# What are the quietest short-scale bass guitars available? — Verified Specification Comparison

> All specification data verified from official manufacturer documentation.

What are the quietest short-scale bass guitars available?

## Products

### HILS NEXT HNB3 - Short Scale Headless Bass - Ivory (Minor Blemish)
```yaml
product: hils-next-hnb3-short-scale-headless-bass-ivory-minor-blemish
brand: HILS
price_gbp: 301.27
origin_country: null
confidence_score: null
summary_source: generated_from_verified_specs_v1
scale_length: 30
body_material: Mahogany
neck_material: 5-piece maple/walnut
number_of_strings: 4
fingerboard_material: Indian Laurel
pickup_configuration: Single humbucker
```

- **Price:** £301.27 [^1]
- **Summary:** The HILS NEXT HNB3 is a 4-string short-scale (30 in) headless bass designed for portability and comfort, weighing about 5.5 pounds and coming with a deluxe padded gig bag. It uses a warm mahogany body with a 5-piece maple/walnut neck and a single humbucker with simple volume and tone controls, making it well-suited for straightforward, full-range bass tone without extra complexity.
- **Ideal For:** Its 30 in scale length and lightweight headless design help keep the instrument compact and comfortable, while the single-humbucker setup with passive volume/tone controls makes it a good choice for quieter, simpler short-scale bass playing with less on-board electronics.
- **Additional Sources:** [^2], [^1], [^2]

### Ibanez GSR20M miKro Bass - Metallic Purple with Jatoba Fingerboard
```yaml
product: ibanez-gsr20m-mikro-bass-metallic-purple-with-jatoba-fingerboard
brand: Ibanez
price_gbp: 166.11
origin_country: null
confidence_score: null
summary_source: generated_from_verified_specs_v1
scale_length: 28.6 in
body_material: Poplar
neck_material: Maple
number_of_strings: 4
fingerboard_material: Jatoba
pickup_configuration: PJ
```

- **Price:** £166.11 [^3]
- **Summary:** The Ibanez miKro GSR20M is a short-scale 4-string electric bass designed for compact comfort, featuring a maple neck and a jatoba fingerboard. It uses Dynamix P (neck) and J (bridge) pickups in a PJ configuration for versatile tones, with simple volume/tone style controls. It suits players who want an easy-to-fret short-scale bass with a classic P/J pickup blend, including beginners and smaller-stature players.
- **Ideal For:** Its 28.6 in short scale and compact miKro design make it easier to fret quietly at lower string tension than longer-scale basses, while the PJ Dynamix pickups are passive for straightforward, low-noise use.
- **Additional Sources:** [^4], [^5], [^3], [^4], [^5]

### Ibanez GSRM20 Mikro Short Scale Bass Guitar - Brown Sunburst with Purpleheart Fingerboard
```yaml
product: ibanez-gsrm20-mikro-short-scale-bass-guitar-brown-sunburst-with-purpleheart-fingerboard
brand: Ibanez
price_gbp: 150.26
origin_country: null
confidence_score: null
summary_source: generated_from_verified_specs_v1
scale_length: 28.6
body_material: Poplar
neck_material: Maple
number_of_strings: 4
fingerboard_material: Purpleheart
pickup_configuration: PJ
```

- **Price:** £150.26 [^6]
- **Summary:** The Ibanez miKro GSRM20 is a short-scale (28.6 in) 4-string electric bass built for comfort and easy playability, especially for smaller hands and travel-sized setups. It has a poplar body with a maple bolt-on neck and a purpleheart fingerboard, delivering classic bass tones from a PJ pickup layout. It's a passive instrument with individual volumes and a master tone.
- **Ideal For:** If you're looking for the quietest short-scale basses, the GSRM20's passive PJ pickup setup (with separate P neck and J bridge pickup volumes) lets you blend and dial down output for lower-volume playing while staying on a compact 28.6 in short scale.
- **Additional Sources:** [^7], [^8], [^6], [^7], [^8]

---
## References & Sources
[^1]: HILS America, accessed 2026-06-24. https://hilsamerica.com/the-instruments/p/next-hnb3-ivory-wrgd2
[^2]: Andertons Music Co. (HILS NEXT HNB3 Bass Guitar in Satin Ivory - B Stock), accessed 2026-06-24. https://www.andertons.co.uk/b-stock-hils-next-hnb3-bass-guitar-in-satin-ivory-004/
[^3]: Guitar Center, accessed 2026-06-24. https://www.guitarcenter.com/Ibanez/GSRM20-Mikro-Short-Scale-Bass-Guitar-Metallic-Purple-1290447863915.gc
[^4]: Strait Music, accessed 2026-06-24. https://www.straitmusic.com/products/ibanez-gsr20m-mikro-bass-metallic-purple-with-jatoba-fingerboard
[^5]: Drum City Guitarland, accessed 2026-06-24. https://www.drumcityguitarland.com/Bass-Guitars/Ibanez/MIKRO-286-Short-Scale-/Ibanez-MIKRO-GSRM20-Metallic-Purple-286-Inch-Short-Scale-4-String-Electric-Bass-Guitar
[^6]: Guitar Center, accessed 2026-06-24. https://www.guitarcenter.com/Ibanez/GSRM20-Mikro-Short-Scale-Bass-Guitar-Brown-Sunburst-Rosewood-fretboard-1395960197982.gc
[^7]: Thomann Music, accessed 2026-06-24. https://www.thomannmusic.com/ibanez_gsrm20_bs.htm
[^8]: Musician's Friend, accessed 2026-06-24. https://www.musiciansfriend.com/bass/ibanez-gsrm20-mikro-short-scale-bass-guitar/516148000006158