Best value short scale bass? In-depth review Groove TM Mustang bass (vs. Squier Bronco bass)
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- Опубликовано: 13 авг 2024
- In this unsponsored video, I will introduce and review the Groove TM 4 string Mustang-style bass. Can this be the best value/budget friendly short scale bass? Featuring an alder body, maple neck and board, ceramic Mustang-style split coil pickup, passive electronics, and black hardware, this bass far exceeded my expectations for the asking price of $289 CDN.
In the track comparison, I will put this Groove TM head to head with a Squier Bronco bass (which also retails for ~$290 CDN at time of filming).
Both basses were recorded direct with the same settings, direct through a Line6 Pod Go with my usual GK800RB model settings.
Level matched, but no EQ or compression was added in post.
*To best appreciate the sonic differences, headphones or quality speakers are recommended.
00:00 Intro
00:21 Background and features
02:25 Tones
04:50 Track - Comparison with Bronco
07:14 Tonal assessment
08:29 Wood grain
08:56 Truss rod access
09:40 Tuners
10:11 Nut
10:50 Frets
11:40 Neck
12:09 Pickup
12:46 Bridge
13:57 Setup
14:22 Weight & balance
14:52 Cut away
15:05 Conclusion
jonathanwong.b... 
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Love your coverage of basses and short scales available in Canada. I bought my Bronco just before your Bronco series. I found Groove guitars a few weeks ago and was debating getting their Mustang and Stingray basses but was skeptical of the quality until this video. You've been doing some quality research and it feels very personalized to me.
Thanks for the video! Greetings from Ottawa! 🇨🇦
Thanks so much for your kind words and encouragement! I'm in Winnipeg now, but I have spent some time working at the Bruyere (Ottawa) many years ago.
I cannot speak to the quality across the different Groove models (or within the model lines), but this particular Groove TM example punches well above its weight and far exceeded my expectations! I have no affiliation with Kanamusique!
Honestly, you should be skeptical of every brand whether you've heard of them or not...in a straight-out-the-box comparison, this groove bass definitely takes the prize, but the sonic bronco is a solid modding platform with lots of options
For sure, the sonic bronco has lots of sonic modding potential!
Thank you for highlighting short scale basses. I wish this would have been what i started with instead of suffering with a full scale for so long. What a great, unsponsored review. Glad you found a gem! I know you're spending your time and money making these videos so I've subscribed and commented 😉. Also, let's hope this company finds much success from your review. Cheers!
Thanks so much for your support and for watching! Much appreciated. I got into short scales due to health issues (autoimmune joint and muscle disease). They’ve been a game changer, and got me back into playing and recording with considerably less pain.
Thx again!
@jonathanwong458music sorry to hear about your health troubles. I'm so glad short scale basses brought you back and allowed you to play. I full heartedly believe music and joy has profound effects on our health. Autoimmune conditions are a life long battle. Don't ever stop reading and discovering ways to help lessen your body's triggers. As a nurse of 13 yrs now s/p thyroid cancer, it's taken alot of using lifestyle management to be my best self. Thanks again for all you do ❤️.
@@frankkiethebassplayer Right on! Thanks so much for the support. Finding and maintaining one's best self is the name of the game....in all aspects of this rollercoaster movie we call life.
Dude….. I’m gonna sell my bronco bass and get this! Thanks so much! Now I can stop having to look forever for a good humbucking pickup for the bronco. I could have used this video 4 months ago.
Thanks for watching! This is the only example of Groove I’ve had my hands on, so I can’t speak to QC or consistency within their lines. This particular one, however, is fantastic, not just for the price. The sonic Bronco does have potential and I’ve filmed lots of videos exploring it! I hope you like your Groove when it arrives. Please let us know of your experience with it!
Another great video on shorties. Well done Jonathan! Keep them coming!
Thanks so much for watching and for the feedback!
There are brands that very few people know about....I just love that blue bass!!!!!🇨🇱🇨🇦
Yeah! This Groove is pretty great! Factor in the low price and it's pretty surprising! Thanks so much for watching!
A white pearl pickup would look amazing on this
Great find and I always enjoy the level of detail in your videos. This review and comparison of the Groove bass is especially helpful because I’ve been thinking of buying the Fender JMJ Mustang bass and then saw your video on diminishing returns. So, buying a P-bass for around $200 (US) that includes shipping is outstanding.
Quick question on the radius of the neck and the width at the nut.
Thank you for your excellent contributions to the bass community.
I listened to your review again and you mentioned the nut width. The radius is minor.
Thanks so much for watching and for your encouragement!
The nut width is just a sliver under 1.5". The fretboard radius is pretty flat, unlike a more traditional Fender. In terms of profile and thickness, the neck is very similar to my Fender 1st gen PJ Mustang, so around 7/8" thick @ the 5th fret.
The JMJ is a solid Mustang bass! But to be honest, there were a few things that kept me from buying it (bought the yellow Schecter Japan i used for the Mustang pickup series instead).
The JMJ has a more traditional 1.625" nut width and it feels chunkier overall. As well, the truss rod access is buried at the heel of the neck and in typical Fender style, you end up mangling the body and pickguard getting a wrench in there. Big temp and humidity swings where I live, so I'm constantly watching and tweaking setups! I also think it's a bit over-priced. But I love how the JMJ looks. The Daphne Blue is amazing. I'm 50/50 on relic'ing. I like a played-in look, but not that it was dragged behind my car!
I can't lie about enjoying high end instruments - I had a custom F bass made for me, after all. But having said that, and as much as I love My F Bass, I can't honestly say it's 10x better than my Fender given the 10x price tag. There are lots of great instruments that I have kept that are not that expensive but provide an excellent experience! This Groove is gold at $289 CDN! No sponsors or affiliate links!
Thanks for watching!
I saw those on eBay'and read a lot of positive reviews. I'd snag one if I didn't already have a MIJ Mustang. Thanks for the demo Jonathan.
Far exceeded my expectations! Thanks for watching!
This brand is new to me so Thank you. instead of sanding the nut flush with the neck I would just replace it with a new graph tech nut. You can also buy shorter grub screws for the saddles instead of filing them. 🍺🇨🇦
For sure! I’ve had good experiences with graphtec saddles and nuts. Not sure it was truly ‘smoother’, but it was solid and reliable. I’ve been in the habit of filing the bridge screws. Easy and cheap and my gig bags are happier! Thanks for watching!
I'm in the Montreal area, where Kana Music is located. I see a number of these Groove instruments on used sites and have heard some decent reviews of other models. I've been interested in this one but hadn't heard anything either way about them, now I'm even more interested in one. Thanks for the review :)
Thanks for sharing! I would be very interested in knowing how the quality control is across the models. If it's anything like this one, with a good marketing team, these should be desirable to beginners and giggers.
Thanks for watching!
I like it! The headstock shape is nice, sort of Fender and Music Man combined. Speaking of Music Man, the bridge looks like a black version of the bridge on my Sterling Sub Series Stingray. I wish the term 'tummy cut' was 'rib relief' because I only notice that contour's absence when I'm seated to play and the back top of the body grinds into my lower rib cage, but maybe I just need to eat more! Great demonstration!
Thanks for watching! Rib relief is a great way to call it! It is a great feature, as many reissue MIJ mustangs are slab bodied, as well as the player series. Can be uncomfortable depending on your body shape/size/joints and the contact points.
Seems very cool. Would also love to get your take on the Schecter Banshee Bass if you ever come across one!
Thanks for watching! I have a Japanese schecter that is outstanding. Schecters in general are pretty good. I haven’t tried the Banshee myself, so I can’t say at present. Been trying to find one at a good price!
I've been looking for details on this bass for months after finding it on ebay while looking for a budget short scale bass. Awesome video. I'm still not able to buy a new bass at this time lol but this has a higher consideration on what I'd get now compared to a Squier CV Mustang or Ibanez TB30. Especially since it's passive, which is a big selling point to me.
Thanks so much for watching! This particular one exceeded my expectations! Sounds ‘bigger’ than the Squier CV mustang to my ears.
@@jonathanwong458music By chance do you know of any replacement pickguards for this bass?
I don’t know, sorry. Might need to get a custom one.
Was looking for a cheap 30" bass. Found one last week near where I live. And it's the exact same brand and color. I did some search, but nothing on the pickup quality. Looked at Seymour-Duncan web site in way to see how much it would cost, but your review shows that the pickup is correct, if not better than a Fender Bronco.
Thanks very much. I'll go with that Groove 30" kind of Mustang bass. And keep the original pickup. Thanks again.
Thanks for watching! The stock pickup on this Groove has a bit of an over-wound, slightly hot P pickup type sound. Not 'vintagey' or polite sounding. Seymour Duncan made the re-issue mustang pickup for many of the Japanese Fender Mustangs. Their custom shop can also do a custom wind for you, but the size of the mustang shells may limit the number and type of winds possible. And it'll be expensive.
The Groove's pickup is much more defined and broader in frequency compared to the stock bronco p/u. It's all a matter of taste in the end, but so far, absolutely nothing wrong with the stock Groove p/u, provided you like the more aggressive tone of it.
Please let us know of your experience with your Groove, should you get it! I'd love to know the quality control.
PS I'm planning a Mustang pickup series, comparing a handful of different mustang pickups. Stay tuned!
The Harley Benton MV-4MSB is out now again, including toggle switch. How do you compare yours (1st iteration) to this model?
Thanks for watching and asking! I saw that the v2s are out. Planning on getting one to use on the channel, but haven't had a chance to buy or try it yet. Hopefully soon!
@@jonathanwong458music getting myself a toggle switch to add to mine between the pots (1st gen. also).
Right on! My music partner who got the HB from the video is happy with it, but I've disconnected the bridge J, so it's just a P bass. Could also consider getting a stacked dual volume pot, would allow you to get a blend instead of just on/off.
@@jonathanwong458music That is another solution to avoid drilling anything and would add more versatility. Not a fan myself of stacked knobs, specially for a live situation (I have it at a Sire bass), I hope the simple original circuit of the Mustang PJ would be enough. I will know in some weeks.
@@gilivatios That's the beauty of mods - make it exactly how you like it to to suit your playing and tonal needs! Best of luck in your mod!
A 30-34" Dingwall would be killer! This would deliver the tight, solid lower string response of a longscale combined with the deep, warm upper string sound that often only short-scale basses can provide.
Oh yes! I have definitely been day dreaming about that! Ibanez makes a shorter multiscale headless model I’ve been meaning to check out.
Thanks for watching!
@@jonathanwong458music Oh yeah, right, I didn't remember them. Even two: the EHB1005SMS and the EHB1005SMS, at 30-32". Definitely worth checking out!
@@jonathanwong458music And then there's also the SRC6MS, but this is more like a 28.5-30" Bass VI.
I’ve been casually looking for the right shorty 5 string, but nothing has ticked all the boxes. My Zebrawood cort 5 with a capo has done an admirable job, but I’m always looking to branch out and try new things.
Great video. Any ideas about Banshee bass? Trying to find one in my location
Hi! Thanks for watching! I have not had an opportunity to try the Schecter Banshee myself. Nice colour options and I like that it comes stock with a P style pickup. I own a Schecter Japan mustang that's fantastic and Schecters, in general, are pretty solid. I've been trying to find a Banshee at a reasonable price, too!
That has a really nice sound.
I think so too! Plays better than I expected too!
Thanks for watching!
Jonathan, I just received one of these and one of the tuner gears was damaged. I might just upgrade the tuners instead of trying to get a replacement from the company. What tuners would be best to replace the stock ones? Or if you know which tuners they are I could just replace the one damaged one. Thanks for your time, and short scale reviews. Definitely helping me decide what to try.
Oh man!! I am so sorry to hear that bad news....was the rest of the bass ok? Have you tried contacting Kana Music? I'd be interested to know what their customer service is like. Hopefully, they'll at least send you a replacement tuner if it was damaged during shipping or banged up during packaging.
In terms of replacement tuners - I am not certain there will be a direct drop in replacement tuner. Many companies use slightly different screw hole patterns. Having replaced/"upgraded" many tuners, I have more often than not needed to fill/dowel the original holes, and redrill new ones.
In terms of tuners that I have used and would recommend, offerings from Hipshot are nice because they have a few different colours (including black for the Groove!) and a couple key/paddle shapes. I also like Gotohs. **More importantly, Hipshot and Gotoh both publically publish their tuner drawings and measurements, which would give you a much better idea of whether or not it would directly fit or drop-in.
Best of luck to you!
@@jonathanwong458music they responded very quickly and said they've seen it before with machining issues. I don't think it was damaged in shipping, just a faulty part. We'll see how quickly they get the replacement to me. It is just the gear wheel. I'll report back to you on the progress. I appreciate the info on replacement tuners and for now will just wait for the part. Thanks for the speedy response! Dean
Hopefully the new gear will just drop in. Thanks for letting me know! I'm glad Kana music is taking care of you, as they should.
The RUclips studio app doesn't always give me new reply notifications, so if I don't reply, just start a new comment!
@@jonathanwong458music the part is getting shipped out today UPS expedited, for arrival Tuesday. I'll definitely stay in touch to share my thoughts and questions on short scale basses. That's all I play now for bass. I have a Jackson minion, a Sire u5 Fretless, and now this. I've owned an Ibanez Mikro (didn't like the neck or the on/off "tone" knob, but considering the TMB30). I'll start a new thread about staining fingerboards and necks as I would like to do so with this Groove short scale.
@@DeanAngermeier fast service! Hope it works!
Great find
Thanks for watching!!
Where can you buy these basses online?
I found mine on ebay. Here's a link to their ebay store, where you can also browse their other offerings:
www.ebay.ca/str/kanamusiquecanada
For clarity, I have no affiliation with this company in any way. There are a few Canadian stores that carry Groove guitars too (not many, though).
Thanks for watching!
Check out Italian Eko Vjb 3/4. The veterans of Italian electric guitars go strong: amazing quality/price ratio. 😎
if i'm buying Italian it's going to be a Paoletti. Modern Basses with Humbuckers, Roasted Maple Necks, Roasted Maple/Pau Ferro/Ebony Fingerboards with a 12" Radius and the bodies are made out of 100+ year old reclaimed chestnut from wine barrels. Not Cheap! 🍺🇨🇦🇮🇹
Cool suggestion! Thanks for watching!
@@christopherfidler3019 Good for you! Don't forget to request those platinum-plated, angel-tears coated strings with diamond ball-ends 🤣
@@AnnaSibirskaja Nah, Paoletti is no Fodera and Eko used to make good instruments back in the 60's but there is no need to import a cheap copy bass when there are plenty available in Canada. if you're going to import an instrument import a Paoletti or Luigi.
@@christopherfidler3019 Which cheap short-scale Jbass would you recommend to buy in Canada then? I really doubt "are plenty".
Hello very nice demo, from where to buy one ?
Thanks for watching! I found mine on ebay through their ebay store. Here's a link: www.ebay.ca/str/kanamusiquecanada
I do not have any affiliation with the company.
@@jonathanwong458music thank you so much i found them in Canada, a small question are you recording Flat to an Audio interface or using an AMP with Cab & Mic ?
I record everything direct through a Line6 Pod Go with a GK model that is fairly neutral. No cab sim, no mics. I modelled the settings to be a neutral representation of what I hear in the room. Slightly warmer version of flat and direct.
@@jonathanwong458music okay great thank you so much, I Like very much your short scale F-Bass, i am thinking to order one in the near future, your Videos are amazing because it's very HONEST & detailed explanation of Good & Bad very clear, Well Done thank you for helping us to compare that easy, God Bless you
Thanks so much for the encouragement! I love my custom short scale F Bass! We got many things right on that design!
You like it better thant the Harley Bentons?
This particular one is great. So compared to the HBs I’ve had on the channel, yes I would! I’ve only ever seen this one, so I can’t comment on QC.
Thx for watching!
@@jonathanwong458music Thank You! I'm wondering what affordable flatwounds will fit this....now that I ordered one :)
It’s top load, so most flats advertised as ‘short scale’ should be good to go: eg D’addario chromes short, GHS short flats.
(Unlike string through mustangs that need medium scales. I have a video dedicated to short scale strings should you be interested!)
Let us know how you like yours! I’d love to hear of the quality control across the lines!
@@jonathanwong458music Very Helpful! I will report!
Tempting, there is one at 200$ near Montreal ..... AAAAARRRKKK !!! GASSING, again !!!!!
Are you able to try it out? If it’s anything like this blue one, 200 is a good buy! Good luck and thanks for watching!
@@jonathanwong458music I AM ON FIRE!!
Thanks for all the info, maybe Ill get the groove or make my own....
With all the warts, still a good deal . . .
Yeah, man! It's really the same warts found on most import basses under 1k. If we are to be really honest....you and I have probably found the same warts on US-made instruments at higher price points!! Short of my F Bass, almost every single bass that was shipped to me needed some degree of setup work. All that said, I think this particular Groove TM played WELL ABOVE its asking price. I'd happily gig with it! Maybe I got an above average example, but if they're all this good, go out and buy 'em!!
Thanks for watching!
@@jonathanwong458music That's the truth!