Why do so many of you seem to have sausage fingers?

[bassrique]

I'm talking about string spacing here. More specifically, I'm talking about 5ers.

I keep reading in different areas of this website how so many players can't seem to accept any string spacing tighter than 18mm or 17mm. Some even love 20mm.

I can almost understand if a player grew up on traditional spacing and are just used to that feel so as to have no interest in trying anything different, but what I don't get are the cats that say their hands "are too big". Huh? How did big hands Hendrix play on those tiny strings with tiny spacing?

Why did Leo Fender first make his basses with the "standard" 19mm spacing anyway? [Did I get that right? The first Fenders were 19mm, correct?] I suppose Leo wanted to keep his electric bass spacing somewhat close to an upright?

I tend to think of an electric bass as having more in common with a smallish [horizontal] guitar than a giant [vertical] upright bass. With this in mind, I don't see a problem with tighter string spacing. 16.5mm or even 16mm spacing is wide enough for slapping, but close enough for effortless finger style or plectrum techniques.

Don't get me wrong, I still love to slap the hell out of a [standard spacing] four stringer with reckless abandon, but basses with spacing tighter than "normal" should not be overlooked or summarily rejected, especially if you like to play fast.

Your hands are not too big IMO.

[DougD]

Uhm....right...Sez you!

[SpectorDetector]

....some sausages are small

none of mine of course

[CElton]

I prefer patties...

[maurilio]

Originally Posted by bassrique

I'm talking about string spacing here. More specifically, I'm talking about 5ers.

I keep reading in different areas of this website how so many players can't seem to accept any string spacing tighter than 18mm or 17mm. Some even love 20mm.

I can almost understand if a player grew up on traditional spacing and are just used to that feel so as to have no interest in trying anything different, but what I don't get are the cats that say their hands "are too big". Huh? How did big hands Hendrix play on those tiny strings with tiny spacing?

Why did Leo Fender first make his basses with the "standard" 19mm spacing anyway? [Did I get that right? The first Fenders were 19mm, correct?] I suppose Leo wanted to keep his electric bass spacing somewhat close to an upright?

I tend to think of an electric bass as having more in common with a smallish [horizontal] guitar than a giant [vertical] upright bass. With this in mind, I don't see a problem with tighter string spacing. 16.5mm or even 16mm spacing is wide enough for slapping, but close enough for effortless finger style or plectrum techniques.

Don't get me wrong, I still love to slap the hell out of a [standard spacing] four stringer with reckless abandon, but basses with spacing tighter than "normal" should not be overlooked or summarily rejected, especially if you like to play fast.

Your hands are not too big IMO.

are you a guitar player? you know that a guitar is played with a different technique than a bass...

J/K

My right index is 20mm wide and the middle one 21mm.... go figure!

My all time fav is 19mm spec, but down 'till 18 still ok.

JMO/E

M

[bassrique]

Originally Posted by SpectorDetector

....some sausages are small

none of mine of course

Originally Posted by CElton

I prefer patties...

I knew I shoud'a gone with a different subject line.

[bassrique]

are you a guitar player? you know that a guitar is played with a different technique than a bass...

Haven't played guitar in years, but i did learn how to play bass with classical guitar technique. Bass technique doesn't have to be so different. The electric bass is not a giant vertical instrument.

[Baird6869]

I took back a Stingray 5 today as the narrow spacing drove me nuts. After playing my Sadowsky 5er (19mm) for a bunch of gigs, I no longer can comfortably play narrow spacing.

"Fast" playing somes from low action and lighter string tension IMO, not narrower spacing.

P.S. I also play guitar and mandolin AND have very small hands.

[BadB]

Some people (including myself) just find no comfort in tight spacing. Simple as that.

[bassrique]

Originally Posted by BadB

Some people (including myself) just find no comfort in tight spacing. Simple as that.

How do guitarists do it? Perhaps you are used to one thing. That's ok.

"Fast" playing somes from low action and lighter string tension IMO, not narrower spacing.

Those things help, but so does less distance to travel between strings. It also can help right hand muting with the proper technique.

[Darkstrike]

I work with my hands all day every day, builds up muscle, making them wide, I need as much space as possible, unless I play with a pick.

[BadB]

Originally Posted by bassrique

How do guitarists do it? Perhaps you are used to one thing. That's ok.



Those things help, but so does less distance to travel between strings. It also can help right hand muting with the proper technique.

Perhaps not. I just happen to prefer wide spacing. 19 to 20mm is good. The tight ones just don't work for me. It's not about technique. I just don't like it. Since it is not a problem for me to prefer it this way, why is it a problem for you that I do?

[CraigG]

My fingers are kinda thick - definitely not spindly and some people tell me my thumbs are strange (short, even stubby in comparison to others). Yet my instrument of choice is a Conklin GTBD7 and the spacing on it is something like 16.5mm. I also play 6 string acoustic guitar which has even closer spacing.

My position on the matter - if you want to play it you'll find a way.

[bassrique]

why is it a problem for you that I do?

Many are simply selling themselves short and making things harder , that's all.

[BartmanPDX]

Originally Posted by bassrique

Many are simply selling themselves short and making things harder , that's all.

That's where you're wrong. If they've tried tight spacing and it's not to their liking, then going with tighter spacing is not making it easier.

Your preferences are not necessarily other people's preferences.

Originally Posted by Baird6869

I took back a Stingray 5 today as the narrow spacing drove me nuts. After playing my Sadowsky 5er (19mm) for a bunch of gigs, I no longer can comfortably play narrow spacing.

"Fast" playing somes from low action and lighter string tension IMO, not narrower spacing.

P.S. I also play guitar and mandolin AND have very small hands.

You might want to read the bold part again. Tight spacing does not necessarily result in faster playing.

FWIW, I've owned basses with a variety of spacing, from 16 to 20mm. I prefer something around 18-19mm; it's what works best for ME. It has nothing to do with finger size; I'm a skinny dude.

[Lokire]

I have skinny fingers and I have always prefered playing wider spacings. 19mm or 20mm all the way for me. Whenever I play anything smaller it just doesn't feel right and I don't play as well. I like that feeling of room inbetween the strings - narrower spacing feels cramped to me. And I can play plenty fast on wide spacing too...

[LifeIsBass]

I actually like tight spacing for fingerstyle. Less distance to travel = greater efficiency for me. For slapping I prefer 17-18mm. Anything less than that feels uncomfortable when popping.

[bassrique]

Less distance to travel = greater efficiency for me.

And for many others as well I'm sure, if they'd only give it a chance -- and I'm not talking a half-hearted effort.

[BartmanPDX]

Originally Posted by bassrique

And for many others as well I'm sure, if they'd only give it a chance -- and I'm not talking a half-hearted effort.

I've owned my Steinberger for 20 years, and it was my main bass for 17 of those years.

I still prefer slightly wider spacing than the Steinberger has. It's my only complaint/issue with an otherwise perfect bass. FWIW, I play fingerstyle almost exclusively.

[JazzyJames]

Well, for me - Im a big guy with big fingers. I used to play guitar with great difficulty because of the size of my fingers.