Advices for a new bass

[10emmanuel]

Hello friends!
Thank you all for being here reading my post.
I am Emma, back as a bassist after 5 years, and wanting to get a new bass"!

But I come to get advices, I need to get "the most compact bass/brand" in market. Why is that?
I have small hands with short fingers and the most of basses are difficult to play to me!
Necks always too wide and thick, or the next its self too long when I hang it, so I need to know based in your experience which bass or brand produce short necks, thin and/or narrow necks.
Thanks!!!

 

[madasahatter]

Sounds like you're looking for a medium or short scale bass (32"-30" scale). Ibanez is known for their thinner fast necks. You can tale a look at their Mezzo Bass (32" scale) or the Talman short scale (30"scale"). I've played both and they're both pretty decent mid level-ish basses.
If you want to go shorter scale than that, check out the Mikro Bass. 28.6" scale and a lot of fun to play.

 

[Bass V]

$100 Squier Bronco all day

 

[bholder]

For anyone who thinks their hands are too small to play full scale bass well:




If you like short scales, more power to you, but small hands aren't an insurmountable obstacle.

 

[el murdoque]

Get an Ibanez Micro. They are inexpensive, tiny and good.

 

[Crawforde]

I just bought a Gretsch Junior Jet. I really like it.

 

[chris_b]

For anyone who thinks their hands are too small to play full scale bass well. . . . If you like short scales, more power to you, but small hands aren't an insurmountable obstacle.

This.

Small hands shouldn't be a problem with a good technique. I'd suggest a short scale bass is probably going to help right now, but lessons with a good player will enable you to include more basses in your future.

 

[A9X]

For anyone who thinks their hands are too small to play full scale bass well:


If you like short scales, more power to you, but small hands aren't an insurmountable obstacle.

I agree here and it may not be scale length or neck size that's your problem, but ergonomics. If you give me a 35"+ bass to play in the typical fairly horizontal FSO position it's very uncomfortable. Make it much more vertical, almost like a DB and it's a doddle because my fretting wrist angle is so much better. Simple physiology. Try something like this. I know it's a Stick, but that doesn't matter, look at the left wrist angle. I've played my XL2 like this ever since I got it.

This kid convinced me I could play a 6, even though the first ones I tried were difficult.
Insane Kid Bassist - Michael Lima (Pipoquinha) - YouTube

PS: Please don't read the above as 'knocking you', I'm just saying find ways around what limits you. Others have. My hands are mot the largest in the world, but I love my 6s and would rather play them than anything else.

 

[A9X]

As for the suggestion of a short/medium scale, I have an inexpensive Greg Bennett Corsair 1-3 30" PJ type made by Samick. I picked it up mint and secondhand for about $US100 and it's a lovely little bass, so good in fact that when I got a new 7ender Jag, after comparing the two, the Jag was promptly sold off, it was so much better than it. It's the one with the white PG in the pic below.
The marks on the fretboard are note stickers from the music teacher I bough it from.

For a 32" scale, the Ibanez SRM200/205 look good.

 

[bholder]

I agree here and it may not be scale length or neck size that's your problem, but ergonomics. If you give me a 35"+ bass to play in the typical fairly horizontal FSO position it's very uncomfortable. Make it much more vertical, almost like a DB and it's a doddle because my fretting wrist angle is so much better. Simple physiology. Try something like this. I know it's a Stick, but that doesn't matter, look at the left wrist angle. I've played my XL2 like this ever since I got it.
View attachment 4465619

This kid convinced me I could play a 6, even though the first ones I tried were difficult.
Insane Kid Bassist - Michael Lima (Pipoquinha) - YouTube

PS: Please don't read the above as 'knocking you', I'm just saying find ways around what limits you. Others have. My hands are mot the largest in the world, but I love my 6s and would rather play them than anything else.

Yup, playing position is a huge part of it. I play it on the diagonal, long strap, off the right hip, like Jack:

 

[Stewie]

Don’t know about the neck width or depth, but the short necked Gibson/Epiphone EBO is a really sexy bass in my opinion

 

[A9X]

Yup, playing position is a huge part of it. I play it on the diagonal, long strap, off the right hip, like Jack:

View attachment 4465635View attachment 4465636

Yep, much better wrist angle there, but he looks much happier in the first shot.

 

[Jack Deth]

The most compact bass that has potentially the best long term support would likely be the Ibanez Mikro.

 

[Benj-jammin]

Something like an Ibanez SR 300 series might do the trick.....

 

[A9X]

Don’t know about the neck width or depth, but the short necked Gibson/Epiphone EBO is a really sexy bass in my opinion

They're submarines. Dive, dive, dive.

 

[bholder]

Yep, much better wrist angle there, but he looks much happier than you do.

haha those are both Jack, old and current. He's not unhappy, it's just he's got great "bass face".

 

[SJan3]

Hello friends!
Thank you all for being here reading my post.
I am Emma, back as a bassist after 5 years, and wanting to get a new bass"!

But I come to get advices, I need to get "the most compact bass/brand" in market. Why is that?
I have small hands with short fingers and the most of basses are difficult to play to me!
Necks always too wide and thick, or the next its self too long when I hang it, so I need to know based in your experience which bass or brand produce short necks, thin and/or narrow necks.
Thanks!!!

Consider the Fender Mustang bass. Short scale, narrow neck, small body and versatile tone. My wife who is small has one.

 

[DwaynieAD]

Squier and Ibanez both have affordable options. Personally I'd pick the squier as I think Ibanez sound generic.

That being said I have small hands and bass is easily doable on full size basses. It's a technique issue.

 

[mrperkolator]

For anyone who thinks their hands are too small to play full scale bass well:




If you like short scales, more power to you, but small hands aren't an insurmountable obstacle.

I think she may be playing on the Short Scale Stingray, which @10emmanuel is a great bass, and I have thought about getting one so my daughter could play on it. She has same issues. I have played on one several times in the store, and usually regret not buying it. There is tons of info in the Short Scale club about various basses that are smaller. Some of us like smaller for your reasons, others like it because they are more comfortable and lighter.

The best short and easy to play bass I have played is, without any question, the EHB1000S. If you have the money, this thing feels almost too small. Here's the model I played. I'd look a little funny with pink but it looks good. Sweetwater has an imbedded video of a girl killing it on this bass. The EHB models I got my hands on were all the most comfortable basses.

@bholder that girl is a badass. I've seen her play other basses that do clearly look like 34" scale. I just think that ray is the short one, but I didn't over analyze the video.

 

[bholder]

I think she may be playing on the Short Scale Stingray, which @10emmanuel is a great bass, and I have thought about getting one so my daughter could play on it. She has same issues. I have played on one several times in the store, and usually regret not buying it. There is tons of info in the Short Scale club about various basses that are smaller. Some of us like smaller for your reasons, others like it because they are more comfortable and lighter.

The best short and easy to play bass I have played is, without any question, the EHB1000S. If you have the money, this thing feels almost too small. Here's the model I played. I'd look a little funny with pink but it looks good. Sweetwater has an imbedded video of a girl killing it on this bass. The EHB models I got my hands on were all the most comfortable basses.

@bholder that girl is a badass. I've seen her play other basses that do clearly look like 34" scale. I just think that ray is the short one, but I didn't over analyze the video.

Ok, could be, but my point is still valid - she's tiny compared to the bass, whatever scale it is. Nothing wrong with preferring short scale, just don't let hand size unnecessarily limit one's choices.