Neck heavy bass.

[gsgbass]

I play a Gibson SG Std., and the top strap button is the major cause of it's neck dive of death.

[Tankdave]

"Whilst were on the subject" Do the Stingray 5's neck dive? either the standard Ray5 or the slab bodied Classic?

[4 Strings]

[quote name='gsgbass' timestamp='1373591326' post='2139507']
I play a Gibson SG Std., and the top strap button is the major cause of it's neck dive of death.
[/quote]
That, and the bridge being miles from the end forcing even this short scale neck way out left

[BetaFunk]

If anyone thinks that they have a neck heavy bass then you are welcome to play my 1960s WEM Sapphire at the South East Bass Bass (if it's put back together by then). It practically screams 'dive, dive, dive' when you put it on and the only thing that's going to have your left hand heading towards the floor faster is if someone straps a bag of cement in your hand.

[Mottlefeeder]

[quote name='DarkHeart' timestamp='1373532977' post='2138615']
What would people need to extend the top button, i could possibly get some steel spacers made where i work, maybe half inch long possibly longer? if anyone has an idea ill see what i can do.
[/quote]
Most of the stuff you need is fairly readily available - Screwfix sell packs of 6mm threaded bushes with a wood-screw thread on the outer surface. You can drill into the horn with a 10 mm drill, extend the hole with a 6mm drill, then screw in one of those bushes. you can then screw in a 6mm threaded shaft (also from Screwfix) and use washers and nuts to place the strap where you need it to be. If you want to keep that set-up, but tidy it up, you can buy heatshrink sleeving at Maplin to cover the exposed 6mm threaded shaft. For a Warwick 5-string Corvette with a Swamp Ash body and Ovankol neck, I needed an extension of about 1.5 inches (about 35mm),

If you need to put it back to normal, you can take the threaded insert out, and glue a length of 10mm dowel into the hole. The felt washer around the strap button is about 10mm diameter, so the repair is neat.

David

[4 Strings]

[quote name='Mottlefeeder' timestamp='1373667020' post='2140516']
For a Warwick 5-string Corvette with a Swamp Ash body and Ovankol neck, I needed an extension of about 1.5 inches (about 35mm),

David
[/quote]

35mm, really? That's a long way and I'm surprised Warwick would make such an unbalanced bass. The leverage that would cause on the screw fixing would be quite high, if I'm understanding this correctly. Do you have a pic?

Isn't the answer to check the neck dive before buying a bass? That way offending basses will be left unsold and, just like 'C' rated fridges, become a thing of the past.

[dougieb]

I had a similar hassle with my Epi Tbird. I tried attaching the strap to the neck plate but this caused the bass to roll forward. I finally bit the bullet and attached the strap into the body below where the neck fits and problem sorted. Never looked back.

[Mottlefeeder]

[quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1373833680' post='2142128']
35mm, really? That's a long way and I'm surprised Warwick would make such an unbalanced bass. The leverage that would cause on the screw fixing would be quite high, if I'm understanding this correctly. Do you have a pic?

Isn't the answer to check the neck dive before buying a bass? That way offending basses will be left unsold and, just like 'C' rated fridges, become a thing of the past.
[/quote]

My modification was a threaded bush, and a 6mm hole extending into the horn, and the threaded shaft was screwed in as far as it would go, so that the load of the extension was spread over a greater area of wood.

With regard to 'try before buy', yes I do, but I was changing from a bubinga-bodied 4-string to a 5-string, and decided to go for the lighter swamp-ash body. I tried that 5-string in the shop, and liked the sound, and the way it felt, but I only played it sitting down. My mistake was not trying it with a strap. What I did discover later was that the 4-string body is the same size as the 5-string, so with the wider 5-string neck and a body that is lighter, the end result was an unbalanced bass.

I tried hipshot ultralights, bags of washers, extending the horn, and lead-lining the walls of control cavity, but never got to the point where I was happy with it. I eventually sold it on.

One lives and learns.

David

[4 Strings]

[quote name='Mottlefeeder' timestamp='1373841281' post='2142250']
My modification was a threaded bush, and a 6mm hole extending into the horn, and the threaded shaft was screwed in as far as it would go, so that the load of the extension was spread over a greater area of wood.

With regard to 'try before buy', yes I do, but I was changing from a bubinga-bodied 4-string to a 5-string, and decided to go for the lighter swamp-ash body. I tried that 5-string in the shop, and liked the sound, and the way it felt, but I only played it sitting down. My mistake was not trying it with a strap. What I did discover later was that the 4-string body is the same size as the 5-string, so with the wider 5-string neck and a body that is lighter, the end result was an unbalanced bass.

I tried hipshot ultralights, bags of washers, extending the horn, and lead-lining the walls of control cavity, but never got to the point where I was happy with it. I eventually sold it on.

One lives and learns.

David
[/quote]

Very frustrating. You certainly did your best! If you bought a £50 bass then you might expect something like that but Warwick, of all people, I would have thought could have been trusted to have got something as basic as that solved before going to the market.

I wonder with things like this and outrageously heavy bodies when someone will come along with the nous and time and sue for not being fit for purpose. Especially if it aggravates or causes an injury.

[lee4]

Yep,try before you buy is the way to go.
I bought this straight off of the net,and now I've learnt my lesson.

[Mottlefeeder]

[quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1373874829' post='2142381']
Very frustrating. You certainly did your best! If you bought a £50 bass then you might expect something like that but Warwick, of all people, I would have thought could have been trusted to have got something as basic as that solved before going to the market.

I wonder with things like this and outrageously heavy bodies when someone will come along with the nous and time and sue for not being fit for purpose. Especially if it aggravates or causes an injury.
[/quote]

I think the issue is more about playing style, and whether neck-dive bothers you. Those of us who play with something like a classical guitar player's hand position are likely to be bothererd by neck dive, but those who hang their thumb over the top of the neck whould probably be less botherd by it.

Warwick thumb basses are often cited as being neck heavy, but there are plenty of good players out there who use them.

David

[4 Strings]

[quote name='lee4' timestamp='1373883028' post='2142495']
Yep,try before you buy is the way to go.
I bought this straight off of the net,and now I've learnt my lesson.
[/quote]

Just for my lefty 'let's save the high street' bit, buy from the shop that lets you try, as opposed to trying it out (maybe adding an accidental dig) and going home to buy on line for slightly cheaper. But that's another thing!

[4 Strings]

[quote name='Mottlefeeder' timestamp='1373883100' post='2142498']
I think the issue is more about playing style, and whether neck-dive bothers you. Those of us who play with something like a classical guitar player's hand position are likely to be bothererd by neck dive, but those who hang their thumb over the top of the neck whould probably be less botherd by it.

Warwick thumb basses are often cited as being neck heavy, but there are plenty of good players out there who use them.

David
[/quote]

I think you're right, but then I'd encourage any bass player to use that technique as a base.

[Mottlefeeder]

[quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1373883535' post='2142503']
Just for my lefty 'let's save the high street' bit, buy from the shop that lets you try, as opposed to trying it out (maybe adding an accidental dig) and going home to buy on line for slightly cheaper. But that's another thing!
[/quote]

We are pretty close in our view-points - if I need to try something, then I will not buy it from a place that has no demonstration facilities. In the case of the Warwick, the one I tried was not the finish I wanted, so I ordered the one I wanted through that company.

Having said that, in my quest for an acoustic bass, I recently found that Gear4music had several basses on the wall that were obviously straight out of the box, and were unplayable, but Guitarguitar, who would not let me play a bass until they had tuned it, had one with faulty electronics, so I had to order one from their on-line team. None of them are perfect, some try harder than others, and none of them are on any high streets near me.

David

[4 Strings]

[quote name='Mottlefeeder' timestamp='1373913823' post='2143098']
We are pretty close in our view-points - if I need to try something, then I will not buy it from a place that has no demonstration facilities. In the case of the Warwick, the one I tried was not the finish I wanted, so I ordered the one I wanted through that company.

Having said that, in my quest for an acoustic bass, I recently found that Gear4music had several basses on the wall that were obviously straight out of the box, and were unplayable, but Guitarguitar, who would not let me play a bass until they had tuned it, had one with faulty electronics, so I had to order one from their on-line team. None of them are perfect, some try harder than others, and none of them are on any high streets near me.

David
[/quote]

It's another subject, but I just think someone who pays for a loan to provide stock and allows us to try it out deserves our custom, whether they order through their online service or whatever.

Amazon have an app which allows you to scan bar-codes in shops and then informs you of the cheapest online price. Smacks a little of stealing to me, but then I'm odd like that.

[tosh63]

How about this for Fender Precision and Jazz basses? [attachment=139882:Bass horn strap extension.JPG] My design parameters were: To extend the top horn to allow the bass to balance. No alterations to the bass. Use the original button hole with no extra drilling. To be strong and light. To not put any extra force on the attachment screw. To not damage the bass paintwork. To be easily fitted/removed quickly. To be safe to use (don't want a 9lb bass on my toes!). The look of the extension was secondary, but when being played it is not particularly noticeable. The audience just want to have a good time with the band.

Edited July 28, 2013 by tosh63

[chris_b]

[quote name='lee4' timestamp='1373217456' post='2134880']
....Whilst I love the sound of my JHS Tony Butler P bass,it has a touch of neck dive which is starting to cause my left shoulder to ache.
I've changed the strap from a Mono brand padded nylon one to a leather one.This has helped,but I'm looking for anything else that may work.
Any idea's,people?....
[/quote]

[size=4] Change the bass. There are thousands of Pbasses out there that sound as good or even better, and they balance properly[/size]

Edited July 27, 2013 by chris_b

[Mottlefeeder]

[quote name='tosh63' timestamp='1374931128' post='2154891']
How about this for Fender Precision and Jazz basses? [attachment=139882:Bass horn strap extension.JPG]
[/quote]

It looks a bit flimsy, and it is trying to lever the screw out of the wood (like a claw hammer pulls out a nail), so it probably works fine, but it is not the way I would have done it!

David

[discreet]

[quote name='tosh63' timestamp='1374931128' post='2154891']
How about this for Fender Precision and Jazz basses?
[/quote]

Wow! Heath Robinson lives!

[lee4]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1374931586' post='2154897']
[size=4] Change the bass. There are thousands of Pbasses out there that sound as good or even better, and they balance properly[/size]
[/quote]
Always an option.
or try to find a Status Shark......

[4 Strings]

[quote name='lee4' timestamp='1375026509' post='2155902']
Always an option.
or try to find a Status Shark......
[/quote]

Or a Stingray, Jaydee, or many other basses which balance nicely. The bit of neck dive is one of the first things I notice on the old P I use for church on Sundays, having played a Stingray all week.

[lee4]

Played it last night and did a bit of strap adjustment.So far it has improved things a bit.
Still looking at lightweight tuners though.

[Turk]

I've had chronic neck-dive with my Warwick Streamer. Got one of these today [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/190875549598"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/190875549598[/url] , and the issue is now sorted.

[tauzero]

[quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1373874829' post='2142381']
Very frustrating. You certainly did your best! If you bought a £50 bass then you might expect something like that but Warwick, of all people, I would have thought could have been trusted to have got something as basic as that solved before going to the market.
[/quote]

Have you ever played a Thumb? Much as I love mine, they do like to swivel in a floorwards direction.

[miles'tone]

[quote name='lee4' timestamp='1375269103' post='2158994']
Played it last night and did a bit of strap adjustment.So far it has improved things a bit.
Still looking at lightweight tuners though.
[/quote]

Keep your eye on the classifieds here on BC. I recently sold a set of cloverleaf hipshots for half what they cost new. That's what they usually go for when they come up.
Yep those Wilkinson tuners are a bit heavy but they are good quality and more bombproof than original Fender vintage style tuners, almost like they are over engineered (I've got a regular V4 Pbass with them on - it's a great bass)