headless bass....I keep getting lost....am I loosing my head?

[iconic]

I always fancied a headless bass....to go with my mullet 'n highlights, skintight jeans, leather box jacket or pale yellow jacket with sleeves rolled up for that Don Johnson look....

So I bought a really sweet active 80's Jack Bass off here (thanks Ivan ), it's beautiful thing, excellent build quality, great and very varied selection of tones, super low action.....lower than a snakes belly in a rut, doesn't loose tune, great balance....so whats the catch, this really [b]IS[/b] a good bass...?

well.....I seem to get lost on the fretboard....playing 2 steps up, unless I [b][i]really think [/i][/b]what I'm doing and I'm lazy so this comes hard to me.
I have even had the Jack sitting on my knee along with a jazz at the same time, to try and figure if there is a difference in where the fretboard sits in relation to each other......result, from this scientific experiment is that there is no difference, so it's all in my head.

Anyone else had this issue with a headless....at the moment I'm even thinking of putting on some of the decal kit block inlays to help, black and white, very 80's.

....most likely just me and my lack of prowess on basses

Edited March 9, 2013 by iconic

[police squad]

totally normal. The bass sits differently.
I've got an old Steinberger that sits on its pivot strap and actually doesn't do this.
But my Hohner B2a did and my Status and also my steinberger GR4 guitar.

eventually, I got used to it. It still makes me chuckle

[iconic]

[quote name='police squad' timestamp='1362820610' post='2005119']
totally normal. The bass sits differently.
I've got an old Steinberger that sits on its pivot strap and actually doesn't do this.
But my Hohner B2a did and my Status and also my steinberger GR4 guitar.

eventually, I got used to it. It still makes me chuckle
[/quote]

thanks for the reply,
Yes, it does sit 'differently' but the actual fret position is in line with that of my jazz bass, which I find most odd?

[witterth]

Just keep at it you will get used to it.
I take your point about the '80s thing (and went back to playing my stingray for all those reasons)
but you are right, its a great design for bass. tuning and balance are rock solid, and if you are as lazy as me, headless basses are less of a hassle to transport.
so I went back to my status ( and even bought a new one ) sounds miles better and even punters sometimes comment on the sound (which amazes me !) who knew they were listening!? Ha!
80s style well.....so what? I was there.

Edited March 9, 2013 by witterth

[Jacqueslemac]

I had exactly the same problem and didn't play it enough to overcome it (swapping between the Jack and my other basses so frequently didn't help), so I traded it.

Just like a fretless, though, it's something you HAVE to get out of your system!

[Fat Rich]

I've played Status basses for 20 years..... but only headed ones. But whenever I've tried headless versions I try to play everything about 3 frets up. I think my brain works out where I am on the fretboard from the end of the headstock so when it's not there it moves me up the neck.

Plenty of people play headed and headless so I'm sure you'll get used to it, maybe try putting a black bag over the headstock of your Jazz bass to fool your brain quicker

[chris_b]

Practice in the dark.

[Paul S]

[quote name='Fat Rich' timestamp='1362823083' post='2005168']
But whenever I've tried headless versions I try to play everything about 3 frets up. I think my brain works out where I am on the fretboard from the end of the headstock so when it's not there it moves me up the neck.

Plenty of people play headed and headless so I'm sure you'll get used to it,
[/quote]

^This^. I have a B2A. In fact I've had 3, sold the first 2 for the reason you mention - found it hard to get my head round the fact there was no head and played 2 or 3 frets up. But they are such good basses and so good to take as a back up that I decided to get a third one and persevere - and it worked eventually. Like anything else new, it is just a case of training your brain to work it out automatically. The B2A is especially weird as it hangs in a funny way, so the end of the neck is way off to the left and a bit of a stretch to fret an F. But after a while it clicks into place and you play without thinking.

[merlin]

Yes had a The Jack bass in the 80s,and yes I played Gs instead of Fs when I first played it,stupid brain thinking the headstock was still there,miss that bass lent it to a friend,not seen it or him since.A lesson there somewere.

[molan]

I've had this problem with small bodied headless basses but the issue for me is the point at which the upper horn strap hangs. I'm used to the typical position around 12th/13th fret.

A lot of the smaller headless basses are up around 15th/16th fret and this often feels like the neck has been thrown a few inches out to the left of you.

Never had an issue on something like Jack where the strap is in 'standard' position.

[Dingus]

I remember finding the same problem when trying headless basses back in the 80s ( never bought one ) and I know other people who have done the same . I think the reason for this tendancy to play things two frets higher is that the player is subconciously compensating for the absent headstock by designating the the first couple of frets along with the string retainer as a substitute headstock because you are used to visualising the neck in that way on a conventional fretted bass .

[BassTractor]

Without having checked whether the frets were in the same position as with other basses, my Hohner B2B felt as if it was a lot to the left, and the end of the neck was hard to reach.
Using my own [s]chest width[/s] waist width as a parameter, I got it placed more to the right by shortening the strap just five cm or so. Perfec now, and that strap is now dedicated to the B2B.
I guess it ain't that easy if you're not a fat bastard.


best,
bert

[fumps]

God I miss my Homer jack bass.

[icastle]

The biggest problem I've found with headless basses is that my hand falls off the end if I play too quickly...

[mybass]

[quote name='iconic' timestamp='1362820175' post='2005114']
I always fancied a headless bass....to go with my mullet 'n highlights, skintight jeans, leather box jacket or pale yellow jacket with sleeves rolled up for that Don Johnson look....

So I bought a really sweet active 80's Jack Bass off here (thanks Ivan ), it's beautiful thing, excellent build quality, great and very varied selection of tones, super low action.....lower than a snakes belly in a rut, doesn't loose tune, great balance....so whats the catch, this really [b]IS[/b] a good bass...?

well.....I seem to get lost on the fretboard....playing 2 steps up, unless I [b][i]really think [/i][/b]what I'm doing and I'm lazy so this comes hard to me.
I have even had the Jack sitting on my knee along with a jazz at the same time, to try and figure if there is a difference in where the fretboard sits in relation to each other......result, from this scientific experiment is that there is no difference, so it's all in my head.

Anyone else had this issue with a headless....at the moment I'm even thinking of putting on some of the decal kit block inlays to help, black and white, very 80's.

....most likely just me and my lack of prowess on basses
[/quote]

I think the Jack Bass top horn, where the strap button is, may fall 1 to 2 frets short of being in line with 12th fret position which is where 'Fender' style balancing reaches to. When the Jack Bass bass is strapped on, it may therefore be sitting in a different 'bass to body' position than a Fender bass.
I first got the notion of this shorter top horn with Warwick basses, couldn't figure out why I sometimes played out of position, gradually got used to it.

[tauzero]

I'm pretty sure it's the visual cue that a headstock gives, as others have said. I had a B2 about 25 years ago, along with a P, and initially had the same problem but after a little while got used to it. Although I sold that 25 years ago and didn't have another headless until a couple of years ago, it took no time to reacclimatise. So just persevere, you'll get there.

[dmccombe7]

i have a headless Yamaha but can't say i noticed anything odd when i bought it back in late 80's.

Dave

[daz]

It must be something to do with it actually looking different from what you are used to. I have the same problem with 5 stringers.

[dmccombe7]

Had that problem when i went from 4 to 6 strings

Dave

[Wil]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1362824176' post='2005188']
Practice in the dark.
[/quote]

Oh come now, headless basses aren't [i]that[/i] ugly

[Dr.Dave]

Had two - loved both - no issues of this nature whatsoever.

I'm quessing but this could be mind game. Reading your witty intro re. the 80s vibe etc I think you could have an underlying reason to find a problem that doesn't really exist.

Jack's are great basses - forget about the headless thing and just enjoy yours.

[Phantomnin]

I almost always play Headless. I owned two Hohner jacks for years, and upgraded to two Status Streamlines.

My problem is the opposite. Give me a headed precision and I fee like I am playing a different instrument, this has got more pronounced since I got the Streamlines as they don't sit the same way as a normal bodied bass when you play sitting down.

Miss the hohners...had to sell them to afford the streamlines, but they were great inexpensive basses.

As for headless...the tuning, the balance outweigh the endless conversations about where the headstock has gone.

[EMG456]

This is normal for a first timer on headless.

I had exactly the same issue back in '84 when I bought my first Steinberger - two frets sharp if you let your mind wander! It quickly gets better. I pretty much played that bass and a de-fretted Hohner B2 almost exclusively for about 9 years.

As noted earlier in the thread, similar problems can be caused by the way a bass hangs on a strap, 24 fret as opposed to 20 or 21 fret necks, different scale lengths etc. etc.

I recall that back when I started playing, swapping to a Fender from my Rick was a daunting prospect - it's all down to what you're used to. I now have a variety of basses both headed and headless, different scale lengths, 4/5/6, fretted/fretless and don't have a worry swapping between them all. If you stick with it, it will come.

All the best and welcome to the headless club!

Ed

[Conan]

[quote name='fumps' timestamp='1362860084' post='2005535']
God I miss my Homer jack bass.
[/quote]

[steve-bbb]

STOP LOOKING AT IT !!!

play with your fingers not your eyes