this post was submitted on 09 Oct 2025
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I got a hofner shorty for keeping up practice on the road. My need was basically just for something near a full scale neck that could be tossed in a backpack as carry on luggage.
I would describe the shorty as textbook Stockholm syndrome. It is not comfortable to use until you find just the right position to perch it on your leg. It sounds mediocre to shit plugged in, but i never use it amped so, whatever. The thing is incredibly neck heavy, so in my opinion a strap that connects at the headstock is a must. Also recommend heavy strings if you want it to stay in tune for days at a time. When I'm stuck with it i spend the first day cursing it, second day accepting it, and after that i feel like it's serving its purpose.
Not sure i would actually recommend it, but if you just want a traveling fretboard for less than 200, it certainly is that.
I didn't know any better about how to listen for flaws or get a feel for ergonomics, so I ended up buying the“traveller guitar bass for $200. I kinda regret it.
I love how it just sounds different and thumpy, but the piezo pickup it has - it's sounds so bad on my headphone amp. I can hear my fingers sliding over every millimeter of string, but it isn't outrageously bad on a regular amp. On a regular amp, I couldn't tell you why, but I like the sound of my Ibanez mikro bass so much better.
Also, the ergonomics. I cannot for the life of me figure out how to rest the travel bass on a leg sitting down, even with the detachable bar to extend the side of the guitar for lap resting. It's hard for me to find a comfortable position sitting/atanding
I couldn't hear the tuning either to judge quality. I found that when you pull backwards on the neck, it bring the string enough out of tune to tell, even by my hearing skills
I don't know if this translates to the body and weight distribution of yours, but for the shorty the only position that really works (for me of course) is having the thing propped up by the bottom of the body on the thigh opposite of my fretting hand, and keeping a straight back, and keeping the thing leaning forward so that at it is engaging the strap. I think it's similar to the classical guitar posture, but relying on the strap and the forward lean to keep it in place since there's not enough guitar body to keep it perched otherwise.