What is the most comfortable body shape for solidbodies?

Some people like the Jazz bass for comfort, although the body is larger than a P bass. I tried a Lakland Jazz and it was even more comfortable...a bit smaller bodied, I think. Bacchus makes very nice Jazz basses that are slightly downsized, too.
I bought a Dean Motto Jazz and it feels great standing or sitting, but my Sterling SUB 4 beats them all for comfort.

Motto

Bacchus

Sterling

 

I like the Jazz-size bass body. It's a little bigger than most, but the offset and contours make it comfy,

Most comfortable body style (for me) were the Spectors that were concave in the back and rounded off everywhere else.

 

This is a personal preference. But this is my own:

I feel confortable with some big bodies like JB, PB and MM. I like too much the size and lenght of their top cutaways going closet the #12 fret, ´cause they help me a lot to balance the bass guitar.

Small bodies like Ibanez, Warwick, Spector, Tobias,... usually they have their top cutaway a bit short for me. They have great bodies by all those sexy and contoured shapes, even some of them they have the famous concave shapes thought for the gust, but when I rest my twist/back forearm I don´t feel so nice when I play all this basses. This is the main reason that I dislike too some edges like Telecaster, Thunderbird or Les Paul style.

 

Depends on the body shape of the player. Basses I found perfectly comfortable when I was young and thin may not be now that my circumference has increased, and vice-versa.

 

I am spoiled by Roscoe. The Century is the body for me. I have a fretted 5 and a fretless 5 being built. Can't imagine playing anything else.

 

I was amazed by the Steinberger paddles.
No body to speak of that interferes with the right arm. Also, super light and the missing headstock takes a while to get used to.
But if comfort was everything, i'd get one of those. I bought a cheap copy a while back but that does not have that thingy mounted on the back that supports your belly.

 

The Spector NS 1 and 2 shapes, copied by Warwick for the Streamer Stage I, are very comfortable on the strap. Seated the only issue for me is the apparent long reach for the first fret and a bit of neck dive, but not a deal breaker. Whenever I go back to my Fenders I am always surprised at how big the bodies are, and on the strap how uncomfortable my plucking hand position is.

 

Because some people bodies are concave and some are convex there is no one most comfortable shape for a bass body.

 

This would all be personal preference to the player. There is no one shape fits all.

 

There's something to be said about the classic Fender bodies... and probably a reason they've never really changed. Long top horn for balance and the forearm and gut contours make for alot of comfort.

 

+1

Why do people ask for opinions and then argue when they don't agree?

 

The contoured bodies of the Rickenbacker 4004 series are hard to beat. You may have to search the years to find the best neck profile for you,because that has changed quite a bit since they were introduced.

 

I designed and built this one for optimal body/bass interface - It was based on a 22 fret Fender American Standard "boner" J which I find very comfortable and well balanced. My Supernova has advantages over the A/S in being a bit lighter and it stands up straight leaning against an amp.

 

Shape wise Jazz basses work for me. I wouldn't mind less weight though, as long as the bass is still balanced with no neck dive.

 

That's a great looking bass, and the finish is outstanding, JIO! Thunderbirds are the most comfortable for me. I don't expect too many people to agree, but that's OK. Once you get them balanced right, you can have the neck very close to vertical without a horn digging into your ribcage. That's what I like.

 

Gotta be a Ric!
Oh, wait a minute, you said MOST comfortable. I retract my Ric vote.

 

P.