Hands fitting necks...

[LukeFRC]

For years and years I played a certain bass, then I replaced it with another bass essentially the same. It has a big wide flat neck. Never a problem
I have small short fingers.

Then I started playing another bass with a narrower neck accross the fretboard. My playing has progressed.



The original bass doesn't fit my hand any more. I can feel myself straining to reach, and some things I can't do quick enough that I can on the thinner necked bass.


It's all a bit odd, anyone else experienced this? Is it just that one fits my hand (it does) and the other one is a compromise - or is it that I've just got used to what I'm playing and with practice and time I will be able to go from one to the other no problem.

I was always a tiny bit proud I could get by on the wider necked bass with no problems given my stubby fingers - no moaning from me! but it does make a difference.
(and does it mean no 5 strings for me ever?!)

[cameltoe]

Yup,

A fender Road Worn precision was my go-to bass, with it's 1.75" width, for a few years. Didn't really play anything else in that time, and found the RW very comfortable to play even though, like you, I have short stubby fingers. I had to have the action very low though.

Picked up a Japanese Precision a couple of years back with a 1.625" width at nut, and suddenly everything felt faster and easier, and also less of a strain.

My road worn, which I think is a fantastic instrument, subsequently (after much consideration) had a visit to my luthier whereby the neck was reprofiled to 1.625" width, and now that feels a joy to play.

[Musky]

[quote name='cameltoe' timestamp='1379661261' post='2215268']
Yup,

A fender Road Worn precision was my go-to bass, with it's 1.75" width, for a few years. Didn't really play anything else in that time, and found the RW very comfortable to play even though, like you, I have short stubby fingers. I had to have the action very low though.

Picked up a Japanese Precision a couple of years back with a 1.625" width at nut, and suddenly everything felt faster and easier, and also less of a strain.

My road worn, which I think is a fantastic instrument, subsequently (after much consideration) had a visit to my luthier whereby the neck was reprofiled to 1.625" width, and now that feels a joy to play.
[/quote]
That sounds like quite a big job. May I ask how much it cost?

[Jonesy64]

Same experience for me, more or less....I moved to bass a couple months ago after playing a six stringer for donkey's years. I jumped straight in and bought a P bass with a 44-45mm nut width and quite a deep neck profile compared to my guitars. I found it harder than expected but after a couple weeks I did get used to the neck and ended up auditioning and getting into a band.
That meant I would need a back-up bass for gigs (what better excuse :-) ) and I decided to make it a Jazz so that I would have both generic styles.
I played a American Jazz at a music shop and WOW, instantly knew this was the instrument for me. Went back a second time and came home with it. Everything about my playing improved overnight, smoother, faster, more precise. Totally down to the neck width, profile and finish.
When I go back to the P bass now it's not that it is a struggle to play it but its just not as comfortable.

I put the whole thing down to my left hand being used to smaller guitar necks and the P bass was/is making me stretch too far too soon. No doubt if I had been playing 1950's Les Paul's for years I might have found the transition to a Precision easier but these modern profile necks are perfect for me.

[Fat Rich]

I played slim 60s reissue Jazz necks for years and avoided the chunkier 70s necks. Then I spent a bit of time with one and found I could play a bit faster and bit more accurately with less effort so now it's 70s Jazz necks all the way.

Still can't get on with my Stingray neck though, feels like I'm playing through treacle.

[Happy Jack]

Ah ... so ... no Nigella Lawson content then?

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1379664445' post='2215318']
Ah ... so ... no Nigella Lawson content then?
[/quote]

[Coilte]

Yes, the nut width plays a big part in the comfort of the neck, but
so too does the radius and the width from front to back.

Like most posters, I find the jazz width neck more comfortable,
though on other forums I have come across people who much
prefer the chunkier necks. They say their hands cramp up when
using the thinner necks.

Horses for courses, I suppose.

[Geek99]

I found the fatter neck on 70s reissue MIM jazzes to be far too chunky compared to the 62 reissue I had. Yet bizarrely the neck on my bass doc built precision is superb.

[Dave_the_bass]

[quote name='Coilte' timestamp='1379665550' post='2215347']
though on other forums I have come across people who much
prefer the chunkier necks. They say their hands cramp up when
using the thinner necks.
[/quote]

This comes down to a slight change in left hand technique between thin and fat profile necks.

If you're used to the effort required on a fat (baseball bat style) neck then when you move to a thinner neck you end up, subconsciously, using more pressure on the strings than required. This results in an unnatural level of muscle use and, as such, premature hand cramp.

[Conan]

I guess I'm quite lucky to have big hands and big fingers. In fact that's the main reason I play bass rather than guitar as I found it impossible to accurately fret one string on a guitar neck without my sausage fingers preventing the adjacent strings ringing...

For that reason I have never found [b][i]any[/i][/b] bass neck difficult to play [i]per se[/i]. That's not to say that I don't have my preferences, I do - but they tend to concern individual basses rather than certain styles of neck profile.

That said, I recently tried a Squier CV 60s P bass and LOVED the neck on it! The only neck I have played that felt more comfortable was my Jap Geddy Lee (which I stupidly sold ).

[Paul S]

I don't have small hands by any means but find skinny and shallow necks much more comfortable to play. Even to the extent of just a couple of mm - recently bought a lovely Silver Series Jazz bass - beautiful old battered thing that sounds great - but for some reason the neck was 40mm at the nut. I am going to change it to a Mighty Mite Jazz neck as I just feel that much more comfortable with it. Just the way it is - big guys play Jazz basses, ladies with tiny hands play 5/6 string basses - no logic.

[discreet]

Played a Jazz for a couple of weeks recently, and found it to be almost like playing a ruler. How narrow and thin the necks are! When I came to my senses and went back to my custom P, it was like coming home. [size=4]I have wide hands and long fingers, and though I can play a Jazz without issue, I prefer to have something thick and solid in my hand. Fnarr.[/size]

Edited September 20, 2013 by discreet

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1379671835' post='2215466']
I have wide hands and long fingers ...
[/quote]

Hey There! Got Big Hands? You need a [i][b]Mark D. Phillips Special,[/b][/i] preferably a 5-stringer with one string removed to give wider spacing, and a Jazz pickup shoe-horned diagonally into the split-P socket.

[LukeFRC]

[quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1379671394' post='2215458']
I don't have small hands by any means but find skinny and shallow necks much more comfortable to play. Even to the extent of just a couple of mm - recently bought a lovely Silver Series Jazz bass - beautiful old battered thing that sounds great - but for some reason the neck was 40mm at the nut. I am going to change it to a Mighty Mite Jazz neck as I just feel that much more comfortable with it. Just the way it is - big guys play Jazz basses, ladies with tiny hands play 5/6 string basses - no logic.
[/quote] I have a similar age japanese squier precision neck on my bitsa jazz - oddly it's also 40mm - i think they just all went similar sizes. Nice necks though.
It must onyl be a few mm between that and the streamer (narrower necks) and the Precision (wider) but it makes such a difference- mind you Dave-the-bass I think may have a point and I may pushing with too much/little pressure as the neck's thinner - which suggests I could get back up to speed on it... or might just chuck it and replace it with something with a thinner neck!

[M@23]

I started playing jazz basses, moving over from guitar it felt natural and comfortable but I used to get hand cramps on longer gigs and rehearsals. I then bought a Stingray and haven't looked back. Now find chunkier profiles much more comfortable.

[Telebass]

This is why, after 40+ years, my Precision now has a Jazz width neck. I realised that I disliked Jazz basses because of the sound and shape. But put that neck on a Precision, and bingo! Different world.
Even going back to a B neck P is hard. I'd never cope now with a 1.75 inch job.

[cameltoe]

[quote name='Musky' timestamp='1379662061' post='2215280']
That sounds like quite a big job. May I ask how much it cost?
[/quote]

I think it was £250 all in, around that.

It wasn't a decision i took lightly- the bass had become a real struggle to play, and i had to have the action set so low to play it well, it rattled just looking at it.

It was that or go for a Warmoth neck, but I really find the 7.25" radius comfortable so wanted to keep that. If I ever intended to sell the bass, which I don't, i may have gone Warmoth.


[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1379694574' post='2215869']
I have a similar age japanese squier precision neck on my bitsa jazz - oddly it's also 40mm - i think they just all went similar sizes. Nice necks though.
It must onyl be a few mm between that and the streamer (narrower necks) and the Precision (wider) but it makes such a difference- mind you Dave-the-bass I think may have a point and I may pushing with too much/little pressure as the neck's thinner - which suggests I could get back up to speed on it... or might just chuck it and replace it with something with a thinner neck!
[/quote]

I have a silver series jazz as well, the neck is lovely. But it's still a jazz! I may in future try the P with a jazz neck combo.

[Paul S]

[quote name='cameltoe' timestamp='1379767830' post='2216580']
I may in future try the P with a jazz neck combo.
[/quote]That's the exact configuration that does it for me. I have a MIJ P bass with a Mighty Mite Jazz neck as my main 'go to' - feels just perfect. Wizard Trads and a P retro - nice!

[lurksalot]

so in all the guitar gear review info, maybe a glove size or some sort of hand measurement should be indicated to provide a more objective analysis.

[maldy]

This is a really intersting thread. I bought a Jazz and thought the neck was wow! Then a bought a RW P and was pleasantly surprised. The neck wasn't as chunky as I feared. In fact I kind of really like it. I have a few other basses with slightly different size necks and I just can't decide which I prefer. I think the jazz may be easier to play some things, but I really do like the feel of the P. I'm come to the conclusion, for me at least, that they are just different and sometimes I'm in the mood for one or another. That said, I'm not gigging at the moment, or playing a lot. Maybe if I was doing some serious playing I would start to lean to one, or the other.

I once owned a streamer $$ and the neck was a little wide and very fat. Looking back I didn't find this comfortable at all (for my size of hands). Thanfully my P and stingray are nowhere near as chunky as this one was.

Aside, but sort of related I now find after switching from 24 frets to 22/21 and going back to 24 a little odd!

[thebigyin]

Personally I love the Jazz Bass Neck.....slim and comfortable.....I borrowed a Friends Precision for a few months an early 70s model it was very heavy and the Neck was very wide....but a great sound....but it's all down to one's personal preference and taste.

[cameltoe]

[quote name='maldy' timestamp='1379840602' post='2217158']
This is a really intersting thread. I bought a Jazz and thought the neck was wow! Then a bought a RW P and was pleasantly surprised. The neck wasn't as chunky as I feared. In fact I kind of really like it. I have a few other basses with slightly different size necks and I just can't decide which I prefer. I think the jazz may be easier to play some things, but I really do like the feel of the P. I'm come to the conclusion, for me at least, that they are just different and sometimes I'm in the mood for one or another. That said, I'm not gigging at the moment, or playing a lot. Maybe if I was doing some serious playing I would start to lean to one, or the other.

I once owned a streamer $$ and the neck was a little wide and very fat. Looking back I didn't find this comfortable at all (for my size of hands). Thanfully my P and stingray are nowhere near as chunky as this one was.

Aside, but sort of related I now find after switching from 24 frets to 22/21 and going back to 24 a little odd!
[/quote]

The RW P isn't a deep neck, but it is a wide neck.

[tony_m]

[quote name='maldy' timestamp='1379840602' post='2217158']
This is a really intersting thread. I bought a Jazz and thought the neck was wow! Then a bought a RW P and was pleasantly surprised. The neck wasn't as chunky as I feared. In fact I kind of really like it. I have a few other basses with slightly different size necks and I just can't decide which I prefer. I think the jazz may be easier to play some things, but I really do like the feel of the P. I'm come to the conclusion, for me at least, that they are just different and sometimes I'm in the mood for one or another. That said, I'm not gigging at the moment, or playing a lot. Maybe if I was doing some serious playing I would start to lean to one, or the other.

[/quote]
This pretty much sums up my experience too. I've got stubby(ish) fingers, two Jazzes (one 7.25" radius, the other 9.5"), and two Precisions (again one 7.25", the other 9.5"). Some days one style of neck works, some days another - just at the moment it seems to be the 7.25" P which fits my hand the best.

[SpaceChick]

This is the reason I ONLY have Ibanez basses (with the exception of my acoustic), as I have small girly hands and small girly fingers. It's the only bass that feels natural and comfortable to me.