After over two weeks of moving (not to mention dozens of trips to the dump, donation store, and storage unit), we are finally settled in our new (temporary) digs--which means I can get back to real life--and blogging.
Last Saturday, we decided to make an impromptu trip to the Shoals Guitar Boutique in Muscle Shoals, Alabama-- a cool guitar boutique about an hour away from our home and right up the street from the legendary FAME Recording Studio. We met the super cool and friendly owner, Don Parker, right after he opened the shop several years ago and we do our best to get up there for visits whenever we can.As usual, I had no intention of buying anything. I just needed a break from the past few weeks' intensive physical labors--and looking at new (and vintage) gear seemed the perfect way to recalibrate. We arrived just as members of the Little Rock, AR band deFrance were about to leave. (I found out a few minutes later that the bassist, Connor, had just bought a vintage Teisco short scale bass--something I definitely would've been interested in). Basses are scarce for the most part when I visit the boutique and this time wasn't much different with the exception of three five-string basses, and a couple of 4-string basses that didn't strike my fancy. Then I saw it--a teal-blue ("Ocean Turquoise" is the official color name) short scale Fender bass with Pearloid pickguard. I already owned the only short scale bass that Fender currently produces, so I quickly looked up this Fender Rascal on my iPhone as Brad plugged it into the closest bass amp. (I always get Brad to test run any bass that I'm looking at. Even after fifteen years, I don't entirely trust my judgment when trying out an instrument in a music store). After a brief search, I learned that the Rascal was indeed a short-scale (though the neck was a bit longer than my Fender Mustang) and that they were a limited Custom Shop design run made in 2014. This was the determining factor for me. When a bass is no longer available, difficult to find used, plays great--and a short scale to boot-- I want it. (Plus, I recently sold my Stagg upright electric bass, so I figured there was no reason not to). Brad replaced the strings with some D'Addario Chrome flatwounds as soon as we got home, cleaning up the fretboard and body with our Dunlop guitar cleaning kit, making this bass play and sound sweeter than it did before. I'm pretty convinced that this will definitely be the most versatile bass (with its five-way switch) that I've ever owned--and did I mention that it's a short scale bass? (Yes, I'm a little obsessed with short scales).

Here are a few links and videos about the Fender Rascal: Fender's description via Sweetwater