Left shoulder feels awkward and unnatural

[DanAdams]

interesting, any tools that I would need for this operation or more of a project for a luthier?

Totally DIY. A luthier would just look at you funny.
It's just a longer screw, and some sort of pipe section. If you are feeling creative you could probably find something cut around your house.
If not, a mission to the hardware store
I used a spacer that came with a TV mount on one of my basses. an antique cabinet pull knob, an old wooden thread bobbin (perhaps a little chunky, but you get the idea. Lots of things could work.

The screw would need to be stronger, and go deeper than your original one, some washers, maybe felt to protect the bass finish...
A bit of creativity may be required. (Thanks for giving me an opportunity to bust out the old PAINT program.)

I began to think about the reach distance decades ago when I was having wrist issues. Whenever I'm looking at basses, I always look for a bass that has a long upper horn (as yours does) that reaches at least the 12th fret, as well as as the bridge saddles being close to the bottom button.
Those are the factors that create your reach length when standing.
The bottom contour that rests on your leg is what creates the reach when sitting, It's nice when the standing and sitting reach match. They often don't.

But first, why dont you try practicing with a capo on the first fret; turn that into your E for a couple days, put tape markers on the fretboard if needed. that may determine if it's actually the reach that is causing your issues.

 

[Polfuste]

Short scale bass has definitely solved this problem for me. I've had to switch to it because of tendinopathy in my right shoulder; and to be able to play without pain when seat at home. And this bass just became my #1 for good; cause it solved my right shoulder problem and brought comfort in to left shoulder i've had forgotten from years (my pianist love tune in F tonality.. ). Best musical buy from years.

 

[OnlyFlats]

Try shifting your strap 1in towards the outer edge of your shoulder, off the main muscle and towards the bone


Self assessment activity - all done with no instrument:
1 standing, arms hanging by side
2 place your right hand over your left shoulder
3 raise up your left hand into fretting positions, imagining the bass neck is there
4 focus on noticing the muscles shifting in the shoulder as you pretend play your imaginary bass both upper and lower neck positions
5 repeat, but experiment with slowly raising your head up tall and facing your headstock Vs out towards the audience
6 repeat, experimenting with your pelvic position and shifting into a slight forward thrust to improve your overall posture (and activate core muscles)


This will give you proprioceptive feedback on what your shoulder is doing, and help you get more specific with where the pain is, before you see a therapist. You'll also learn about the interaction between head position, posture and your shoulder muscles. You can dig around the shoulder and search for tight spots as you do it.

 

[2saddleslab]

Totally DIY. A luthier would just look at you funny.
It's just a longer screw, and some sort of pipe section. If you are feeling creative you could probably find something cut around your house.
If not, a mission to the hardware store
I used a spacer that came with a TV mount on one of my basses. an antique cabinet pull knob, an old wooden thread bobbin (perhaps a little chunky, but you get the idea. Lots of things could work.

The screw would need to be stronger, and go deeper than your original one, some washers, maybe felt to protect the bass finish...
A bit of creativity may be required. (Thanks for giving me an opportunity to bust out the old PAINT program.)

I began to think about the reach distance decades ago when I was having wrist issues. Whenever I'm looking at basses, I always look for a bass that has a long upper horn (as yours does) that reaches at least the 12th fret, as well as as the bridge saddles being close to the bottom button.
Those are the factors that create your reach length when standing.
The bottom contour that rests on your leg is what creates the reach when sitting, It's nice when the standing and sitting reach match. They often don't.

But first, why dont you try practicing with a capo on the first fret; turn that into your E for a couple days, put tape markers on the fretboard if needed. that may determine if it's actually the reach that is causing your issues.

Works like a charm. Every little bit helps.

 

[DanAdams]

Works like a charm. Every little bit helps.
View attachment 7394008

Bridge saddles from wooden dowels? did you do that too?
Can you describe the difference in tone? (without saying 'more woody'

 

[2saddleslab]

Bridge saddles from wooden dowels? did you do that too?
Can you describe the difference in tone? (without saying 'more woody'

These are the original style fiber [phenolic resin or "bakelite"] saddles found on original 51-54 P basses. The linen impregnated saddle [far right] is the type Fender used on my AVII54. The other two are plain phenolic resin. More info found here: https://www.talkbass.com/threads/doubled-my-fiber-intake.1674670/

What really surprised me is how consistent these saddles sound to solid brass or stainless steel. Rather than sounding dull or "woody" these saddles exhibit a crystal clear tone retaining nice crisp high end. Loved them so much I replaced the solid brass saddles my dad made on my 51/55 P bass.

 

[micguy]

Your left wrist has too much of a bend in it for that to be a good long term position. Putting your thumb in the middle of the back of the neck is probably forcing that bend - if you place your thumb more along the side of the neck, you'll find your wrist can be straighter. On a double bass (with a huge neck, and your left hand up by your ear), having your thumb in the middle of the back makes sense, but on an electric, the ideal thumb position is not the same - it's a different instrument. Hand size may introduce some variability in where your thumb should be, but for everyone, the best advice is to keep your wrists as straight/neutral as you can, and wherever that places your thumb, so be it.

 

[JohnBrown13]

Hello,
when I play on the lower frets, my left shoulder feels really awkward and I experience discomfort. I’ll share some photos—please let me know what adjustments I should make, as I currently can’t comfortably play on the lower frets for a three-minute song if needed.

For your information, in the pictures I’m using two different thumb placements—one in a “claw” position and the other with my thumb pointing toward the head stock. Win casino реальные деньги

That kind of discomfort usually comes from overall positioning rather than just the hand or thumb.
Try bringing the neck up a bit higher and closer to your body — if the bass sits too low, your shoulder has to work harder on the lower frets. Also check that you’re not reaching too far forward with your fretting arm.
Keeping the wrist more neutral and relaxing the shoulder can help a lot. If it still feels awkward, small strap adjustments can make a bigger difference than expected.