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Neck angle/position question


geilerbass
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I find the most comfortable way to play is to have the neck of my bass angled quite steeply (at least 45 degrees to horizontal). However, my current bass (an Ibanez) has a bit of neck dive - I think it's designed to be played at a more horizontal angle, which means I have to hold the neck up a bit with my left hand. I don't find this to be good technique, so I'm looking for a way to get my bass to sit at a more comfortable angle for me. If you check my profile [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showuser=2450"]picture[/url], you can see the kind of angle I like to play at.

Does anyone have any experience of this? Is this a fundamental problem of the way the bass is balanced? Would moving the strap post on the bridge side of the body further up towards the top of the body help it hang at a better angle?

I also have a Warwick Streamer, which has the strap lock socket further round the body, and sits at a perfect angle, so I wonder if repositioning the strap post is the way to go, though I'm reluctant to start drilling into the side of my beloved Ibanez. :)

Any thoughts/advice would be appreciated.

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You have five choices:

1) Use a non-slip strap - only works for minor neck dive (£30)

2) Lighten the headstock - fit hipshot ultralites or similar (£20 per string)

3) Make the body heavier - take a mobile phone pouch, fill it with washers and hang it on the bridge end of the strap (£5?)

4) Move the balance point - use a longer (and bigger) screw on the horn, and a block or tube to space the button away from the horn. On my Corvette the extension was about 2 inches. (£1)

Any combination of the above, or -

5) Sell the bass and find another one that sits better - camoflage it as an upgrade in quality?

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Some quite novel suggestions there! 3) and 4) look definitely worth trying out, despite the fact that I'm going to look pretty silly with a bag of washers hanging from my bass :)

I really don't want to sell the bass, since it's perfect in every respect apart from this one.

Thanks!

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I think it's a common problem with Soundgears - even the top end ones. As I said, I think they're designed to be played at a more horizontal angle. Which is odd since their biggest advocate, Fiedly of Korn, pretty much plays his K5 in a vertical position.

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Just for my own amusement, I tried hanging a bag of coins from the bridge-side strap button and whaddya know, it set the balance perfectly, for the angle I like. Kind of annoying, is it's just not practical to have something hanging off my bass while I play. Maybe I could just try taping some weights to the body and see if that helps...

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What about putting some weights inside the electronics compartment? Nobody will see anything.
I have no problem regarding neck angle with my Ibby. In fact I switch to different angles for different riffs. My strap is very slidey and I can go from horizontal to Feildy any number of times in a song... all part of the show.

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[quote name='Ou7shined' post='204379' date='May 22 2008, 04:06 PM']What about putting some weights inside the electronics compartment? Nobody will see anything.
I have no problem regarding neck angle with my Ibby. In fact I switch to different angles for different riffs. My strap is very slidey and I can go from horizontal to Feildy any number of times in a song... all part of the show.[/quote]

I did think about that. I'm yet to open up the electronics cavity of my 5 string, though I did on my 6 string and it was a huge mass of wires :) Didn't look like there was room in there for anything else.

I notice you have an SRX, rather than SR - perhaps the balance is more vertical-friendly? Thing is, I can easily get it into a more vertical position, but I'm either holding it up with my left hand, or pushing down with my right, neither of which, I find, are good for my technique.

Edited by geilerbass
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[quote name='geilerbass' post='204394' date='May 22 2008, 04:35 PM']I did think about that. I'm yet to open up the electronics cavity of my 5 string, though I did on my 6 string and it was a huge mass of wires :) Didn't look like there was room in there for anything else.[/quote]
Yeah mine's a mess of wire too. But there would be room in there if I tidied it up.
I'm trying to think how to maximise the weight/space ratio - lead would be best I suppose. Being an aquarist, I use lengths of lead ribbon to weight the plants in my tanks, perhaps you could get a hold of enough and mould it into the available space. A bunch of solder would work too I suppose.

[b]edit :[/b] Ooh what about that lead they use for stained glass windows? It's quite ply-able. Hardware store/craft shop.

[quote name='geilerbass' post='204394' date='May 22 2008, 04:35 PM']I notice you have an SRX, rather than SR - perhaps the balance is more vertical-friendly? Thing is, I can easily get it into a more vertical position, but I'm either holding it up with my left hand, or pushing down with my right, neither of which, I find, are good for my technique.[/quote]
Gotcha. Mine is quite low slung and I'm pretty energetic when I play and nod the neck (mine and the guitar's :huh:) in time with the music so I'm gripping the neck all the time. Technique doesn't come into it. :huh:

Edited by Ou7shined
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[quote name='Ou7shined' post='204431' date='May 22 2008, 05:15 PM']Yeah mine's a mess of wire too. But there would be room in there if I tidied it up.
I'm trying to think how to maximise the weight/space ratio - lead would be best I suppose. Being an aquarist, I use lengths of lead ribbon to weight the plants in my tanks, perhaps you could get a hold of enough and mould it into the available space. A bunch of solder would work too I suppose.

[b]edit :[/b] Ooh what about that lead they use for stained glass windows? It's quite ply-able. Hardware store/craft shop.


Gotcha. Mine is quite low slung and I'm pretty energetic when I play and nod the neck (mine and the guitar's :huh:) in time with the music so I'm gripping the neck all the time. Technique doesn't come into it. :huh:[/quote]

Lead's a great idea - though I've no idea where I'd get hold of any. Guess I'll have to look online.

I move about quite a bit on stage too and have been known to swing the neck about a bit. I recently joined a band whose music is far more technical and complex, so I'm having to adapt my style a bit. And years of bad posture etc are now taking their toll on my frail frame, so I need to try and preserve what technique I have left... :)

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I've tried to 'put' my Ibby to most horizontal angle.. Dah, if I want my 'perfect'-horizontal angle, I still have to, as Geiler mentioned, push down the bass with my plucking hand's thumb or lift the neck with my fretting hand...

What should I do? :)

Maybe strap is the problem..

For e.g., have you ever looked at Rob Trujillo? He's using kinda same form 'structure' basses and 'soft' straps, if ya know, what I mean..

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[quote name='geilerbass' post='202739' date='May 20 2008, 11:50 AM']....I find the most comfortable way to play is to have the neck of my bass angled quite steeply (at least 45 degrees to horizontal). However, my current bass (an Ibanez) has a bit of neck dive....[/quote]
You could add a dunlop straplock. This would push the strap away from the bass by about 1". That might be enough to alter the center of balance, but the bottom line is, if this really is a problem you can't live with, you need a better bass.

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I found neck dive to be a (not big, but technique-affecting) problem on my Thumb last night, when I played it in anger for the first time.

I'd like to try a non-slip strap first. Can anybody hook me up with a link to where I can get one please?

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