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Shortarses and basses


Dankology

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8 hours ago, mr zed said:

 I believe we’re both playing on the same bill with our respective bands on Sunday 26th June in Blackburn. I’ll bring the Ric along if you like for you to try it out.

That would be fantastic if it isn't any trouble - definitely don't want to impose on you.

 

I will, of course, be paying very close attention to your height:bass ratio on stage now that I know we are essentially the same height.

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I am 5'8" (or 9, I care not - a career in basketball was not on the cards for me, put it that way).  Pretty average/short bloke.  Here's me being dwarfed by an Epi Jack Casady and not giving two hoots about it...

 

image.thumb.png.66b77a25e7edccac63e2e65eab12b85c.png

 

What's going on with that left hand?  What kind of noodly crap am I playing?  Look at that pained look of concentration!

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10 hours ago, Grahambythesea said:

If I remember correctly, a Ric is a shorter scale than a long scale Fender. An odd 33” springs to mind, but no doubt Ricky fans here will correct me. But aren’t they generally a lot heavier than your average P?

33 1/4" and I think the overall length may be slightly shorter... to the nut anyway... (maybe made up for by the headstock) as the neck is set further in with the smaller body.

As for weight, real ones are a fair thin at about 34mm i think so on the lighter side of the lightest P...

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5 hours ago, Geek99 said:

I’m 5’8 with large hands but smaller fingers and short arms. I manage a p bass well enough but a stingray clone is a bit of a stretch 

I think I'm bizarro you! I'm 5'8 with small hands but longer fingers and long arms.

 

Re: Sparko, he typically had his basses hung quite high which I think added to the effect (not to mention his oftentimes mile-wide trousers). I've a feeling he's not 5'7 either. Funny thing is he had quite a good reach with his hands. I remember a thread on here where someone struggled with the chord riff in I'm a Hog for You Baby. Sparko seemed to pull it off effortlessly. 

 

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On 14/06/2022 at 19:40, Dankology said:

At probably not quite 5'7" I'm occasionally a little conscious of my height. Especially as basses tend to accentuate human shortness...

 

I've recently developed an unexpected hankering for a Ric but have always assumed that they were slightly longer scale than my usual Fenders and might look a little ungainly. I now realize that they are actually of a touch shorter scale - so am getting round to the idea of splurging for one.

 

But am I alone in this awareness of my short-arsedness? I'd also really like a semi-acoustic but whenever I look at a Jack Casady I suspect I'm going to look like a child who's stolen an adult's instrument.

 

It probably doesn't help that many of the bassists I saw when first going to gigs were disproprtionately lanky (Manics, Suede, Pulp) - although at least I could see them from the stalls... 

 

 

If you're after a small bass which looks just like a Fender P but is a standard scale length ,then the Sandberg Electra v4 is ya man.Ill Shortly (excuse the pun)be selling it on here.BTW im a shorty too at 5ft 8.

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5’7” and Played exclusively 34” for best part of 30 years but for the last few years I’ve used mainly Mustangs as I needed something for smaller stages that wasn’t headless. When I look back at some pics of me with my old Stingrays and Jazzes of old they do look a bit on the big side compared to when I’m hanging a ‘stang. 

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1 hour ago, lozkerr said:

5' 5" and playing a five-string Fender Jazz. Can get a little awkward down near the nut for extended periods of time, but I've never had any real problems.

 

Apologies for the bass face.

 

rehearsal_studio.thumb.jpg.9a402308cc80a9f1b9d5fa415fd082b9.jpg

Never, ever apologise for bass face. It’s a badge of honour we should wear when the moment arises. All hail Este Haim!

 

I’m just 6’, medium build and have never felt more comfortable than with the Mustang I bought last year. My ‘Ray SS feels a little small, but looks OK. My custom, J shaped, 33” basses look huge on me now IMO. 

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I'm about 5'7". Not sure exactly but typically the shortest guy in whatever group I find myself in. I've never felt the bass visually too big but definitely felt like it was a physical task. I use to compare it to taming an animal. At time it was like the notes were bouncing out your fingers, other times it was like walking through treacle. Having went away and came back with a fresh mindset I don't feel like it is physically intimidating now, bit still definitely challenging. Very curious about short scales but for now still sticking with my jazz. Also pro tip, professional photographers j is how to make you look good, stick with them 😂😂

 

 

Screenshot_20220617-235257.jpg

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I'm about 5'7". Not sure exactly but typically the shortest guy in whatever group I find myself in. I've never felt the bass visually too big but definitely felt like it was a physical task. I use to compare it to taming an animal. At time it was like the notes were bouncing out your fingers, other times it was like walking through treacle. Having went away and came back with a fresh mindset I don't feel like it is physically intimidating now, bit still definitely challenging. Very curious about short scales but for now still sticking with my jazz. Also pro tip, professional photographers j is how to make you look good, stick with them 😂😂

 

 

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13 hours ago, ezbass said:

Never, ever apologise for bass face. It’s a badge of honour we should wear when the moment arises. All hail Este Haim!

 

I’m just 6’, medium build and have never felt more comfortable than with the Mustang I bought last year. My ‘Ray SS feels a little small, but looks OK. My custom, J shaped, 33” basses look huge on me now IMO. 

To be clear, I was not likening @lozkerr to the the great Este, merely that Este is the top of the tree for bassface, not only in severity, but also in range. Mine always looks like I’m pretending to have no teeth, by sucking my lips in or a version of the peeved, Dave Gilmour.

3AD016AB-ADD6-4985-95F6-F37A4E354914.jpeg.2f5ff89f074577337d0972c60b1418ff.jpeg

2/10 for effort

Edited by ezbass
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