Bass Scale Length - Short? Medium? Long?
Jul 17th 2023
Your Bass "Scale Length" is the distance from the Bridge to the Nut of your Bass.
Your Bass "Speaking Length" is the distance from the Ball End of the String to the Nut of your Bass.
The "Speaking Length" of the Bass string is the distance from the Ball end to the Taper or Silk.
Most Basses have the Ball End very close to the Bridge so the "Scale Length" is almost equal to the "Speaking Length".
Some Basses have the Ball End a few inches back from the Bridge so the "Speaking Length" could be a few inches longer than the "Scale Length".
Important! Each manufacturer has different "Speaking Lengths" so please reference the list below and make sure you are selecting the right "Scale Length" of string (Short, Medium, Long, etc) based on the "Speaking Length" of your Bass.
Speaking Lengths listed by Brand
Clear Tone Bass Strings:
- Long Scale = 37.5" Ball to Taper
D'Addario Bass Strings:
- Short Scale = 32" Ball to Taper (or Silk)
- Medium Scale = 34" Ball to Taper (or Silk)
- Long Scale = 37.1" Ball to Taper (or Silk)
- Super Long Scale = 38" Ball to Taper (or Silk)
DR Bass Strings:
- Short Scale = 34" Ball to Taper (or Silk)
- Long Scale = 38" Ball to Taper (or Silk)
- Extra Long Scale - 40.7" Ball to Taper (or Silk)
Dunlop Bass Strings:
- Long Scale = 37.25" Ball to Taper
Elixir Bass Strings:
- Long Scale = 36.5" Ball to Taper
- Extra Long Scale = 38" Ball to Taper
Ernie Ball Bass Strings:
- Long Scale = 37.25" Ball to Taper (or Silk)
- Super Long Scale = 38.25" Ball to Taper
Everly Bass Strings:
- Long Scale = 37.75" Ball to Taper
Fender Bass Strings:
- Short Scale = 32" Ball to Taper
- Medium Scale = 34" Ball to Taper
- Long Scale = 36.5" Ball to Taper
GHS Bass Strings:
- Short Scale: 32.75" Ball to Taper (or Silk)
- Medium Scale: 35.5" Ball to Taper (or Silk)
- Long Scale: 36.5" Ball to Taper (or Silk)
- Long Scale (Universal): 37.25" Ball to Taper (or Silk)
- Long Plus: 38" Ball to Taper (or Silk)
Ken Smith Bass Strings:
- Long Scale = 38" Ball to Silk
- Extra Long Scale = 40" Ball to Silk
- For some B strings there is a "Medium Scale" option = 36.5" Ball to Silk
La Bella Bass Strings:
- Short Scale = 32" Ball to Silk
- Medium Scale = 34" Ball to Silk
- Long Scale = 37" Ball to Silk
- Extra Long Scale = 38" Ball to Silk
- Hofner Beatle Bass = 34" Ball to Silk
Rotosound Bass Strings:
- Short Scale = 32" Ball to Silk
- Medium Scale = 34" Ball to Silk
- Long Scale = 37" Ball to Silk (or Taper)
- Extra Long Scale = 39" Ball to Silk
Thomastik-Infeld Bass Strings:
- Short Scale = 35.5" Ball to Silk
- Long Scale = 37" Ball to Silk
- Super Long Scale = 39.75" Ball to Silk