I just had a thought. I am 6'5 and a little bit below 400 pounds so as you can imagine my hands are fairly large however I play an Ibanez SR 5 string a bass with one of the smallest necks, and in my opinion the most comfortable. So my question to all of you is, big hands = small neck or am I just an oddity? I have seen guys almost have my size play mtd kingston 5 strings and warwicks and they just seem to be so comfortable with those basses but I feel so akward with those basses because of the necks. So i figure if any one knows the answer it will be one of you.
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Does hand size matter with what bass you play?
- Thread starter azfryguy
- Start date
i dont think so, im 5'5 and have fairly small hands and a birth defect on both my pinkies that makes them bend inward and there maybe 1/4 inch shorter than they should be (limits my hand span even further) and yet im still most comfortable with my 35'' scale peavey cirrus and i still love my fender jazz and love the neck of p basses, only necks i dont like are super flat ones, alot of 6 string basses kinda put me off not cause of the size but because of the flatness.
No. Not really. Personal preference. No standard.
I have unproportionate hands for my size. I'm 5'4 and my hands are bigger than most of my (male) teachers. I prefer warwick necks as well as pbass necks. And normally I dislike jazz style necks, I love the SR necks! And those are the smallest necks on a bass ever.
Just puttin it out there.
I have unproportionate hands for my size. I'm 5'4 and my hands are bigger than most of my (male) teachers. I prefer warwick necks as well as pbass necks. And normally I dislike jazz style necks, I love the SR necks! And those are the smallest necks on a bass ever.
Just puttin it out there.
I am 6'0" with big hands and I like big wide necks, little skinny necks such as the SR and Fender Jazz necks are incredibly uncomfortable for me.
I've never seen anyone have a problem because of their hand size, I mean... I love Japanese Music, and they all have small hands, mostly, short fingers and all... and they all play any type of bass, even big 6 strings, or wide spaced 4 strings
so, whatever xP
so, whatever xP
what did you guys grow up on. . . My first bass was a squier pj bass and its neck is so round and after playing for 2 years my parents bought a sr505 no i have a sr665 with bart electronics and pickups ~ ~
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% . . . . . .its AWESOME!!!!
So I guess it depends what you learn to play bass on
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% . . . . . .its AWESOME!!!!
So I guess it depends what you learn to play bass on
If you're playing one of those 'boat paddle' seven strings it might.
For me anything much bigger than the average P-Bass neck is uncomfortable for me, and I have some pretty big hands.
For me anything much bigger than the average P-Bass neck is uncomfortable for me, and I have some pretty big hands.
i have huge hands. small, thin necks usually feel kinda "crowded" to me. i generally cant do Ibanez because of this. i like fat, round necks. Fender, EBMM, and Spector are all pretty perfect for me.
My first bass was a 76 P bass and I still have it although I will add that it is a case queen now.
no matter what anyone ever says about basses the bass is a true work horse and probably the most versitale bass ever
I think this can be answered the same way many bass questions can be answered. If it feels and sounds good... it is! It's only logical that different hands will work better or worse with different necks but I don't think it's as simple as "Oh you have a big hands? you need a big neck." You just have to try whats out there until you find something that works for you. Sounds to me like you've already found yours. 
I think with proper technique you can play any size neck. Obviously some will be more comfortable than others. It's just personal preference.
I have average size hands and prefer Jazz-type necks. For me, its not so much the size of the neck (Jazz vs. P-bass for example) but rather the profile of the neck. I prefer a C shape to say a V or U shape neck.
I have average size hands and prefer Jazz-type necks. For me, its not so much the size of the neck (Jazz vs. P-bass for example) but rather the profile of the neck. I prefer a C shape to say a V or U shape neck.
I have pretty small hands and so far neck width hasn't mattered at all to me. Scale length on the other hand... I am very uncomfortable on a 35" scale neck. However not so uncomfortable to not be able to adjust if I actually owned a 35" bass.
i used to think neck profile/thickness was a big deal but unless it's extreme i think you just get used to what you have
Right now Im playing 34" scale and it feels very tiny I dont think I have ever played a 35" scale but how could anyone tell a difference its one inch spread beetween 24 frets. So it would be some really small fraction of an inch wider than a normal 34" scale right?
My personal take on the "hand size" debate, regardless of instrument: phooey.
I'll never forget something Elton John once said in an interview. He said he has midget bowler's hands, and shouldn't be regarded as a very good musician. But he is a damn good blues and pseudo-classical pianist.
Where there's a will, there's a way. For this reason, I play anything I can get my hands on and refrain from making excuses. This has allowed me to develop a very rapid adjustment rate to almost any size guitar or neck, and I enjoy a much wider spectrum of different basses and tones as a result.
I'll never forget something Elton John once said in an interview. He said he has midget bowler's hands, and shouldn't be regarded as a very good musician. But he is a damn good blues and pseudo-classical pianist.
Where there's a will, there's a way. For this reason, I play anything I can get my hands on and refrain from making excuses. This has allowed me to develop a very rapid adjustment rate to almost any size guitar or neck, and I enjoy a much wider spectrum of different basses and tones as a result.
I was studying with Steve Bailey and we compared hands. I have big mitts and Baileys finger tips came between my first and second knuckle. He plays a wide 6 string fretless, so no it doesn't matter.
