Help, my tiny wife needs a bass

[MichelD]

Hey guys,

I have been reading on TB for about 5 years now, and just now decided to join (sorry). I am in the early process of teaching my wife to play bass, and I've noticed a little problem. My 2nd Gen Sire V3 5 string is just too big for her. The body takes up her whole torso, and she has to lean and stretch to play the 1st fret. So I'm hunting a good quality 4 string short scale, preferably with a smaller scaled body as-well. The options I've considered are below, all are at or under $550. (btw, she is 5' 0" with a 5' 2" wingspan)

Sterling Ray Short Scale
Fender Player Mustang Bass
Ibanez Talman TMB30
Sire U5 - preorder
SX Short Scale P Bass

Any other recommendations or things to consider?

Have you seen an Ibanez Mikro bass? I saw one in a thrift store window after it was closed but by the time I got to the store after it opened it was sold already. I wanted to see if it was a bass I could play easily while recovering from a wrist problem. Very small looking thing.

 

[pcake]

Hey guys,

I have been reading on TB for about 5 years now, and just now decided to join (sorry). I am in the early process of teaching my wife to play bass, and I've noticed a little problem. My 2nd Gen Sire V3 5 string is just too big for her. The body takes up her whole torso, and she has to lean and stretch to play the 1st fret. So I'm hunting a good quality 4 string short scale, preferably with a smaller scaled body as-well. The options I've considered are below, all are at or under $550. (btw, she is 5' 0" with a 5' 2" wingspan)

Sterling Ray Short Scale
Fender Player Mustang Bass
Ibanez Talman TMB30
Sire U5 - preorder
SX Short Scale P Bass

Any other recommendations or things to consider?

i'm 5' 3" and used to always play a long scale bass with no issues.

the ibanez mikro bass has a shorter scale than the 30" scale basses you listed, and it's around a pound less than the mustang or the talman. i have 2; 1 stock and i love it, the other modded. if your wife doesn't want to stretch her arms, this would be a great way to go.

the newer ibanez mezzo basses are actually 32" scale, but i find them comfy, although not as comfortable as my squier bronco or my mikros, but oddly more comfortable to play than the mustang, even though the bronco and the mustang are very similar.

i admit to being tempted by the sterling short scale, but haven't tried one in person. at a certain point, her tonal preferences are what would help. i love the fender MiM mustang sound; it's among my personal favorites, but mine is 2 pounds heavier than my green mikro and the lower bout is wider across. i dislike the feel of the talman. i love rays myself, but does your wife?

 

[whero]

If her name is Sally, get a Mustang, therefore you can play Sally's Mustang lol

If her name is Sally, get a Mustang so that when someone inevitably yells "Play Mustang Sally" she can shout back "I've been playing it all night!".

 

[HaphAsSard]

Haven't read the whole thread: anyone insisted she should get a 38" scale Carl Thompson because she'll grow into it, yet?

 

[Richard Martin]

I am in the early process of teaching my wife to play bass, and I've noticed a little problem. My 2nd Gen Sire V3 5 string is just too big for her.
Any other recommendations or things to consider?

Yes, put a capo on the second fret and retune the bass. In a month or so move the capo to the first fret. After another month remove the capo altogether. Your wife can play a 34" scale, she's just not used to it.

 

[Energy]

5 pages and nobody even mentioned the Squier CV Mustang?

 

[jfh2424]

Just be careful. You might really dig it too.

 

[MakoMan]

Have you seen an Ibanez Mikro bass? I saw one in a thrift store window after it was closed but by the time I got to the store after it opened it was sold already. I wanted to see if it was a bass I could play easily while recovering from a wrist problem. Very small looking thing.

I've owned just about every short scale made including the Mikro. I think if any bass would be easy to play while recovering from a wrist injury the Mikro would be it. The only thing I can think of that might be easier would be a sub short scale such as an Ibanez PNB14E. However they are a totally different animal.

 

[SBassman]

Since I am somewhat of the godfather of sub short and guitar scale acoustic bass dialog here, I would be recommending one of those. But I recognize that is a bit controversial, and not everyone would agree. Among the short scales mentioned in the 28 to 30" scale range, I would absolutely recommend the Mikro.

 

[lug]

While not highly technical I like it.

Oh absolutely. A lot of it sounds a bit like the bass line from Woodchopper's ball by Ten Years After. Rather listen to this kind of stuff than most slap/pop fests.

 

[theduke1]

Get her an overseas made Hofner or Hofner type bass. 30" scale and light as a feather.

Tina Weymouth of Talking Heads played one. Hofner. A great lady's bass!

View attachment 3817428

What he said
And if that is too pricey Rouge makes a fine violin bass that is very cost effective
Duke

 

[swarfrat]

Don't dismiss the 25.5" sub-short scale basses. Like the Samick or clones. It might take some looking around, but it plays just fine and it's a hoot getting bass sounds out of something so small. I have a Stedman.

 

[pertyman]

How tiny is she ?

 

[jdh3000]

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not a stock photo, this is hanging on the wall across from me:

Mikro

• Killed_by_Death
• May 24, 2019
• ibanez

This!

For the price, the quality can't be beat. Short scale, thin neck... just right for a person of a small stature.

 

[Honkey tonk]

Might want to Ask her what she likes

 

[swarfrat]

My son is about 4 here with the Stedman:

 

[LoTone]

Welcome to Talkbass!

Nice cameos of a Mustang in Shiina Ringo & Tokyo Jihen's video "O.S.C.A." Don't miss the uptempo bass intro to the coda near the end. Awesome choreography, conception, and performance.



The O.S.C.A. in question likely inspired the costumes...

View attachment 3818401

That was wicked cool! It makes me wonder about all the cool music I have never heard of because it is being made in some far away land that I have never visited...

 

[lug]

My son is about 4 here with the Stedman:
View attachment 3818655

All the cool kids are Lefties!

 

[swarfrat]

Yeah - I bought that bass before we figured out he was a lefty. Couldn't get him to hold it right handed. I was always of the opinion that "You have to learn either way. There are advantages to both ways, but some day son you're going to get your heart set on a 63 Candy Orange Jazz bass and find out that only three were made in lefty that year...." So we built him a left handed body for the u-bass I got him. Now that he's big enough to play the Stedman, and showing interest again I might need to make a left handed body for it too.

 

[SBassman]

Yeah - I bought that bass before we figured out he was a lefty. Couldn't get him to hold it right handed. I was always of the opinion that "You have to learn either way. There are advantages to both ways, but some day son you're going to get your heart set on a 63 Candy Orange Jazz bass and find out that only three were made in lefty that year...." So we built him a left handed body for the u-bass I got him. Now that he's big enough to play the Stedman, and showing interest again I might need to make a left handed body for it too.

Lefties available here:

Raptor 38" Kid's 3/4 Size Junior Kid's 4 String Electric P Bass Pack - 5 COLORS