I think I'd like to play bass guitar

Cafe Society
21

Thanks for everything. I have located a music shop and wil be scoping it out this week!

Another question I thought of: I have pretty small hands and I am a short girl. Are there basses for smaller people or am I just going to have to learn to deal with it?

22

As mentioned previously, a Fender Jazz bass has a narrower neck vs. a Precision; that could be better for smaller hands. Sheryl Crow plays a lot of bass when performing, she uses a shorter-scaled Guild bass when I have seen her that, again, might be easier to get your hand around.

As with any stringed instrument, make sure it is set up to play properly -

  1. The neck is straight (they check the “neck relief”)
  2. The Action - distance between strings and fingerboard - is not too distant (kills fingers) or too close (strings “buzz out”)
  3. The Intonation is set properly so the strings sound in tune up and down the neck

An experienced friend can help you evaluate these things, and/or you should be able to walk up to a sales person at the store and ask them to check all 3 on any bass you are considering.

And while I agree with **NurseCarmen **about using your fingers and not a pick for the most part, I have two observations:

  • Do whatever you enjoy and will make you want to play more - when you are starting, that is the only thing that matters
  • When it comes to punk, e.g., the Ramones, using a pick is essential.
23

A standard bass has a scale length of 34". That’s what the Fenders had, and it became the standard for the most part. There were other brands that were shorter, usually about 30". There are various short-scale basses you can get in the 30-32" range, but anything below that is usually a novelty or kid’s instrument. The strings either have to be either lower in tension or thicker than on a regular bass though, so it’ll sound a little different.

24

I think one of the objections to the shorter scale length is that it decreases the accuracy of intonation. I have a short scale guitar (Chiquita), and the intonation isn’t nearly as pleasant as on a full-size guitar.