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Is a short scale bass the answer to my back problem?

derrenleepoole

derrenleepoole

Feb 8, 2006
818
14
53
Blackburn Lancashire
#1
Well, after nearly 4 years of suffering bad back injury, it shows no sign of easing, and with nearly 20 years of playing under my belt I'm reluctant to give up the fight just yet - even though playing is complete agony at times.

I would be interested to read thoughts and experiences of those TB-ers who have perhaps made the move to short scale because of an injury, back or otherwise. Was it a good or bad thing etc? I know that each player will be different, but I feel it's worth asking.

I have my mind set on making my first ever investment on a boutique instrument. And the Rob Allen Mouse bass has really captivated me, both in terms of looks and sound. If I am going to go down the route of a smaller scale etc, then having some user experiences would be insightful.
 
#3
It could definitely help, and I tried to go that route, but I found short-scale basses not good enough for what I need. For example, I found Birdsong basses uncomfortable because the bodies are so small, and I thought they lacked in the low-end department, IMHO.

A Rob Allen could work great for cetain styles, but not all.

My solution has been playing lightweight (under 9 lb) basses that are BALANCED. Balance is key to avoid back fatigue. Neck dive will kill your back and shoulder in minutes, even if the bass is light.

And a nice wide strap.

I now play 5-string, 35"-scale basses, but they are light and/or well balanced, and I don't feel much fatigue, if any

Good shoes are also important (New Balance, for example, when allowed by the dress code, which in my case is most of the time).
 
#6
I had a shortscale gretsch jet bass that was probably 5 to 6 pounds. Which is about half of what my jazz weighs. I couldnt stand the short scale neck though. I like full scale basses. I would recomend a nice padded strap. My grandpa he has some back problems and he wears this brace thing that seems to help him out alot. Maybe you could get one of those too. He can hide it under his shirt so that might be a good idea too.
 
#8
have you thought about trying one of those straps that goes over both shoulders? they are supposed to distribute the weight evenly across both shoulders, and provide better balance, that would lead to less stain on your back.
 
#9
The 2-3 Skjolds I have tried out are light as a feather to me- I'm used to 10+ lbs. They'd be another option. I've recently started having problems with my left shoulder that I think may be rotator cuff, so I'm sidelining most of my basses in favor of my lighter ones. Maybe someday I'll get a true boutique bass, but for now I will stick with my modified stock instruments.
 
#12
I suffer from shoulder and back problems as well.. I tried to switch to a 3/4 scale bass... it was too weird. So I ended up buying a old Hohner B2 loading it with EMG HB pickups and a EMG-BTC control..with the 3" padded leather strap and X2 transmitter it still weighs 6.5 lbs.

I did 2 shows with it this past weekend and for the first time in years I woke up with no shoulder or back pains...

That and my new MarkBass Jeff Berlin combo.. I'm lightweight and much happier.
 
#13
FWIW there are some featherweight full-scale basses, and some anchor-heavy shortscales. I have some minor back injuries, and I have played a wide variety of short and medium scale basses, and IMO the two biggest comfort factors were actually the weight and the balance, not the scale length. So I would focus on the lightweights and the designs with excellent (not merely adequate) balance. Valenti just made me a five-string 34" scale bass that weighs less than 8 lbs.
 
#14
You should really check out the Barker Vertical bass. The necks are Jazz type necks, so they're easy to play. They have a nice, beautiful chambered body and they sound great. I found that I could quickly adjust to playing vertically. Also, it's a point of conversation for everyone who sees you playing it....they're just so cool.

http://www.barkerbass.com/

You can also check out Lee Barker's forum here on Talkbass...
 
#16
Look into what Tim Commorford does for a strap. He has back pain and uses Jazz basses.

I would look into something as light as possible. Hollowbody might be the way to go. Short scale might help, as will lightweight hardware.

Are you a 4 string player or 5+?
 
#17
I also had an ruptured lower disc injury a few years back requiring surgery and rehab, while I had a full schedule of shows to play and while I was in the healing process I just used one of my lighter basses.

Granted when enduring pain nothing helps, but it was a much better thing than my heavyweight on my shoulder. -- like the show I HAD to play 1 week out of the hospital, when I couldn't stand up for more than a 1/2 hour and YES I wore a backbrace for that show even though I had my lightweight bass with me that night. let's just say the audience loved the fact that I was there even though I was hurting. Some of them helped at the end pack up my stuff even before the band was ready to help me. ( SYMPATHY ROADIES )

my other 34" scale basses are light around 7-9lbs or so compared to my 15lb Jackson, that made the difference for me for months while I was in rehab, and gigging constantly.
 
#18
Dave Muscato said:
Those aren't really any lighter, though, are they?
Click to expand...


My Walnut Birdsongs are between 7lbs 12oz and 8lbs 5oz. They've made basses in the under-7-lbs range. I find everything else to be like an anvil at this point.

That said - the solution for the OP is "get a bass that ergonomically works for you." Whether that's short scale, different shape, lighter weight, different strap position - no idea.

But there are some Birdsong owners who went that way because of health conditions and have found them to be a significant improvement for them. The fact that they balance well, sitting or standing, is also a big part of it. I've interacted with Lefty before and he makes a point - just because they're ergonomically right for many, doesn't mean they're right for everyone.

"Short scale" isn't the answer by itself - but it might be part of the answer.
 

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