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Hand size...


untune
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[quote name='BigRedX' post='1144190' date='Feb 28 2011, 09:44 AM']I think that measuring hand size from wrist to the tip of your second finger (and this isn't always the longest one) only tells a very small part of the story (mine's 190mm BTW). Keyboard players measure the "stretch" from the thumb to the little finger.[b] For bass players we should be measuring the stretch from first to 4th finger - mines 125mm.[/b][/quote]
Your hands are weird mate! I'm also 190mm from wrist to middle fingertip. But my stretch from first to 4th finger is 180mm, 205mm from thumb tip to little fingertip.

Edited by silddx
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[quote name='silddx' post='1144451' date='Feb 28 2011, 01:36 PM']Your hands are weird mate! I'm also 190mm from wrist to middle fingertip. But my stretch from first to 4th finger is 180mm, 205mm from thumb tip to little fingertip.[/quote]

Now you've got weird hands!

Your "4th finger" usually refers to the ring finger... or the 4th digit. The one most often used for cleaning one's bum.


Mine are 210mm wrist to tip, 240mm thumb to pinkie and 140mm index to ring.

I like deep necks, I like to feel wood on my palm. etc etc.

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[quote name='bigjohn' post='1144487' date='Feb 28 2011, 02:12 PM']Now you've got weird hands!

[b]Your "4th finger" usually refers to the ring finger... or the 4th digit. The one most often used for cleaning one's bum. [/b]

Mine are 210mm wrist to tip, 240mm thumb to pinkie and 140mm index to ring.

I like deep necks, I like to feel wood on my palm. etc etc.[/quote]
Ahh, right! That stretch from index to bum finger is 140mm

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I'm about 185mm from wrist to tip of middle, almost 170mm span from index to pinkie. I always thought I had small hands, but maybe they're about average after all!

Definitely prefer a slimmer neck, but not too slim - Jazz good, ibanez sdgr not so good. I always feel like a fuller profile seems to inhibit my playing and I find it hard to be as articulate and quick. Just feels like hard work.

Anyway, my wife always says technique is more important than size.......

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[quote name='TRBboy' post='1144499' date='Feb 28 2011, 02:26 PM']I'm about 185mm from wrist to tip of middle, almost 170mm span from index to pinkie. I always thought I had small hands, but maybe they're about average after all!

Definitely prefer a slimmer neck, but not too slim - Jazz good, ibanez sdgr not so good. I always feel like a fuller profile seems to inhibit my playing and I find it hard to be as articulate and quick. Just feels like hard work.

Anyway, my wife always says technique is more important than size.......[/quote]


The SDGR is practically the same as mine I assume, I've been noticing a bit of fatigue and discomfort when playing on lower frets lately and I'm wondering if whether the shallow profile is the culprit.

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U[quote name='untune' post='1144986' date='Feb 28 2011, 09:03 PM']The SDGR is practically the same as mine I assume, I've been noticing a bit of fatigue and discomfort when playing on lower frets lately and I'm wondering if whether the shallow profile is the culprit.[/quote]

What model do you have?

In my experience, a very shallow profile can cause more discomfort, tension, and cramp than a chunky neck. I definitely find that if my hand isn't 'anchored' well enough and the distance between the thumb and first finger is small when fretting, I get cramping in the meaty muscle between the knuckle of thumb and first finger.

I used to have a warwick thumb 5 that caused me discomfort due to a pretty slim, narrow neck, and the fact that first fret felt like it was at full arms length away!

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[quote name='TRBboy' post='1145016' date='Feb 28 2011, 09:18 PM']U

What model do you have?

In my experience, a very shallow profile can cause more discomfort, tension, and cramp than a chunky neck. I definitely find that if my hand isn't 'anchored' well enough and the distance between the thumb and first finger is small when fretting, I get cramping in the meaty muscle between the knuckle of thumb and first finger.

I used to have a warwick thumb 5 that caused me discomfort due to a pretty slim, narrow neck, and the fact that first fret felt like it was at full arms length away![/quote]

It's a GSR200, from the serial it's from 2001 I believe. I'm not sure if the more recent versions of the 200 have the same profile but I'd assume they do. It's smooth and fast to play but I do think a bit more depth would be better, hence why I think a jazz would be more my thing.

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[quote name='bigjohn' post='1144487' date='Feb 28 2011, 02:12 PM']Your "4th finger" usually refers to the ring finger... or the 4th digit. The one most often used for cleaning one's bum.[/quote]

We are all meant to be musicians here so your fourth finger would indeed be your pinky, Ring=3, Bird=2, Bum cleaner=1 :)

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I have a diddy hand... 6 inches.... and yes that is small too:)

I also lost about a third of my index finger in a childhood accident...so the spread on fingers is paltry 10cm (9 due to the way I fret with the side of that index finger).

Not surprisingly I play a status streamline, with 32" scale and narrow 16.5mm string spacing.

Last year I tried to use a precision at a concert for schools.....I could barely play it.

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I've never measured my hands but they are small. I hate trying to play 6-string basses.

Many years ago, when I was doing some teaching, a 14-year-old lad turned up for his first lesson. His hands were tiny and he couldn't stretch the frets at all. I thought he'd have given up by the next week's lesson. He turned up a week later and could stretch the frets easily. Totally natural player.

You never can tell. Remember Jango?

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[quote name='untune' post='1145037' date='Feb 28 2011, 09:27 PM']It's a GSR200, from the serial it's from 2001 I believe. I'm not sure if the more recent versions of the 200 have the same profile but I'd assume they do. It's smooth and fast to play but I do think a bit more depth would be better, hence why I think a jazz would be more my thing.[/quote]

Yeah the GSR is not quite as slim as a SDGR, but probably a little slimmer than a jazz. There's bound to be some measurements online if you really feel like checking on it.

If you're in the market for something new, the best advice I can give is try as.many basses as you can - sometimes a bass that you wouldn't have considered based on specs or looks will feel perfect.

I read a great interview with Abe Laboriel once who quite rightly said that feel is the single most important thing. You can have a mega expensive bass that looks and sounds great, but if it doesn't feel right, you'll never get the most out of it.

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I get told I have quite big hands, and I play a 6 string, but with a very tight spacing. I've seen guys with hands much smaller than me play 'properly sized' 6-strings a lot more fluently than me though! Also, I'm way too clumsy and heavy handed on a guitar... So maybe smaller hands are better??

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[quote name='Fat Rich' post='1149259' date='Mar 4 2011, 09:51 AM']This guy seems to manage alright:

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrrutA5u8pg&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrrutA5u8pg...feature=related[/url][/quote]

Bloody hell!! :)

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22cm wrist to tip
24cm thumb to pinky
15cm index to ring
19cm index to pinky

I've played keyboard since I was 5 which probably has something to do with it. Jazz necks generally give me cramp as I can't play with proper technique on them. Most comfy necks I've tried to date are:
Precision
Acg
Trb1006
Dood 7 string

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  • 13 years later...

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