Daveee

I really appreciate your help folks. After some thought I've decided to back out. In fairness the seller processed a full refund within minutes of me requesting it. The combination of buying on the strength of photos and shipping costs swayed it. Shame as it looked ideal for me. Where do I find a medium scale bass, slim neck, around 3kg in the UK? Thanks again. Dave

Yes, I'm UK based. Appreciate shipping isn't cheap. I pressed the button as finding a lightweight, medium scale with slim neck in excellent condition isn't easy. Is 1999 necessarily better than 2007 manufacture? It's a Yamaha Motion B Thanks.

Advice please guys. I've paid for a Yamaha Motion bass from a reputable seller in Australia. The advert indicates it was made in 1999. After paying for it I asked for the serial number out of curiosity. The seller has sent photos and explained that he misinterpreted and it is actually a 2007, quite possibly an innocent mistake. It's one of the last made at the Hangzhou factory in China. I know there's a big debate about whether Chinese made instruments are inferior. It is ideal for me being medium scale, 37mm nut and very light at just over 3kg, apparently in excellent condition. I'm a relative novice. Can wiser heads give opinions on whether I go ahead? Thanks Dave

Thanks for that extra addition.

Random question - which medium scale has the thinnest neck? Mezzo?

I'm definitely going to concentrate on my technique rather than just buy a different bass but I must admit I'm curious about the Ibanez mezzo which is a medium scale at 32". Anyone tried one? I like the idea of short scales and from what I've heard the sound would appeal to me but I can't deny they look like toys. Maybe a medium scale would be a decent compromise?

Thanks for those comments. Definitely sounds like my technique is the problem and I will be getting face to face lessons shortly which should address it. I play sitting down with a comfy strap taking the weight of the bass. I'd seen that Adam Neely video before but it was definitely worth another watch. What he says makes sense but contradicts what many other teachers say (keep your thumb behind your index finger .... keep your fingers in line with the frets ...) Hopefully my teacher will show me the right way (if such a thing exists).

OK thanks. I'm hoping to start lessons soon, presumably my teacher will recommend a suitable practice routine.

Bear in mind I've only been playing for less than 3 months. One of the things I'm doing is playing major and minor scales starting at the bottom of the E string going as high as I can and then back down. So if I've got this right and I play, say a D or D# minor scale my little finger is above the 12th fret.

I think that's spot on actually. I have face to face lessons planned and I'm hopeful the teacher will help me sort this out. Thanks.

Any particular model?

All interesting stuff. It sounds like it shouldn't be so much of an issue in the real world. I've only been playing a few months and am mostly playing scales and exercises rather than riffs and songs so the issue arises when I try to play a scale beyond the 12th fret. Just out of interest are there any basses (apart from the hofner) which stay slim all the way up. Everyone talks up the Ibanez SR500 but if I'm right it measures 62mm at he 24th fret which is pretty much the same as my Yamaha TRBX 174.

Thanks again folks. My thumb is roughly central on the back of the neck but when I get beyond the 12th fret I have to pretty much take it off the neck and bend my wrist more than is healthy/comfortable in order to get my little finger on the E string. I appreciate it's hard to visualise. As I said, I'm seeing a teacher soon so will hopefully sort it out then.

Thanks for that comment, I'll see what my teacher says when I see him.

Thanks folks, I'm going to stick with a full scale, I just wondered whether there was a "quick win" in terms of a narrower neck all the way up. I read a lot about Ibanez SR basses and wonder what they are like. I've been doing an online course for a couple of months but am going to take some face to face lessons soon, I'll ask the person I'm seeing.

Hi folks, sorry if this has already been done to death... I'm a beginner with small hands. I'm resisting the temptation to swap my Yamaha TRBX 174 (which I like) for a short scale. I'm focusing on trying to get a good technique instead. What I struggle with is the width of the neck from the 12th fret upwards. Even with my palm/hand hard up against the bottom of the neck my little finger doesn't reach the E string properly. My bass is 40mm at the nut. I'm told Ibanez have slim necks but as far as I know the width at the nut is 38mm so the difference with my bass is marginal and I assume the same would apply further up the neck. Are there any basses which are narrow, higher up the neck and/or does anyone have any advice. Thanks Dave