Question for Old Timers

[fu22ba55]

I like heavy-gauged strings. (110-90-75-55)

I'm gonna be 40 this year.

I'm already plagued by all kinds of awful tendinitis, arthritis, didn't-take-care-of-my-hands-itis. My hands are a mess and I already can't do some of what I used to be able to do. (I have issues with my thumb-tendon pulleys in both hands, but especially in my left hand.)

Can I continue to play heavy-gauged strings (as long as I keep in shape, practicing every day), or will I eventually have to switch to lighter-gauged strings?

Any lifers out there still playing heavy-gauge strings?

[Thunder Pulse]

It's a pity Steve Harris isn't a member here; he's 54 and has been playing a 55-110 set for ages.

[Mike]

dude, i am 40 in 2 days and first had hand probs in my early 30's. have used lite gauge strings (40, 60, 80,100) and lowered my action considerably ever since. it has become an absolute must. yeah, ive lost some punch and tone but the abilitly to continue playing was my priority. another thing to consider is the height at which u wear ur bass. i had it fashionably low back in the day but now wear it fusion geek high. get some comments here and there but it's better than playing a banjo...

[coffin blurt]

Size down to 50-105 atleast, with that said stretching is a must, get some full body excercise too - jogging, whatever and DO NOT EAT LIKE ****. You need PROPER NUTRITION. (check scoobysworkshop.com ; that dude's really got it down) and get some flax oil for your joints.

[Bassmickeyd]

As far as 'old guys' playing; I play upright and those strings are heavier and have more tension than your 55/110 set and I don't have problems playing them and I'm 15-years older than you. ...... I'd start with lighter strings maybe 45/105 set and see how that works for you. Then try hand exercises and maybe Tai Chi. And start working with someone to improve your posture to get you to relax. ...... Think loosy goosy when you play. .... Not tighty whitey. .......

[MohawkHarry]

I found that playing jazz basses or basses with thinner necks helped me more than anything. Back in the 80's I liked a P-bass strung with Rotosound true bass strings.
That would kill me know!

[Bassmickeyd]

Also if you're wearing your bass low cause you think it's cool, STOP IT! ....... If you're shoulders aren't straight when you play fix that. For starters stand in front of the bathroom mirror and play watching yourself. .... When you get a pain look at what and how you're standing and change it. ..... It takes a while to do but it's the best time you'll spend once you stop hurting.

[fu22ba55]

Originally Posted by Mike

another thing to consider is the height at which u wear ur bass. i had it fashionably low back in the day but now wear it fusion geek high.

Originally Posted by Bassmickeyd

Also if you're wearing your bass low cause you think it's cool, STOP IT!

You know what's funny... my hands hurt the most from playing when sitting down.

I kind of have a Jeckyl-Hyde complex when playing the bass. At home, relaxing, playing in front of the TV, I sit down and use "proper" left hand position.

But rehearsing / playing live, I wear the bass lower.

And to be honest, my hands hurt MORE after playing with proper technique. Because when I'm standing up, I play with terrible left hand position, and my thumb comes over the top of the fingerboard, hendrix style. And my right wrist is relaxed.

Sitting down, I'm pressing against the skunk stripe more with my thumb (which is what hurts the most... my thumb is effed up) and my right wrist is all bent trying to get over the body of the bass (Jazz Bass or RD)

So strangely... it hurts *less* the lower I wear the bass, since it keeps me from playing stuff that hurts too much.

Originally Posted by coffin blurt

get some full body excercise too - jogging, whatever and DO NOT EAT LIKE ****. You need PROPER NUTRITION

Originally Posted by Bassmickeyd

Then try hand exercises and maybe Tai Chi. And start working with someone to improve your posture to get you to relax

Luckily, I run three or four times a week, so I'm in pretty OK shape for my age... it's really just a matter of squeezing the strings against the fingerboard.

Here's the thing. I do my daily woodshedding with the 55-110s. I can currently play those gauges with no pain. But am I taking years off the other end of my playing? Will the time eventually come where I have to use soft gauge strings no matter what?

[Groover]

I think you should be able to as long as you get the action and relief low enough. I wouldn't necessarily say it's age (I'm that age too), but could be something muscular. Eat some bananas and drink a lot of water before playing. Seriously!

[BritFunk]

My Friend,

I will turn 41 in August and have been playing for 25 years. I play light strings on my main bass now for funk fun, but I still play standard gauge sets (45 - 105) on my other basses for better tone and bottom end. I suffer from similar problems with my hands and joints as you describe from time to time.

A few ideas for you: first, be sure your bass is set up for maximum playability - the harder you need to beat on it the greater the strain on your hands and your body. Heavy strings aren't really a problem IF your bass is properly set up - you can play lighter and with more precision and speed.

As much as you might not want to hear this, you might want to consider the switch to a 45 - 105 set. I personally don't hear enough tonal difference between those and the heavier gauges to warrant the abuse to my hands.

Additionally, consider a paraffin bath. They're available at Wal-Mart and drug stores and really, really help tremendously with pain and stiffness in your hands. They can be had for about $30 -40 and are a great investment to relieve your pain.

An anti-inflammatory prescription drug like Meloxicam (Mobic) will help with pain and stiffness also.

One word of caution - if you decide on glucosamine for your joints please take it for at least six weeks before making a judgment call on whether or not it works.

Good luck in resolving your issues!

----
Kurt

[Arthur Strand]

At 40, most of these issues should have been addressed with beginners tuition!?!
I am over 60 with a Rick stereo and Rotosound strings.
Medical people should be seen if there is pain.

[dlargent]

Hey there! I'm only 37 years old, but having no problems playing electric and upright bass.

From 8th grade, I had serious back problems. Finally about 10 years ago, I began studying Alexander Technique, and my serious chronic back problems completely disappeared overnight.

Also, my pianist friend cured himself of Tendonitis using AT - it might be worth you checking out!

[IvanMike]

I would check out my recent thread in strings asking for 105-45 with the tightest feel. It may be that what you really like is the feel of tension, not the actual tension itself. Conversely, you may just like the sound/feel of a heavy string, but might be able to find a set with more "give". Good chance there is a set (or five) out there that you will like but that won't beat your hands to death.

+1 on setting up your bass for ease of play. IF you can't do it, have a pro take a look.

Above all, go check out the technique forum and DON'T play through pain (at least until you figure out why it hurts, and find out from a doc if you are doing damage by playing when it hurts).

[JTE]

It's much more about good technique than string size. Neck size isn't such a good parameter to use, but total neck shape is. I find narrow necks (like Jazz basses) are too deep front-to-back, and cause my arm to be at a very awkward angle. The best neck for my hands is the original Fender Vintage Series Fullerton-era '62 Precision. It's a full 1.75" side-to-side, but they're very very shallow front-to-back. If the neck is shallow, the width isn't much of an issue. But if the neck is deep, the width is pretty meaningless. I had a Geddy Lee and that neck was so narrow and deep that it caused a lot of problems.

The other critical aspect (I was just paying attention to this today on one of my acoustic guitars) is playing with the minimal pressure needed. There were some chords I as grabbing and pressing way too hard, causing some tension in my left arm. When I consciously relaxed the fingers, it felt a lot better. Adapt this to bass- only press the strings down enough to get a clear tone, and no further. I also find I've gone to a lower action over the years- still using 45/65/85/105 (and a 130 for the B) strings on everything, including the GHS/Lakland flats on three of my basses. The tension of the strings isn't so much an issue as how far I have to push them to get contact with the frets/fingerboard. I've found that even with low action and a pretty straight neck, I can still play with a wide dynamic range and save my left hand/arm.

John

[fretlessguy]

Being 50 (I still hate to think about it) I am still plagued by problems but they are nowhere near what they were about eight years ago. By the time I had enough sense to get something done about it the damage had been done. Here are some things I did to help alleviate the stiffness, pain, and arthritis:
1. I switched to lights, .40-.100 for most of my strings sets, and a .115 to .125 B on my 5 stringers.
2. Warm up before playing. I stretch my hand and limber them up. I also run up and down scales and/or do Stu Hamms four fret exercises.
3. If I am going to do long practice sessions or concerts I am not too proud to take my arthritis meds before hand.
4. My playing technique could have been better described as "attacking the bass". I relax now and play with an easier touch wheras I used to yank, hit, and pound the strings.
5. Play strings with a lighter tension.
6. I bought an Epiphone Allan Woody short scale for my fretted bass and an Essex short scale Jazz for my fretless when the fingers just won't cooperate and stretch.
7. Keep my necks on my basses straight as possible with a low action to lessen the pressure needed to press down the strings.
8. Play with a pick to give the fingers a break.

I wish you the best with your ailments. Do not fear to consult a physician or physical therapist to keep it from getting worse. I wished I did.

[Pilgrim]

Anything you do that reduces stress on your hands is good, and will get batter as you age. I'm 60 next month and my hands just don't bounce back as easily as they used to. Use moderate gauge strings, get a good setup to minimize fretting and plucking effort, and use the amp to generate valume rather than plucking hard.

I'd say that heavy strings with a great setup to minimize the force needed in playing would be better than lighter strings with a lousy setup requiring more force.

[fu22ba55]

Thanks for the abundance of great advice from my fellow decrepit bass-playing brethren. Some great advice here I'll definitely take advantage of.

Originally Posted by fretlessguy

4. My playing technique could have been better described as "attacking the bass". I relax now and play with an easier touch wheras I used to yank, hit, and pound the strings.

^^^ This.

Attacking the bass. Yanking, hitting, pounding the strings. That describes my style to a T.

That's the reason why I use heavy strings in the first place: because with lighter strings (a 105 'E' for example), the note rings sharp for a few seconds after I pluck it. I really do pound on the strings.

I will need to develop a "later in life" more mellow playing style for sure, and hang up that aggressive style I love so much. I'm not a kid anymore! Or maybe take up the stand-up bass and take my aggression out on that thing!

[stratovani]

Some economy of motion might help. In other words, playing simpler bass lines, i.e. root and fifth, simpler turnarounds, etc. might help your hands. If you play like Geddy Lee, it might be time to start playing like Carl Radle!

[Sundogue]

How much water do you drink? Seriously.

Most people drink a lot of other things...alcohol, soda, fruit juice, coffee, etc. but very few people drink enough water. I tried all kinds of things, but when my wife (being an absolute, organic only, health nut) told me to drink more (filtered) water I gave in and did it. Along with a mostly organic diet it does amazing things for you we all take for granted. I'm 50 and I've never felt better.

After only one week of drinking 8 full glasses of water a day, my joint problems amazingly disappeared. I continued on for about another week before I went back to old habits and my joint problems returned.

I've been drinking a lot of water every day since then and I have no joint problems anymore. You'd be amazed how much junk water flushes out of your body, in addition to literally lubricating your body and helping replenish all the nutrients that a lack of water impedes.

Those who believe it can't be that simple just need to remember that our bodies were not designed to ingest the amount of chemicals we put into it on a regular basis in this modern, technologically advanced, chemically dependent society.

Or you can just eat loads of junk, pop some pills and adjust your strap.

[Bassmickeyd]

Also consider playing louder and hitting softer. ..... It's something I've had to work up because I always like to dig in. But, that caused it's own problems. ...... We live, we learn.