Age & Common Sense

[SamIAm]

Having injured my back on duty in Aug 2021 I can relate, it is only recently that I am able to stand for any period of time ... enough to gig or do some clinical work, but not sufficient for the 12.5h shifts or heavy moving and handling that is required in ITU ... a role change is in progress.

 

From a bass playing perspective I'm now a short scale fan(well sub short scale as I came into bass grooving on a UBASS) and they are LIGHT!

 

As @tauzerosuggests, the Hohner/Steinberger basses are brilliant from a weight perspective. I had a Hohner B2V and it was under 3kg, I loved that bass (looks/feel/sound)!  The only reason I sold it was due to my fretting hand not liking anything more than short scale (Damn you fretting hand!), I tried the 1-2-4 approach but my mind was ... unwilling ... to participate! lol

 

S'manth x

[Maude]

5 hours ago, Dad3353 said:

Any reason why this solution ...

 

 

...shouldn't fix any neck-dive issues..? 

Those straps always make me fearful of popping a nut out mid gig. 

[SamIAm]

1 hour ago, Maude said:

Those straps always make me fearful of popping a nut out mid gig. 

And I wonder it the strain on the neck might lead to ... something bad!

S'manth x

[Clarky]

Reckon you will enjoy the Mustang, Loz. With La Bella Mustang flats, my old one sounded sufficiently close to a Precision in my  country punk band that I doubt anyone in the audience would have noticed the difference sound-wise. Example:

 

 

[Lozz196]

Thanks Clarky, it came with Chromes on it which I’m quite enjoying but I know I’m gonna have to scratch the roundwound itch at some point.

[PaulThePlug]

3 hours ago, Maude said:

Those straps always make me fearful of popping a nut out mid gig. 

I think the post is about Guitar Straps... Not Jock Straps...

[tauzero]

3 hours ago, Maude said:

Those straps always make me fearful of popping a nut out mid gig. 

 

Make sure your flies are properly done up then.

[bassbiscuits]

Yup I’m another bloke knocking 50 with a knackered shoulder and a MIJ Mustang bass I swear by. They’re not the same as a P but they are the same ball park with an attitude all of their own, and well worth having.

I’ve whittled myself down to three basses all under 3.8kg which I can cope with, but the shorter scale and smaller neck on the Mustang is just an absolute bonus for long gigs, and it still sounds killer. 

[Frank Blank]

4 hours ago, Maude said:

Those straps always make me fearful of popping a nut out mid gig. 

 Yeah, same here, then again I will insist on gigging in budgie smugglers, I suppose it's a risk that comes with the territory.

[Frank Blank]

1 hour ago, Clarky said:

I doubt anyone in the audience would have noticed the difference sound-wise.

Let's face it, most wouldn't notice the difference if you were playing a euphonium made of cheese that was on fire.

[Waddo Soqable]

In my experience most punters wouldn't appreciate the difference between a bass and a guitar anyway, it's just "a couple of blokes playing guitars.." 

[iconic]

These Yamaha RBX4-A2 A.I.R. Body are ridiculously light, the title weighs more😉 they do a 5 string too. 

 

Whenever a bass player picks mine up you can see it almost launch into the air as the person picking it up, is poised to expect something far heavier. 

Edited March 23, 2023 by iconic

[BassAdder60]

Sorry to hear about your back struggles. It must be tough choosing gear from a weight point of view but understandable of course.

Your health is important and so is your mental wellbeing so find a solution that works just as long it doesn’t result in gigging from a chair ! 

I went from light cabs to heavy cabs and it’s a pain late at night loading the van up but I do love the old school thump and volume so it’s a price I pay.

 

I only gig twice per month tops and rehearse ( more for social band reasons ) once a week. 
I don’t think I could gig more frequently based on how exhausted I feel the next day but then again I’m 62 !!

[stewblack]

Like you @Lozz196I have to make concessions to my advanced state of physical decay.

My preference is for 8x10 stacks and no thought at all to the weight of the bass. But lately I seem to gig with a medium scale, lightweight Maruszczyk bass and two teeny 10 inch Trace cabs which together weigh the same as a half eaten candy floss. Oh and my bass strap is about a foot wide .

Every now and then I throw caution to a cliché and take out my HB jazz anchor, but it's a gamble.