5 string = healthier for wrists?

[Tupac]

Originally Posted by swspiers

Same here, too! I suffer from tendon problems in both arms.

I went all the way to a 6-string, after my teacher strongly suggested it. At the time I had a gorgeous Carvin SB4000 with a spalted maple top. Within a week of getting my 6, I pretty much never played it again, and eventually sold it.

As long as I pay attention to technique, do adequate stretching before and after playing, and don't do anything stupid, I have virtually no pain.

What really helps is rarely playing below the 5th fret. I do every now and then, mostly for a specific tone. Otherwise, it's all 5th and above for me.

@ Tupac: Playing through pain will end your playing career. Post pictures. The guys on this forum generally care, and know what they're writing about. Bad advice is usually corrected en masse.

Sounds good, pics on the way. Also, what stretches do you do?

[TheEmptyCell]

Definitely improper technique, but I wouldn't shun the idea of a 5 or BEAD four string.

[Rev J]

I'm actually 5'9" and have a 5 fret stretch on the B string in the first position on a six string bass. The one thing that I've noticed is that when I played the 4 string I wrote/played in G alot more. When I switched to the 5 I started playing more in D.

Even more interesting is the fact that when I was playing the 4 I developed tendonitis in my left elbow due to bad set up. I haven't had a problem with more strings.

The problem might be a combination of technique and bass position.

C/S,
Rev J

[Clef_de_fa]

I never felt any pain from playing bass ( well outside of sore finger tips or callouses ) with no matter the number of strings on it.

I must say that for 7 years I had a teachers once a week and after 4 years I move to another town to earn a college degree in music ( Classical DB as my first instrument and EB jazz as my second instrument ) and in the DB world it is really strict to have the right technic and I think it should be the same way on bass. This is one of the reason that I'm starting to really hate bass.

So a good position akind of the classical guitar, very light bend ( with 5+ strings ... it isn't a choice ) in both wrist, a nice warm up before doing anything hard ...