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Basses with Good Ergonomics?

#81
Oobly said:
Not necessarily true... Right wrist can be harder to keep straight if the bass is too high. Ideal height for me is actually just a little lower than when rested on my leg in seated position.
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That is my ideal height for guitar & slightly lower for bass, but still within the same general criteria
Any lower & it's awkward for my fretting hand, and higher & awkward for my picking hand--especially as I normally play bass with my fingers & not a pick
 
#82
Aside from a Vee or some other medieval torture device derivative for a bass, most modern instruments include comfy ergonomics as a standard feature. This is a survival tactic, as most bassists would eschew a pain inducing instrument in favor of one that would facilitate ease of artistic expression. Unless you're in some S+M metal band that hurt themselves as part of their stage show, the attraction for a bass that hurts to play simply isn't there. The most uncomfortable basses for many players still have devotees (think Ric 4003). Every individual has a certain flinch point. Some people are very particular, others not so much. I find value and quality in many styles of instruments and choose to be inspired by their distinct characteristics rather than search for a perfect fit. Do the Ric, the Ripper, the Fretless P/J and the Prestige violin bass all feel and sound the same? No. Are they all playable, enjoyable and useful instruments? Absolutely. By understanding your gear and how to maximize its sound you can get most instruments to deliver what you want them to. Hope this helps.
 
#84
Gare Boo said:
Hi, does anyone know any basses that have good ergonomics? I found the twisted neck design(see pics) on Torzal basses are quite interesting but they are so darn expensive! Maybe there is something on the cheap side that also provides good ergonomics? By ergonomic, I mean a comfortable neck and a lightweight body. I know Strandberg is supposed to be good too but they are also pricey.Thanks

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I think the neck design actually makes some sense but I couldn't afford to try them out lol.
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Jazz Bass. Call it a day.
 
#85
Gyver said:
That sounds like a cool combination :thumbsup:
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Indeed. I seldom see people comment about what a great neck the Squier Broncos have - it's a satin finish poly and a really great feel. I generally don't mod basses, but I bought the Bronco specifically to play with different pickups. I settled on the Gretsch 2202 and it sounds really good. I have left basses that cost nearly 10X as much at home and played this one at a few gigs.

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#86
I think it is a personal idea to count what comfortable and what not .
Some people find fenders comfortable and actually count their big body as an advantage ,when other find it big and heavy .
so I count Ibanez sr comfortable and handy.

Their small body ,light weight ,easy neck to play on .So every Ibanez premium or prstige can be a good fit in this category .

Then next bass will be Spector 4 string versions only tested by me .They are comfortable and easy playing with round body edge like ibanez ,have a soft touch to skin and body and sit well.
 
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#87
Monterey Bay-ss said:
I got myself a Spector Legend Classic with the curved body after trying a higher end Spector and loving the feel of it. I ended up selling it because I couldn’t find my sound among the many wonderful sounds it made, but I will still recommend the Legend Classic line to anybody looking for something that feels and plays like a dream on a relative budget. Ned Steinberger put his extensive knowledge of ergonomics into that NS body shape and it really shows (looks great, too).
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I have two NS Design CR5s (fretted and fretless). Ned Steinberger pulled out every trick in the book to maximize ergonomics. The di-radial body is incredibly comfortable against the body and lets the right hand fall at a really comfortable angle. The upper horn placement and lack of weight in the "headstock" make the bass balance perfectly. The neck has a bump-out near the end of the neck so your left hand doesn't feel like it's falling off the end of the neck as you slide your hand toward the lower registers. There are many more features, but those are the main ones. Just incredibly comfortable and i never get fatigued playing either one of them.
 
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#92
I do not consider the Torzal twist neck ergonomic for many players, as you cannot then see the fretboard.

A lightweight body does not necessarily mean ergonomic, because if the design is otherwise remotely standard it results in an even more neck-heavy design, headless helps to solve that.
Almost all bass guitars are significantly neck-heavy and become even more so as the body loses weight.
It is always weird seeing so many people recommend fairly normal bass guitars and thinking they are ergonomic. The essential form of a headed Fender-type design (which is the form of 95% of bass guitars) is inherently unergonomic.
Many players are so used to neck-heavy instruments they do not even notice that.

Ergonomics does not require a short scale at all, it is all about how the scale is positioned relative to the player.

If you want low weight i would consider headless essential, for balance.
 
#93
ixlramp said:
I do not consider the Torzal twist neck ergonomic for many players, as you cannot then see the fretboard.

A lightweight body does not necessarily mean ergonomic, because if the design is otherwise remotely standard it results in an even more neck-heavy design, headless helps to solve that.
Almost all bass guitars are significantly neck-heavy and become even more so as the body loses weight.
It is always weird seeing so many people recommend fairly normal bass guitars and thinking they are ergonomic. The essential form of a headed Fender-type design (which is the form of 95% of bass guitars) is inherently unergonomic.
Many players are so used to neck-heavy instruments they do not even notice that.

Ergonomics does not require a short scale at all, it is all about how the scale is positioned relative to the player.

If you want low weight i would consider headless essential, for balance.
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Do you have any recommendations for headless basses then? Thank you.
 
#94
DanTheQuaker said:
As I understand it, Ned Steinberger (NS) designed the Spector body shape, so this is a continuation of that. I came to this bass from passive P-basses and was surprised at how warm and punchy the EMG pickup sounds. I like that on the WAV it's placed in the P-bass position. When I blend in the piezo I get the warmth and punchiness from the EMG coupled with "oomph" from the piezo. I don't know what the resulting sound would be of swapping out the EMG with something else.
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The sound of P bass is also my favorite, if the EMG humbucker can provide the same, then I guess I'll be settled with an NS. Thanks
 
#96
Gare Boo said:
Do you have any recommendations for headless basses then? Thank you.
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Steinberger XL2, or a Steinberger/Hohner wood bodied unit with a strap extension made for it. Easy and cheap, and as the bass secondhand will only be a couple of hundred $, who cares about a couple of screw holes?
I have an XL2 and a quartet of Woodbergers.
 
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