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Double Bass Short girl/small hands/wants to play DB

J

JigsawYouth

Apr 16, 2011
4
0
#1
I'm brand new here, so I hope I'm posting in the most relevant thread. I feel like I am. Anyway...

I'm a recent convert from electric/acoustic guitar. I have fallen completely in love with bass. I've been playing electric bass for almost a year now. Thing is, I'm totally enamoured with the DB. I'm practically dreaming about it.

I'm 5'3 or so. My hands are pretty ****ing small, BUT, I can hold my own on a Jazz bass. I can tear it up. And my pinky is strong as hell by now.

I was wondering if this is a feasible dream for me, to play DB. If it is, what size bass would be good? 3/4? 1/2 is pretty much for children right? I want to play psychobilly/rockabilly.

I know this probably isnt the most captivating question, so I appreciate y'all reading it and giving me feedback (and encouragement?)

rock n' roll
 
#2
Try a 3/4 size first. There's all sorts of smaller people playing one. Maybe try renting one first, and if you can't get your hands around it then go for a 1/2 size. they're not for kids, there are people who use them.

I've heard of teachers staring people who have smaller hands in the middle register of the bass (near the neck joint) as the stretches aren't as far and you can move closer to the nut as your hands get used to the stretch.

good luck!

eerbrev
 
#5
Indeed, start with a teacher and a 3/4. Likely, you'll be fine but you should have someone knowledgeable help you to evaluate what's appropriate. Where do you live? Are you near any real bass shops?

BTW, the title of the thread says "Short girl" but your profile says "Male." :)
 
#6
There are several schools of fingering on upright, but bottom line is that with the right technique you can play the heck out of it with small hands. Don't let that stop you for a minute. Just make sure you get a great teacher, someone who really know what they are doing and is easy to work with. Can't emphasize that enough. Will save you years of wasted efforts.
 
#7
Full grown men at 6' play 3/4, but you can drop the peg all the way down and probably fit it just fine. Especially if you're in heals :D Your hand size won't be a factor. It's more of a challenge on the bass guitar, so if you got that down, then the DB shouldn't be an issue. Definitely agree with the above and suggest renting one for a week or two to see if it's all you think it will be. It's a totally different world then the bass guitar.

Edit: +1 on the above with getting an instructor should you decide you want to persue the DB. The technique is completely different then the bass guitar, and proper technique is paramount. You can develop bad habits early and those will only inhibit your playing down the road. I picked up several bad habits on the bass guitar when I started playing that after 3 years of DB lessons. It took a lot of training to get those smoothed out.
 
#9
I am a 5' 6" male. For years I was convinced that I was too short to play the upright bass until I heard a heard (and watched) a woman about your height make a 3/4 bass walk like a pro. And look good doing it. That took away all my excuses, and I couldn't be happier. Go for it!
 
#10
A lot of votes for a 3/4...

... there is more to it.

The scale length (i.e., bridge to nut) of what is considered a full size electric bass guitar is 34" (not counting the 35/36" electrics that some have). I'm presuming your current Jazz bass is 34".

The scale length of a 1/4 size bass is about 35". Which is slightly longer than a full size electric.

1/2 size is about 38.5", plus or minus 1/4" or so.

3/4 size is about 41.75

There are 5/8 scale double basses somewhere in between the 1/2 and 3/4 sizes.

If you are on your way to becoming a 'serious' DB player, especially with small hands, you should NOT be using your third finger alone - until thumb position. Fingerings are 1,2 and 3+4 -- half-steps apart. Get a Simandl book (along with a good teacher).

x0658.jpg


Then you'll need a pickup, preamp, amp, speakers and a roadie. :D
 
#11
Cool to hear about your bass love. Go for it.

+1 on getting a serious (pro) player for a teacher and a 3/4 size bass. You can rent something for a while, like a Shen hybrid, etc.

It ain't about the height or the hands. Wanting to play and having somebody show you how will get you all you need.

Welcome.
 
#13
JigsawYouth said:
I'm brand new here, so I hope I'm posting in the most relevant thread. I feel like I am. Anyway...

I'm a recent convert from electric/acoustic guitar. I have fallen completely in love with bass. I've been playing electric bass for almost a year now. Thing is, I'm totally enamoured with the DB. I'm practically dreaming about it.

I'm 5'3 or so. My hands are pretty ****ing small, BUT, I can hold my own on a Jazz bass. I can tear it up. And my pinky is strong as hell by now.

I was wondering if this is a feasible dream for me, to play DB. If it is, what size bass would be good? 3/4? 1/2 is pretty much for children right? I want to play psychobilly/rockabilly.

I know this probably isnt the most captivating question, so I appreciate y'all reading it and giving me feedback (and encouragement?)

rock n' roll
Click to expand...

Congrats on the switch, firstly!

Second of all, I have (or had, depends on if you ask me or her) a friend who's actually your same height who plays a 3/4. She gets around on it as well as I do--she's actually got small fingers, but then again, I have long fingers so maybe it's just a bad comparison.

1/2 isn't necessarily for children. If you listen to Tom Waits, Greg Cohen, Tom's bassist for the album "Orphans" recorded on a half.

3/4 is the standard size, so I'd advise that. That way, if you ever need to borrow a bass or if somebody just tosses you one and tells you to play, you don't have to acclimate yourself to different spacing between notes. Also, most higher-quality basses are 3/4 size basses as well.

If it's the volume of the instrument that deters you, I think Upton makes a custom model that's got a 5/8 body with a 3/4 fingerboard and string-length, but don't quote me on that.

I wouldn't get any of the books or anything just yet. I'd get a teacher first. Knowledge in human societies is based off of building what the people before you have done--using their findings and successes to make yourself successful and hopefully add to their progress to contribute to whatever route of study you choose. This applies to instruments, as well. Double Bass is like that, and I find that so amazing about it. You're riding the same wave as Dragonetti, Koussevitsky, NHOP, Ray Brown and Gary Karr and you're laying down your own masonry to the bass-knowledge collective. The only way to really and effectively absorb it (unless you're some virtuoso born with a natural knowledge of it) is to get a teacher, though.

I've been making notes on the bass for seven years--and I say making notes because I've only started playing it in the past year. It used to be just a mechanical process for me--put fingers here, pluck this string, makes this note. But when I got serious about it and when I really fell in love with it, I felt and still feel the same thing you're talking about. I named my bass Martha--I see her in my dreams, think about her when I can't play her and she's always somewhere in the background of my head. I've stopped identifying myself as a student in school anymore--I'm a bassist now, and when people ask me what I do, that's what I tell them.

I do suggest learning at least basic orchestral repertoire, though, because already I've found that even the simple, rudimentary pieces will show up again and they will come back to haunt you. You'll find little bits of one piece that crop up again in another in some way--some fingering that's similar or even the same phrase with different bowings or the notes are different lengths. It's a good foundation to build off of.

Best of luck!
 
#14
The rule of thumb is that, when the bass height is adjusted, the nut should be about eyebrow height. 1/2 sizes are usually recommended for people about 5'6" or less. BUT you've seen lots of people here say they manage OK with 3/4s. Especially for rockabilly style playing.

Engelhardts have necks thinner than most and might be easier for you. They are great rockabilly basses too. Medley's have very thin necks - if the Engelhardt's are too big, find a Medley.
 
#17
I have smaller hands and a bass witha neck like a baseball bat.My teacher has a bass witha a nice thin neck so my solution was to take my bass to my luthier and have the neck reshaped,saved me the trouble of looking for a new bass and now its a dream to play,so if you find a bass and think its neck is hard to play that might be a soulution for you.
 
#18
Quote: Would an electric upright be an option? Are they the same size as an orchestral db?

Replay: No and no.
Click to expand...

It's always an option. If you end up amplifying (by way of a pickup) a "real" DB, you essentially end up with an EUB.

They are indeed the same size in terms of bridge-to-nut length - if you are referring to 3/4 scale (although there are shorter EUBs). If you want a 7/8 or 4/4 scale DB, I am not familiar with any EUBs of those sizes.

Now, as far as "image"?

Get a DB with some decals or flames painted onto the body (of the DB).

471879928_2HwMp-L.jpg


Even with heels on, that bass looks enormous!
 
#19
Stick_Player said:
It's always an option. If you end up amplifying (by way of a pickup) a "real" DB, you essentially end up with an EUB.

They are indeed the same size in terms of bridge-to-nut length - if you are referring to 3/4 scale (although there are shorter EUBs). If you want a 7/8 or 4/4 scale DB, I am not familiar with any EUBs of those sizes.

Now, as far as "image"?

Get a DB with some decals or flames painted onto the body (of the DB).

471879928_2HwMp-L.jpg


Even with heels on, that bass looks enormous!
Click to expand...

Hey! I know her! Verity is good people... and she tears that thing up! :D
 

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