Does it take more effort to play a P-bass? (or an older passive bass)

[el_Bajo_Verde]

Get your basses set up. Also, technique goes a long way! You're probably playing too hard.

 

[somebrains]

2.5 hours is pretty long to go without a break.
Maybe shorten your workout with breaks in between.

I thought that is what rests and half notes are for.
Don't forget about how the body contributes to where a neck will sit on you.
My Jazz 5 body sits on my thigh or hangs on me so that it sucks the neck towards the nut into me.
My $$5 and Spector are a reach.
My Stingrays have always been ok, in the middle btw the above.

I notice my hands are out more than they have to be on P's and P5's.

I think Guild Pilots are an extreme case where a body shape contribute to perceptions of neck comfort.

 

[WaynerBass]

Only models with 19mm string spacing took some getting used too. I owned a Squire Jazz Deluxe V 5 string that had 19mm string spacing and the nut was a full 2” wide. But once you acclimate yourself to it, it’s a breeze. As far as the P-bass goes, I’ve owned both a 4 & 5 string and both were a breeze to play. The Fender P5 was perfect for a 5. You shouldn’t have any problems. If you’ve been playing a Jazz with the thinner neck at the nut, the P bass is so slightly wider that it’s almost un-noticeable.

 

[Bunnoodle]

Get your basses set up. Also, technique goes a long way! You're probably playing too hard.

I did learn on a Frankenstein bass from an older friend .. and the action was so high you could slide your pinky in. Maybe that made me a very hard player and hence the slight pain. (this is what I feel is the problem)

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Some basses fit your hands, some don’t. I tried to bond with P basses repeatedly, just never could, always felt like I was fighting the bass. The closest I ever got is my G&L L2k, looks similar but feels very different. I don’t see any point in making concessions to an instrument, it shouldn’t be hard work, if it is I’m done with it quick. Too many other basses out there that sound great and play easy.

 

[Bunnoodle]

I did learn on a Frankenstein bass from an older friend .. and the action was so high you could slide your pinky in. Maybe that made me a very hard player and hence the slight pain. (this is what I feel is the problem)

But there are players who snap heavy gauge bass strings ... how hard is hard ?

 

[Bunnoodle]

Here's a thought: When you play the 5-string, do you tend to play higher on the neck than you do on a 4-string? That's usually easier than playing down by the nut, and a lot of folks like fivers for that very reason. Also, if you aren't careful about maintaining a straight wrist when playing on the lower frets, which is hard to do, I think this would explain why you're experiencing pain in those two fingers.

Did not think about this...I got my fiver on a saturday and was playing at church the next day without really getting used to the bass...

 

[scuzzy]

i'm strange compared to most folks on this forum. i have never purchased a bass based on specs. i have never researched nut width, spacing, etc. I typically go about purchasing based on the sound. This has burned me twice in the past, yielding basses that were just very uncomfortable for me to play well. but of the many basses I have owned, I can typically overcome any design elements by just playing the bass a lot and getting accustomed to it's quirks.

my DP customs are easy to play without any adjustment. that is good, as they are customs for me. my peavey Foundation S is easy to play, right from the get-go, as is my Fender starcaster.

My MTD kingston, Peavey T-40, and Ovation Magnum III all took a fair amount of playing to feel them out. They are unique in their own way. The ovation in particular I was a bit nervous at first, due to the string height off the body face and the wide spacing of the pickups, along with the strap button placement. But with learning it, I now play it very comfortably.

There are so many variables with each player and so many variables with each instrument design that go into an instruments playability. I probably cope well with many because I am not that great anyway. doesn't take much to get comfortable playing root 8th's.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

The wider neck of a P-Bass takes a minute to get used to. If you try to muscle it, you’ll lose. Set-up is everything. I always know when the neck needs adjustment. Instruments have their own internal tempo. The P-Bass is at slow end, for sure. They need patience to play.

Have a PB, and I wouldn’t classify myselfor my bass as being slow. I can fly pretty well. As for the bass being slow, that would be more about EQ than the instrument itself.

 

[Bob Throb]

Yes. A p bass has a 42 - 43 mm nut. Try one the Ibanez SR basses it has 37 mm nut and a very thin neck . Like night and day compared to a p bass or a sting ray.