Most modern instruments continue to stick to the Fender tradition of a 34” scale, which seems to suit most players. Instruments with a shorter scale tend to sacrifice some tone and sustain, but have the advantage of being easier for youngsters to get their hands around. The Fender Mustang bass is a good example of a well-made, decent sounding bass with a 30” scale. Longer scale basses can sound excellent, especially when using extended tunings.
