Dandelion Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 I have a problem with the beer gut. When I stand and play, the gut causes the bass to find a position where I can't see the fretboard. I could shorten the strap and play with the bass hanging under my chin but that is not the aesthetic that I am after. Apart from loosing weight, is there a solution to this? A fancy strap or something? Or a girdle... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddo Soqable Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 Double bass... 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabag Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 Make some kind of pad, maybe sponge would do ( just ask Waddo for piece of his brain ) and tape it to the bottom half of your bass body rear. This will kick the bottom of the bass outwards. How thick you make the sponge is down to how much you need the bass to tilt 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor J Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 Wear two pillows over your crotch to extend the gut slope down to knee level. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Misdee Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 2 hours ago, Dandelion said: I have a problem with the beer gut. When I stand and play, the gut causes the bass to find a position where I can't see the fretboard. I could shorten the strap and play with the bass hanging under my chin but that is not the aesthetic that I am after. Apart from loosing weight, is there a solution to this? A fancy strap or something? Or a girdle... I had exactly the same problem about 30 years ago. It took me a while to admit to myself that my belly was the problem. For a long time I blamed the strap I was using at the time. Eventually a combination of self-loathing and vanity enabled me to overcome my "stomach problem", but I'm still fighting to maintain my boyish figure every day. Would deliberately balancing the body of the bass on your upper belly elevate it to about 45 degrees, making it easier to see the fretboard? Just a thought. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulThePlug Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 (edited) Whats the Bass? Move, or add a strap button to the neck heel / back of pocket... SG style, it moves the bass round, and hang more central, but nut will be further away... I want to turn up some neck plate screws that have a strap button on the end... 'Prolly best with a machine thread in to neck collet nut inserts... Edited May 7, 2023 by PaulThePlug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snorkie635 Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 3 hours ago, Waddo Soqable said: Double bass... Double chin? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddo Soqable Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 14 minutes ago, snorkie635 said: Double chin? He'll thump you if you're not careful.. 😁 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonard Smalls Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 The simple answer is to play jazz and/or funk... Alternatively, just hoik the strap and make like guitar matey from Idles. Cool is how you carry it off, not by copying Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 What's wrong with using the markers on the edge of the fretboard? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Downunderwonder Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 The clue is in the name. Lay off the beersies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 Wean yourself off the need to look at the front of the fingerboard? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YouMa Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 Stop consuming so many carbohydrates and burn some calories. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SumOne Posted May 8, 2023 Share Posted May 8, 2023 9 hours ago, YouMa said: Stop consuming so many carbohydrates and burn some calories. Harsh, but this is the solution not only to this dilemma but other Bass related ones (sore back etc) and potentially more serious non Bass related ones further down the line too. I'm sure Yoda or some other equally esteemed religions figure would have an inspiring saying about the difficult path leading to the best destination. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Misdee Posted May 8, 2023 Share Posted May 8, 2023 (edited) Losing weight is very difficult, and keeping the weight off after you have lost it is even more difficult. And the older you are, the more difficult it becomes. You have to be really dedicated to the project or it just won't work. It might help if we knew what kind of bass the O.P is using. If it's something unusually light and insubstantial then that might give an insight into the potential remedy. Maybe a bass with a slightly curved body, like a Warwick or Spector, might help. Or a bass with a body substantial enough to flatten an unruly gut, like a Yamaha BB or Jaydee Supernatural. Or a Music Man Stingray. There's plenty of bass players who proudly sport a big belly and play a wide array of basses perfectly well. I'm sure this problem is solvable without resorting to diet and exercise. Edited May 8, 2023 by Misdee 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkgod Posted May 8, 2023 Share Posted May 8, 2023 (edited) be like me, drink more beer, then you can use the bass like a lap steel guitar, easy sorry, i could not resist, its like a form of tourette's, i just cant help myself. 🙂 Edited May 8, 2023 by funkgod 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knirirr Posted May 8, 2023 Share Posted May 8, 2023 16 hours ago, Waddo Soqable said: Double bass... An EUB on a stand might be even better: https://www.thomann.de/gb/ibanez_ub804_mob.htm 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr4stringz Posted May 8, 2023 Share Posted May 8, 2023 Shame to see there are a few comments that immediately went down a route the OP was clearly trying to avoid. Given that, maybe it’s not surprising they’ve not been forthcoming with further info. I’m sure the OP feels far more enlightened now some have suggested losing weight. Im sure that had never occurred to them before. 🙄 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Horse Murphy Posted May 8, 2023 Share Posted May 8, 2023 I agree with using the side fret markers more than the front ones. It's always worked for me and actually I don't ever recall using the front fret markers when playing (similarly they don't always appear on basses such as Sandbergs, Warwicks and Status). If that doesn't work, is it worth doing what BB King used to do and tuck the bass more under his arm than across his front? It seemed to work for him and he was a stout chap. Alternatively, it may be a case of shortening the strap, which I've seen a number of bass players who are built for comfort rather than speed do. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trueno Posted May 8, 2023 Share Posted May 8, 2023 My Warwick Thumb BO had the perfect curvature to accommodate a gut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Cloud Posted May 8, 2023 Share Posted May 8, 2023 The best way to overcome beer gut woe is to ensure that you consistently drink enough beer on a daily basis to not care ... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddo Soqable Posted May 8, 2023 Share Posted May 8, 2023 (edited) What about some kind of "sideways" slinging posture so the bass is twisted round to the right hip, kind of.... might look quite cool too... Edit, I've just tried this and it works very well in my ( poss crazy) opinion 😁 Edited May 8, 2023 by Waddo Soqable 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Dare Posted May 8, 2023 Share Posted May 8, 2023 1 hour ago, Trueno said: My Warwick Thumb BO had the perfect curvature to accommodate a gut. Spectors are quite good in that regard, too. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tegs07 Posted May 8, 2023 Share Posted May 8, 2023 play like Peter Hook? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knirirr Posted May 8, 2023 Share Posted May 8, 2023 1 hour ago, Waddo Soqable said: What about some kind of "sideways" slinging posture so the bass is twisted round to the right hip, kind of.... might look quite cool too... Edit, I've just tried this and it works very well in my ( poss crazy) opinion 😁 Is this the sort of thing you mean? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.