• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Ouch! My wrist!

Swampish

Swampish

Dec 31, 2015
631
721
Quebec, Canada
#1
I just recently started playing my new/used 2004 Stingray. My other primary basses are an American Performer Precision and a Sterling Ray34 (which, in theory, the new Ray will replace). To date, I've had no issues with any of my basses in terms of impacting or damaging my hands or wrists. However, after doing a couple of practices with the new beast, I experienced some pretty severe tendonitis in my left (fretboard side) wrist. Swelling in the forearm, could barely rotate my arm to playing position. So it's been several days of no playing, icing the wrist and keeping it elevated all of which is helping.

Now, I'm wondering is it likely something distinctive about the bass that lead to this or would it have happened no matter which bass I played? I never had the issue with the Sterling, which is VERY similar.

Is there anything specific about the Ray's neck/shape that could account for this? Maybe need to raise the bass height so I play it higher? I play low-ish, but not that low (body is centered just a notch below my belt).
Thanks for any enlightenment!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Fergie Fulton
#2
I'm sure some will say that your technique is bad, or you need to correct your playing position or something... but, I don't know.

Can't really comment about your particular basses, but I can tell you my experience...
I played a tele bass for a long time that has a big neck. 1.62" at the nut I think, but it's big front to back. Lot's of chunk - baseball bat.
Now I play a Jazz. 1.5" at the nut, but also is fairly thick.
I've never had any problem with either of those basses. The tele is obviously "harder" to play - but in the way that can make you approach your lines in a different way or whatever.

Now, I've had a few different P basses. Including a very nice AVRI 1962 P Bass. That bass in particular, but a few of the P Basses, caused me pain, exactly like you describe. Pain in my wrist, hand, and all the way down through my forearm. I sold that AVRI P, and a couple other P Basses because of this.

Maybe changing your bass height, or the angle of the neck, or your right hand position will fix the problem,,, but man, I just want to pick up a bass that I like, play it without thinking about it, and not feel any pain.

That AVRI P Bass has a wide nut -1.71" I think, but it also had a very "flat" neck. Very thin from front to back. - That's what I blame it on. Or maybe the way the body is shaped works into the way I position the bass,,, who knows.

What I've decided is that I'm not looking to rework my form or retrain myself,,, I'm looking for a bass that feels good in MY hands, the way they are. One reason I've committed to never buying a bass without playing it first.
I'm not gonna buy and play a Ric, just because. I'm going to play a Rick because I played it, and it feels great in my hands - and then after that, looks cool, and is a Rick, and sounds cool, and all the other stuff.

There is SO much variation in neck shape - even between the same models.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TolerancEJ, JackNasty, Katthestar and 1 other person
#8
metron said:
If your left wrist is bent when you play standing, then that is likely the issue. Raise the bass a bit. I set my straps such that my left wrist stays pretty straight. It doesn't look as cool as having it down low but you get much better leverage against the fretboard.
Click to expand...
Yeah, getting the sense that it might be sitting a bit higher. Thinking that might be it. Just surprised that versus the Sterling there would be a difference given the similarity between the two.
 
#10
I wonder, is it possible you were excited about your new bass, and practiced longer hours than usual? The most common cause of tendonitis is simply overdoing it, too much too soon.

If you post a video or some "hand selfies" over in the Technique forum, I'm sure you'll get some good advice on wrist-safe techniques. :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: dkelley and bolophonic
#11
Coolhandjjl said:
Perhaps the best thing is to hire an experienced teacher for an hour to go over your technique and make suggestions.

I was advised that if I wanted to play the DB, that was an absolute necessity as any bad technique with the doghouse could lead to long term/permanent damage.
Click to expand...
Might make sense, just seems weird after almost 40 years to suddenly have this happen. While it was most likely from the new bass. Thinking there might be some other source of the problem, but don't want to take that chance.
A refresher with a teach might not be a bad idea on several fronts though. Good suggestion.
 
#12
Mushroo said:
I wonder, is it possible you were excited about your new bass, and practiced longer hours than usual? The most common cause of tendonitis is simply overdoing it, too much too soon.

If you post a video or some "hand selfies" over in the Technique forum, I'm sure you'll get some good advice on wrist-safe techniques. :)
Click to expand...
This is definitely a possibility, have had quite a few gigs lately and have been practicing a bit more than usual. maybe that combined with a slight change in left hand position (maybe even without the position change) could have overworked the tendon/ligament.
 
#16
Swampish said:
Ouch! My wrist!
Click to expand...
omb.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kipp Harrington
#17
Swampish said:
Might make sense, just seems weird after almost 40 years to suddenly have this happen. While it was most likely from the new bass. Thinking there might be some other source of the problem, but don't want to take that chance.
A refresher with a teach might not be a bad idea on several fronts though. Good suggestion.
Click to expand...
Ahhhaaa. After 40 years? Well, age may be a factor. Funny things happen to all of us as we jog down the path of life. Just sayin’.
 
  • Like
Reactions: giacomobass
#18
It's not the shape of your neck. A few millimeters of differences isn't going to cause forearm pain in one situation and not the other. If anyone implies this, they're crazy. A couple of things that MAY be applying:
  • Get a strap that grips, so that the bass neck isn't diving and parallel to the floor. If I had a dime for all of the issues this would solve for people on this forum. Holding the bass neck up while also fingering the frets is not comfortable. You might just be used to it, but it doesn't have to strain. Edit: Suede-back straps are life. If I could magically give everyone on TalkBass one, we’d see the disappearance of neck dive threads.
  • Raise your bass on your strap. You said its center is below your belt buckle? That could be putting unnecessary strain on the forearm, especially if you have short arms. You could be having to reach down AND flexing your wrist backward to reach the frets. No bueno for the long term. My buddy used to play in a punk band and wore his bass super low for the look, but ended up having to take a few months off because he was playing through pain. It shouldn't hurt to play.
  • Related to above - Straight wrist. Your hand shouldn't have bend back toward you in most positions.
  • Play octaves with index and pinky. In most cases, this is the best choice, especially on the first five frets. Sure, I can reach the octaves with my index and ring, but why strain?
If you're having to ice your wrist and you're unable to rotate your arm, it is not the construction of your bass. It's not the fingerboard radius, or the string spacing. There are adjustments that need to be made. The bullets above are just some things could help. There are many more.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Watchootognbout, Sonicfrog, Katthestar and 1 other person

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back