Short Scale Weissenborn

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Weissenborn Players

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This group is dedicated to the Weissenborn players around the world.

179 Members, Created 2/15/2011 -

Administrators: Grizz (owner)

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From mstuartev on 3/2/2016 9:21:50 AM

Its that time of year again... possible bonus at work, and the mind turns to spending money of musical stuff.

I've seen some posts and stuff about short scale weissenborns. There is, as far as I can tell, one or two videos out there. I'm hoping someone could shed some light on the tonal/playing/uses for a short scale weiss - aside from, well, I got a standard and a baritone so, well, yeah? As in, what niche of playing does it fill?

Guess I'm looking for reasons NOT to be tempted.

Thanks as always

Shivering in the last weeks of winter in Madison, WI

Mark E

7 Comments
	Bob Blair says: 3/2/2016 12:49:40 PM I had Neil Russell make mine because I wanted something I could tune up to E or F. I'm not sure if there is a video out there of it in action - maybe from the TSGA Rick Alexander Room in 2015. I use it to accompany myself singing sometimes, and also do some instrumental solo stuff on it. Everywhere I have played it people like it - it has a unique voice. It is also easy to carry on the plane!
	Bob Blair says: 3/2/2016 12:56:50 PM Here is my 2015 set - I see I started with the short scale doing a medley of Foster tunes. I think I used to in something where I sang at some point. youtube.com/watch?v=BG-mLDcAJKA
	Bob Blair says: 3/2/2016 12:58:39 PM I've tuned it up to G as well - it does fine. It has a special voice and I love it.
	Bob Blair says: 3/2/2016 1:13:31 PM Yup the first three numbers used the short scale.
	mstuartev says: 3/2/2016 1:37:20 PM Yup Bob's vid was about the only other short scale Weiss vid I could find on the YouTube. It seems like the short scale would be the equivalent of the old small, short scale Gibson guitars: quick playing, quick decay, good for fluid finger style (single note) runs (?) The bird in the bush... it's hard to know how it will fit into my playing, but I'm intrigued. ME
	Bob Blair says: 3/2/2016 1:46:07 PM I got mine to do more or less exactly what I was doing there. I know Steve Dawson has a short scale Neil made him some years ago but not as short as mine. Steve told me he uses it sometimes in sessions. Like you Mark I have a baritone as well - mine is a Pogreba currently tuned to B.
	CaseyHunter says: 3/3/2016 5:27:23 AM Paddy Burgin made an interesting Weissen-uke that sounds great, definitely in a different sonic range. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e61jngpG9FU David Lindley has also been known to play a slide uke (resonator) that he makes sound amazing. https://youtu.be/hicabusfluY?t=5m3s
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