“Its 23-inch scale-length allows for a softer and rounder tone”: Harley Benton applies retro-classic colour finishes and the incredible shrinking treatment to its beginner friendly JB-62CC Mini Bass

Please, everyone, stand well back. We’re going to use a cliche. Honey, they shrunk the bass guitar. Yes, yes, a cliche, but it’s true, Harley Benton has literally done just that, shrinking one of the coolest cheap bass guitars on the market to make it, err, smaller, and ergo more beginner friendly.

The JB-62CC Mini is a dead ringer for its larger sibling but you’ll notice that – even from the pictures, with nothing in the background for scale – there is a lot less neck to negotiate.

These measure up with a super-approachable 23” scale length, and that’s great for younger players with small hands and shorter arms, but also a fun proposition for those looking for an affordable runaround four-string for those warm and rounded basslines from ‘60s soul.

You can pick one of these for less than 200 bucks but even at that entry-level price you get a caramelised maple neck – and a matching painted headstock FTW.

The neck is bolted to the a basswood body in the time-honoured fashion. As per the classic bass that inspired its design – the designation JB-62 kind of gives the game away – the body is offset at the waist, with the three-ply mint pickguard complementing the Seafoam Green and Shell Pink colour finishes nicely.

There are a pair of HBZ Custom Wound VJB single-coil pickups at the neck and bridge, both of which are designed around an Alnico V magnet. This is a budget bass – we’re not messing around with a convoluted active preamp system. The controls are simple, with volume knobs for each pickup and a master treble control. Blend to taste.

Besides the 23” scale length, the JB-62CC Mini’s vital statistics include a 12” radius fingerboard (maple as standard), a compact 38mm nut width, and there are 19 medium frets.

Harley Benton describes the neck as a C shape. You can be pretty sure it will be fairly player-friendly, not too much timber to wrestle with.

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There’s a four-saddle bridge with brass saddles, open-gear tuners, all in chrome (well, except for the saddles), and the instrument ships in a gig bag.

These teeny tiny JB-62CC Mini basses are available now via Thomann, priced £143/$191. See Harley Benton for more details.