Jump to content
Why become a member? ×
  • advertisement_alt
  • advertisement_alt
  • advertisement_alt

Playing gigs sitting down. Pop/funk covers band. Acceptable?


Recommended Posts

Posted (edited)

Loads of interesting stuff here! Today, I made a super-thick pad to go under my already-wide shoulder strap. I thought it would help cushion the weight, but it hasn't Worth a try. I've decided to make a walk up performer stand so I can have no weight at all on my neck and shoulder. @chris_b suggested the Mbrace https://www.imuso.co.uk/itm/mbrace-stage-guitar-stand but it's no longer made. 

 

I'm reluctant to play sitting down. I always play standing up - at home, at rehearsal and at gigs. It's what my muscle-memories expect. Also, as some here have suggested, I tend to think that playing sitting down in a pop-funk dance band wouldn't look right or give the right performance vibe So, I'm going to have a go at making something like the Mbrace. I'll start a new thread. All design inputs and ideas welcome!

Edited by solo4652
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

27 minutes ago, solo4652 said:

Loads of interesting stuff here! Today, I made a super-thick pad to go under my already-wide shoulder strap. I thought it would help cushion the weight, but it hasn't Worth a try. I've decided to make a walk up performer stand so I can have no weight at all on my neck and shoulder. @chris_b suggested the Mbrace https://www.imuso.co.uk/itm/mbrace-stage-guitar-stand but it's no longer made. 

 

I'm going to have a go at making something like it. I'll start a new thread. All design inputs and ideas welcome!

 

I developed neck/back pain playing bass during lockdown - playing all day when I was suddenly home a lot. Initially I bought a Hofner violin bass which was super light. But I yearned for my jazz bass and different straps didn't help. In the end I sat down with my friendly local guitar technician to look at the weight. We identified:

  • the steel clover leaf style tuners were really heavy, but could be replaced with alloy/nylon units
  • the sexy high-mass bridge really wasn't helping and could be replaced with a bent plate type
  • wood could be machined from underneath the fingerboard

We removed around 1.5lbs in weight - with a lot of that coming off the end of the neck so it helped weight distribution. Of course this is just a cheap Squier whose value is more emotional to me than financial. I maybe wouldn't do it to a valuable instrument, but it completely changed this instrument.

 

Edited by Rosie C
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted (edited)
6 minutes ago, Rosie C said:

 

I developed neck/back pain playing bass during lockdown - playing all day when I was suddenly home a lot. Initially I bought a Hofner violin bass which was super light. But I yearned for my jazz bass and different straps didn't help. In the end I sat down with my friendly local guitar technician to look at the weight. We identified:

  • the steel clover leaf style tuners were really heavy, but could be replaced with alloy/nylon units
  • the sexy high-mass bridge really wasn't helping and could be replaced with a bent plate type
  • wood could be machined from underneath the fingerboard

We removed around 1.5lbs in weight - with a lot of that coming off the end of the neck so it helped weight distribution. Of course this is just a cheap Squier whose value is more emotional to me than financial. I maybe wouldn't do it to a valuable instrument, but it completely changed this instrument.

chamber.jpeg

 

 

Blimey! That's pretty radical! My No.1 bass is a Lakland semi-hollow short scale with light-weight tuners. It's already one of the lightest basses you can get at 3.3 Kgs. I don't want to make any alterations to it at all - it's too valuable for that, I reckon.

Edited by solo4652
Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, nilorius said:

Dahh....they who ''will dance on the floor in the round'' will earn cash !!!

Your first contribution to this thread was a bit odd. This second one is insensitive, and bordering on the offensive. How about you come back when you have a positive contribution to make?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 minutes ago, Mykesbass said:

Your first contribution to this thread was a bit odd. This second one is insensitive, and bordering on the offensive. How about you come back when you have a positive contribution to make?

How about - just don't quote my contributions, if you don't like them so much, and you will be fine.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Rosie C said:

 

I developed neck/back pain playing bass during lockdown - playing all day when I was suddenly home a lot. Initially I bought a Hofner violin bass which was super light. But I yearned for my jazz bass and different straps didn't help. In the end I sat down with my friendly local guitar technician to look at the weight. We identified:

  • the steel clover leaf style tuners were really heavy, but could be replaced with alloy/nylon units
  • the sexy high-mass bridge really wasn't helping and could be replaced with a bent plate type
  • wood could be machined from underneath the fingerboard

We removed around 1.5lbs in weight - with a lot of that coming off the end of the neck so it helped weight distribution. Of course this is just a cheap Squier whose value is more emotional to me than financial. I maybe wouldn't do it to a valuable instrument, but it completely changed this instrument.

 

 

Just cut the headstock off and get some Guyker headless gear. Even better for weight distribution.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had back issues last year and played sitting down for around 6 months, I just used an Ikea folding chair. No one seemed to mind, and I was playing soul/pop covers and my own jazz trio. I kind of preferred it coz it meant my ears where right next to my amp!

 

FWIW I went to a physio who gave me some exercises and started doing weights at the gym. Fixed my back issues.

Edited by bassist_lewis
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, tauzero said:

 

Just cut the headstock off and get some Guyker headless gear. Even better for weight distribution.

 

We didn't quite go that far, but the next step was to have been cut the headstock down and move the 'A' tuning machine onto the underside, like a MusicMan.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, nilorius said:

How about - just don't quote my contributions, if you don't like them so much, and you will be fine.

No, how about you show some empathy in your posts on a topic revolving around health issues on a public forum?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Mykesbass said:

No, how about you show some empathy in your posts on a topic revolving around health issues on a public forum?

At first....start showing some respect on me, couse you know nothing about My health problems and what $hit i have gone throught, for 20 years, to start controlling my health as a normal human deserves. And there is nothing wrong with quotes i wrote before, just your bad imagination.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, nilorius said:

At first....start showing some respect on me, couse you know nothing about My health problems and what $hit i have gone throught, for 20 years, to start controlling my health as a normal human deserves. And there is nothing wrong with quotes i wrote before, just your bad imagination.

Respect needs to be earned, and frankly you haven't done that on this thread.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Standing up while playing certainly has more visual impact than sitting down. A folk dance band I was in (playing melodeon) used to sit down. Then was at an event where the band was standing and we reolved to stand up from then on.

 

If you are incapable of standing then there may be nothing you can do about it, but  (IMHO) the visual impact will be diminished.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

some great ideas on this thread. I have the same issue. After my heart OP last year, I did a Cardio rehab program. I've been going to the gym every other day since last August. It's helped so much. Not huge weights but core exercises and back strengthening on the plate machines.  takes a while but I've seen a huge change in my ability to stand for over 2 hours with a heavy Sandberg bass. 

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I got a Hofner violin bass due to knackered shoulder / weight issues a few years ago and in terms of weight it was like there was virtually nothing there, it weighed about as much as a bag of crisps. Unfortunately, the neck dive was incredible, even sitting down,  so I let it go.

 

I still have a CV Mustang which is very light and a Squier Jazz which is surprisingly light too, but I only play bass sitting down nowadays so weight (up to a point) isn’t such an issue. Shoulder still is a problem though! 
 

I remember seeing Incognito live once and whoever was on bass sat down through the whole set. The audience was still dancing 👍

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, PaulThePlug said:

You tried turning the stool over, flat bit at the top?..

that made me laugh so hard, it hurts🤣

 

I might need to lie down at this afternoons gig, my back isnt in a good place today.

I can't let the pub down, so more drugs

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, police squad said:

that made me laugh so hard, it hurts🤣

 

I might need to lie down at this afternoons gig, my back isnt in a good place today.

I can't let the pub down, so more drugs

 

Would this help at all?

 

https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/492156-diy-walk-up-performer-stand-design-input-and-suggestions-please/

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Would an EUB be an answer? I’ve always had one on stage and used to play in a Hendrix tribute with one exclusively (it was an interesting fit!). 
An NS Design on a tripod means I play standing up or on a bar stool with a back rest. There’s no genre I can’t play with it and as it’s vaguely upright-ish no one bats an eyelid in terms of you sitting down, and it doesn’t have to sound like an upright so good for pop/funk. 
Also it’s the instrument I’ve had the most people come up to me after a gig to ask what the hell it is! 

Edited by Boodang
Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, solo4652 said:

hi mate, not really. It isn't weight issues I'm having atm. I think I have a disk out of place and it's pressing on the nerves. It's more a positional thing.

ATM I can't get out of bed in the morning and stand up until I've taken the cocodamol and waited about 15 minutes because of the pain. Then I could get up and hobble about. (it's actually quite scarey not being able to stand)

Physio tomorrow but lots of rest today/ tomorrow

  • Sad 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 minutes ago, police squad said:

hi mate, not really. It isn't weight issues I'm having atm. I think I have a disk out of place and it's pressing on the nerves. It's more a positional thing.

ATM I can't get out of bed in the morning and stand up until I've taken the cocodamol and waited about 15 minutes because of the pain. Then I could get up and hobble about. (it's actually quite scarey not being able to stand)

Physio tomorrow but lots of rest today/ tomorrow

Sounds horrible - hope you get it sorted soon. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...