Biscuit_Bass

20 hours ago, Twincam said:

I feel the action is a bit too high. I can't see the measurement for relief either.

 

And this isn't a reflection at all on the person or there setup skills by the way. Just I also charge people for a instrument work and feel that's a bit high. 

 

Really speaking ive found most people like somewhere in this region. On a 4 string, with standard tuning. 

E should be, 2.3mm - 2mm.

A 2mm and lower,

D 1.75 to 1.5 mm sometimes lower.

G 1.75 - 1.5 and lower.

Measured at the 17th fret.

Relief .009 - .004. Measured at the 7th fret. Sometimes vintage radius boards 7.5, 9.5 need more relief.

Pretty much any bass should be able to do these figures. 

 

Even though it may seem, that those numbers are not that different to yours, half a mm here and there, is a huge difference in playability. 

 

My current setup is 2.2mm to 1.3mm, relief .004. For comparison. 

It feels a lot nicer to play already. He did say he hadn't gone as low as he could because I'm so new to playing. I can always go lower if I feel like trying it further down the line, but it's quite a change from the stock setup the guitar arrived with.

Liking it so far!

4 hours ago, Ricky Rioli said:

 

I should have added that there is a time limit to that. My vague recollection is that it's 1 month.

Yes that's right. Chris informed me upon collection that I can take it back for any adjustments within a month 👍

Aah, in fact it was you that suggested Chris in my other post wasn't it!

13 minutes ago, Ricky Rioli said:

I recognise that handwriting! And I also recognise those numbers. He won't have dropped it as low as it will go, but to a place which is safe for all styles of playing. If you play with a very light touch, it's worth demonstrating that to him, so he understands what is suitable for you.

 

If you find that you wished he had lowered it a bit further, that adjustment is included in the price you have already paid, and can be done while you wait. 

You also in the York area then?

Seems like a good guy and knows his stuff. Being such a new player I don't really know what my style is yet but I did feel the stock set up was too high and just didn't look right even to me. Immediately feels nicer to play and I think I'll take it back to Chris in 6 months time if I feel anything needs changing.

Hi all,

Just got my bass back from a very basic check and adjustment as the instrument is so new.

Here's what's been done. Action was the same across all strings at first and has been lowered nicely I think.

Does this seem a reasonable action for a beginner?

Hi all,

Just wondering if there is a safe way to put a wall mounted stand on a piece of cavity wall/plasterboard that doesn't have any studding. The area where we'd like to have my guitar is where the bathroom pipework runs down inside a piece of cavity wall. Unfortunately no wooden stud to drill into.

Can it be done safely?

Cheers 

@Quatschmacherwhat did you decide in the end?

Cheers

On 16/01/2022 at 09:12, Stub Mandrel said:

Serious question. Why use 124 on an electric bass. You don't need two finger strength , and even people with smaller hands should have no trouble covering three frets with 123?

 

I'm just doing what is comfortable for me and avoiding pain. I'd rather do what's comfortable and avoid any injury than force myself to learn 1fpf at this stage. I'm guessing the more I play the more my fingers will naturally loosen up and stretch more, then I can try incorporating 1fpf later on. For now, I just want to learn without hurting myself.

Had my 2nd lesson on Friday and was using 1-2-4 with no issues over the hour long lesson so it's definitely an improvement! Fingers have been a bit sore the following day and today though but I'm assuming that's just DOMS 🤣

5 hours ago, itu said:

Has the bass been adjusted by a seasoned luthier? Are the strings very old and thick? How about a professional setup and a 40 - 100 set?

Not yet, I'm getting it booked in soon though - the local luthier I spoke to said to play the instrument for a few weeks to get a feel for what I want to change and to let the instrument settle a bit. According to Yamaha's website the stock strings it comes with are D'Addario EXL170 / 0.045-0.100.

 

5 hours ago, chris_b said:

 

If you are experiencing discomfort or pain stop doing whatever it is that is causing the problem. The bottom line. . . if you are experiencing pain then you are doing it wrong.

 

If the cause is 1fpf then stop and use 124.

 

On the lower notes, for most people, 124 is the better technique anyway. This is not because you are a learner, it's because you are trying to use the "wrong" technique for your hands. If you have big hands or are double jointed and can get away with 1fpf then OK but if you haven't got those hands, don't do it.

Yeah I've stopped trying for now and am shifting my hand up and down instead. I don't seem to be getting any pain now that I'm relaxing more.

On 04/01/2022 at 17:26, NickA said:

1 2 4 on double bass, up to the octave; then 1 2 3 or thumb 1 2 3.  But hand rotations are also used to get an extra semi-tone without moving the thumb (in fact there is a whole alternative double bass technique that uses rotations in every position). 

 

Something similar to double bass 124 on electric bass would be a good idea (and recommended by several good on line bass teachers) but electric basses dont have that natural break at the heel of the neck telling you / forcing you to change technique; so I struggle to work out when to change from 124 to 123(4) ... too confusing for my little brain; so one finger per fret all the way up - but I will do a back extension to get an extra semitone in without moving my thumb ... comes from also being a 'cellist, where we have to cover 6 semi-tones per position with only four fingers (tiny scale length)

 

Anyway to the OP, unless you have tiny hands, one finger per fret is simpler because if you try to use double bass 124 technique you will have to change to 123(4) at some point anyway.  Stick with it - it's a smaller reach than 124 on a double bass!

I think my issue at the moment, being so new to the instrument is the fact that I simply cannot do 1fpf. I'm sure it'll come, but it's just so uncomfortable/painful to even try at this stage. I'll keep trying occasionally, and hopefully as I improve I'll naturally fall into it as my fingers loosen up.

36 minutes ago, Maude said:

Is this plugged in or acoustically? 

Plugged in.

7 minutes ago, Doctor J said:

Pluck the string the other side of the nut, is this the same sound?

 

Also, while fretted, pluck between where it's fretted and the nut. I think the sounds you're hearing are there.

Very similar to these sounds, yes. Is it just something that happens or does my bass need some adjustment?

Wasn't sure what to call this topic but here's my question...

When pressing the 5th fret on the G string I can hear in the background what I believe is the harmonic? It's the same sound I get if I lightly touch the same spot, but no matter how hard I press, i can still hear the harmonic coming through very faintly in the background.

I also seem to get quite a lot of background noise from the other strings even though I'm not touching them.

Is this a set up issue?

Many thanks.

Thanks for the replies and suggestions everyone.

I took the day off yesterday to rest my hands and picked up my bass again today. I just experimented with what felt comfortable for me. I tried something very simple (with or without you by U2) to get used to shifting my hand up and down the fret board, and then started learning the C major scale.

I tried to keep my wrist straight and relaxed and experimented with different thumb positions to keep things comfortable and also kept things slow.

As many of you have suggested, I'll take a look at the simandi technique and try using my thumb as a pivot more tomorrow. Things are feeling much more comfortable after practice today, so I think that's a good sign. I'm not going to get tied up with 1fpf and instead work on position shifting of my hand to achieve the same result with 1-2-4

12 minutes ago, Quatschmacher said:

Check your bass is set up

properly too and you haven’t got really heavy strings on and/or really high action/high neck relief. 
 

There will be some discomfort until your fingertips build up some hard skin. 
 

I’d really recommend using double bass fingerings in the very first frets (fingers 1, 2 and 4 over a 3-fret space) as it’s a much more comfortable spacing, especially if you have a small hand span. 

I'm going to be phoning up on Monday to get it booked in for a set up. The person I spoke with said to wait a week or two and let the instrument settle before I take it in, but that's going to be the next step. The action does seem a little on the high side to me, but I don't really know anything about it so it's kind of a wild guess! I think the stock strings are "medium" but I might swap them for some lights, at least for now.

25 minutes ago, Steve Browning said:

I wonder where your bass is? Is it near your ankles? The position of the bass influences the bend of your wrist etc. This can have a bearing.

23 minutes ago, mr4stringz said:

A few thoughts -

 

1) Take into account the short attention span/immediate result la expectations that many have now online . That’s why there are loads of vids that will move you to playing songs at a gallop rather than a canter. If it feels to fast to do that then yes, take a step back.

 

2) What’s your playing position? Assuming you’re playing seated at present look at where your bass is positioned and where the neck is compared to players in seated positions you see elsewhere. It’ll help as a guide to ensure you’re nice and level and not playing with the neck loads further down (or up from) the body for example, and that you’re not getting j to bad posture habits early on, which all can make quite the difference. 

 

3) How long are you playing for in a stretch? As has been suggested above, shorter sprints might be better for you than settling in for marathons.

 

4) No one set formula is going to work well for one person to the next. But listen to your body above all else. 

I've tried to position it fairly high up, to try and keep the wrist as straight as possible, with the neck at a 45 degree angle and in the same position seated and standing. My practice is largely spent seated, but I've tried to adjust the strap so that it is as close as possible to the same seated and standing.

I'm trying not to spend more than 15-20 minutes at most practicing. That time is spent focussing on keeping my wrist and hand as relaxed as possible, paying attention to my thumb position and what works for me to reduce the discomfort as much as possible. I've seen a few videos saying to keep the thumb in line with the middle finger, but others saying to position it where it is sticking to the "neutral position" which might be pointing towards the headstock, allowing for a straightened wrist.

Hi all,

So as a total beginner who's been experiencing discomfort in my fretting wrist (I have weak joints in my wrists anyway), I have started looking for videos/posts addressing the problem. The majorty of them say to slow things right down, and literally focus on fretting a single note with each finger in turn to first build up strength. For example, 3rd fret on the E string with index, middle, ring, pinkie in turn, before even thinking about trying to do 1 finger per fret.

With the vast array of online tuition these days, many of them seem to be getting the complete beginner playing tunes as soon as possible (by the end of the first lesson in many cases). For me, I have found many of the basslines a bit of a stretch (literally) which has been causing me pain and discomfort because I'm focussing on playing the tune, rather than good technique and finding a comfortable way of fretting. So, should these online courses be cut into bite size chunks and more attention be paid to the VERY basics for a longer period of time?

Of course I would like to be playing basslines ASAP but I feel like it's going to be much more of a benefit to sort out my fretting arm,hand and wrist to try and get it relaxed as possible in various positions.

What advice do you all have and would you agree with the above?

Many thanks

13 minutes ago, FDC484950 said:

I would imagine you might be locking your wrist and/or fingers and may not be as relaxed as you think, or in stretching your fingers apart you’re getting tension across the back of your hand. As you’re new you won’t have likely developed much of a stretch with the fingers, so generally the only way to hold the strings down is with tension rather than technique. Don’t play through any sharp pain as that’s not a good sign, but a slight ache from playing isn’t necessarily bad, especially when starting out.

I would practice fretting a single note, press the string down onto the fret less and less until the string buzzes, then just add a tiny bit more pressure to remove the buzz. That’s exactly how much pressure you need to fret, and it’s probably a lot less than you are using. Get control of each finger and the pressure you use to fret a note with each, and look at span separately. I don’t recommend playing one finger per fret constantly below the 5th fret unless the player has very large hands and/or plays a short scale bass (32” or less). I assume you’re playing a 4 string bass (correct me if I’m wrong), so for most players one finger per fret should be fine down to the 5th fret, maybe a little further, and fine for the odd line lower, but not for constant playing as it’s asking for tendon issues over time.

I would say it's more like a burning ache than sharp pain. Similar to when you hold your arms out to your side for a long time and your shoulder tenses up and aches badly.

I'll practice fretting single notes as you suggest, and try for each finger in turn. You're correct about it being a 4 string. Yamaha TRBX304. I tried a couple in gear4music and the TRBX304 felt most comfortable and has a slightly narrower neck which helps, but still aching quite a lot. The guitar is also set up out of the box and to me the action seems quite high. Would that be contributing to my difficulties? I'm going to take it to a luthier after I've played it for a couple of weeks so any adjustments can be made. I'm thinking it might help to lower it a touch.

Cheers

34 minutes ago, TheLowDown said:

The neck should be around 45 degrees so that your wrist is not at such an uncomfortable angle. I don't know anything about what bass you're using or how you're holding it, so at a guess there may be neck dive, which means that I would invest in good wide leather strap that has rough material on the inside to grip well. The more it grips the less effort you use to hold the bass in a comfortable position, which means that you can focus on playing and have less fatigue over a long play session.

 

Try using the simandl technique where your little finger and ring finger are pressed together to give extra strength to your fretting. The nerves in the little finger and ring finger are joined anyway, so this makes them less independent from each other than other fingers.

 

But yeah a lot of it is just building up the required muscles and actions in your hand an fingers.

Thanks for the reply.

Is that 45 degrees up and away from my body? Or just raised up by 45 degrees?

Cheers

Hi all,

So I haven't been playing long at all, literally a few days, so it may just be that I'm being impatient but here's the problem I'm having....

I try to maintain a straight wrist and a relaxed position with my fretting hand but I'm finding it extremely difficult to do... everything just hurts. Even starting on the 5th fret I struggle to place 1 finger per fret and I find my wrist bending in weird ways to try and reach the strings and it causes quite a lot of pain in my wrist as a result. Is this just my body not being used to playing guitar? Is this something a lot of new players experience and what are some good practice methods to try and help and keep everything relaxed?

Many thanks

Hi all,

Just wondering what you all use to clean the various parts of your guitar.

Cheers

28 minutes ago, Ricky Rioli said:

This has all been pretty basic stuff, but Chris at Wintaura set up three basses for me over the last 18 months, and I've been very happy with the results. The neck on a older bass needed a new nut shaping and fitting, to bypass an S bend which had developed around the first fret. 

 

Young, friendly, conscientious guy. He's on Campleshon Road, between the Bishy Road and the racecourse.

It would just be for an initial check/set up on a brand new guitar (my first bass) and that's only a 5 minute drive from me so sounds perfect!

Hi all,

Can anyone recommend a luthier in York? I've spotted a couple about a 45 minute drive away but wondered if there's any in/around town that other members have used.

Cheers

Thanks everyone for the replies. I'm liking the look of the semi rigid options so I'll have a closer look at some of those and see which I like.

6 hours ago, Skybone said:

Like anything, it all depends on how much you want to spend.

 

You could get something like: Thomann E-Bass Case ABS – Thomann UK   or Tourtech ABS Case for a reasonable price. Both will fit most basses, and neither will break the bank.

 

A Hiscox case would be a great buy, but if you ever sold the TRBX, you would probably be better either keeping the case, or selling it separately. 

 

The big question is, will you be using the case to store the bass and carry it to rehearsals/gigs etc.? Or will you be doing loads of travelling nationally and/or internationally and need a case that'll give your bass that extra protection?

 

 

Most of the time at home it will be out on its stand. The case would be for transporting to/from lessons etc.

Would a bag be sufficient?