my stingray is 38 mm. and yes i had to google that.
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The shortie? yeah that’s what I would expect.
For comparison a full scale TRBX is also 38mm.
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I must now inquire…
What does nut width have to do with anything? Not being a smartass (as I usually am), I’m just curious.
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The overall neck shape and thickness. It’s one of the primary contributors to how a bass feels. Some people like thinner, “faster” necks (J-bass, EBMM Stingrays, TRBX, most Ibanez, ESP, etc); others prefer thicker, more “substantial” ones (P-bass, BB, Warwicks, other Stingrays, etc).
Nut width and thickness, 12th fret width and thickness, neck profile, and radius are the usual metrics in specs. Nothing substitutes for feeling them in person of course.
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Wow @howard these are things I have never taken into consideration. I learn so much from you.
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Nothing substitutes for feel, but those measurements are as close as specs can get for giving you a rough idea.
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I love my Rickenbacker 4001 @chris6 .
A beautiful unique tone sounds great playing blues or with a pick you can blast some serious rock.
It is noticeably heavier than my Ibanez and definitely not as ergonomically friendly but it’s a real piece of bass history played by one of my all time heroes.
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It is the first that I look for. This comes from learning that I like some Stingray’s better then others, and learning it was specifically due to the difference in Nut Width.
But you coming from a 5 string, will just think it is smaller neck, or average 4 string neck, but if I grabbed onto it I would yell Batter Up, this thing is like a baseball bat. LOL
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EBMM stingrays would not be in that group. The EBMM STERLING or EBMM Stingrays SLO Specials would be on that list, with the Sterling Ray4 and Ray24, but not the Ray34.
Most all EBMM Stingrays are 42 to 43mm at the nut, as is the Ray34.
Some newer EBMM Stingrays are reporting 1.625 (1 5/8, and 41.3mm) at the nut, but documentation is vague and comes from other sources then EBMM, mostly re-sellers, and IDK if they are misrepresenting, or if they did actually make a change after 2018 when they CHANGED the Stingray Classic TO the Stingray Special and gave it an updated look (bridge, lightweight tuners, etc…)
But, I do believe (keeping to the topic) that both the EBMM and SBMM Short Scales have the 38mm (1.5") nut width, like the SBMM Ray 4 and Ray24.
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Ahh, thanks for the correction - I thought it was the other way around.
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to give an idea, 38mm is like a Jazz Bass. a Precision has a nut width from 42 to 44mm. I prefer 42, I’m still fine with 44 but I avoid 38. that’s very personnal.
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It’s funny. My guitar’s nut is wider than my bass’ nut. And I like both that way 
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That sounds rather personal, to talk about them like that in a public forum, have you no shame?
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It’s just how they roll!
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1.5" would be really narrow for 6 strings. Granted the smaller gage, but still, that would be way to crowded for my fat finger tips
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yup me too
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I’ve not had first-hand experience yet with a short-scale bass, but every demo I’ve heard, I just don’t like the sound as much. It is slightly different for sure. I think I’d like the ease of play though. I find myself gravitating toward the middle of the fretboard on a standard scale anyway.
One thing that made me rethink things a bit is that I went to a pub last year that happened to have live music and I was thinking the bass sounded really awesome. Then I looked up and the bassist was playing a U-Bass (ukulele bass for those that aren’t familiar). I don’t know if he was using pedals or something to thicken it up, but I was impressed with the sound.
So, who knows, I’ll probably give one a try sometime and see what I think.
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in fact a short scale tends to sound thick and fat, exactly because the strings are shorter, which gives the strings a different amplitude and which also makes the bass sound more muddy and less precise, less punchy and “percussive” than a long scale.
a short scale does not typically sounds thin at all.
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Musical terms are always subjective to a degree. We all hear things differently. I just know that short-scale sounds different than standard-scale. The words I use to describe that difference may be different that your words or others words.
I find it a bit strange to be honest. Because when people usually say something is thick or muddy, or less percussive, I’m drawn to that sound. But that’s not what I hear with a short-scale in all the videos I’ve watched on them. It could simply be that it is not the familiar sound that I am used to. Who knows…
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I think they way I would describe the typical difference between a shortie and the same model long scale is “significantly less bright.” Not dead or dull, but definitely less bright, usually. Less ringing.
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