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Recommend Bass For Small Hands

C

canadian bass

Dec 5, 2005
372
5
54
Bells Corners (Nepean) ON
#1
I've got Gas again. I am looking for a 32" scale bass or a bass made for someone with really small hands. My hands are the size of an average women. My wife being 5'10 has bigger hands than me.
A little history. I currently play a Yamaha Motion II B which is a 32" scale bass. I bought it new in 1988. I got bored with it around 2000 and bought a MIM Fender Jazz which I prefered to the Prescision in both sound and feel but kept the Yamaha as a back up.
About a year ago I was having problems with the A and the E string poping out of the nut, so I played a gig with the Yamaha. I recieved alot of compliments on the tone. It also felt better to me playing it so I sold the Fender and bought a new Amp at Christmas as a present to myself.
I like the Yamaha alot but I am just Gasing for something new. My Dream was to always own a Spector NS2 but I will never be able to aford one. I love the look of them and the sound , especially Guy Pratt's NS2 on Pulse.
My question is. Can anyone recommend a medium scale bass or a long scale for short hands. I mostly play finger style but do occasionaly play with a pick. I play 70's rock and hard rock.
I am loking to pay between 400 to 600 new or used.

Thanks
 
#3
Considering you play 70's/hard rock, I would recommend an older Aria Pro II. Not all of their models were medium scale, but some were. [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] for a site that lists the specs of many of their models. Those can be had for $100 - $400 depending on the condition. There is a sweet blue Aria Pro II ZZB on ebay right now, and these vintage Arias show up on ebay all the time. Fender made a 32" MIJ P-bass in the 80's which are uncommon but sell for cheap usually.
There are several good custom builders and several production models in medium scale that hit a higher price point. Your best bet in your price range is to save a search on ebay in the "bass" category using keywords such as (32,31,33,mediumscale,"medium scale").
 
#10
canadian bass said:
I've got Gas again. I am looking for a 32" scale bass or a bass made for someone with really small hands. My hands are the size of an average women. My wife being 5'10 has bigger hands than me.
A little history. I currently play a Yamaha Motion II B which is a 32" scale bass. I bought it new in 1988. I got bored with it around 2000 and bought a MIM Fender Jazz which I prefered to the Prescision in both sound and feel but kept the Yamaha as a back up.
About a year ago I was having problems with the A and the E string poping out of the nut, so I played a gig with the Yamaha. I recieved alot of compliments on the tone. It also felt better to me playing it so I sold the Fender and bought a new Amp at Christmas as a present to myself.
I like the Yamaha alot but I am just Gasing for something new. My Dream was to always own a Spector NS2 but I will never be able to aford one. I love the look of them and the sound , especially Guy Pratt's NS2 on Pulse.
My question is. Can anyone recommend a medium scale bass or a long scale for short hands. I mostly play finger style but do occasionaly play with a pick. I play 70's rock and hard rock.
I am loking to pay between 400 to 600 new or used.

Thanks
Click to expand...

I have small hands also. Try the Peavey Millennium and Cirrus Bass Guitars. The spacing of the strings is great for smaller hands. The neck is thinner. That was my experience.

Good luck.
 
#14
Some years back I injured my left (fretting) hand and I couldnt stretch it out very far. I ended up getting a Fender Urge Stu Hamm signature. It has a 32" scale and the back of the neck is asymetrical, meaning the treble side is thinner. It is real easy on the hands and it has a p-pick -up and two j's and active electronics so it has tonal flexibilities. Check one out if you can. They are pretty cool little basses.
 
#15
I snagged a used Landing 5 string used for just a bit more than $600, and they're condsidered some of the best short scale basses that you can get. Come in 30" to 32" and 34" scales. But new they're over $1100.

Link Removed

But Ibanez's have really small spacing and a thin neck, get a used Japanese SR from the 90's and get a great playing bass for cheap. At the used music store where I work, we just sold a used Japanese 4 banger SR for $110 so the deals do exist.

Good luck.
 
#17
Check around fro an Ovation Magnum solidbody. The originals not teh Magnum II or the other variations. They are a great rock-and/or roll bass. Lots of tonal variation between the neck and bridge Pu. Very thin neck. Its all mahogany with an ebony fretboard and a graphite strip running the length of the neck. They are in a kind of weird zone for price. They go for either $200 or so or $900 or so depending on how hip the owner is etc. Apparently some major label musician was playing one in a video a few years back so the price went up. I've had mine for almost 20 years now and I will be buried with it. Seriously, I want a bigger coffin so I can have it strapped on top of me when I go under.
 
#18
You gotta be kidding about the Magnum. I owned one for a while, and I found it just as difficult to play with my smallish hands as any baseball-bat neck. It has a flatter profile front-to-back, but it is wide. I would have kept it except that it specifically was uncomfortable on the left hand.
Of course everybody's MMV.
 

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