A year and a half out from finishing the course, itâs not really my fretting hand that limits me at the moment, itâs my plucking hand, which I did not anticipate. Iâve kind of run in to a speed wall plucking. Which of course has nothing to do with hand size.
I canât make Josh-like stretch reaches while fretting, but all that means is I might have to shift more. No big deal, just takes a little more work.
Iâm having the same issue with my plucking hand speed too @howard! Very frustrating
Welcome to the forums @Vanguard
Iâve got short stubby fingers, a plate in my right wrist and my right index finger has been rebuilt after dropping a Land Rover on while working with it on a Jack. Stupidity at its finest. Iâm sure youâll do just fine
They werenât the perfect hands to start with but now at 50 years old⌠scars, arthritis, tendonitis, numbness/weakness in the thumb, index and middle fingers, countless metal slivers from the machines I work on⌠even a fresh cut⌠but they can still make music.
Forgot to mention, pretty sure I cracked/broke my ring finger knuckle on my plucking hand too. Whacked it good and solid on a metal post, it swelled up to about half the size of an egg; swelling is going down now and leaving a world class bruise.
Oh well, sucks more for the keyboard work I am doing right now than bass. Not much to do about it.
I will also note that hand size is moot point. technique can be altered to accommodate hands of any size. I have even seen 1 handed players, players missing fingers. its all in your head if you think you cant play because of small hands, so just give it all its worth to you.
I have short fingers, but you canât really tell that without scale, so I offer some relevant comparisons.
(Iâm going to see a local luthier tomorrow because the Warwick has a C shaped neck, and the Fbass has a D shaped neck. Modern Warwicks have been on a diet and feel very much like the Fbass, so itâs time for some slimming downâŚ
Hey, donât get caught up in all the hooey about hand size. Small hands can play bass, too. You might try a slimer neck design, such as a jazz bass, or even a short scale. Then, keep practicing. Believe it or not, you can âtrainâ your hands to stretch. The more you practice the better it will be. And donât give up. It may be a tad rough at first but dexterity will improve. Iâm an old dude with all the aches and pains associated with age and body abuse. If I can play the bass, you can too. Good luck.