Do you position your left hand differently for each bass you own?

[StatesideRambler]

Is the P your first long scale bass? It'll take awhile to teach your left hand how to do what you do on a longer scale. That flying fickle finger of fate* is a sign you're hand isn't ready to do what you're asking of it. As suggested above, switch to upright fingering (1-2-4) in the lower frets at least for a while. Take your time.

*And a tip of my hat to Laugh-In.

 

[Jason Harris]

Yes, I most certainly do!
This is due to playing a range of basses to a J bass, and P necks to a rly small Schecter neck for a Johnny Christ Sig, then to a Stingray which I find quite large and hardest to play and finally a Ibanez BTB which is rather flat and took some getting used to.
The most difference I find is in the picking hand with the many position I use and change around with them.

 

[bluefizz]

Never happened to me. I also never play over a 4 fret stretch under the 6th fret with out shifting or using an alternative note location (like an A on the E string vs an open A). Maybe try the 1-2-4 double bass technique like someone suggested?

 

[chris_b]

I have 2 straps that differ slightly in length but I'll hold each bass differently rather than make big changes in the position of my hands.

The other thing is never stretch to reach notes. You should cover as many notes as your fingers will comfortably reach without stretching. On my basses that's about 2 frets between my index finger and little finger, so 3rd fret to 5th fret for example. You then move your hand to place your fingers over the frets you want to play. Your thumb should never be fixed. Move your whole hand for every note if you have to but never anchor your left thumb and stretch.

 

[Deak]

No, but I have really big hands and if I don't like the neck I ditch the instrument in lieu of something I do like.

I hope it doesn't come to that. I really like the bass otherwise. I'm going to work on some of the comments here first, but I'm not shy of loosing it for my hands health. I'm getting offers now I've been waiting most of my life for just to feel the music again.

 

[Deak]

Thank you all for the tips and tricks. I will take advantage of the suggestions from all of you. I appreciate the various techniques and individual mechanics you all work through. The knowledge and a little time will hopefully cure the flying finger.

I'll report my progress!

 

[Deak]

Yes, I most certainly do!
This is due to playing a range of basses to a J bass, and P necks to a rly small Schecter neck for a Johnny Christ Sig, then to a Stingray which I find quite large and hardest to play and finally a Ibanez BTB which is rather flat and took some getting used to.
The most difference I find is in the picking hand with the many position I use and change around with them.

That's the odd part. I play a BTB 5'er, high C and have no problem. I'm thinking the wide neck helps me lay my fret hand flat.

Never happened to me. I also never play over a 4 fret stretch under the 6th fret with out shifting or using an alternative note location (like an A on the E string vs an open A). Maybe try the 1-2-4 double bass technique like someone suggested?

I'll be working on that.

 

[rtslinger]

I have started playing my first P. An MIM Nior and I like it quite a bit but after a few days of playing, when I stretch over 4 frets on the lower 6 frets my middle finger on my left hand flexes straight up as in flipping someone off.
I have never had that happen on my shorter scale basses and when I switch back to any other bass it does not happen. This is frustrating, and after reading the @jurberg thread and hearing the varied responses that others deal on different necks, I hope that I can work thru it.

Do your different basses make your hands do strange things?

I do and this caused by either scale length and strap height and it can be caused by bass design some can be more comfortable played at different neck angles than others. You have to experiment with different things sometimes to find the comfort zone.

 

[bobba66]

Yes.

 

[Jason Harris]

That's the odd part. I play a BTB 5'er, high C and have no problem. I'm thinking the wide neck helps me lay my fret hand flat.



I'll be working on that.

I don't like a flat radius I must prefer a rounder radius like my Schecter, just my personal preference.
I rly don't know why I just like a small width and a quite round radius but it is never to late to try new things!

 

[Jeff Scott]

...the cat waving the paw...

 

[JRA]

Do your different basses make your hands do strange things?

i would have to say: no. however, i tend to shape all of my 34" scale necks to a slim J neck --- the exception is one P neck. but i do not notice any difference where my 'hand posture' is altered. probably just stubbornness/experience on my part = i want the instrument to conform to me and my technique vs. the other way around. when i pick up other instruments (friends, stores/shops): i'm not playing any of them long enough to notice a "threat" to my technique, although many of them automatically do not accommodate my comfort zone, so i put them back....quickly! it's the 'feel' thing, IMO.

good luck with your issue! i wouldn't worry about 'flipping the bird': it can be a very effective gesture when the moment is right!

 

[brianrost]

Every BG I own has a different neck profile as do my two DBs and mu EUB. I do notice my hand positioning changes a bit between necks, but I never have to think about it.

Have you ever had any left hand injuries? I tore a ligament in my left hand two years ago and it has never been 100% the same since. The middle finger is harder to control than before the injury, when doing 4 fret stretches it tries to slide over next to the ring finger. The condition is worst near the nut, no surprise there. I use DB style 3 fret fingering near the nut as a result. It's much less of a problem on my 30" scale basses.

Unless it is painful, I would just work up some 4-fret "spider" exercises and play them slowly until your middle finger starts to comply. For example:

1-2-3-4-3-2-1
4-3-2-1-2-3-4
1-3-2-4-2-3-1
etc.

Do each first on single strings then alternate every other note across 2 strings, then 3, then 4, etc. I did these religiously for weeks when coming back from my injury.

 

[J-Bassomatic]

Plus, those noir P Basses are hard to get rid of, they bond to you. Mine was giving me the evil eye so I gave it to a friend and instructed him to keep it away from me. When I woke up, the bass was back on it's stand. And the bottle of bourbon was empty. Uh, wait a second. Never mind
Seriously though, I love my noir P. Awesome bass. I hope you work it out.

 

[tlc1976]

Yes, the narrower the neck, the more my thumb goes forward and even along the top of the neck sometimes. With my 6 and 7, my thumb faces up and is positioned near the middle of the finger span. IMO this is proper, but when going back to a narrower neck, the meat isn't there and my thumb just wanders.

 

[Two-Spirit]

My thumb position changes from guitar to guitar or bass.

 

[REV]

No . And I put Jazz bass necks on my P basses so now basically all my basses feel the same.

 

[TolerancEJ]

Yes. I've owned my Ibanez SR885 for 25 years and for much of that time it was my main instrument. Soundgears typically have thin necks and narrow string spacing.

The next one I purchased in 2011 was my Warwick Thumb BO 6 with a much wider and thicker neck. All I needed to do was slightly adjust my thumb on the back of the neck. And to remember the additional high string is a "C" (tuned as a standard 6-string bass.)

And the next bass I bought was a Conklin GTBD-7 which also required a slightly different thumb position. And to remember the additional high strings are a "C" and "F" (tuned as a standard 7-string bass.)

 

[JKB1957]

No. I just grab the bass and play. There are small adjustments I make for each. But I wouldn't buy, or keep, a bass if I didn't like how the neck felt. Keep the groove.

 

[Clef_de_fa]

No my hands pretty much stay the same. Even when I played a 35".

I'm one of those that never put the neck in the palm of my hand nor put my thumb where the E string is ... So the longer scale doesn,t botter me nor the neck shape.