Höfner Shorty Violin Bass

This short scale bass will not likely be everything you need in a larger full scale bass. That being said, it's fun to play and sounds surprisingly good. It's a niche travel bass that sings! With one humbucker at the neck position it's got a deeper fuller sound than you'd expect. I put nylon tapewound strings on it and it's got a perfect Motown sound with a tad more sustain than an actual violin bass. It has less thud than an arch top, but the thud is still quite pronounced. It's kind of like a PBass and an arch top put together.

Picked this up to save a bit of space while recording, but the sound and tuning stability aren't worth the increased portability. Kudos to the manufacturer for including a 'full' shortscale neck, but the small body is uncomfortable to use for extended periods of time. Sound wise, it has a tone that's a bit difficult to mix compared to a regular bass, and it's difficult to keep in tune.