How short is too short ?

[cello-mom]

I am the mother of a 13 year-old cellist. Lauren is pretty advanced on cello, just finishing up Suzuki book 6. She has been asked to play bass a few times, and most recently in a small group (piano, percussion, bass) for her musical theatre group.

Lauren is only 5'1". I doubt she'll get much taller as both my husband and I are short. From what I've read, even a 1/2 size will be a stretch.

Will she be able to play upright ?

Also, since she is a reasonable advanced musician, I don't think she'll be satisfied with a low-end student instrument.

Thanks for your help!

[fdeck]

I started on cello as a kid.

Has your daughter had any instruction on the bass? Here's why I ask. The bass uses a different fingering system than the cello. The cello uses all 4 fingers of the left hand, and even stretches to reach additional notes. So you can cover a lot of notes in one position.

Bassists typically use only three fingers: 1, 2, and 4, and they are always held at 1/2 step intervals in the lower positions. To make a long story short, the ring finger goes along for the ride, until you get into the higher positions. This makes it possible to manage a bigger bass with smaller hands, at the expense of having to do a lot more shifting. It's pretty much the only way that any of us can get around on a bass.

So I don't know if this answers whether your daughter should start on a full size bass or not, but I would think that at least 1/2 size should be manageable.

[MDEbass]

A 1/2 size bass should be fine for that hight. A girl at my school just started playing bass this year and she's probably just barely 5 feet tall and is playing on a half size. It seems like she is handling it fine.

[Chris Fitzgerald]

I've had several students who were 5'1" or 5'2". Both played 3/4 basses, and both did just fine.

[cello-mom]

Lauren has had a few lessons with her school orchestra director who is a bass player. (That doesn't happen very often :!)

He is recommending a 1/2. Are there any decent, hand carved 1/2 size basses out there or are they mostly laminated student models in this size ?

[Eric Hochberg]

Yes, there are some nice 1/2 (5/8) size carved basses out there. I have a student who used one through HS. It had a very nice sound, just a little smaller sounding than a good 3/4. I've seen some older instruments for sale on various luthiers websites, aesbass.com and davidgage.com, are two that come to mind. I have also seen a few for sale under the Juzek name from time to time.

[Uncletoad]

Some places you are close to, relatively.

Shanks strings http://www.shankstrings.com/home.html

Cincinnati Bass Cellar http://www.basscellar.com/

Nick Lloyd Basses
http://www.nicklloydbasses.com/

There is a great symphony in Pittsburg, I'm sure the double bass players there could be a resource for you.

http://www.pittsburghsymphony.org/pg...f/webmusicians

[reedo35]

Dave Pellow at CMU
Jeff Turner and Jeff Mangone at Duquesne ( My Alma Mater)
come to mind. Are you looking for a teacher, or to get an instrument?
Look at Volkweins' for a Student Bass.
If You can do the drive, the Bass Cellar is a good place to look as well.
And don't let the height thing scare you, James van Demark at Eastmen isn't much taller, and he is awsome.

[cello-mom]

I know a few guys in the symphony. I was a music majory (violin) and went to WVU in a previous life and played in the PYSO for years.

On another note . . . went to PSO concert yesterday . .. Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique was great.

[TCx]

I'm a short-arse-female and i'm doing just fine on a 3/4. Some times i wish i had longer fingers, lol, but u find your own style and work around it!

[Leeners]

I am 5'3" and I do just fine on my bass which has a 41" mensur. When I was shopping for basses, I found it more helpful to think in terms of string length rather than "3/4" - as that term includes a range of string lengths. Bring a tape measure with you!