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best bass for small hands

#41
HELLonWheels187 said:
Technique > Hand size

If you play properly the size of the bass shouldn't matter. That being said Ibanez have pretty close string spacing and there lots of short scale bass that you can get. I suggest playing a around. You will be surprised at what you feel comfortable


FTR: Vic Wooten is 5'3 and he plays a 34" bass and I like to think he is pretty good.
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:cool:
+1
it's all about technique.
Look for a bass with 1.5 at nut.
Geddy Lee Jazz has a very small neck.
 
#42
I'm a short female (4'11") with tiny, child sized hands...

....when I started out, I bought a short-scale Cort, and the spacing was pretty comfortable....since then, I've acquired a couple of full sized (P-copy and fretless) basses, and they were easier to adjust to than I expected....
....I now go back and forth - nothing plays as quickly and comfortably as the slender, short-scale neck for me, but the tone that I get out of the bigger basses is more to my liking....

....at least til I can afford a Rob Allen Mouse.... ;)
 
#43
Ergonomics > hand size. Strap on a bass and try to play near first position with the bass in the usual close to horizontal position. Check the wrist angles and finger spread.
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Truer words were never spoken. For many people with shorter fingers, scale alone seems like the biggest issue. Sometimes, but not always...
Alembic series II 1996
a 32" model.
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The Alembic Series 2 "medium" (32") scale is a great case in point. I used to own a Series 2 that was laid out the same way as the one in the picture. Believe me, a 32" scale is a bit more comfortable than a 34" for me, but the bridge postion on that bass is at least 4" from the bottom of the body. This pushes the neck that much farther out, forcing you to reach up to 2" further to get to the lower frets than you would on a long scale bass. That will be harder for you than a regular 34" scale.
The other major factor is fingerboard width (string spacing) and the depth of the neck (how big is it to reach around?). In that department, ++1 on the Ibanez Soundgear series. A lot of shorter fingered folks swear by Ibanez. These come in a huge variety of prices, including under $200 used. They are often around at guitar stores so you won't have trouble finding one to try.
 
#44
HELLonWheels187 said:
Technique > Hand size

If you play properly the size of the bass shouldn't matter. That being said Ibanez have pretty close string spacing and there lots of short scale bass that you can get. I suggest playing a around. You will be surprised at what you feel comfortable.
Click to expand...

I know it sounds snarky but it's actually good advice. With a little practice you can learn to play anything.

I have small hands too (but I'm not a girl :smug:). I though I'd have to spend my life playing short scale basses and never went near a P-bass because of all the stories I heard about the "baseball bat size necks" etc. Well, one day on a lark I picked up a P-bass in a local music store and was very surprised at how easy it as to play and how I could actually reach all the frets.

But to your question specifically, look into short scale basses, they'll be the easiest to play. Basses with modern C-sized necks (Jazz, new P-basses, Ibanez, Yamaha) also are easy to play. Also look into the Beatle basses and the Gibson/Epiphone SG-EBO types. They have some of the smallest necks around.
 
#45
good point i didn't mention was about the weight and short scale issues! i had a Fender P-Bass and it was a complete monster, neck that was too long, body that was huge and heavy!

which one would be lighter and also come in short scale models from this list:

MM Sterling
Fender Geddy Lee Jazz
Rondo SX
Gibson SG (i think this one for sure comes short scale)
Fender Mustang
 
#46
So Parksung, while we would all like to see you drop a bunch of cash on a drool inducting bass :) :) you should tell us the following things so we can think a truely kick ass fit, bass-wise:

1. If the problem is the width of the neck (moving between strings that are spaced far apart, and trouble hitting the E), or if it's the length of the neck (trouble stretching between 2 or 3 frets, or playing near the first frets).

2. What kind of music you play, or want to play, or name a bass player or band that you ideally would like to be/play with.

edit: aargh! you wrote in while I was writing... well, if you want a short scale, what kind of music do you play? (I would figure this out quick and get yourself some labor day sale action!)

The SG or the Mustang would be lighter than a full size Jazz, IME. I've never played the other two.
 
#47
arai said:
some 5'3 people have big hands and have an advantage over a 5'3 with small hands . dont give me that leverage $#!+.
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Maybe if your hands stopped growing when you were 5, you would have a point. But if they haven't, then you are wrong. I have the smallest hands of any male I ever met in my life, and I play long scale basses with no problem whatsoever because of knowing how to use leverage.
 
#49
LeftyDan said:
:rollno: I strongly disagree . As I've played both guitar for years and now play bass -short fingers can certainly hinder manuevering on the fretboard . You can't play what you can't reach. Certainly with practice short fingered players can work extremely well within their limitations but it can't be said that finger size doesn't matter.
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Yes it can. I and many other people with small hands have said so. Maybe it matters to YOU, but those of us who put the work into overcoming our obstacles seem to be coping just fine.
 
#50
I have a short-scale SG copy (60's MIJ) that has the thickest bulkiest neck of all my basses, so scale isn't the only thing for sure...
....I've played a vintage Mustang at a local shop that fit me like a glove, and felt like a sort of baby P, FWIW....
 
#51
Whaaaapsh said:
So Parksung, while we would all like to see you drop a bunch of cash on a drool inducting bass :) :) you should tell us the following things so we can think a truely kick ass fit, bass-wise:

1. If the problem is the width of the neck (moving between strings that are spaced far apart, and trouble hitting the E), or if it's the length of the neck (trouble stretching between 2 or 3 frets, or playing near the first frets).
THE PROBLEM IS LENGTH OF THE NECK, STRETCHING BETWEEN FRETS (SORRY FOR CAPS BUT WANT TO MAKE THIS REPLY OBVIOUS;))
2. What kind of music you play, or want to play, or name a bass player or band that you ideally would like to be/play with.
INDIE ROCK, BASSIST FOR MOVING UNITS OR INTERPOL
edit: aargh! you wrote in while I was writing... well, if you want a short scale, what kind of music do you play? (I would figure this out quick and get yourself some labor day sale action!)

The SG or the Mustang would be lighter than a full size Jazz, IME. I've never played the other two.
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please see reply in CAPS above...thanks
 
#52
it's great that everyone agrees that technique can help you overcome your physique limitations, but the original question asked wasn't "how can a person with small hands play a bass with a larger neck", it was asking specifically for recommendations of a "good intermediate bass for small handed people"... it's sort of implied that she's looking for an answer on the bass end of things and not the technique end of things. It's a given that almost anyone can overcome size and strength limitations via mastering certain techniques and practice.

I personally have longer fingers (I'm 6'3" tall) but their range of motion isn't that great. I usually play regular basses but when I'd pick up my my short-scale Rivoli once in a while, it was much easier and less fatiguing on my hands. A lot of fun too.

Wally from the Pretty Things used a short scale Mustang bass almost exclusively, and going by the sounds of it on their "Parachute" album for instance, there's no way you could call it weak or wimpy sounding.
 
#53
You have a point, lunarpollen, but I think our point was to tell her not to create limitations for herself based on size. I agree that short scale basses can sound wonderful. I have a Turser Beatle bass copy that I love and use almost as often as my Fender Precision. But the Beatle bass is a choice for me, not a necessity. The less limitation you create for yourself, the more variety you can have.
 
#54
i have small hands too. im a smaller dude at 5ft 5...

ibanez, fender jazz and Music Man Sterling necks were the easiest to get along with at first. however after time its become a non issue. maybe its cuz ive been playing quite a while now. but, either way, any 4 string neck "works" for me. sure i have a preference on shapes etc but i havent encountered any that i flat out can't play.
 
#56
...and don't forget about the [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]. If you like the humbucker vibe, it's a short scale.

N_bass7.jpg
 
#57
I'm with jokerjkny -- my offical vote goes to the Mustang. Their CIJ, so the build is usually good, and they look vintage rock and roll (I like cream, but they're also making them with the competition-style racing stripe for the Japanese market :D :D ). -- note: I just tried to search for one, but I couldn't find it, they are sweet.

My issue came down to the pickups, they're "Seymour Duncan designed", and they sound a bit like a quarter pounder, without as much bass. That might work for what you're doing. If not, there aren't any aftermarket pickups made (that I know of) that you can replace them with. Try them out and see if you dig it, if not, have someone route it out and get some good Precision pups to throw in.
 
#59
One of my bass students is a fifteen year old with very small hands, and he gets around effortlessly on his 35" six-string with 18.5mm spacing. Would he have an easier time if his hands were larger? Sure, but good form and technique are more important in the long run. Choose the instrument you like, work hard, and you'll make it happen.
 
#60
"Gibson SG (i think this one for sure comes short scale)"

30-1/2" is short scale.

Gibson SG Reissue 4-String Bass Features:
• Made in America
• Mahogany body in SG design
• Slim mahogany neck with rounded profile
• Rosewood fretboard with pearloid dots
• 30-1/2" scale length
• 20 frets
• Corian nut
• Chrome hardware
• Shamrock tuners
• Pickups: vintage-style TB Plus Bass Humbucker (neck); Bass Mini-humbucker (bridge)
• Controls: 2 volume, 1 tone

(from Musiciansfriend.com)

This is my SG (its a six string version, but its still nice :D )

P1010002.gif
 

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