Thanks for the sub!! I’d describe my musical tastes as ‘eclectic’. Actually, playing the bass and doing the covers has really broadened things out - I tend to hear songs and think, ummm, I could play that bass line 
Re: the Squier, I have a 50s CV P-bass, rather than the Mustang, but I suspect the Mustang is equally as good. I do have a short scale too, an Ibanez EHB1000s in pink. That bass also rocks. I think others have mentioned Ibanez, mine has a lovely neck and is a joy to play.
You’re so very welcome! Yea, like you I’d definitely assume that if you love the bass THAT much than it goes without saying that you’d love the mustang as well. Very,very cool that it’s changed how you listen to music…I noticed that I’m doing the same exact thing actually 
it’s really pretty neat actually. Your collection sounds absolutely awesome! Which do you enjoy playing the most?
That’s fine, you just need to change how you hold the bass.
Hi, I am also a tattooey grunge loving short woman in my 40s. I am learning on a Kala solid body UBass which is sub short scale. I also have a full 34" scale Fernandes but that thing is HUGE to me.
I thought having a UBass would be fun (and it is) but I do want a more standard bass so I have been going out and trying different instruments looking for a short scale bass. When I tried the Squier CV 60’s Mustang it just felt right to me. I also tried a Gretsch but it didn’t feel as good in my hands. I haven’t bought anything yet but the Mustang is a front runner.
So all this to say, if I were you I would go to some stores and try different things out. I am just a beginner (started XMas Eve) but that is my advice. I don’t know where you are and if there are a lot of stores you could go to, but it makes a big difference to feel them IRL and plus it’s fun!
Man, you sound like my kinda gal!!! Seems as though we’re a long the same path with this bass adventure too. Immediate follow That said, the bass you mentioned is the EXACT same bass the Sweetwater guy really, seriously recommended to me. In fact, it was THE first and only bass he mentioned…the classic vibe mustang 60s bass. I’ve read some reviews and it sounds absolutely amazing and exactly what us fun-sized chicks need. I don’t really wanna fall into the trap of buying bass, after bass, after yet another bass. I want to get one bass and that’s it. It sounds like with the mustang I can do the chick grunge band stuff that I love PLUS the metal with the distortion pedal. I’ve read and looked into a lot with it and it is very, very, very, very highly regarded.
I can see why they recommend it, it is a solid instrument for a good price - as far as I can tell. I might have bought it on the spot but it was white and I want the green one you linked lol! I followed back - I am excited to hear if you go with the Mustang or something else!
Just like to say welcome 
, got no recommendations for you bass-wise .
How about some pictures of your cats on the pet thread ? 
Welcome aboard cd!
Best of luck finding your forever bass. If you have a moment you may like to check out the ‘Short love’ thread -
Packed with ideas for the petite bassist. I personally love my Hofner but it’s not really very grunge.
Length doesn’t look too bad. But if you want a short scale bass, get one.
What does look bad… that looks like an absolute baseball bat of a neck. That would drive me nuts. The string action also looks super high.
Both of those things would make that bass uncomfortable for me, and I have giant piano-player hands. For someone with small fingers, I would expect both those things to feel terrible.
Don’t just focus on neck length. Also consider neck width and shape.
you may find a short scale bass more comfortable. you might not. do you need one, of course not. almost no one capable of picking up a bass is too small to play it, and I’m talking about full scale.
ie: Ellen (or the thousands of other YouTube kids killing it on full scales)
Holy shit there’s a cat thread??? Hell yeah…speeds right on over and proceeds to unload copious amounts of cat photos Dude, that’s literally all I HAVE on my phone are pictures of our cats or of me and the cats in some fashionable form you sir, are getting instead follow from me!!!
WHAT!?! There’s an actual short thread…oh yeah I’m there…like right now I’m headed over. Thank you soooooo much for the warm welcome. I appreciate it.
welcome aboard 
I was wondering if my wrist was supposed to be going in all those contoured shapes!!! I didn’t think so…also i had a feeling that the string action was too high (so thank you for making me feel like I wasn’t going crazy). The way I see it is this…you need to be and feel RELAXED and COMFORTABLE when playing. The neck and the string action were things that have been a definite concern for me because as I’m jamming I definitely wasn’t feeling relaxed and comfortable. But at the same time I didn’t know if that was just something I’d grow into and learn to be comfortable with or if it was an actual problem. Don’t get me wrong I know that I’m in the total beginner phase of this badass course BUT I just couldn’t shake the fact that I was always having issues with those things as well. Like I mean I know there’s obviously supposed to be some press on the strings but the amount that I’m doing to actually get the damn thing to play is ridiculous.
Your wrist should not be going in weird contour shapes. Holding it should be relaxed an comfortable. It is normal for your hands to get fatigued after playing for a while as you train them to do something new, but I presume you can tell the difference.
You can adjust the setup of your bass yourself with a set of allen wrenches. There are a number of good guides online. Josh has a pretty decent one. I prefer slightly straighter neck and slightly lower action than he recommends. But his advice is certainly not wrong, and will be a LOT better than what you have.
For comparison, here is me holding my Ibanez and fretting first fret of the E string. You can also tell how much lower my action is than yours. Also how thin the neck is.
Awkward hand angle and discomfort could also have to do with how you’re positioning your hand on the neck. I am not an expert, but here is another pic of how my hand is positioned on the back of the neck (fretting 2nd fret of E), so you can get a sense of thumb placement.
Posture and seating position can also matter. You mentioned using lots of pillows to support your back. If I’m on a couch, I usually sit on the very edge so it isn’t tilting me back.
My arms are definitely longer than yours. I think I can hold my headstock about how your arm is at the nut. 
Yeah 100%, this is what I meant by:
@cdconnolly1839 - a short scale is not necessarily the answer here. Shorties are great for other reasons but even tiny kids can play a long scale bass - it’s all about technique and how you hold the thing. It’s possible for me (5’10" with long arms) to hold my bass incorrectly and be able to reach no further than you are there. It’s not just you, don’t worry
Josh shows some techniques around this in both the course and his other videos.
That said, you should absolutely try a short scale! Some people prefer them and it might be a temporary band-aid for the reach issue you show there.
There’s also the 32" medium scale, halfway between long (34") and short (30").
I’d assume that width at the nut would make more of a difference than scale length with t-rex arms? Maybe try out a J bass, which tend to be narrower.
Woooooow now see that’s how it should be. I shouldn’t feel like I’m holding a bat about ready to knock someone’s head off. yea. I told ya I had short little arms…as far as the seating arrangement goes when I’m practicing I’m on the edge of the couch. It’s actually a futon that you have to lean back on so yea pillows are a must for when I’m not puttin’ some practice in.
Yes. Hold it like a sandwich or a burger, not a baseball bat. In fact, it should feel a lot like the amount of pressure you would use to hold a burger together.
For the first fret, try fretting right on top of the fret instead of between the fret and nut.
Try sitting all the way on the very edge. Like balanced right on top of the lip or an inch in front. So that your legs support you and your back is vertical and self supporting. The same posture people use for singing or meditating.
This will also help because it will give you a LOT more freedom of the angle you hold your bass at. It lets you angle the neck up and away from you more easily. It lets you hold the bass more vertically. I find when I’m on a couch, it angles the face upwards more, so I’m looking down on the fretboard instead of at the side. This makes it a LOT harder to fret - especially the E string - and makes for uncomfortable wrist angles.
Look at these two photos. Look at the angle my bass is at. Look at what that does to my wrist. It’s tough to see, but my elbow is also at an uncomfortable angle.
Leaned back on couch - BAD
On edge of couch - MUCH BETTER.
