"I've made a huge mistake"

[Geroi Asfalta]

Instrument position might have a huge effect on your playability. If you're slinging it down low like a grunge guy it won't be comfortable. You might benefit by raising the bass waaay up toward your chest.

This. This is what I was thinking the entire time I've been reading this thread.

I have big hands (I can wrap a fist around a Rickenbacker) but I love thin, tiny paper thin necks (think JP 90). When I first started playing, I had the bass slung as low as I could get it and still reach the strings because "it luks so metul that wey".

After a few weeks I realised I was adjusting my bass every few minutes because I couldn't reach the E/A with my left and the DG with my right without stretching or twisting something, and it got very uncomfortable (I was doing all this on a shortscale, talk about thin neck).

I've always been a bit paranoid about my wrists....I remember my mom not being able to work for a few weeks because of Carpel Tunnel surgery. Plus having dislocated both shoulders, I'm a bit weary about my hand/arm positions.

I've learned to shift my basses up or down, depending on the bass, the neck, and how many frets are on it.

My Ps hang around my belt buckle, maybe a tad lower. J's sit just above my belly button. My 24-fret peavey and my fretless bith are around the bottom of my ribcage.

Try adjusting your strp before you dump extra cash into a new bass on which you may still employ bad technique.

 

[Lackey]

To the OP:

1) As others have said, check your instrument position. If your strap is down low then your long arms aren't going to matter because the wrist has to make a sharp bend just to wrap around to get your fingers on the fretboard. Conversely, if you wear your bass too high (in my experience at least...) it takes some getting used to to get the right hand to pluck the strings comfortably without that wrist making a sharp bend to access the strings.

Here's an example of the latter (high strap, right wrist at sharp bend) [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] I love Bona and he's fantastic, but I played like this for a few years and had to stop because I was getting some telltale pains and numbness in my right hand.

BUT, Gary Willis is a master of many things; ergonomics being one of them. Check out his hand and wrist positions: Link Removed

2) I used to have a problem with gripping the neck of the instrument far too tightly. Again, pain and cramping ensued. I realized my error when watching an instructional video (Wooten or somebody...) where he said that his thumb is barely grazing the back of the neck. I decided to practice putting pressure onto the strings without even placing my thumb on the neck. And it totally helped. Not only did my left hand become far quicker at making changes, but the pain went away and now I just rest my thumb on the neck with little to no pressure.

3) I'm over 6'5" and have big hands myself, and I love thin bass necks... Of course you may always prefer thicker necks, but better your technique before you make any final decisions on the subject.

4) I hope you can resolve this problem before permanent psychological damage forces you to go to the a###rapist.*

 

[SJan3]

I disagree!

It is considered bad technique to do it!
Now, does that mean you should never do it?
No, i sometimes do it when i play with a pic and need to mute the E and A strings while playing something on the D or G ( i believe one should always mute unplayed strings with with one hand or the other) but i do it conscientiously.

If on the other hand, you always do it for no good reason other than lack of control of what you are doing, you are only setting yourself up to bad habits and sloppy playing that could lead to bad wrist position and issues down the ligne.

You should always strive to play the best you can, not be happy with good enough.

Well, Will Lee does It and he's a terrific. Player. To each his/her own..

 

[FrenchBassQC]

Don't blame the bass, it hasn't changed. You need to get some lessons from someone who knows what they are doing.


"Honest officer, the car won't drive the speed limit! I've been shopping for a slower car but they are so expensive. Do you think a pickup would drive slower? Maybe something with a heavier motor, like a corvette?"

If I were you I would buy a Volks Warwick, their steering wheel is thicker...

 

[sayman]

Unless you have some sort of mutation, we all have the same wrist and hand structure, and some techniques are going to cause less stress on your muscles and tendons. So adapting a habit of good ergonomic technique will serve you well as you get older.

In my own personal experience, I played with my right wrist in a pretty extreme flexed position for 25 years at least - until I suddenly started developing hand and forearm problems. I adapted better hand and wrist positions, incorporated some stretching exercises, and have not had any problems since.

Might also want to check out the guide "The Bassist's Guide to Injury Management, Prevention and Better Health by Dr.Randall Kertz ". A great source of information on the prevention and treatment of many bass-playing injuries.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[smeet]

I see. Well at least in my own personal experience, every time I've used bad technique, it always lead to discomfort immediately. It may have only been mild discomfort, but any time I ever felt discomfort, I have altered my technique until I was comfortable again.

Coincidentally, I wound up using techniques very similar to players like Scott Devine and Ed Friedland.

I don't like it when people say everyone should use this one technique or that one technique assuming it will be the best for everybody (though I'm not saying you said that). Every individual is different and the "proper" technique will vary slightly on an individual basis. That is the reason I say that you should do what is comfortable for you and also that if you experience discomfort, especially if it's all the way up at "pain" then you need to stop and reevaluate your technique.

Gary Willis (and any other good teacher) shows you how to determine what is best for YOU. Not everybody should play the same way, but straight joints and relaxed tendons are more conducive to good health, period. Some people won't feel any damage ever. Others like you may be able to sense the pain immediately. Don't make the error of thinking that everyone is like you. A lot of people (like sayman) have played the way they feel most comfortable, only to sustain damage down the line that is difficult to reverse.

Remember, Entwistle apparently had no hearing damage, while Townsend had a lot, even though both were exposed to the same potentially dangerous sound levels. They should BOTH have used ear protection, as there was no way to predict in advance who was going to be damaged and who wasn't. In the same way, everybody should follow ergonomic practice. Even though some people may not require it, it won't hurt anybody and it can help some people.

 

[carl h.]

I'm a firm believer in learning proper technique, and then modifying it to suit your needs. But you should stick with what is the accepted form until you can identify the reason to alter it. Doing something because one or two famous people do it that way is no reason to adopt a technique. For all you know, those guys might be having problems and wishing they had gone about it the right way in the first place, but now they are to busy working (it is work) to stop and relearn the basics.

Not many ever get big enough to do what THEY want to do. Benny Goodman did it, and at the time he was about as big as it gets. He stepped away and relearned how to play because, even though some would argue he was one of the greatest players ever, (others would laugh at the suggestion) he saw flaws in his technique that only starting over would fix. So he started over from scratch.

 

[KingRazor]

Doing something because one or two famous people do it that way is no reason to adopt a technique. For all you know, those guys might be having problems and wishing they had gone about it the right way in the first place, but now they are to busy working (it is work) to stop and relearn the basics.

I hope you don't think that I was implying that with what I said. I came up with the technique I currently use on my own. It was only after I had already started using it that I even noticed that others were doing the same thing.

 

[Christofolo]

Dang I set this place into high gear lol, I'm practicing with my schecter now as I type this..well not as I type..w/e. Going by good form and keeping my wrists from bending too far and not strangling the neck it DOES work but I still feel despite the strap adjustments that I keep having to control the bass with my fretting hand.

With the strap at its highest the bass rests against my belly and my wrist gets into a nasty angle around the 5th fret going down the neck to the pickups. The plucking hand is fine but as it is with my standing the fretting hand just looks like it can get hurt...Hell who knows maybe the strap is bad but if I'd get any other one to raise the bass my plucking hand would suffer...

EDIT: To any thinking this is all BS I swear to you I know I'm new and working on form but I feel like this isn't all on me, so to speak, going by comments I've observed the horn is short and the body itself is just smaller than what I would expect

 

[carl h.]

Is your strap shiny/smooth where it comes in contact with your shoulder? A strap with a bit of traction helps to hold the neck up and resist neck dive, if that is the issue you are controlling with your fretting hand.

 

[arsie]

EDIT: To any thinking this is all BS I swear to you I know I'm new and working on form but I feel like this isn't all on me, so to speak, going by comments I've observed the horn is short and the body itself is just smaller than what I would expect

Sounds about right. One of the drawbacks of wanting a lighter bass is that more often than not, the weight comes off the body, which leads to imbalance. Lighter tuners would help you, but they are also not cheap to replace.

As mentioned, thick leader or rougher textured straps help the bass stay in position. Basically, you should never be holding up your neck with your hand.

 

[Christofolo]

Well the strap is a simple leather strap and its great because it lands the bass in the "sweet spot" but because of my bass's body (short horns) it keeps the bass parallel to the ground so I gotta constantly adjust. Granted, my technique is probably horrible but I cannot ignore the thought that maybe I could use a bigger bass better.

 

[Bochafish]

Just going back to basses for a sec, imo a Lakland 5 stringer is a great big man's bass. 35" scale, 19 mm spacing, and sound great.

 

[Stilettoprefer]

I have a similar bass. And I'm 6' 4". I've learned to love it! But I also have a precision with a jazz neck that is a little more meaty for when I really need to play something different.

A good strap is a must for any bass. My Schecter is heavy, so a crappy strap is terrible for long practices/ shows. Get a nice grippy backed leather strap. I find that my sweet spot for the bass puts my belly right on the tummy cut on the back of the bass. It lets me maintain perfect angles for both wrists and it doesn't have the bass up at Paul Mcartney height.

 

[carl h.]

Well the strap is a simple leather strap and its great because it lands the bass in the "sweet spot" but because of my bass's body (short horns) it keeps the bass parallel to the ground so I gotta constantly adjust. Granted, my technique is probably horrible but I cannot ignore the thought that maybe I could use a bigger bass better.

A good strap is a must for any bass. My Schecter is heavy, so a crappy strap is terrible for long practices/ shows. Get a nice grippy backed leather strap. I find that my sweet spot for the bass puts my belly right on the tummy cut on the back of the bass. It lets me maintain perfect angles for both wrists and it doesn't have the bass up at Paul Mcartney height.

Get a better strap before you replace the bass. The bass should stay where you put it with a decent strap.

 

[arsie]

I am small and have short fingers, and I prefer my Stingray's neck to a Jazz bass one. So there.

You can try Squier P or Yamaha BB basses, they have wider necks and should be in your price range.

 

[Christofolo]

Invalid Link Removed

'nuff said? lol this is in the event my strap won't help..regardless though I like the P-bass configuration

 

[Geroi Asfalta]

Well the strap is a simple leather strap and its great because it lands the bass in the "sweet spot" but because of my bass's body (short horns) it keeps the bass parallel to the ground so I gotta constantly adjust. Granted, my technique is probably horrible but I cannot ignore the thought that maybe I could use a bigger bass better.

If you have to constantly readjust with any strap, try moving the rear strap peg up an inch or two.

 

[Stilettoprefer]

If you have to constantly readjust with any strap, try moving the rear strap peg up an inch or two.

The pegs on Schecter stiletto basses are already placed higher than standard by a few inches.

 

[pHace on Bass]

"Run the board"(4 fingers,1 per fret, 1-4,5-8,etc.) on each string noting the comfortable position. Then, reachable intervals on different strings.
Different basses(for whatever reason/difference) will show their important differences this way and is the main factor in loving an otherwise painful instrument. Sometimes a little pain is OK. Furthermore, this is the secret behind players playing differently on different basses, and should be the basis for your decision to change if you go that route.
By the way, some nylon cord and duct tape was my first strap. As long as it is sized right and wide enough you're golden. Then find one at the store that meets the criteria.
Finally, wrist exercises and stretching go a long way. Maybe check out Aikido exercises for the arms and wrists.