Paolo85

So, is the P bass a short scale? That would make it easier to play for most people. Else, the answer could be both. Some people work better with neck of a certain shape. But unless the two basses have similar action, nut cut at a similar height (very important), and strings with similar tension, you'll never know for sure it's the neck shape that makes the playing easier. Also, the difference between P and J is roughly 4mm in terms of nut width. But there are other elements such as the type of frets, thickness back to front, or the type of finish that you may find more or less comfortable, and not all Ps and Js are the same in that respect.

Back to the OP's question, I found myself in a similar situation lately with backache issues, on days when I was practicing hard in view of starting to play with other people. Much like the OP, I have realised that "normal" short scale basses do not work for me. But I have found, at good prices here on the classifieds, two alternatives that do work -Ibanez mezzo 32 scale. It is just a good compromise. Plus, like most soundgears, it has an extremely comfortable shape, it is very light, and has a great balance -Harley Benton HB60.. and I imagine other short-scale semihollow could be even better. Unlike normal short scale basses, these are not small. They are as long as a P bass, because the body extends way after the bridge. So you get the short-scale comfort for the fretting hand, but the bass is positioned somewhat similarly to a P in terms of where the hands fall. The bass is light, but it is a neck diver. However, because of the very wide body, the plucking hand's forearm can rest on the body when the bass is on the strap, without resulting in a funny angle for the wrist. This keeps the bass in position. To be honest, I still think the HB does not feel amazing. I use a dual strap to make it work smoothly. But I tried an Aria semihollow in a shop last weekend, and the neck was so light that holding the body as described was a breeze. So I guess there are certainly options available (I imagine for example a guild starfire, which has a smaller nut width, and tuners, while big, could be replaced with hipshot licensed ultralight. But that's just a guess) Hope this helps

I had one, I thought good but stupidly heavy. If I was to go for a 5-string again I'd probably try a HB B550 or something Ibanez

Lord, forgive them; they don't know what they're doing.

I hear you! While I can't say I hate that, it is a pity. I suppose part of the "problem" is how much the sound of rithmic guitar and keyboards has changed since the 60's. Guitars shifted from being thin, limited in dynamics but charming to a beast that can make all imaginable noises. The bass had to take a step back as guitars go centre stage.. ...of course that's not the only reason. It's also, quite simply, a style that seem to work. Unfortunately, in a way

I have watched the first two (25th and 24th) and number one. I think, and this links to other comments in here, there is a problem in assessing a virtuouso bass player by isolating a moment in which they show off. This is something they do. It is not a summary of what they do. Number 24 was Victor Bailey. I did not like the solo in the video. I happen to love Victor Bailey and he is not a showoff. He is very expressive, emotional and measured As for number 1, Wooten, it's not like he's spent his career doublethumping flat out. He's not one of my favourites I think as I am not much into slap. But you can hear him here supporting Bela Fleck's band And you can hear him being a powerful presence but always interacting with the band in my favourite album of his

I tend to sell a bass after a few months I don't play it. I have decided that I don't want to keep more than 2-3 basses in total so one in one out pretty much

I heard that this, while short scale, is actually big and heavy?

I am not an expert but to me your wrist looks fairly straight. The problem though is that in order to achieve that you keep the bass very much on your side. Not sure there is anything wrong with that per se but a big problem I'd see is that if you play standing with a strap the difference in terms of where the bass stands relative to you is must be huge. As for not resting the arm.. well, if I do not follow "the rules" and bend my wrist and rest the arm, I get pain. The way to avoid it is to lift the arm a bit. Hard work at first, but apparently not as damaging. If you do not have room to lift the arm as your shoulder gets all weird, then maybe that's another downside of keeping the bass on the side. Maybe try to have it pointing more toward your left

Yes good point here. Granted, I do think that musicians famous for their chops (including famous bass players) often overindulge in solos that are boring. Unfortunately that's good business for them and I imagine irresistible for their egos. But at the opposite end of the spectrum, famous sessionmen that are celebrated for "serving the song" often overindulge in dull bass lines for cheesy dull songs, which are very good business for all parties involved. This whole idea of serving the song, while correct in principle, pushed to the extreme, to me, is the death of music. The problem is, what is the song? If the song is a simple pop song, I appreciate that serving it means doing certain simple things. If the song is of a different nature - god forbid maybe an instrumental song - serving it may mean, at the right time, enriching it with some more complex bass lines. And it may even mean, at the right time, that the bass should take the lead.

Pino Palladino.

I have had a SS Squier Jaguar for a few weeks. I see what you mean. Neck dive depends on design and relative weigh of neck and body. And I must say on the personal opinion of what level neck dive is annoying. So there is no simple answer to the question but in general, yes, lightweigh tuners help. My bass was a massive neck diver. I have put hipshot licensed ultralight on, car wheel balance weighs at the back, and I have used Dunlop straplocks to "extend" the top horn. The bass is still neck heavy - which I don't like. But it is not a neck diver. As for the general feeling of awkwardness, I have realised that, if I try to keep the headstock pretty much at the same height as it would be on a long-scale, the body remains much higher, so my plucking hand is all crimped. Also, the headstock is closer, so even my fretting hand is a bit crimped. Because of that, I am experimenting with just keeping the strap longer and it helps. It turns out that, while my SS bass is undoubtedly easier on the fretting hand, overall I am not so sure it is more comfortable than my long-scale perfectly balanced P bitsa. But I don't have arthritis. With that, the SS would win. I'd just shop for one with better balance (or better hopes of balancing with a few adjustments)

Well, they advertised their strings as being unusual, with thick core and high tension. I wasn't sure what to make of it tbh. Also, I didn't know gauge would be so important for me (I use 40-100 on long scale). In fact, maybe gauge is not that important. It just becomes an issue with the Newtone, which they describe as "bright and punchy" - and they are, I would say very high-mid focused the nickels, but quite at the expense of thump. Still, this time I am not up for experimenting.

Please someone correct me if any of this is wrong as I am fairly new to that myself. Daw is a software that you install in your computer. It can read the signal coming from musical instruments/microphones, and record it. In order for this signal to reach the software, the sound from your instrument should be converted into a digital signal. For this, you buy an Audio Interface. It is essentially a box, connected to the computer, where you plug the bass or other stuff in and does does the conversion. A DI to my understanding is used to send the signal from a bass to a mixer, if you want to go through that. A highly reccommended not super expensive AI is the Scarlett Focusrite, which gives you also free access to a basic version fo DAW software Ableton.

Probably Jerry Jemmott in Albert King's My Feelings For The Blues