As the title says....I'm looking for a 5 string that is easy for those of us with smaller hands and is passive. I did own a Jazz 5er but just could not get comfortable with it. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.
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5string + small hands + passive =?
- Thread starter paradog
- Start date
Ibanez mikro 5 string? Great playability and great build quality for the price. The ones that I have played have had a very usable B string.
I have an OLP music man copy. The strings are very, very close to each other. The neck is about as wide as a wide 4 string.
Ric5
Inactive
- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
- 30,452
- Disclosures
- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
if you can find one, a G&L L-5000. there's a couple of pics that ggvicviper posted here
http://www.talkbass.com/threads/help-me-build-a-g-l-sb-1.1018475/
the necks were, IIRC, basically that of a four-string bass with a B-string added.
http://www.talkbass.com/threads/help-me-build-a-g-l-sb-1.1018475/
the necks were, IIRC, basically that of a four-string bass with a B-string added.
I'll second that. I have one and have small hands and it's a perfect fit. Like the Doc said, look good, sound good too.
Keep your thumb behind the neck when you play and there will be no neck to wide for you to handle.
Exactly.
I have very small hands and I have owned/gigged 6 string basses with fretboards so wide you could land a plane on them.
Technique (good or bad) is key IME. I predominately gig 5 string basses with 19mm spacing and I have no problem with the wide boards.
Of course, it looks silly with this technique when your thumb hangs over the treble side of the FB when you play high up, but I am good with that.
If your looking for used and low-budget, the Epiphone EBM-5 can be found on the cheap. Nut Width is only 1.73" and they use four string P/J pickups. It comes from the factory with active electronics, but they are very easy to re-wire passive as the pickups are not soldered, but use splice connectors to make connections that's not part of the PCB. The upside down headstock takes a bit getting used to.
Here's a sound sample of one that was re-wired passive using the original pups.
Here's a sound sample of one that was re-wired passive using the original pups.
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The Peavey Millennium BXP-5 nut width is 1.76". I have the Active Electronics version, comfortable to play, especially doing fast octave jumps. In comparison, the Fender American Deluxe Jazz V nut width is 1.875".
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By the way, I guess I'll bite: that particular "bonehead" just happens to be a pretty respected bassist especially in terms of talent. So what if he holds the bass different than some folks, if he finds it comfortable, more power to him.
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By the way, I guess I'll bite: that particular "bonehead" just happens to be a pretty respected bassist especially in terms of talent. So what if he holds the bass different than some folks, if he finds it comfortable, more power to him.
Doug Parent
Supporting Member
I've heard folks say the same thing about Giddy Lee. Wrong RH hand technique, etc... etc...
And yet somehow he became more successful, famous (and a lot richer) then me (and you). I mean go figure...
And yet somehow he became more successful, famous (and a lot richer) then me (and you). I mean go figure...
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The man didn't come for a lecture on technique, he asked for suggestions for a bass with a comfortable neck. My first 5 was a full 2" wide at the nut and I played it and liked it. On the other hand, nothing wrong with liking or being more comfortable with a certain neck, is there ? Guys who don't like skinny necks never seem to get technique lectures. Cheesh, people ! 
The U-bass by KALA is very small and uses rubber strings. It's only available in a 4-string E-A-D-G setting. Not sure about exact size but it's maybe 1/2 the length of a 'regular' bass. It sounds like an upright most of the time, mainly due to the rubber strings. It's very light and playing the strings are easy to learn. A local bassist in a Bluegrass group uses one with a Fender 1x15 100 watt combo. For that style of music it works. He paid $350 for it used but it came with a U-bass hard case made just for it. Can't do quarter-note runs on it but if you are playing old Country or Bluegrass it might work for you. It does look a little funny being played by a guy over 6' tall though!
