left hand positioning on a 6-string

[tiz_1]

I recently got a 6-string. Long time 5-string player. I have fairly large hands / long fingers, but reaching the b/e strings up around the 10+ frets is clumsy for me. Not sure where my left thumb should go to help make the reach.

I tend to lift the neck so I can reach across without serious wrist bend. Seems slow and, well, wrong.

Ideas?

--Kevin

[onlyclave]

1) Shorten your strap and raise your bass
2) Sometimes you have to bend the wrist, but if you have to bend your wrist AND put a death grip on the neck you're doing it wrong. I tend to play more flat-fingered in that area of the neck on the lowest strings and pull back from the shoulder.
3) Switch to thumb position up there like Steve Bailey does.

[unclejane]

Originally Posted by tiz_1

I recently got a 6-string. Long time 5-string player. I have fairly large hands / long fingers, but reaching the b/e strings up around the 10+ frets is clumsy for me. Not sure where my left thumb should go to help make the reach.

I tend to lift the neck so I can reach across without serious wrist bend. Seems slow and, well, wrong.

Ideas?

--Kevin

Is the lower horn on the body in the way? This is one of the reasons I went with the Carvin Bunny for my 6 string is the additional room at the lower cutaway for access to higher registers.
If so, it may be time to get out the jigsaw......

I.e. check out

http://www.carvinchannel.com/play.php?vid=116

in particular where he talks about access to the upper frets...

LS

[tiz_1]

onlyclave- I'll look into #2 and #3 first. I did just lower it a step so my right hand felt relaxed.

unclejane- No issues with the lower horn. See:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/33300001@N02/3941584086

I'll have a look at the link you sent.

Thanks much.

--Kevin