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any other "handicapped" bass players?

45acp

45acp

Feb 5, 2013
177
3
Texarkana TX
#1
When i was very young, i broke my left forearm in a skating incident. Growing up on a farm, mom "rubbed some tussin in it" and gave me an aspirin. 4 days later i was at the hospital getting a cast. For whatever reason, the bone set wrong and i cannot turn my left palm flat. If flat is 90 degrees, i can only manage 45. I play with the most horrid left hand technique imaginable, mostly thumb over the top ala Hendrix, and lean towards thin necked basses such as Ibanez and am limited to 4 strings.

Just wondering, anyone else out there with some kind of malfunction that has managed to get by?
 
#5
OP I roof for a living about 10 years ago I fell from the peak of a garage Broke my wrist
After the cast was removed I went to therapy like once.
Anyways I could not turn my hand from palm down towards the floor 180 degrees
to palm up towards ceiling.More than 90 but less than 180 degrees
It is called supination I went to 1 session of acupuncture and after I could rotate it fully. Your injury is old You may try different things to loosen it up.
 
#6
In Atlanta in the 80s there was a bass player with one hand. Fretted with his hand and thumped the strings with his arm just below the elbow. Good player. The band was called "The Out A Hand Band".
 
#8
digitalmoney said:
OP I roof for a living about 10 years ago I fell from the peak of a garage Broke my wrist
After the cast was removed I went to therapy like once.
Anyways I could not turn my hand from palm down towards the floor 180 degrees
to palm up towards ceiling.More than 90 but less than 180 degrees
It is called supination I went to 1 session of acupuncture and after I could rotate it fully. Your injury is old You may try different things to loosen it up.
Click to expand...
Could you manually turn your palm flat with the other hand? Mine gets to 90 and stops... and if forced to 180 there's no way it's going without breaking my arm.
 
#11
Birth defect of my left hand, not too bad really. I just learned to play lefthanded.
CIMG2092.jpg
 
#12
Hi.

My right ear is stone deaf because of an MC accident, more of a PITA than one would think at first.
Kept me from playing for a long time.

The Swedish TBer who had no hands and played Metallica with his toes comes to mind as well, I sometimes wonder what happened to him.
Very inspirational teenager. Put the usual whinings of people in a new perspective.

Regards
Sam
 
#14
I'm missing half the thumb and the tips of the index and middle fingers on my left hand. Early exploration into explosives.
The asymmetrical neck on my Tobias helps a lot to make playing manageable. I can play other basses as well, but I do get some wrist fatigue after a bit.
 
#16
T-Bird said:
Hi.

My right ear is stone deaf because of an MC accident, more of a PITA than one would think at first.
Kept me from playing for a long time.

The Swedish TBer who had no hands and played Metallica with his toes comes to mind as well, I sometimes wonder what happened to him.
Very inspirational teenager. Put the usual whinings of people in a new perspective.

Regards
Sam
Click to expand...

:O:O:O

WOW! If that is true, he is my new hero. Kudos to him for not letting that get in the way! :D
 
#19
I worked on a toxic waste superfund site, for 22 years, without my knowledge. My employer lied and covered it up. I ended up with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia, and Degenerative Disc Disease from it. The pain limits the amount I can play, but I still do alright. My hands and wrists are the least affected, so I'm lucky there, I guess.

With all of that, I'm still fighting with the SSDI folks, to get my benefits. They are trying to say I can still work. I tried that. I worked for another 16 years, after becoming disabled. I just can't do it, any more. Now, they are using that against me, to withhold my benefits.

It sucks, but at least I still have my music.
 
#20
45acp,

I broke my elbow (chipped the radial head) 25-30 years ago and I too have limited range of motion in my left hand. It is hard to maintain relaxation with that hand. I,m also missing my index finger on my right hand since I was four. Just to throw in the coup de grace, I've had several concussions due to accidents in my early years which makes it hard for me to memorize things. However, my approach is to have as much fun and learn as much as I can about the bass.

Whether you're handicapped or not celebrate your accomplishments; large or small. Give gratitude and thanks.

Keep playing that low end axe.
 

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