Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted May 22, 2023 Share Posted May 22, 2023 How low do you wear your bass? I always adjust my straps (Mostly leathergraft suede comfy ones) to the longest they’ll go for the classic ‘cover your nuts’ look. An additional benefit of this is that the bass gives you cover if your flies come undone - as happened to Pete Way here: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacecowboy Posted May 22, 2023 Share Posted May 22, 2023 I use Small Comfort Straps, adjusted almost as short as they will go! I like to wear my basses like necklaces! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolo Posted May 23, 2023 Share Posted May 23, 2023 (edited) For reference, I'm 1.91 m tall, the angle of the pic may or may not be helpful. Edited May 23, 2023 by Bolo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted May 23, 2023 Share Posted May 23, 2023 (edited) Back in the 80s, I wore my bass pretty high up because slap. That changed fairly quickly and since then I've worn my basses pretty much where they'd be if I sat down. It's the perfect height for me. Edited May 23, 2023 by Rich 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacDaddy Posted May 23, 2023 Share Posted May 23, 2023 28 minutes ago, Rich said: Back in the 80s, I wore my bass pretty high up because slap. That changed fairly quickly and since then I've worn my basses pretty much where they'd be if I sat down. It's the perfect height for me. Same. It's what Billy Sheehan advises too, keeping the bass angles constant sitting and standing. Although some people @BigRedX practice standing up, so have their basses lower. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nilorius Posted May 23, 2023 Share Posted May 23, 2023 (edited) I wear it pretty high Edited May 23, 2023 by nilorius Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reggaebass Posted May 23, 2023 Share Posted May 23, 2023 Like a few above I wear mine high, i practice sitting so when I play it’s the same height 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted May 23, 2023 Share Posted May 23, 2023 As per my avatar, not gibbon arm length but not a chest warmer either. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed_S Posted May 23, 2023 Share Posted May 23, 2023 I'm generally most comfy with the bridge at about conventional jeans-pocket height when the bass is slightly angled-up in playing position. I've had to shorten my straps a bit since losing some weight, as it's taking less seatbelt to achieve the same position these days. The idea of either practicing standing up or setting the strap to maintain the position when seated makes complete sense, but I've never done it. I practice and record sitting down, but rehearse and gig standing up. Having just given the seated-height strap adjustment a quick try, I can't honestly see it ever working for me either ergonomically or aesthetically. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Riva Posted May 23, 2023 Share Posted May 23, 2023 12 hours ago, Jean-Luc Pickguard said: How low do you wear your bass? I always adjust my straps (Mostly leathergraft suede comfy ones) to the longest they’ll go for the classic ‘cover your nuts’ look. An additional benefit of this is that the bass gives you cover if your flies come undone - as happened to Pete Way here: This is one of my favourite Pete pics… 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agent 00Soul Posted May 23, 2023 Share Posted May 23, 2023 I like it so the strings are just above the waist with the neck angled up. For whatever reason, after a few songs I tend to start playing sideways a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted May 23, 2023 Share Posted May 23, 2023 (edited) Depends on the bass to which it is fitted. On the Gus G3s the straps are both 1290mm long from strap button centre to strap button centre. On the Eastwood Hooky it is 1370mm On other basses I have owned in the past the straps would again have been different lengths depending on the design of the bass, the position of the strap buttons and how I played it. Regarding practicing sitting down or standing up, even in the days (early 80s) when I played with the bass high on my chest, I still found that I held the instrument in a different way when I was sitting or standing, and anything complicated that I learnt sitting down would require a bit of adjustment before I could play it as well standing up. Since I discovered this I have always played standing up. Edited May 23, 2023 by BigRedX 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Franticsmurf Posted May 23, 2023 Share Posted May 23, 2023 I have a strap for each bass and they are adjusted to let the bass sit at about belt height - the centre of the body could attach to the belt buckle. It's a little lower than sitting down height. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LowB_FTW Posted May 24, 2023 Share Posted May 24, 2023 Reading this thread, realised it was time for a brew, went downstairs and put the kettle on, measured my strap … 51". Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asingardenof Posted May 25, 2023 Share Posted May 25, 2023 Precisely about this long. If I ever lose weight it'll hang a bit lower. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingBollock Posted May 25, 2023 Share Posted May 25, 2023 Like Franticsmurf, I have mine so that my belt buckle would be about central to the bass body (I know this because, when I was thin enough, I caused buckle rash in exactly that position…). I have my bass the same length sitting and standing. When sitting, the bass hangs down between my legs with the neck angled quite high. I never rest my bass on my leg when playing sitting down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddo Soqable Posted May 25, 2023 Share Posted May 25, 2023 (edited) Kind of low but neck angled upwards. I just measured the strap and it's 55 ins buttonhole to buttonhole (I'm about 6ft tall) Edited May 26, 2023 by Waddo Soqable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveXFR Posted May 25, 2023 Share Posted May 25, 2023 I have mine right about here. A combination of a knackered back and shoulders mean this is the only position I can have it and still be able to walk the next day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbayne Posted May 25, 2023 Share Posted May 25, 2023 I never actually realised how high I had it actually. It seems to rest naturally on my large lower chest though. 😁 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted May 25, 2023 Share Posted May 25, 2023 About where it would be if I was sitting. I almost always play sitting anyway, sometimes in classical guitar position (as below) and sometimes with the waist resting on my right leg. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard R Posted May 26, 2023 Share Posted May 26, 2023 The same height when sitting or standing. That was the advice I got when I first started to play, and it seems to be right for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Browning Posted May 26, 2023 Share Posted May 26, 2023 On my basses, volume control at willy height. It seems to feel more natural! 🙂 When concealed in clothing obviously, my arms aren't that long!! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyJohnson Posted May 26, 2023 Share Posted May 26, 2023 At 6'4" and predominantly using Thunderbirds, I favour a Levy's extra long strap; there's certainly times where the strap has been too long and photographic evidence show me in a square-shouldered Herman Munster poise, just to raise the bass to a more comfortable playing position. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gasman Posted June 11, 2023 Share Posted June 11, 2023 How long is my strap? Well, I’ve nothing to be proud of... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snorkie635 Posted June 11, 2023 Share Posted June 11, 2023 Like some above, strap-length varies with bass being played at the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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