Should the bridge be shifted back on a Fender for better ergonomic playing position.

[asberrys]

Is the bridge to nut or "frame assembly" as it is referred to in acoustic guitar construction,in the most ergonomic postion as far as hand position goes? Forget about the pickups for a moment.
Boutique builders shift the "frame" forward to gain a few more frets however I think opposite in that it needs to be shifted back an inch toward the rear of the body.Instead of your hand naturally falling in the "jaco" position above the rear pickup when one plays it would then be slightly forward(of the Jaco position) allowing one to play closer to the neck pickup for tone and touch control a la Rocco Prestia. You can also from here shift to the rear Jaco postion easily.
On a present Fender bass to get in the Stanley Clark or Rocco position requires your hand to be very bent which as you know isn't good for the tendons in the wrist.
I've opted for the Rocco as opposed to Jaco postion as of late. Bassier,thumpier tone and alot easier on the right hand fingers as there is some give to the strings. But I got a bent wrist all the time.Thanks.

[lowphatbass]

This all has to do with shoulder width/arm length and how high and what angle the bass is worn.

[mongo2]

Have you tried a shortscale? Particularly one with the bridge located at the end of the body?

[RickenBoogie]

You can't move the bridge without changing the scale legnth.

[Mayers]

Well ... change de position you play to avoid bending your wrist ... and maybe try a bass with a smaller body allowing to have more fret in the high register.

[TechJunky]

Originally Posted by RickenBoogie

You can't move the bridge without changing the scale legnth.

You can change the bridge and maintain scale length if you move the neck with it. You would have to shorten the neck, or have a deeper neck pocket.

[Pilgrim]

Originally Posted by RickenBoogie

You can't move the bridge without changing the scale legnth.

Right. IMO the question is moot (meaningless) because you can't move the bridge without changing the scale length, which in turn makes the fret positions incorrect, which then means that you need to replace the neck or modify the body as noted above. Too much trouble and expense to be practical.

Simple solution is to work with different strap lengths and arm/hand positions...or put a cover over the bridge so you have something to rest your hand on.

[megadan]

Originally Posted by TechJunky

You can change the bridge and maintain scale length if you move the neck with it. You would have to shorten the neck, or have a deeper neck pocket.

I wouldn't mind having the first fret just a little closer and give up a bit of hand room.

[Bryan R. Tyler]

Originally Posted by Pilgrim

Right. IMO the question is moot (meaningless) because you can't move the bridge without changing the scale length, which in turn makes the fret positions incorrect, which then means that you need to replace the neck or modify the body as noted above. Too much trouble and expense to be practical.

Simple solution is to work with different strap lengths and arm/hand positions...or put a cover over the bridge so you have something to rest your hand on.

I think the OP was questioning if Fender should change their general bridge/nut placement, not if he should move the bridge on his personal bass.

[asberrys]

That is exactly right Bryan.That is why I said to move the bridge/nut system as a unit. It is obvious if you just move the bridge you are changing the scale length.
I want my hand to fall an inch forward of where it naturally does on my Fender,i.e, an inch forward of the Jaco position.
I've been looking at alot of Bass pics and the only one where this seems to occur is the Fodera(Jackson shape). The Kubicki and Warwicks are worse than the Fenders even.
No one has wondered about this or questioned the traditional ergonomics of the Fender based system?

[mongo2]

It's a bit outside of the box but I've accomplished a "body shift" towards the right when hanging on the strap by extending the upper horn strap button mounting as in the example below using a Mustang and a large pair of dice and a long screw. It also improves the balance of the bass.

[Bryan R. Tyler]

Originally Posted by asberrys

That is exactly right Bryan.That is why I said to move the bridge/nut system as a unit. It is obvious if you just move the bridge you are changing the scale length.
I want my hand to fall an inch forward of where it naturally does on my Fender,i.e, an inch forward of the Jaco position.
I've been looking at alot of Bass pics and the only one where this seems to occur is the Fodera(Jackson shape). The Kubicki and Warwicks are worse than the Fenders even.
No one has wondered about this or questioned the traditional ergonomics of the Fender based system?

Sure- tons of folks have. Lots of builders put their bridges towards the bottom of their bodies. Most Skjolds are right at the very bottom IIRC.

[Pilgrim]

Originally Posted by Bryan R. Tyler

I think the OP was questioning if Fender should change their general bridge/nut placement, not if he should move the bridge on his personal bass.

Good point - just not made clearly in the OP. Considering the level of automation involved in creating the various parts, I doubt change is likely.

As far as "should"....the current setups don't bother me, and evidently they don't bother a lot of people. I have basses with various configurations - I pluck in the same places depending on the sound I want, not the bass's configuration. I don't use a pick much.

[darkstorm]

Sounds more like a problem of how and where your wearing your bass and how your positioning your arms, wrist etc in relation to it. Where the end of the body and the bridge are in relation to that is changeable by the player. Try changeing the basses postion strap length wise etc and position it for more comfortable playing. Basses whose bridge are alll the way to the rear of the body dont work as well for me. But you may do better with such if repositioning the instrument overall doesnt fix things.

[bongomania]

Originally Posted by asberrys

No one has wondered about this or questioned the traditional ergonomics of the Fender based system?

Many have. If you haven't seen them, you haven't been looking hard enough. The bridge/12th fret/nut relationship is only one part of the ergonomic equation--other builders have done many, many things different from Fender in other ergonomic arenas. One thing to note too is that the bridge on a P bass already is pretty close to the butt edge of the body--there's less than an inch of room to move. So you are pretty much only looking at Jazz basses--and your question really has sod-all to do with Fenders per se, and everything to do with you wanting a longer top horn, that extends past the 12th fret. Check out Matt Pulcinella, there's at least one sweet one in the classifieds right now.

[Blues Cat]

Originally Posted by mongo2

It's a bit outside of the box but I've accomplished a "body shift" towards the right when hanging on the strap by extending the upper horn strap button mounting as in the example below using a Mustang and a large pair of dice and a long screw. It also improves the balance of the bass.

Great idea. I'm going to try something like this on my thin acoustic guitar, which is neck heavy.

[nostatic]

This is one reason I have become a huge fan of Rob Allen basses. My 35" scale Deep 5 plays shorter than my 34" scale Zon. And the 30" scale Mouse plays like a Strat.

[dmusic148]

Anybody here ever play a Steinberger? It does exactly what the OP is talking about. Too much for me, but the concept is there.

[asberrys]

I have looked at the Skjold and others and one's hand falls naturally in the Jaco position as in the fenders.
You guys are missing the point.Just because the bridge is at the butt end of the bass does not make it any more ergonomic than the Fender.IT IS WHERE THE RIGHT HAND FALLS THAT I AM REFERRING TO.If I take an inch of the butt end of my Jazz bass on my bandsaw so my bridge is technically at the butt end that will have zero effect on where my hand falls.it will still fall in the Jaco position.
Let me try to simplify it.Rocco plays,according to what he says,between the bridge and the fretboard.He has a very bent hand in executing this.Hence:
CAN I PLAY (INSERT BASS BRAND) IN THE ROCCO POSITION WITHOUT BENDING MY HAND SO MUCH?
That is the test.
Oh I am talking mostly about playing sitting down.

[asberrys]

Originally Posted by bongomania

One thing to note too is that the bridge on a P bass already is pretty close to the butt edge of the body--there's less than an inch of room to move. So you are pretty much only looking at Jazz basses--and your question really has sod-all to do with Fenders per se, and everything to do with you wanting a longer top horn, that extends past the 12th fret. Check out Matt Pulcinella, there's at least one sweet one in the classifieds right now.

You're kind of missing the point Bongo with all due respect. I am not talking about the bridge per se but the bridge/nut "frame assembly" which I thought,erroneously enough, I stated clearly in the OP.
Do you see how severly Rocco's hand is bent playing his P-bass? I am looking for a bass where the NUT/BRIDGE ASSEMBLY is shifted an inch to the right relative to the fender position you see? It is irrelevant where the bridge itself is located.

Oh,Thanks everyone for the responses.Please point out to me a bass among the many you folks say are out there,where your hand isn't bent so severly to play in the Rocco/Stanley Clarke position at least when sitting down and primarily with forearm resting on top of bass body.