help for tendons problems

[fabiofromitaly]

Hi!

I’m a newbie in db and I’ve a cheap ¾ mavis bass, with thomastik prazision and underwood pikup (I found it very “metallic” sounding, too high for my taste)

IMHO prazision set (aka precision) is very, very hard!!!! for my small hands (some little trouble with tendons)
So I’m searching for a lighter set:

I’m looking for spirocore Weich (orchestra) or spirocore solo (tuned down to orchestra) or corelli 370 F
(in my city are the only sets available!! and costs about the same - 120 euro)

Ps. I play only pizzicato and my bass has pretty high action with a “not-very-well-rectified” fretboard…. (i'm worried because i think that a too much lighter set would sound bad or "buzz" on the chaep fretboard)

What string set do you advise me between the 3 listed before????

thanks, and sorry for my bad enlish :P

[Dave Whitla]

It sounds like the setup is a bigger issue. If the strings are too high it won't matter what type of strings you get, they will still be too high! There must be a luthier near you (you're in the land of great basses, after all!) who could look at your bass and evaluate the setup and tell you what needs to be done so that you can press the strings down easily. Worry about strings after you've sorted the setup.

[fabiofromitaly]

I was gone to liuther for a setup 1 month ago, but the action is still pretty high...

('cause the cheapness of my bass, it can't be possible a low action, but it's better than stock condition of course!!)

so the only thing I can do now, is lowering strings tension!



I'm playing ONLY pizzicato... and hope that strings with lower tension won't BUZZ !!! :P

spirocore weich?
spirocore solo tuned down to orchestra pitch?
corelli 370F?

[chubbyjackson]

Try the Corellis - they bow nicely and also have a decent jazz tone. You sacrifice some volume but they are easy on the hands.....

[downneck]

what tendon problem do you have? I was doing something similar, trying to make my equipment work around my de quervain's tendonitis, until i got some serious physical therapy to reduce the inflammation in my tendon and some good technique adjustment by my teacher to help prevent it from coming back. i'm happy to say it's been nearly a year since my last flare-up. i'm able to play spiro mittels without a problem and i'm even toying with the idea of putting on a stark E to see if i'm man enough for it

[fabiofromitaly]

apart from my problems (just "little")

the fact is my action from 10 to 7 mm
i think it's pretty high and the bass is very cheap

the guy of the store near my house tell me that 370f are bad for playing always in pizzicato!!!
(do you agree?)
he advise for spirocore weich or solo detuned

i don't know if weich is good for me, someone tell it's not so much light(???)
or if solo detuned became muddy or buzz

can you help me???

[rdwhit]

Originally Posted by fabiofromitaly

apart from my problems (just "little")

the fact is my action from 10 to 7 mm
i think it's pretty high and the bass is very cheap

the guy of the store near my house tell me that 370f are bad for playing always in pizzicato!!!
(do you agree?)
he advise for spirocore weich or solo detuned

i don't know if weich is good for me, someone tell it's not so much light(???)
or if solo detuned became muddy or buzz

can you help me???

weichs are higher tension than corelli or solo tuned down. solo strings tuned down will have a brighter sound and longer sustain than corelli. that may be what your friend means. i think either one will be better for you than weichs. you will lose some sound with these strings, but it is worth it if your hand feels better.
maybe you could take the bass to another luthier and see if he can lower the strings more. ask your other bass player friends where they take there basses for repair. i still think you may be able to a better set up, even if it is a cheap bass.
good luck !

[Phil Rowan]

I've played on cheap basses that I was able get a decent enough sound out of, a big part of this being that they were set up well enough to be musically functional. Like rdwhit said, get a second or third opinion on whether the set up can be fixed (I'm willing to bet it can), and you might not even need to change strings (and if you do, it'll be for other reasons).

[rdwhit]

Originally Posted by fabiofromitaly

apart from my problems (just "little")

the fact is my action from 10 to 7 mm
i think it's pretty high and the bass is very cheap

the guy of the store near my house tell me that 370f are bad for playing always in pizzicato!!!
(do you agree?)
he advise for spirocore weich or solo detuned

i don't know if weich is good for me, someone tell it's not so much light(???)
or if solo detuned became muddy or buzz

can you help me???

weichs are higher tension than corelli or solo tuned down. solo strings tuned down will have a brighter sound and longer sustain than corelli. that may be what your friend means. i think either one will be better for you than weichs. you will lose some sound with these strings, but it is worth it if your hand feels better.
maybe you could take the bass to another luthier and see if he can lower the strings more. ask your other bass player friends where they take there basses for repair. i still think you may be able to a better set up, even if it is a cheap bass.
good luck !

[rdwhit]

sorry, didn't mean to put that in twice.

[LumpyGravy]

Maybe you should buy a better quality bass, so you can make the adjustments necessary to ease the pain of your hands. Maybe a chiropractor can help. I had [problems in the mid 90's, due to my "day" job. I had electrotherapy and exercises. I also used my mind to focus on what I was doing. My problem was using too much force and overexerting my hands. I learned to relax while performing my "day job" duties. Things are good.