Bass sizing is not an exact science. Rule #1: There Are No Rules. The Double Bass (a.k.a. Upright Bass) is an instrument that only recently evolved over the last few hundred years, that is still being made by hand by individuals who build them to satisfy their own interpretation of the instrument. There are a lot of variances.

3/4 size is recognized as a regular size bass. 99.5% of the basses on the planet are 3/4 size (and 74.38% of all statistics are made up on the spot). But you will find that 3/4 size is by far most common bass size. While I've seen more 4/4 basses being advertised for sale lately, I have to wonder if it is a marketing gimmick, in some cases, since many probably wouldn't quality as a 4/4— maybe a 7/8 on a good day—but then, who cares?

You care. Playing double bass can be quite the challenge, and if you are tall and/or have big hands, be thankful. You will find playing 3/4 size basses less of a challenge than we short folks with small hands. Generally speaking, a 4/4 bass is not going to automatically be better than a 3/4 size bass -- your selection should be based on the instrument and your specific needs among other factors. Size, in this case, may not matter, unless bragging rights are important to you.

All of the above said, the information below shows some generally accepted guidelines for bass sizing. I am guessing that the original numbers were stated in Metric and were converted for U.S. use, which accounts for the uneven numbers. Again, keep in mind that these are approximate numbers for reference purposes only.

Note also that it's not uncommon to have some measurements on your bass correspond to one size, and some correspond to another - your bass may have a 3/4 scale, but an oversized body that measures like a 4/4 bass. Or some other combination, like the Kay and Engelhardt Maestro Junior models, with their (roughly) 1/2 size body and 1/4 size scale. Like I said - it's not an exact science!

All measurements are in inches 4/4 3/4 3/4 Kay 1/2 1/4 A Full Height bottom of body to scroll 74.8 71.6 71.6 65.7 61.4 B Body Height bottom to shoulder 45.7 43.7 43.7 40.2 37.4 C Scale Length nut to bridge 43.3 41.3 41.5 38 35.4 D Upper Bout Width 21.3 20.3 20.25 18.7 17.3 E Lower Bout Width 26.8 25.6 26.5 23.6 21.9 F Scroll to Shoulder 30.9 29.5 28 27.2 25.2 G Width at Nut 1.8 1.7 1.6 1.6 1.5 ©copyright Gollihur Music

The Fine Print: The information contained herein is based on what's in my brain and/or my opinions as of today and is subject to change. Like any topic, a great deal more information could be added—but the intent of these writings is to present easy to understand, quick FAQs, to address common questions and improve the reader's general knowledge. What's written here is by no means the authoritative absolute answer, I am not the world's greatest authority on bass (not even close), or on anything else for that matter. I hope the information and opinions here are helpful to you, that's the point! I welcome email with dissenting and additional viewpoints that help improve my personal awareness and the content pages. If you have a question that you think belongs here, please let me know. —Bob

Product Associated With This FAQ Fully Carved Bulgarian Bass Engelhardt EM-3 Maestro Junior bass Engelhardt Supreme ES-1/EG-1 Bass Engelhardt Swingmaster ES-9/EG-9 Bass Laminated Gollihur Music 'Estle Louis' Bass (3/4, 1/2 and 1/4 size)