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necksize vs handsize

L

leechmaster

Oct 9, 2008
18
0
42
Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada
#1
ok so i have had my bass for a little while im kinda learnin slowly on my own. i have a epiphone 4 string i got of my ex's current boyfriend for 100$.

i am wondering how to know what side neck is best for what size hand is this just kind of a guess or is there a way to tell cause i find i have isses once i get down the the middle of the neck and farther with gettin my fingers on the top strings that being the e an a, also hard with cirtain songs movements from strings find it hard to get the proper pressure on the strings, i have small hands for my size i think.

anyways thanks in advance for any help it is apreciated
 
#2
There is no one size fits all neck. I have small hands, and play on the biggest necks I can get my hands on (currently, an Ovation Magnum). Some players with large hands dig on small necks. It's purely personal preference.

Also, don't let anybody tell you that small necks=fast necks. It's a complete misnomer - there's no such thing as a "fast neck".
 
#5
id say just get used to your current bass neack and not to worry, you will learn to get used to it in no time.

as for finger exercises, id say use yout index and middle and tap on the table or your leg to the beat of a song, then when you get on the bass you have the basics of the fingering action, then all you need to do is sit and work on getting tight clear notes on all strings. note this is not while playing a song, just excercise for your hands and brain.

once you have that done then you can work on timings and the rest of the complicated stuff. if you dont know basic music theory pull up a circle of 5ths (google will have loads) it makes transposing and creating bass lines much easier :)
 
#6
sounds good thanks, i went from guitar to bass since i have stubby gingers and found i could never get just one sting haha bass has worked out a little better with the 4 stings, i have a long way to go once im out of debt i think imma get some lessons at some point always nice to have someone to point out better ways or if im doin something wrong lol. but on a future not anyone got any sugestions for a nice smoothin playin bass in a reasonable price range i find this one is a bit of a pain to play on i tried my buddy's squire and it felt alot better perhaps that will be my next step maybe find a trade. i am also using a fendter rumble amp just a small one for what i do it works great at the moment
 
#7
what type of bass is it? i know you said epiphone but any idea on the model? cause if it has a standard 'fender' bridge the action will be pretty easy to adjust. if it has a 3 pin 'gibson' style like on a thunderbird then its a but more awkward to play.

really when i started my bass was terrible, and the replacement a year or so later wasnt much better LOL but you carry on and learn :) as long as bad habits dont set in too deep you will be ok.
 
#8
I'm a small dude, 5'7", and i have small hands and short stubby fingers for someone my height.

I play a 6 string bass (which is quite wide), and it's more comfortable to me than some 4 string basses. I'm sure there's some general rule for what MIGHT feel comfortable, but treat it as a sort of hazy guideline rather than "my hands are this big, therefore i need a neck of this size."
 
#9
i will try and find out for sure i think it is a special or something but i will double check took some pics tonite like 10 mins ago
 

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#11
I think this is the one thing you cannot tell from pics!

So you just have to try the bass!

Over about 20 - 30 years of playing bass guitar, I have found that there is no substitute for going to a shop and trying how the neck feels in your hands.

Some basses look great in photos, but feel really clunky and awkward in your hands...:hmm: Others that look like they might be a problem, feel very comfortable and "right"....?

Try before you buy!
 
#12
I have smaller hands and have not really run across a neck I considered to be uncomfortable. Some just required more extended physical hand movements than others which resulted in fatigue more than discomfort. I have no doubt I could probably get to used to any neck shape fairly quickly.
 
#13
yeah if i had gone to a shop and bought it i woulda tryed them out but i got it off an ex for a good price, 100 bux it was well taken care of he said 3 or 4 years old i think but he had the string losened for storage cause he was using a 5 sting and didnt need the four, im happy with it but im also lookin for a trade for another decent entry level the squire i tried out felt alot better in my hands so we shall see i put an ad up on kajiji for a swap
 
#14
Well you can still go into shops and try basses, even if you're not going to buy there - that's the way to find out! Otherwise you could be buying and selling basses for years without finding the right one - and usually you will lose out on deals a few times in the process....:hmm:
 
#16
eaaa410 said:
I have smaller hands and have not really run across a neck I considered to be uncomfortable. Some just required more extended physical hand movements than others which resulted in fatigue more than discomfort. I have no doubt I could probably get to used to any neck shape fairly quickly.
Click to expand...

But why settle for something that you have to put yourself out to get used to...? :hmm:

There are hundreds of brands and different types of basses out there - why not just find the one that suits you perfectly!!?? :)

I believe it's a good investment that pays in the long run - to get yourself to a good bass shop and try maybe 20 different types of bass and see what feels "right" in your hands - nothing else will do it and you could save money on deals and shipping of basses that are "so so" or "OK" - when you know it could be better...?
 
#17
I am about 192 cm and I have pretty big hands, and my neck is thick, wide and round (yamaha attitude) "baseball-bat" as some call em.. I like very big necks, cus i feel that the extra wood in the neck increases tone\sustain.
 
#18
I firmly believe that with proper posture, a small hand can maneuver around any neck.
Don't "palm" the back of the neck-- ideally, only the five fingertips on your fingering hand should be touching the bass, with your thumb in the middle of the back of the neck (on the stripe, if there is one). To help do this, wear the bass fairly high-- I have my straps adjusted so that my basses are the same height when I'm standing as they are when I'm sitting. In any case, forget about having it down by your waist. Finally, work on shifting your hand positions-- move your whole hand around, rather than keeping your thumb planted in one position and straining to reach notes.
If your work on this stuff, you can get around any neck, I believe.
Good luck!
 
#19
dougjwray said:
I have my straps adjusted so that my basses are the same height when I'm standing as they are when I'm sitting. In any case, forget about having it down by your waist. Finally, work on shifting your hand positions-- move your whole hand around, rather than keeping your thumb planted in one position and straining to reach notes.
Click to expand...

+100 very good advice imo ;)
 
#20
dougjwray said:
If your work on this stuff, you can get around any neck, I believe.
Good luck!
Click to expand...

But that doesn't mean that some necks suit you better than others....:eyebrow:

So all the Wals and Warwicks I have tried - have had uncomfortable chunky necks. So -even a 4 string neck!

Whereas other basses I have tried with wider, but flatter profiles like Lakland,Tobias,Yamaha etc. have felt much more comfortable under my hands.

I know I could play any bass - but given the amount of choice there is - why not choose the one that feels the most comfortable..?
 

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