes the short scale playable and much wanted in the bass world.

Versatility and Playability of the Short Scale

The thing that can surprise you when getting a short scale guitar is how much can be done with it. People probably think that you are limited with the shorter scale which is true in some way but in some other aspects, it can be a blessing.

If you are a beginner bass player a short scale is a must. It is just more convenient to play and to learn your way around the fretboard. As a young kid when I started playing I always struggled with long scale basses even thou I have big hands. Practicing would be challenging on five-string bass guitars just because of the size and length of the neck. It certainly paid off in my case because I managed to learn how to mute the strings more effectively when playing precise stuff but still practicing wasn’t as easy and fluid as it can be on a short scale. Doing long gigs with a short scale is a piece of cake. When you have that little bit of extra weight taken off it means so much.

You can comfortably play different music styles. You are somewhat limited in terms of soloing but if you are a groove head it has enough notes to suffice your expectations especially if you get a five-string. Transitioning to a 34” long-scale bass after playing a short scale can only make you love playing more, you’ll feel it as an upgrade.

Traveling with a short scale

In terms of transport and traveling it is much easier with a shorter scale. As a traveling musician, I always struggled to carry my big hard case with my big ass bass in it. When I got a short scale bass I felt like carrying a toy or a regular electric guitar. It comes much easier traveling especially if you are always going from one place to the next with a lot of equipment.

My name is Chris and I’ve had a passion for music and guitars for as long as I can remember. I started this website with some of my friends who are musicians, music teachers, gear heads, and music enthusiasts so we could provide high-quality guitar and music-related content.

I’ve been playing guitar since I was 13 years old and am an avid collector. Amps, pedals, guitars, bass, drums, microphones, studio, and recording gear, I love it all.

I was born and raised in Western Pennsylvania. My background is in Electrical Engineering, earning a Bachelor’s degree from Youngstown State University. With my engineering experience, I’ve developed as a designer of guitar amplifiers and effects. A true passion of mine, I’ve designed, built, and repaired a wide range of guitar amps and electronics. Here at the Guitar Lobby, our aim is to share our passion for Music and gear with the rest of the music community.

3 thoughts on “14 Best Short Scale Bass Guitars in 2024 (All Price Ranges)”

HI Christopher, many thanks for this article! I used to play guitar, then took up Tenor Sax and I recently got invited to play bass guitar. Someone lent me an old (and cheap) bass guitar to practice on. I’ve learned more about the role of the bass guitarist and some simple rhythmes and chord arpeggios. But I’m struggling with the ‘reach’ and with the ‘action’. I’d read something about ‘short-scale’ guitars which sound ideal for me. Your in-depth comparison and review will help me enornously in buying a bass guitar that suits both me and my budget.

Correction: Paul McCartney of The Beatles began playing the Hofner Violin bass in the early-mid 1960’s, NOT 1970’s! The decade in question may be a trivial fact to the up-and-coming younger generations who now rule the world of rock, but for older folks who grew during those years and knew, “Beatlemania”, the error is almost heresy!

Two short scale bases available at stores in 2023.

Cordoba’s has two versions of their 24″ scale length Acoustic/Electric Bass Guitar. Mitchell’s 24″ scale length Acoustic/Electric Bass Guitar is also available.

These Short Scale basses are relatively inexpensive, under $300, I believe, and Cordoba products are generally well made. If you have small hands, these two instruments may be your best bet at feeling comfortable with the bass guitar.

Another option is the Bass Ukulele, with its hollow rubber strings.

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Just started playing recently and wanted a practice guitar for when I couldn't bring my full size guitar with me. The acoustic ultra light was perfect for my needs. Added a small amp for my ear buds and I was practicibg right away.

It's amazing! Superior craftsmanship, excellent sound. Unbelievably light! Really a five-star rating!

I’m an airline pilot and purchased my Ultra-light Electric for when I’m on trips. This is the perfect instrument to keep me practicing and playing my favorite tunes on the go. The single-coil pickup sounds great and its a joy to play with the full sized neck! Pair it up with a headphone amplifier and you have the perfect combo to keep yourself occupied at home or in the hotel room, without disturbing anyone around you. The ideal purchase for guitar players on the road! Excellent product!

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Home » Gear » best travel guitars

12 Best Travel Guitars • A BARGAIN Buyer’s Guide for 2024

Traveling the world and playing the guitar are my two greatest passions. But, unfortunately, they don’t seem to go hand-in-hand, do they? Traveling requires minimalism, and guitars are big, awkwardly shaped and are not fun to haul around in airports and buses.

For years I had to make the tough decision – to either travel without a guitar, or to painfully drag my oversized acoustic around the world. Both options sucked, and after years of this, I needed something different.

So finally, I bought myself one of the best travel guitars and my life literally changed forever.

As a guitarist of 15 years, and a non-stop world traveler of 10, I know exactly what is needed from a travel guitar.

With the help of this guide, you’ll be able to easily know which of the best travel guitars is perfect for you and your style of music and travel. We’re going to cover a whole scope of six-stringed sweeties in this post: travel acoustic guitars, travel electric guitars folding neck guitars. Something for every homeless musician out there!

Get excited because here are some of these best traveling guitars and they are epic!

Unfortunately, as I was researching which travel guitar to buy, I realized there are hundreds of travel guitars… and a ton of them suck.

Which is exactly why I wrote this epic guide to the best travel guitars.

Two travellers busking, one with his portable guitar

Quick Answers – The Best Traveling Guitars

The best traveling guitars mega-list: acoustics, electrics, and a few bass guitars because why not, the best travel acoustic guitars, best travel electric guitars, the best folding guitar for travel, time for some other stringed travel instruments, traveling with a guitar – what to look for, faq about the best travel guitars, closing thoughts on the top travel guitars.

Best Travel Acoustic Guitar – Ultra-Light Classical 6-String Guitar
Best Travel Electric Guitar – Traveler Guitar Travel Guitar
Best Folding Travel Guitar – Journey Instruments OF660M
Best Travel Bass Guitar – Traveler Guitar TB-4P
Best Travel Budget Guitar – Yamaha GL1 Guitalele

Today, we’re cutting straight to the goodies because goodies are delicious! First, we’ll round up the most portable guitars just built for travel and worldwide escapades. After that, I’ll get to the no less delicious goodies on choosing the right travel guitar for your needs.

Are you ready? Ok, you sexy shredder; let’s do this! The best guitars for travel that most certainly do not weep.

Ultra-Light Classical 6-String Guitar

> Great action

Baby Taylor BT2

> Taylor-made

Yamaha Guitalele

> Vibrant classical tone

Yamaha GL1 Guitalele

Hohner HAG250P 1/2 Sized

Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Electric Travel Guitar

> Humbucker pickups

Hofner 6 String Solid-Body Electric Guitar

> 0.176 ounces
> Gig bag included

Best Travel Electric-Acoustic Guitar

> 2lbs 14 oz
> Great neck

Journey Instruments OF660M Carbon Fiber Acoustic Guitar Matte

Best Folding Travel Guitar > $$$$$
> Great for professionals

Traveler Guitar TB-4P Electric Travel Bass

Best Travel Bass Guitar > $$$
> 6 lbs 8 oz

Kala Teak Tri-Top Concert Acoustic-electric Ukulele

> Level-10 Portability

For the natural earthy sound. The downside of the portable guitars is the sound isn’t so rocking as an electric baest. The upside?

…Well, you don’t need an amp.

These are the travel guitars you can bring to the campfire or out at the hostel at night to the sneak into the hearts (and pants) of wayward travelers around the globe. Sexy and swooning.

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Best Travel Acoustic Guitar #1 – Ultra-Light Classical 6-String Guitar

If you are looking for the best travel acoustic guitar, do yourself a favor and stop right here because this creature is as good as it gets.

This compact travel guitar is an extraordinary instrument and they have accomplished the goal of creating an affordable yet high-quality travel acoustic guitar.

In TBB fashion, you get only the best of the best! A solid mahogany top, a unique fret design, and a 24-inch scale length mean that you’ll never have to sacrifice quality to have an amazing travel guitar.

This guitar was designed for lightweight travelers in mind. The guitar and strap only weigh a total of 2 lbs. 14 oz combined, making this our smallest travel guitar. And when placed in the included protective bag, the two combine to weight a total of 3lbs. 12oz!

Removable lap rest
Only 2 lbs 14 oz – the perfect small travel guitar
Shape can be awkward or uncomfortable to some
Very small – not ideal for professionals
Leg rest is a bit slippy

While I clearly think this guitar is the cream of the crop… I don’t recommend it for everyone.

This traveling guitar is for backpackers; perfect for those who love to travel with their guitar but aren’t trying to do anything too hardcore with their music career. Why?

In an effort to make this mini guitar as travel-friendly as possible there is a detachable leg rest, whilst this is amazing meaning you can get the benefit of playing a full-size guitar sat down, I have found it to be a bit slippy on my pants! I’ve remedied this by wrapping a cloth around it but it’s not the ideal solution.

Bottom line: If you are a traveling professional musician, this might not be the guitar for you. Everyone else – if you can afford it – this tiny Guitar is literally as good of a travel guitar you can get. Click the button below to see the best price.

Best Travel Acoustic Guitar #2 – Baby Taylor BT-2

Baby Taylor BT-1 - the second best travel acoustic guitar

Taylor guitars are one of the most reputable acoustic brands on the planet and this guitar is an incredible example of why.

The Taylor Baby BT-2 is not technically a travel guitar; it’s just one of the best 3/4 guitars out there. This means that it’s 25% smaller than a normal-sized acoustic guitar, and many 3/4 guitars are made for kids.

But obviously one can see why 25% less guitar would be very beneficial for travelers. An extra 25% of the guitar means an extra 25% weight off your back and the ability to stow this guitar on tons of flights.

Plus, along with a smaller size, you also get everything else that is amazing about Taylor guitars – solid wood, ebony fretboard, and a beautiful sound that resembles a choir of glowing angels.

High quality and long term durability. This guitar will purr
Great for traveling professionals
Come with a gig bag
Almost weighs 8 lbs with the case
Probably too big for lightweight backpackers
19 frets might still not be enough for some

What you’ve got to love about this guitar is that for a 3/4 guitar’s size, it almost sounds exactly like a full-sized acoustic guitar. That’s why it’s easily one of the best travel acoustic guitars on the market. Typically 3/4 guitars sacrifice sound for size but with this Taylor, the tradeoff is barely noticeable.

Taylor has earned their reputation, and this compact guitar is another sterling example. If you don’t mind dishing out a bit more cash, you’ll be very pleased with the tone and sound of this instrument.

Bottom line – The Baby Taylor BT-1 delivers a phenomenal sound and long term durability all of which comes at 3/4 the size of a regular acoustic guitar. If you are looking for an ultralight travel guitar, look elsewhere. But if the quality is your number one concern, you may have found the mini travel guitar of your dreams.

Best Travel Classical Guitar #1 – Yamaha Guitarlele

Cordoba Mini-M Travel Acoustic Guitar - best travel classical guitar

What happens if you cross a guitar with a Ukulele? The Yamaha Guitalele is what! This is a masterpiece of instrumental engineering, and could quite possibly be the best travel guitar ever made!

With a solid spruce top, rosewood fingerboard, and a gorgeous mahogany body, this classical guitar is stunning in that sexy classical fashion like a finely produced oil painting. Yamaha clearly invests a lot of time in design, and this travel classical guitar is one of the best examples of that.

And thankfully it sounds as good as it looks! This classical, nylon string Guitar-Ukulele is well-reviewed, giving warm and bright tones. This ensures it delivers the best sound for its size and build.

Nylon strings for the nylon lovers
Gorgeous looks and sound
Comes with gig bag
If you prefer steel strings,then this is not the guitar for you

It ain’t too pricey and it ain’t too big – good things come in compact and affordable packages! You are getting an extremely well-designed and beautiful acoustic classical guitar that is built just for travelers.

Bottom line – Whether you are a professional or casual musician – if you are looking for a travel classical guitar, this is a fantastic option at a good price.

Best Cheap Travel Guitar #1 – Yamaha GL1 Guitalele

Yamaha GL1 Guitalele - the best cheap travel guitar

I’ve gone through a ton of guitars in my life, but one of the best, most durable acoustics I ever owned was a $200 Yamaha. Did it have the rich sound of a Martin? Obviously not. But it played well, had great action, and was so durable I was convinced it would survive a nuclear apocalypse.

This is exactly why the Yamaha GL1 Guitalele is my pick for the best cheap travel guitar!

Yamaha makes solid guitars for low prices, and the GL1 Guitalele is a perfect example. Well reviewed and affordable, this was an easy pick for the best budget travel guitar.

Super affordable and well-reviewed!
Yamaha’s products are always durable
A cool fusion of a guitar and ukulele and their A/D/G/C/E/a tuning ensures you get a great sound
It’s still cheap, but for $75 more you can get something significantly better
Alternate tuning might dissuade some
Nylon strings may not be ideal for others

Something to consider is that this is technically NOT a travel guitar . As the name would suggest, this is a hybrid between a ukulele and an acoustic guitar. To accomplish this fusion in the best way possible, Yamaha strings this guitar up to the 4th in the tuning of A/D/G/C/E/a.

If this scares the crap out of you – don’t worry! It just means due to its smaller size, this guitar sounds best with a non-standard E/A/D/G/B/e tuning. Since this is a great cheap travel guitar, this also makes for a great traveling gift !

Bottom line – If an alternate tuning doesn’t scare you and you are on a budget, then this is the best budget travel guitar. A cool guitar-ukulele-combo, the Yamaha Guitele is a solid choice for a traveler looking to save a bit of money on their instrument without compromising too much on quality. It also just happens to be the best guitalele – go figure!

Best Budget Travel Guitar #2 – Hohner HAG250P 1/2 Sized

Hohner HAG250P 1/2 Sized - an inexpensive travel guitar to get the job done

OK, before I continue, I should clarify: this is absolutely, without a doubt, 100% a toddler guitar. This is, however, one of the best inexpensive guitars you’ll find.

It’s small, not of the highest quality, and won’t last a lifetime… And that’s exactly why it’s the best budget travel guitar on this list! A bargain guitar this cheap means all feelings of love and affection go out the window: throw, bang, and transport this instrument on buses in Asia to your heart’s content… unless you get attached.

But we’re travelers; we don’t go in for that attachment nonsense anyway.

Think of it this way… have you ever been to a hostel and they have that small, beat up, classical guitar sitting in the main room? Or have you ever been to a beach party, and some dude with dreadlocks busts out a nylon-stringed guitar that looks like it was made in 1953 for a hobbit?

That’s exactly what this guitar is. It won’t win you a grammy, but it’s cheap, and you better believe that it will play… albeit maybe slightly out of tune.

It’s a cheap guitar… don’t get your hopes up

The Hohner 1/2 Sized is for anyone looking for a cheap travel guitar to buy online. Simple as that.

Bottom line – This is the ‘I’m on a shoestring budget backpacking through Southeast Asia . I’m going to party on beaches and all I want is a throwaway guitar I can play some Sublime singalongs on in between cheap beers in hopes of getting laid’ choice. If this sounds like you, then look no further.

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Do you want to power those chords properly? Whammy those sustains? Really get that cheap meaningless sex at hostels in Thailand?

Then here we are: the best electric travel guitar. Something with a bit more shazam for the busker in all of us .

Best Travel Electric Guitar #1- Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Electric Travel Guitar

Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Electric Travel Guitar - the best electric travel guitar

While not the most creative company name, Traveler Guitar has put together some pretty impressive traveling instruments and this was an easy pick for the best travel electric guitar.

Amazing design and stellar reviews make this electric guitar one of the coolest travel guitars on the market. The Traveler Ultra-Light comes with dual rail humbuckers and packs an impressive sound. Depending on your amp and pedals setup, this electric should be able to get whatever sound you need out of it.

The Ultra-Light guitar is 28% shorter and 68% lighter than a typical electric guitar all the which while retaining 100% of its size between the nut and the bridge. This means that while this guitar is not going to feel 100% like a full-sized electric… it’ll come close. Plus, you shed all of that weight in the process.

68% lighter than a standard electric guitar
Humbucker pickups
A gig bag is included
Lap rest is included as well
Might not be enough for professional traveling musicians
Mixed reviews on comfort of detachable lap rest (and overall balance in general)

This travel electric guitar is perfect for super lightweight travelers who need an electric guitar with them at all times. But unfortunately, the lightweight build comes with some sacrifices. And the sacrifice here is the balance.

By eliminating 68% of the weight, some reviews claim the guitar is difficult to balance, or that it’s too light to play or solo on comfortably. Others claimed this was easily overcome with a couple days’ practice. Regardless, if you are considering purchasing, expect a bit of discomfort and imbalance at first, but don’t worry: you’ll be rocking that Red Hot Chili Peppers cover in no time 😉

Bottom line – Maybe not the best choice for professional musicians but this is still a great travel size electric guitar for someone who loves to shred while they journey. While the balance might take a bit of getting used to, there is simply no better-designed travel electric guitar on the market.

Best Travel Electric Guitar #2 – Hofner 6 String Solid-Body Electric Guitar

Just like the Ultra Light Travel Guitar, this model is unique in its design. But unlike its sibling, Traveler Guitar looked at the Hofner as an opportunity to give you a full electric experience while still trimming as much weight as possible.

To accomplish this, they’ve basically cut out everything in the body apart from a tiny area roughly the size of a pick guard on a regular guitar!

By cutting out the majority of the body, Hofner has created an electric guitar that is 14% shorter and 35% lighter than a typical electric guitar. And the impressive part? All of that is done while still keeping the guitar 100% at scale from the bridge to the neck!

Full electric experience, but 14% shorter and 35% lighter
Awesome for traveling professional musicians
Gig bag included
Too large for casual musicians
Won’t play like a Strat (please don’t expect it to)
Mixed reviews on its playability out of the box – might take some tweaking to get desired the feel and sound

Aside from its innovative design, this kickass travel electric guitar comes with 3 single-coil pickups, 1 volume knob and 1 tone knob.

While this compact electric guitar is highly recommended, you will still have to accept that its bold design can cause some complications. While this travel electric attempts to mimic a full-sized electric – don’t expect it to feel exactly like a Strat or Tele. It comes close, but you can’t expect the same feeling (especially when sitting down).

Truthfully, if you are looking for one of the best electric travel guitars, there aren’t tons of well-reviewed options and Hofner is the only company putting out quality products.

Bottom line – If you are a traveler looking to shed a few pounds off your electric guitar – this is a kickass option. The Hofner was meant to be lightweight while sacrificing as little playability as possible… Highly recommended for a professional who isn’t sure if the Ultra-Light can make the cut for them.

Best Travel Electric-Acoustic Guitar – Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Acoustic-Electric

Traveler Guitar Electric-Acoustic - a little bit of both worlds

Welcome back Traveler Guitar! Lemme make you a tea; you’re welcome anytime as long as you keep pumping out the grade-A stories.

With their third product on this list, I have to say I’m impressed by Traveler Guitar’s commitment to their niche. This product is one of their best!

It’s 100% full scale from the nut to the bridge, but 31% shorter and 43% lighter than a typical acoustic guitar. In particular, this guitar has a nice aesthetic and a gorgeous finish. Reviews claim the neck is smooth and that the guitar is durable and stays in tune very well.

43% lighter than a typical acoustic guitar
Great finish – well-reviewed neck
Gig bag comes included as well
Too niche – only recommended for those who ALWAYS plug in their acoustic (or record acoustic)

But where I think their other products are more versatile… I would only recommend the Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Acoustic-Electric for a very specific person.

Simply put – this guitar only sounds great when it’s plugged in. Why?

Well, think about it. This guitar has no body (aka – where an acoustic gets that warm, vibrant, reverb-y sound from). In the pursuit of lightness, Traveler Guitar made an instrument that only sounds good when plugged into an amplifier – which can totally work for the right person!

When it is plugged into an amp it sounds delicious! But otherwise, it’s basically just another electric guitar that gives much less when unplugged. It’s good for recorders, buskers traveling with an amp, and people gigging… and that’s about it.

Bottom line – Look at the Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Acoustic-Electric as an electric-acoustic guitar, and ONLY as an electric-acoustic guitar. If you love to record acoustic while you travel, or play a ton of live shows – this could be your axe. Everyone else – look elsewhere.

You could get a mini guitar that carries on your back… or you could just get one that folds in half completely! Holy folding guitars, Hendrix! Lookout virtual reality and simulated blowjob machines – the future is here!

In all seriousness, a folding guitar is a supreme traveling instrument. Easy to carry, stow on planes, and you’re not so likely to snap the neck. Trust me: nothing breaks your heart quite as much as a broken guitar neck.

Journey Instruments OF660M Carbon Fiber Acoustic Guitar Matte - the best folding guitar

To be fair – in terms of quality, this is absolutely the best travel guitar that money can buy. It’s the best sounding travel guitar, it’s got a gorgeous make, and it packs up real nice.

But here’s the con – it’s ridiculously expensive. Like, I peed myself a little when I first saw the price tag.

But if you have no problem dropping a bit more money, this is a guitar that will not only be your primary travel guitar… it will be your primary guitar – period. Made from carbon fiber, the Journey OF660M is a modern, durable, sexy looking axe. This guitar gives a super warm, bright and rich tone, and is extremely versatile.

The best travel guitar on the market
Rich sound – every note rings
Carbon fiber is the real deal, making this guitar super-durable (important for travel!)
Most expensive guitar on the list
10lbs means what you gain in quality, you lose in travel convenience

Old school guitarists might not like the new school design or the fact that it’s made of carbon fiber, but I must disagree… While I think carbon fiber is an amazing material for any guitar, it’s especially perfect for traveling guitarists!

Traditional wood guitars need to be kept out of humidity and heat to keep them from warping. In contrast, carbon fiber means you can bring your guitar in any weather and travel to any climate stress-free. While I respect the traditionalist view, carbon fiber has proven to be a durable material for guitars, while also providing the guitar with a modern, cool look. No warping, no fear of heat or humidity; this is a huge factor to consider for any traveler guitar.

Bottom line – If you have the budget, don’t need something super-light, and are looking for the best sounding travel guitar money can buy, you’ve found your match.

Everyone and their mom knows how to play the guitar! Well… that’s quite true. It would be fairer to say that everyone and their mom knows how to play a C, G, Am, and F chord. So let’s branch out… starting with a travel bass guitar.

Bass players are sexy. Have you seen their fingers? Think of the things they could do with those fingers…

The Best Travel Bass Guitar – Traveler Guitar TB-4P Electric Travel Bass

Traveler Guitar TB-4P Electric Travel Bass - the best travel bass guitar

Another Traveler Guitar? Seriously? What can I say: this company does it right!

Similar to their travel guitars, this awesome travel bass guitar is designed to feel as much like a standard bass, while trimming as much of the weight as possible.

The Traveler Guitar TB-4P is well reviewed and well designed. It weighs in at 25% lighter than a standard bass – which you will definitely appreciate while traveling – an also measures at 22% shorter than a standard bass. Slap that sucker across all seven continents!

25% lighter and 22% shorter than a standard bass!
Well designed – innovative wrap around tuning design
Balance might be an issue for some
Not going to sound as chunky as a standard bass

The Traveler Guitar Travel Bass comes with volume controls, tone controls, and the standard electronics to get your bass rigged up to any pedal or amp you need! A cool side-perk is they also include a 1/8 inch headphone jack. This means that while you are at your accommodation, you can still pop some headphones in and really jam out!

Remember though, the sound will be nice, but not as full as a typical bass. Duncan pickups help this bass to deliver some great tones but don’t expect to sound exactly like Flea.

Bottom line – This is the best travel bass guitar money can buy. Like all of the best travel guitars, you are definitely going to sacrifice some tone for the sake traveling lighter, but if light is what you need, then Traveler Guitar TB-4P Electric Bass got you covered.

Annnnd the Ukulele – Kala Teak Tri-Top Concert Acoustic-electric Ukulele

C’mon, you had to see this coming. It’s the quintessential rookie-backpacker move. Buy a uke, learn the aforementioned C, G, Am, F, ‘ Somewhere over the Rainbow’ and ‘I’m Yours’ , strap your new companion to your backpack , and you’re officially that guy!

I’m taking the piss. I adore ukes! …In the hands of someone who actually plays the ukulele. Once you learn the chord variations up and down the fretboard and some scales, they’re actually quite darling.

So, what’s the best ukulele for travel? Well, that’s the beauty of ukes… they all are! They’re all small enough to go as carry-on on a plane and they strap nicely to most backpacks.

So what’s the best ukulele? Well, probably not this one; I imagine the best ukulele was crafted by an ancient Hawaiian God and is sitting lodged in a rock at the bottom of some volcano somewhere waiting to be exonerated by the chosen one. Otherwise, though, there’s this one!

Electric-acoustic so plug in for an even sweeter sound
Built-in tuner
Unique shape and design
The intonation isn’t perfect for a connoisseur’s ear
Excellent for beginner’s and a great intermediate uke but experts may seek elsewhere

It’s a sexy uke that sounds pretty. The built-in tuner is a massive plus and plugging to an amp is really gonna make this bad-boy shine (yes, I did just refer to a ukulele as a “bad-boy”). Kala make good gear and they’re not just in the ukulele space either.

Also, the Kala Teak Tri-Top Concert Acoustic-electric Ukulele just looks mega-pretty. Koa, mahogany, walnut, and a seductive satin finish to seduce the park hippies (and South Asian men) with.

All in all, if this is just you following the stereotypical first-time traveler route, there are cheaper ukuleles you can spend your money on and that’ll do the job right. But, if you’re upgrading from that phase, or are just genuinely interested in learning the ukulele it’s a fine choice.

Bottom line – Well, my mom says ukes are cool! Actually, she hates them but she has to put up with me anyway. This may not be the best travel guitar but it’s certainly a good deal lighter and smaller than any portable guitar you’ll find.

Protip: Try finding nylon guitar strings that fit the gauges (it’s super doable) and putting them on to swap that high G out for a low one; a uke with a bass not – yum!

Now, you could spend a fat chunk of $$$ on the WRONG present for someone. Wrong size hiking boots, wrong fit backpack, wrong shape sleeping bag… As any adventurer will tell you, gear is a personal choice.

So give the adventurer in your life the gift of convenience: buy them an REI Co-op gift card! REI is The Broke Backpacker’s retailer of choice for ALL things outdoors, and an REI gift card is the perfect present you can buy from them. And then you won’t have to keep the receipt. 😉

As an avid traveler and musician, I can tell you that buying a great travel size guitar was one of the most important decisions I ever made. I can now easily transport a guitar anywhere I go in the world, meaning never have to be without a guitar again!

When it comes to the best travel guitars, there are a few things, in particular, you want to keep an eye out for. Here are some important things to consider when you are trying to pick your personal travel guitar.

1. Do you need a top quality travel guitar?

The guitars on this list are certainly some of the best travel guitars on the market… but some are certainly higher quality than others. Keep an eye out for prices. Yes, we are all trying to save money with our broke backpacking ways , but sometimes spending the extra $50 can be the difference between a just-ok travel guitar that will get you by or an exceptional travel guitar that will literally change the game.

This is especially true if you are a traveling professional musician. Do not try and get something cheap – it will quickly come back to haunt you.

Backpackers looking for a travel-friendly guitar that they can just jam on, have a bit more leniency in their choices.

2. How many frets for your travel guitar?

Something I overlooked was the fact that travel guitars don’t always have the standard amount of frets! Obviously it makes sense as the smaller the neck, the more travel-friendly the guitar. Consider your guitar playing style. Do you prefer to shred solos high up the neck? Or are you just looking for something to jam out with beachside, and play some zombie chords?

A tonkori in Japan - not the most inexpensive travel guitar

If you don’t need the additional frets, you’ll find that your options are better and the portable guitars to choose from will be much more compact.

3. What about the length and weight of your travel size guitar?

The first thing you need to consider is your travel style. Are you a fast traveler or slow traveler ?

If you travel the world spending a month at a time in AirBnb’s , you won’t be as concerned about the size and weight of the guitar. If you blitz from hostel to hostel, then you should seriously consider purchasing one of the lighter and more compact travel guitars.

4. Remember this one important fact…

Here’s the deal…

The standard guitar is literally a miracle. It’s a perfectly crafted instrument. Over the past 500+ years the guitar has slowly been tweaked to perfection. With the modern-day guitar, the size, shape, and build of a standard guitar ensures that you get the absolute best comfort, sound and durability from this amazing instrument.

This is where traveler guitars screw the proverbial pooch.

Playing a ukulele while traveling in India

Ultimately, travel guitars are smaller, and because they are smaller they aren’t going to sound as good as a standard guitar. There is no way around this. If you want a smaller guitar, you are going to have to make some other sacrifices. To get a guitar smaller, lighter, and more travel-friendly means sacrificing a few other important things (like possibly sound, comfort, balance).

Don’t worry- the best travel guitars sound amazing! Just don’t expect it sound like a song from ‘Eric Clapton Unplugged’ … Because it won’t.

But I promise you, whatever travel guitar you choose it will sound awesome, it’ll be lightweight, and it will accompany you around the world 🙂

Can a travel guitar replace my primary guitar?

The easy answer – absolutely.

The more complicated answer… well, it depends on your needs.

If you are more of a casual guitar player (like I am these days) then you will be stoked to know that a travel guitar can absolutely replace your primary guitar (especially if you don’t mind spending a bit more). The selections from Cordoba, Martin, and Taylor on this list are truly epic instruments, and if you don’t need to worry about gigs, then you’ll be pleasantly surprised that your travel guitar can absolutely become your primary guitar.

A man playing on his well-worn traveler classical guitar

But people that are truly invested in their musical journey, possibly even at the sake of their world-wandering journey, a travel guitar, long-term, isn’t going to cut it. Eventually, the lack of frets, or the lower quality sound, or some other aspect is going to wear thin.

Eventually, in your world-wandering journey, you’re going to stumble across a truly magnificent instrument and that’s when your mini guitar built for travelers isn’t going to feel so special anymore.

Still have some questions? No problem! We’ve listed and answered the most commonly asked questions below. Here’s what people usually want to know:

Can you fold guitars?

Not all of them are foldable, but there are some cool options. One of them is the Journey Instruments OF660M , that can literally fold in half.

Should you get a travel guitar if you don’t know how to play?

Hell yeah, why not? Spend those long hours waiting for flights or buses by learning how to play on your cool travel guitar and impress your friends once you’re back home.

What should you look for in a travel guitar?

Keep these key-features in mind: 1. Does it have to be top quality? 2. The number of frets 3. Packability and size

What is the best affordable travel guitar?

The best budget travel guitar is the Yamaha GL1 Guitalele. It’s super durable and offers a great sound as well.

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There you have it! The 10 best travel guitars (plus two extras).

I know that with the help of this epic buyer’s guide, you’ll easily be able to identify and buy the travel guitar of your dreams. Get out there and find your baby.

Treat her well too. It’s a lonely road and there may come a night in the future where it’s just you and her alone under a bridge in the storm. Trust me, on that day

Is there anything I missed? What’s your favorite travel guitar? Comment below! It’ll help other travelers know which guitar is best for them – safe travels!

street performer in europe playing his traveling guitar

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You need to look into the Furch Little Jane travel guitar. It will blow you away with it’s design, looks and most importantly sound. There is also a LR Bagges pickup option if you need to be plugged in. Check the company out.

You must consider the Stow-Away by Stewart in the best travel guitar list. It clearly is the best option for an electric travel guitar.

I am a resophonic guy. My 1975 Dobro 33, metal bodied has traveled all over. Altbough many reso players are strictly slide and open tuning, I prefer standard and play many genres. I’d like to see a metal bodied resophonic that truly is travel friendly and works well in standard tuning. Metal bodies, like carbon fibre tend to be highly durable, but tend to weigh alot. Still, reso is loud enough to be a busking or session guitar in a multitude of situations.

Why are, we reso players always the stepchildren of these attempts to find the holy grail of travel instruments?

Traveler makes several other travel guitars with actual small guitar bodies which include preamps and other settings, yet have full sized fretboards. You might want to take a look at them. Yamaha makes an excellent travel model too, but it’s expensive. Also, you might include a comment about their ultra-light models being good for quiet practice in those hostels and places where noise is a factor. With a small preamp, you can use headphones to get the big sound you want without disturbing others. All useful factors for a travel guitar! And remember, some of us are classical guitar players and have no interest in “jamming”, but want a full fingerboard to play/practice on. I looked up the website on the eo guitars and, as you said, there is no information on how to buy one, the price, availability, etc, nor any reviews on the quality of build or the sound. The only way to get further information is to e-mail them which is not a plus for their marketing. It looks very interesting, but it’s too much of an unknown to pursue.

Damn, Mr Rogers- those are some hot tips! Next time I update this article (which should hopefully be before too long), I’ll 100% look into Traveler and Yamaha’s model. And you’re right: quiet practice in a hostel is definitely much-appreciated. I’ve gotten told on more than once for getting too carried away hahah! But I do certainly hope some classical guitar players still wanna jam. The more the merrier 🙂

Great site! I’d like to make you aware of my folding guitar which is the smallest travel instrument in the world yet with a full size neck and scale length. Patented robust joint mechanism allows the neck to fold to be only 42 cm long and weighs <1.5kg. The ultimate portability. With integral headphone amp. Play while you stray! eo-guitars

S’up Ken!

I am most certainly aware of the eo-guitar now – I love what it’s about! Small, light, innovative, and sexy. This post will need an update eventually, however, it’d be nice to get the eo-guitar in it in the future. As it stands though, info and feedback on the guitar online is pretty sparse.

It also seems like the only way to purchase one is through your email listed on your website. It’d be great to see this being sold in some online marketplaces, and we’d love to feature your guitar once it’s more readily available. The possibility of a hands-on review might be cool too, but it’d be better if you got in direct contact for discussing that.

For anyone reading these comments though, the eo-guitar is one to keep your eye on!

I am gobsmacked you haven’t reviewed the Furch little jane. I can only assume you haven’t come across it. If you had, the others would not even come into contention.

Thanks for your comment; I took a little squizz at the Furch Little Jane and you’re right – she’s a sexy beast! Although, she’s a pretty pricey gal and a bit chunkier than a lot of other travel guitars on the market.

This post got an update not so long ago, but it’s overdue for another. As far as I know, I’m the only muso on the team, so when the world is a bit less smashed and I got the time, I’ll be updating this review. You can almost definitely expect the Little Jane to feature then 🙂

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Hofner, 4-String Electric Upright Bass, Right Handed, Black (HCT-SHB-BK-O)

About this item.

Travel Bass
Full Scale Neck
With Gig Bag
The Shorty bass has a 76cm (30") scale.

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Product information

What's in the box, product description.

The Shorty bass offers full scale length combined with such small overall dimensions that it can be taken anywhere. Available in black (BK)

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Looking for specific info, customer reviews.

Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

Customers say

Customers like the sound quality, weight, and quality of the stringed instruments. For example, they mention it has a great sound, it's easy to take around, and it works well for guitar players who want to play bass. They appreciate the size, saying it takes up no space. Customers are also happy with appearance.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Customers are satisfied with the sound quality of the stringed instruments. They mention that it has a great sound, a decent tone, and keeps its tune well.

"...Good, bright but basic sound when plugged into an amp. The passive pickups are a little weak but clear...." Read more

"... It sounds great ; it does tend to go out of tune easily, but that happens with new strings. the only complaint is that it is hard to balance...." Read more

"...it a quick truss rod and action adjustment, and for $200 sounded completely respectable ...." Read more

"...Overall, it has a decent tone ... I bought that tiny little Honeytone amp, though for travel and with a decent pair of head phones, it wasn't bad!..." Read more

Customers find the guitar lightweight and easy to carry around. They also say it's a great guitar for traveling and practicing on the fly.

"...It's light and comes with a gig bag that has a shoulder strap, so it's easier to take around...." Read more

"...I wanted one because they are light and can fit in an overhead compartment on a plane...." Read more

"...The light weight is also a plus , at the expense of tone and sustain of a regular bass...." Read more

"Solid, stays in tune, pick ups a little weak, travels well , great practice guitar while on the road" Read more

Customers are satisfied with the quality of the stringed instruments. They mention that it's a great practice guitar that works well for guitar players who want to play bass. They also say that it has a bright but basic sound when plugged into an amp.

"...A great little practice instrument I take with me most of the time so I can practice when I find a few minutes to kill...." Read more

"For the money, this bass plays well and sounds good...." Read more

"...similar to a regular 6 string guitar so it can actually work well for guitar players who want to play bass once in a while...." Read more

"...The guitar needed a quick set up, (action, intonation) but plays great once that's done. I don't play standing so neck dive doesn't matter...." Read more

Customers find the size of the bass to be perfect for travel. They say it takes up no space at all and fits right in the overhead compartment on the plane.

"...Excellent construction for this price point. Near full size scale , comparable to a 34in scale in feel...." Read more

"...carryon and took it on my trip to ATL from SFO - fit right in the overhead compartment on the plane (it did help that I was on First Class), I just..." Read more

"...It's compact size allows me to tinker around anywhere. I don't have to share my bunk with a log...." Read more

Customers find the stringed instruments worth the money, with excellent construction for this price point. They also say it's a great instrument purchase from the start.

"... Excellent construction for this price point . Near full size scale, comparable to a 34in scale in feel...." Read more

"...This is a great instrument purchase from the start . I look forward to many days of playing pleasure. Thanks.K.R." Read more

" Good for its price . It is a short scale bass so you need to adjust your playing quite a lot...." Read more

"...Other than that, great little travel bass for the price ." Read more

Customers are satisfied with the appearance of the stringed instruments. They mention that it has a nice maple neck and sleek little body, and it has an attractive construction. Some say that the instrument was nicely setup for their style and is worth the money.

"...I got the white version and it looks very nice !What more would you want in a travel/carry practice bass at this price point?..." Read more

"...It is very sturdy though - nice maple neck and sleek little body...." Read more

"My first travel bass. A nice surprise. It came nicely setup for my style . Definitely worth the money. Thinking of buying a couple of them." Read more

Customers are satisfied with the sturdiness of the stringed instruments. They mention that it has a solid durable and attractive construction.

"... Solid durable and attractive construction. Good round wound strings, and keeps its tune well...." Read more

"...has a nick in it and they seem pretty cheap, but it held up well for the duration I needed it and would definitely recommend to anyone needing a..." Read more

" Solid , stays in tune, pick ups a little weak, travels well, great practice guitar while on the road" Read more

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COMMENTS

10 Best 'On the Road' Travel Basses
TIP: The bass will have a set on when you purchase, but having a fresh set can enhance the experience enormously. Fender 7250M Nickel Plated Steel Long Scale Bass Guitar Strings - .045-.105 Medium - [ VIEW] $13.25. DR Strings MR-45 Hi-Beam Stainless Steel Bass Guitar Strings - .045-.105 Medium - [ VIEW] $19.99.
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GUITTO Guitar Stand Tripod Adjustable Classic A-Frame Stand Universal for Acoustic and Bass Electric Guitars Folding Floor Travel Stand Small Single Holder (GGS-01) 2,295. 1K+ bought in past month. $1780. List: $19.80. Join Prime to buy this item at $16.02. FREE delivery Wed, Mar 20 on $35 of items shipped by Amazon.
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SMALL SIZE, BIG SOUND. Offset coil pickup. Chrome sealed tuners. Scale length 59.6cm. 18 fret laurel fingerboard. Volume & Tone controls. Toploader style bridge. 125-105-85-65 custom gauge strings.
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Conclusion. Our journey through the world of travel bass guitars might end here, but your exploration strums on a new chord. From our robust traveler bass reviews to the specifics of the Hofner HCT-SHB-BK-O Shorty, the Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light, Kala U-Bass, and the Steinberger XT-2DB Standard 4-String Electric, we've delved into the eminence of each model.
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4 interest-free installments, or from $36.10/mo with. Check your purchasing power. Color. Gloss Black. Maple. Add to Cart. The Ultra-Light Bass is Traveler Guitar's lightest, most compact bass offering ever. Weighing just 3 pounds 7 ounces and measuring only 33 ¾ inch in length, this short scale 30-inch scale acoustic-electric bass can go ...
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The frontman and bass rule-breaker can often be seen putting this affordable Gretsch through its paces on stages around the world. With a basswood body, bolt-on maple neck, 30.3″ scale length and basic control layout, it's fair to say the G2220 is a simple affair, but that's part of the charm.
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Top 3 Travel Bass Guitar Recommendations. The WanderBass - Its ergonomic design ensures no compromise on comfort. Ideal for those long jamming sessions by the campfire. Roamer's Rhythm - Made with a special coating, it's resistant to both moisture and dust. Perfect for beach bonfires or mountain retreats. Nomad Notes - With its ...
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Mini Electric Bass Guitars, Travel Ubass 4 String, Fretted Ukelele Bass with Gig bag. 2.0 out of 5 stars. 2. ... Remove. Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Gloss Black Bass Guitar | Small Bass Travel Guitar with Removable Lap Rest | 30" Scale Portable Headless Guitar | Mini Guitar with Custom Gig Bag. 4.0 out of 5 stars. 83. $399.99 $ 399. 99. FREE ...
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travel electric bass headless 4 strings bass with gigbag
About this item. 【Excellent Material 】The Batking Travel Electric Bass has a thru-neck design that is a one-piece hard maple neck and Rosewood fingerboard. Reliable quality give you smooth touching feeling. 【 Simple Portable】The Travel Headless Electric Bass only 91cm long, Small enough to take on planes, trains and automobiles.
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These more finger-friendly basses are referred to as "short scale" because the scale length they have is 31″ or less. One of the most recognizable short scale basses back in the day was the Hofner Violin bass. Designed by Walter Hofner in 1955, had a 30" scale length and a signature violin shape.
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The Blackstar Carry-on ST Bass is a portable travel-sized bass guitar that plays and feels like a serious full-sized instrument. Constructed using Poplar bodies, a bolt-on Maple neck and a laurel fingerboard. ... Small but perfectly credible, the Carry-On is a fun little guitar that's dead serious when it comes to practice. This and the Fly 3 ...
Bass Guitars
Bass Guitars. Built for travel, our versatile line of bass guitars are sturdy enough for the road and small enough to stow in the overhead—but they're so satisfying to play, you may never leave your own room. Filter. Best selling. Ultra-Light Bass. $399.99. New. TB-4P Bass. $549.99.
Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Series
The ideal purchase for guitar players on the road! Excellent product! The smallest, lightest, full-scale travel guitars in the world. The Ultra-Light Series includes acoustic, electric, classical and bass models in various colors.
Radio Moscow Tabs
Radio Moscow Tabs with free online tab player. Play along with original audio. Huge selection of over a million tabs. No abusive ads. One accurate tab per song
12 Best Travel Guitars of 2024 • HONEST Advice
Quick Answers - The Best Traveling Guitars. Best Travel Acoustic Guitar - Ultra-Light Classical 6-String Guitar. Best Travel Electric Guitar - Traveler Guitar Travel Guitar. Best Folding Travel Guitar - Journey Instruments OF660M. Best Travel Bass Guitar - Traveler Guitar TB-4P. Best Travel Budget Guitar - Yamaha GL1 Guitalele.
LUCKY DUTCH TAB by Radio Moscow @ Ultimate-Guitar.Com
Solo Guitar M S. Drums M S. View all instruments. Use a mixing console in Pro version. Continue. Edit. Add to playlist. Add to favorites. Lucky Dutch Tab by Radio Moscow. 7,001 views, added to favorites 19 times. Capo: no capo: Author hyphensprint [a] 303. Last edit on Feb 13, 2014. View interactive tab.
Hofner, 4-String Electric Upright Bass, Right Handed, Black (HCT-SHB-BK-O)
Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Gloss Black Bass Guitar | Small Bass Travel Guitar with Removable Lap Rest | 30" Scale Portable Headless Guitar | Mini Guitar with Custom Gig Bag 4.0 out of 5 stars 83 1 offer from $399.99
Effectrode PC-2A Compressor
Similar Listings. Effectrode Photo-Optical Tube Compressor PC-2A - NEW with Power Supply - US Dealer. Brand New. Studio City, CA, United States. $399. $399. Add to Cart. 30-Day Return Policy. Effectrode Model PC-2A Photo-Optical Tube Compressor US Authorized Dealer.

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Bass Musician continues the holiday gear shopping season with our best ‘on the road’ travel basses…

Kala Sub Bass

Wing Bass NT

Traveler Guitar TB-4P

M-Bass 23-Inch Scale Acoustic-Electric MicroBass

Ernie Ball Music Man 40th Anniversary “Old Smoothie” Stingray

Taylor GS Mini Series

Fender American Professional P Bass

Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Bass Natural

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Best short-scale basses 2024: the ultimate guide to the greatest pint-sized bass guitars at all price points

Best for classic rock

More options...

Best short-scale bass: Quick list

Best short-scale overall

1. Fender Player Mustang Bass

Specifications

2. Gibson SG Standard Bass

3. Ibanez TMB30-IV Talman Series

Best lightweight option

4. Gretsch G2220 Junior Jet II Bass

Best for vintage tones

5. Höfner Ignition SE 500/1 Violin Bass

Best short-scale for metal

6. Jackson JS1X Concert Minion

7. Squier Classic Vibe Jaguar Bass

8. Spector Bantam 4

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