Small Hand Bottom Feeders - What Do Ya Play?

[RobT]

Hello out there all you fellow Low Enders.

 

I'd like to address a subset of the bass playing public out there. The small hand player. I've been thinking about starting this thread for a while. The Bass Capo thing got me thinking about it again. For all you small handed guys and gals out there:

 

1) What kind of bass are you playing? Is it fretted or fretless?

2) Any 4,5,6 stringers out there (maybe even a 7?)

3) What kind of left hand (if you play right handed) or right hand

(if you play left handed) fingering compensation do you have to

make.

4) The dreaded five fret reach. All teachers make you do it! Have

any come up with some techniques for us reach challenged players.

5) What musical styles are you playing.

6) Light touch or soft touch? Pick or fingerstyle?

 

And finally:

 

7) Style of music: Rock, pop, funk, hip-hop, gospel, blues whatever!

 

Come on the world wants to know! (At least I do anyway) http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif

 

RobT

[RobT]

Oops I almost forgot:

 

8) What kind of strings are you using?

 

(Very important question to me anyway) http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif

[Ben]

I have small hands, too. Width is more of a limitation than scale length for me. I stick to 4-strings for that reason. Currently playing a Fernandes Gravity 4. I set it up as low as I can, tuned down to D, and string it with Lakland flatwounds. I have always used flatwounds, for the sound, and for the lack of squeak when moving from position to position, something you have to do a lot with small hands.

 

I play fretted instead of fretless, just from personal preference, don't think this has anything to do with hand size. Play folk/acoustic and some rock, fingerstyle. No slap or pop. I used to use a pick once in a while for that pick sound, but currently have the Fernandes set so low that it buzzes when I use a pick, so have gotten away from it.

 

Never had a teacher in 30 years, so I learned my own bad habits and don't worry about the "five finger reach" I can't do. Low action, light touch, flatwounds, clean strings, quick fret hand movements, does it for me.

[Jim T.]

Rob T. Hi it's good to hear from you on the capo thread too. Try it out.I agree that a thinner neck can help short fingered folk. Another of my crazy experiments in my quest for a lifetime instrument that'll work for me is: A fender four string that I added a 5 string bridge and high C to. The string spacing would be ridiculous for most (NO slappin' here!) but the narrow neck makes the 34" scale managable for me.

 

I also tried the Conklin 7 string and amazingly, the thin (front to back) profile actually was pretty easy for me! I'm considering one. I'm hoping that LOTS of players will contribute to this thread to give us some ideas we mightn't have thought of! http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif Jim T.

[CraigLeyhFrameBand.com]

From another small handed Low Ender! I play a 6 str frtlss Carvin

LB76. Proper thumb placement is the key for me. I have to shift my

hand for the 5 fret stretch. Strings are Carvin Nickel wound, which

i think are Labella Slappers. We play Rock-n-Roll. Try to have a

light touch and let the amp do the work, but with a lead guitar

player (Hate them) I tend to play harder than I would like.

 

------------------

Thank you,

Craig S. Leyh

CraigLeyh@FrameBand.com

[RobT]

Thanks Ben, Jim, Craig.

 

I am also hoping to get a lot of responses to this topic. I do try to

be well rounded in the styles that I play. I'll play any style just about.

I do slap, pop, fingerstyle, pick and hammer ons and pull offs. I haven't experimented with strings as much as I would like. I like to keep the action low. It seems like it gives my fingers more control over what I sound like. Five fret reach - give me a break. I am more comfortable with 4 and have it sound like anything. Thumb position is a real key for me also.

 

I have also tried the Conklin 7 string. It actually wasn't bad at all. I currently have an Ibanez 5 string. A hot-rodded J bass copy and an acoustic g****r. I really started this post to get some ideas and possibly exchange some too. I know that I am not the only small handed bass player out there.

 

I hope we get some more posts.

 

Rob T

 

Keep on thumpin' http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif

[Jim T.]

Hi Rob and all!

My BIGGEST frustration and fear of social castigation involves my not being able to barre with my short index finger

I can do the upright fingering when barring but in order to be soloing and even arpeggiating using my much preferred "guitar" one finger per fret fingering I have to "hit" the first index fingered note then rock my hand or "jump" a bit with my hand in order to "make" all the remaining notes in a scale. Even when barriing isn't necessary as in walking/ arpeggiating I have to do the jump/dance thang. I've actually gotten pretty good at his and even doing fretless recording sessions when I can look at my lined neck. I've wondered for a long time if other short fingered bassists existed and if so-why more builders/companies haven't built good sounding short scale basses.

Couldn't a short low B string be electronically enhanced with some sort of sythesized bass toned pickup thingy? Anyway does anyone have similar spacial problems and/or other solutions? Thanks Rob for starting this thread!!! Jim T. :confused

[Ed Friedland]

"The dreaded 5 fret stretch...all teachers make you do it..."

 

Not me! I don't make anybody do that. I do mention that it's a useful technique in certain situations, and typically employ it myself in the higher positions. But to just patently "make" people do it seems dogmatic and in-effective.

 

------------------

www.edfriedland.com

[RobT]

Sorry Ed,

 

I guess I was being a bit overly general in my 5 fret reach statement.

I've had three teachers over the years and two of them kinda put 'strong emphasis' on practicing it. I can do it if I hop around in my thumb position. If I am comfortable with the music and the situation calls for it I'll use it.

 

As far as the short scale five string thing. It would seem like luthiers today have the technology and skill to make a short scale 5 string that really sings. I would prefer to have the low B rather than the high C. I don't know if the physics of sound would allow for short scale 5 string strung with a low B. It might be a bit too floppy with little, if any tone definition. I guess I like that butt-naked swamp bottom low end. The lows on grand pianos send chills up and down my spine. I digress and I apologize http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif

 

Any of you small handed players out there using any of the longer scale, 35" instruments out there?

[lug]

Try a rickenbacker 4001 or 4003. the string spacing is about the same

at the nut as a P bass but narrower at the bridge than most basses.

This gives a thin "middle" neck that is easier on short fingers. The

neck is also "shallow" front to back which also helps.

[Ben]

I tried a couple of 35" basses recently when buying a new bass. There were so many other factors that made such a difference between basses that 35" or 34" scale just didn't make much impression on me one way or the other.

 

I guess I don't do a lot of something-or-other when I play that makes scale length so important to some folks. I'm not sure what that something-or-other is, though. Are we talking about a static bar chord of some kind with the first finger, with the other three fingers dancing around, where finger size makes such a difference? Or, since I play pretty simple lines, am I missing the point about some other sort of fancy fretwork that would be much easier with a short scale?

 

Not trying to be critical here, at all, just curious. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif

[musicman1ovation.net]

Originally posted by RobT:

I don't know if the physics of sound would allow for short scale 5 string strung with a low B. It might be a bit too floppy with little, if any tone definition.

 

RobT,

 

I wondered that same thing about the physics of that low B on a short scale bass. I have several short scale 4-string basses (30 - 31 inches, and the 18" Ashbory, which I don't even call short scale... it is another animal altogether!), and it can be an issue for that low E to sound "normal" (same general tonal characteristics as the other strings - sort of a formant thing). Then I found out that Alembic makes a 30.75" 5-string Stanley Clarke Bass.

 

From having heard the Stanley Clarkes and after an email exchange with Alembic, I have come to the conclusion that the short scale problems have to do with shoddy manufacturing, not some physical brick wall. Several world class manufacturers offer short scale basses (for lots o' bucks), and I sort of doubt they'd slap their logos on something that just won't do the job.

 

Now I am wondering when one of the better assembly line manufacturers is going to offer a neck-through-body short scale bass (4-string & 5-string)that meets pro standards and comes out at an affordable price.

[ricknbokker]

My cousin has VERY small hands. I remember he had a Fender Mustang that he was able to get around on pretty well. It was in like-new condition and w/Rotosound roundwounds on it, it had quite a ringing punch to it.

 

Yes, the Ric is another possibility. I've had mine for 12 years now, coming from a Fender copy. My fingers are on the short side, but my hands are large. I never noticed much of a difference after the switch. I play Blues/Rock, w/a pick on the fast ones. Roundwound strings.

 

Be careful though. The Ric is on the heavy side.

 

Best o'luck!!

 

Steve

[Ed Friedland]

RobT,

Absolutely no need to apologize! I don't take your comments about the 5 fret stretch to be critical. I'm sure some less experienced teachers don't realize that certain things cause their students pain! I use the stretch myself when it's needed, but rarely below the 5th fret, mostly above the 12th.

 

One hard thing about a short scale 5 string would be finding a good set of strings. I don't know if anyone makes them right now.

 

------------------

www.edfriedland.com

[RobT]

Ed,

 

Finding a good set of strings is sometimes a major problem on the five string. On my four string it is not so much of a problem I've used Rotosounds, DR and GHS Bass Boomers to varying degrees of satisfaction. I stick with the round wounds. I recently picked up a set of Thomastik-Infeld (I think I spelled that right) from Steve "the Dude" Barr. I had them setting around for a month before I put them on. They have a smaller low B at .119 or .118 diameter. Most other sets have .125 to .130 diameter. So far these have bee pretty good. I haven't played them as much as I would like due to the fact that I've been concentrating on my fourt string as of late.

 

On the less than perfect manufacturing process comment. I agree that this is probably has more effect than the actual physics of sound. Sometimes (I emphasize sometimes) the mass manufacturers quality of craftmanship is way less than perfect at a certain price point. You have cases where a $500 dollar instrument you play at one retailer has darn near everything you are looking for and the exact same instrument at another retailer will be less than desireable. Consistant manufacturing techniques don't seem to be present. It is really making me look closely at some of the more affordable 'boutique' manufacturers. I'm not rich. A one to two thousand dollar instrument is more in my price range than a five thousand dollar one. I've been playing 34" scale instruments for a very long time now. Those Watts, Carvins, used Laklands and Music Mans are looking real good right about now.

 

RobT