whats the difference

bjpipes · #1 02-20-2010, 03:36 PM

I recently decided to start playing an instrument.I love the upright bass and I have large hands.Needless to say I took up the upright. My question is what is the difference between a full double bass and a quarter bass. I have a Kay quarter bassthat i bought for a reasonable price. It is actually larger than the full bass I rented previously.Did I get taken at $1200 it is a 62 and in excellent and origonal condition.

AMJBASS · #2 02-20-2010, 04:40 PM

What is the model number inside the bass. That will tell us what size the bass is(the 1/4 Kay is M3, S3 or H10, S10). $1200 is a very reaonable price for a 3/4 size Kay. To my knowlege they never made a full size bass.

Andrew McGregor · #3 02-20-2010, 07:17 PM

3/4 is standard size, you don't really need to go any bigger, because a bigger bass is just harder to play unless you're incredibly tall.

bjpipes · #4 02-22-2010, 02:07 PM

my bass is a M3 model ...Serial43201. I checked with kay and dated it in 62

PsychoScout · #5 02-22-2010, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew McGregor

3/4 is standard size, you don't really need to go any bigger, because a bigger bass is just harder to play unless you're incredibly tall.

c'mon

I'm not tall at all and I play a 7/8

(and to be honest, I don't mind a 4/4 either)

Paul Warburton · #6 02-22-2010, 04:16 PM

JtheJazzMan · #7 02-22-2010, 04:33 PM

Seems TBDB has some BBB admirers (Big Beautiful Bass)

Andrew McGregor · #8 02-22-2010, 08:27 PM

To be sure, a fantastic bass is a fantastic bass, whatever size it is.

PsychoScout · #9 02-22-2010, 11:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew McGregor

To be sure, a fantastic bass is a fantastic bass, whatever size it is.

Of course, but I see no reason to discriminate them big girls

I'm just reacting to the fact that you claim you have to be incredibly tall to play anything above 3/4... I'm 1.70 m and I have tiny hands...

**Chris Fitzgerald** · #10 02-23-2010, 05:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PsychoScout

Of course, but I see no reason to discriminate them big girls

I'm just reacting to the fact that you claim you have to be incredibly tall to play anything above 3/4... I'm 1.70 m and I have tiny hands...

That's 5'7", actually slightly taller than the average American female (average is 5'5"). I've had students who were about 5'1" or 5'2", and for them, a 4/4 would have definitely been a bad idea.

PsychoScout · #11 02-23-2010, 05:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Fitzgerald

That's 5'7", actually slightly taller than the average American female (average is 5'5"). I've had students who were about 5'1" or 5'2", and for them, a 4/4 would have definitely been a bad idea.

ok, but there's still a hughe difference between "incredibly tall" and 5'7''

Paul Warburton · #12 02-23-2010, 06:08 AM

The size thing can get over blown, IME. As we know, there's confusion abounding when newbies hear that 3/4 size basses are advertised as full size basses.
Anybody who's been around the world of basses and players have heard/seen some fairly small players, both in stature and in hand size, pull and bow some fantastic music outta 7/8 and 4/4 sized instruments with absolutely no problem at all. With the advent of extended nuts (

) the string length problem is solved.
To me the only issue is the fact that the bigger the bass is the more it weighs and becomes a bit harder to carry around.
IMO, IME, YMMV and WRGAF.

**Chris Fitzgerald** · #13 02-23-2010, 06:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PsychoScout

ok, but there's still a hughe difference between "incredibly tall" and 5'7''

Agreed. OTOH, I'm 1.89 meters tall (had to do the conversion) with long arms and good size hands, and I wouldn't play a 4/4 bass because I find the size of the thing obtrusive and a hindrance.

Quote:

Originally Posted by PULL

WRGAF

I'm not sure I wanna know, but...

AMJBASS · #14 02-23-2010, 06:45 AM

I think the shoulder shape is almost more important than the physical size of the bass. I'm not tall by any means, and I have had 7/8ths basses and had no problem getting around them. However, I do have some difficulty in TP with my new Tyrolean. The bass sounds so good that I just deal with it though...

Getting back to the original topic though, it would appear that you have a 1/4. The M3 was Kays model number for that size(I assume you looked at the Kay site already). If you really love the bass, its not too much to spend. However, a 1/4 bass has a significantly different string length than a 3/4. You could use bass guitar fingering on a 1/4.

Paul Warburton · #15 02-23-2010, 07:30 AM

Quote:

DURRLAROONI;8742056]
I'm not sure I wanna know, but...

I respect you fer asking..........Who Really Gives A F***.

drurb · #16 02-23-2010, 09:25 AM

Let's keep in mind that these "sizes" are not standardized. The important parameters are string length and various body-size measurements.

PsychoScout · #17 02-23-2010, 09:53 AM

I could play Bessie:

the bass player is 1.95m