Hey all. I’m new hear but playing elec and upright bass since the late 60s. Have a couple j basses, a martin acoustic and a custom gibson ripper styled 4 string. Lots of hand problems with carpal in recent years and would like to find a great bass that’s easier on the hands to play. Appreciate your suggestions. Thanks, Tony
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Have you tried playing a short scale?
I don’t know that playing one would alleviate your discomfort, but a well-setup shorty with relatively low action combined with low-tension strings could be a potential solution.
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Hey Mike. Yes, thanks for the suggestion. I plan to check out shorter scale but would like to know if there are any specific higher end basses that play real easy
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Well,
My first 2 default recommendation is the MusicMan Stingray Short scale, it’s just epic. $2500
the second one is the Fender American Performer Mustang. It’s another epic design that just fits like old pairs of gloves. $1800
Both offers in Imports with slight variations Sterling by MusicMan $600 and Squier. $350
You can also find the Harley Benton Version (Mustang) $250 which is pretty good as well. Sire also offer the Stingray style, not sure about the Short scale.
Then there’s Sire Short Scale U Series $550 U5 and $600 U7 is just too delicious not to check out. More traditional tone and pickup setup and best bang for the bucks when it comes to build features.
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I second this. EBMM basses are excellently built and very comfortable to play. @Al1885 is a bona fide expert on MM basses, so I’d listen to his advice.
A Sterling StingRay shorty is a good facsimile of an American-made EBMM, with great feel and playability. I have one and I find it easy to play.
A Sire U5 is another great Indonesia-made shorty. It’s body and headstock are scaled down to be in proportion to the shorter scale length neck, which some players really love, while others might not. Guitar players who try a U5 are generally in love category. YMMV
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Thanks for all the feedback. Much appreciated and will definitely check out these suggestions. Have a great bass week. Tony
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Actually, there’s also one that might be perfect for you. strandberg* the company is actually about half and hour from me here in SoCal. They specialized in ergonomic and their early hardcore customer are progressive rock people who play and practice 10+ hours a day and really need ergonomically design instruments.
Check them out. The neck is also awesome not one curve at the back of the neck just 3 sides, so cool. I don’t have their bass(es) only guitar, simply because I’m too old fashion for it. That said, I’ve been having great experience with my guitars it may change my mind. I played my friend’s for a couple of months a few years ago, I might give it another try.
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Tony–
I’m sorry to hear of your condition. I know what it’s like to play after and around an injury, and I empathize.
That said, carpal tunnel syndrome won’t be alleviated by using a different instrument. Your current basses are not the direct cause of your injury, thus it stands to reason that a new one won’t be the cure. If someone isn’t driving a Jaguar properly, buying an Aston Martin won’t fix things.
Rather, your body mechanics when playing are almost certainly the culprit. I say “almost certainly” because I don’t know you. Perhaps you have a job scanning groceries or using a jackhammer that’s to blame.
If your ailment does come from playing bass, you’d be better served spending your money on some time with a good physical therapist or sports medicine physician who will evaluate your playing position and technique. If you’re using your body in a way that can cause injury they’ll tell you, and then you can fix it. Beats the hell out of dropping ~$2,000 on a new instrument and having the problem persist.
Good luck. Get well soon.
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Here’s what you can do as an experiment. Take your 34" scale bass, tune all the strings down a full tone, and put a capo on fret 2. This will convert the bass to a short scale, with fret 3 becoming fret 1.
And you can see if short scale will do the trick without spending money.
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It’s cool because up until the (former) 9th fret, the dots are even in the right places 
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Although you should, just to make double sure. 
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Can you really be sure without testing it?
Edit: beat to the punch. I’m leaving it anyhow.
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Ibanez SR line would be my suggestion. Probably you already tried them though. Easiest basses I’ve personally picked up.
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Recently, when playing my bass that I started learning on, I’d get cramp, and it felt uncomfortable to play the E on the first few frets.
When I bought my Jackson, I didn’t get this pain. The only difference is that the Jackson’s neck is 5mm thinner at the nut. It seems to have made a difference to me, so it may also help you too.
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I don’t know but I just read that hand position is important to help prevent carpal. Have you spoke to your doctor on this?
Maybe the answer is to change how you hold your bass. Instead of like a guitar with the body on on leg and the neck out to the side, more like an upright with the body in your lap and the neck going past your shoulder. This would change the angle you hold your wrists at to one that might be more comfortable for you.
Look for basses that have different cutouts to make them more appropriate for lap playing. Unfortunately these tend to be in more expensive boutique basses.
Example (look at what is demo’d around the 6-minute mark):
(I see @Al1885 had the same suggestion.)
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Maybe take your bass to your next hand therapy/physiotherapy appointment, and ask them to evaluate how your bass and hands interact? That could help you as far as what characteristics to look for in a new bass.
I know someone who took her violin to her physio appointments, she found it very helpful.
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great advice here.
I just tried and like them in a music shop but these basses names are named “ergonomic” . they are light and pretty nice. Surprised nobody suggested them
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I have the EHB1000S shorty in sea foam green. Great bass. The pink/lavender one that @sunDOG has was my preferred color, but Ibanez had switched to the green for the shorty. I finally tracked one down in a boutique here in France and bought it from their website. Unfortunately, I got an email the next morning saying “sorry, someone walked into the store last night and bought it”. Close, so close. But heh, the green one sounds great and plays beatifully.
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