Playing bass with neck & shoulder issues

[WalMan]

[quote name='Gary Williams' timestamp='1399373940' post='2443494']
I use the Ernie Ball straplocks on the Duostrap and they squeezed on just about....
[/quote]Oh dear more expense.

Sorry to divert this thread further re the use of the Duo, but do you swap it around basses & is so how much of a faff is resetting for each one? Last slightly OTQ I promise!!

[leroydiamond]

[quote name='WalMan' timestamp='1399410991' post='2444073']
Oh dear more expense.

Sorry to divert this thread further re the use of the Duo, but do you swap it around basses & is so how much of a faff is resetting for each one? Last slightly OTQ I promise!!
[/quote]

Sorry just using mine on one bass so would not be fair to offer an opinion.

[deepbass5]

My backs OK but have really bad pain in my left elbow - tennis elbow ish. After a long gig last Saturday. A bit like carpel tunnel I believe all those tendons go through- round the funny bone there on the way to your forearm and hand. Holding my arm in the playing position is painful but lifting heavy things etc no problem? will this just ease off or do i need the quack

[mybass]

[quote name='Gary Williams' timestamp='1399113135' post='2441117']
I thought I'd start this topic in the hope that my experiences may help others with similar problems.

I have seen many posts on here about the weight of basses and any new bass put up for sale seems to now have the weight added indicating that weight is a real issue now for some "older" bass players.

I am 50 years old and have been gigging since I was 11. I've always been pretty fit and never ever been in a hospital (for me anyway) until, in 2010, I started getting a horrible pain in my left upper arm that felt like someone had given me a "dead arm" punch. To cut a very long story short, an MRI scan showed that I had "wear and tear" on 2 levels of discs in my neck - C5-6 and C6-7. This resulted in me losing a lot of muscle mass in my left arm and the rear deltoid muscle of my shoulder albeit disappeared. Lifting a pint of water (or beer) was very hard using my left hand.

Throughout this time I gigged normally....

By the time I saw a surgeon, the pain had disappeared and I was left with the weakness. As I wasn't really in any pain at that time, I was refused surgery which I was happy and relieved to hear. 3 or 4 months of physio and a year or so down the gym brought my left arm 98% back to normal strength.

Fast forward to my last gig before Christmas 2013 (5 months ago). The weight of the bass strap on my left shoulder was causing a lot of pain mid-gig and where there was a bar or 2 without bass, I was lifting the bass off my shoulder to relieve the pain.

I took January off from my 2-3 shows a week gigging and got a dep to cover me as wearing a bass was impossible for longer than a few minutes. The pain even without wearing a bass was excruciating.

The pain from February gradually died away but this was replaced with spasms and pins & needles in the left hand. This is the normal symptom of a compressed nerve in the neck which is caused by the slipped disc issue. Then my thumb and index finger went numb and felt ice cold as if it was dipped in snow. Very odd and worrying but I could still play. To this day, the index finger and thumb are still numb and cold.

Fast forward a few months and to cut another long story short, a new MRI has shown "substantial wear and tear" to now 3 levels of discs in my neck. C4-5, C5-6 and C6-7.

I have been made aware that unless this is "fixed" asap the damage to the nerve could be permanent so the index finger and thumb could be left numb forever along with other issues from nerve damage

As I don't have private medical insurance, I am at the mercy of the NHS and 40 days after having the MRI, I am still waiting to sit down in front of the same surgeon from 2010 to discuss my options. However, it is looking very likely that I need a major operation to replace the 3 discs which is a called "Anterior Cervical Discectomy with bone fusion".

Click [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_g-WbLsiWh4&feature=related"][b]here[/b][/url] to see a link to an animation showing the surgery: (not gory at all)

Anyway, the reason for this post is to hopefully help other Basschatters who may experience what I have been through and how I have managed to carry on gigging for the last few months - although it is getting harder by the week....

I am avoiding doing any heavy lifting and am lucky enough to have a roadie who picks me up and sets my gear up for me. I still carry bass cases and small gear but avoid the heavy stuff and luckily, the bands I play in are understanding and help me where they can.

I normally use my SVT VR and Ampeg 8 x 10 or my Mesa Boogie 400+ with a 1516 cab - two of the heaviest rigs ever made but sound gorgeous but obviously this could be one of the many causes of my problems :0)

I sold some gear in February and bought a MarkBass CMD 102P which is so light but still powerful and this means I can also do smaller gigs by myself if I need to without straining too much.

I told my bands that on all gigs I would be playing sitting down on a stool for the foreseeable future which they obviously understood but weren't overjoyed with as it looks crap and really not very rock n roll!

I have spent nearly £200 on a Gruv Gear Duo Strap ( [url="http://www.gruvgear.com/duostrap"][b]link[/b][/url]) and another ergonomic strap (can't remember the name) with harness designed to spread the weight of a bass but after hours/days of fiddling I couldn't get either of them comfortable or in the "right" position for playing normally. It may be that I go back to these in my recovery time.

Anyway, I remembered going to a gig in the 90s and the guitarist had an acoustic guitar "floating" on stage that he stood behind and played when required with his main guitar still slung around his neck.

A short time on Google and I found [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWDA-04M9xc"][b]this[/b][/url]:

[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWDA-04M9xc"]https://www.youtube....h?v=BWDA-04M9xc[/url]



The MBrace Guitar Holder - you buy it here: [url="http://www.purewaveaudio.com/furniture-and-stands/stands/stand-accessories/mbrace-guitar-holder/"]http://www.purewavea...-guitar-holder/[/url]

What a revelation!!! This wonderful contraption has allowed me to carry on gigging.....

It is not perfect but I highly recommend it to anyone who has a sore shoulder or finds the weight of a bass an issue. Using this alone could stop you aggravating your condition to the point where it becomes a major problem and you need surgery like me. Regardless of the outcome of my surgery, I will try and use this for a year or so just to give my shoulder a break.

Here it is in use: (Note the clackers hanging from my mike stand - it's a 70s show!)



The plus points are:[list]
[*]No guitar strap so no weight at all hanging on your body!
[*]You walk behind it and play your bass!
[/list]
The negative points are:[list]
[*]You are VERY static on stage! **
[*]A bass hanging on a stand on stage makes it very tempting for all members of the band (even drummers) to walk behind it and start playing YOUR bass!
[*]I normally have my pedalboard in front of me but as this stand is mounted on a mike stand (with a normal microphone stand set up in front of that for vocals) means my pedalboard needs to go to the side.
[*]It can look very odd from an audience perspective as the bass is static but you move around behind it - apparently very weird but a good talking point.
[*]As your pride and joy is mounted on a mike stand, it can get knocked over.
[/list]
Apart from that, it is an absolute lifesaver!

I bought a very sturdy Roland ST-CMS1 mike/speaker stand to protect my pride and joy - [url="http://www.gak.co.uk/en/roland-st-cms1-monitor-speaker-stand/60463"][b]link here[/b][/url]

** The MBrace stand screws onto a mike stand - if you don't tighten it up fully, the bass can rotate clockwise and anticlockwise so you can move a bit on stage.

The bad news at the moment is that my left arm and hand is getting weaker by the day and I am losing dexterity and co-ordination in my left hand. Not sure how much longer I can carry on gigging now but will keep going for as long as I can. Plus obviously this condition does mean that by the end of a gig with the travel, setup, gig, packing away etc etc I feel l like I have been run over by a bus by the time I get home in the small hours.

I am using the Planet Waves Varigrip ( [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Planet-Waves-Varigrip-Adjustable-Exerciser/dp/B001OCGGEM"][b]link [/b][/url]) finger strengthener daily to help and also trying to practice scales and finger exercises every day.

Anyway, I hope this helps some of you out there should you be having similar issues.
[/quote]


I go to a very good osteopathy type clinic in the Hindhead area. I can provide the number for him if you message me. He has dealt with many musicians.
I've had very good results and visit at least once a year to get 'corrected'. He more or less crosses from osteo into physio and teaches Tai Chi.

[Gary Williams]

[quote name='WalMan' timestamp='1399410991' post='2444073']
Oh dear more expense.

Sorry to divert this thread further re the use of the Duo, but do you swap it around basses & is so how much of a faff is resetting for each one? Last slightly OTQ I promise!!
[/quote]

I found the same setting on the Duostrap was fine for Fender P bass, Jazz bass and Musicman Stingray 4 and 5 string

[Gary Williams]

[quote name='mybass' timestamp='1399414297' post='2444118']
I go to a very good osteopathy type clinic in the Hindhead area. I can provide the number for him if you message me. He has dealt with many musicians.
I've had very good results and visit at least once a year to get 'corrected'. He more or less crosses from osteo into physio and teaches Tai Chi.
[/quote]

Hey mybass - that'd be great many thanks. I'll send you a PM.

[muso]

Tai Chi is also very effective to loosen up joints/muscles/tension etc - I do it every day as well as keeping an eye on my diet - no coffee(effects the joints with crystaline deposits) & no alcohol; as little sugar as possible;no energy drinks (diuretic and overload of sugar) lots of fresh veg and lots and lots of water; coconut water is also excellent for rehydration, especially when touring.
I use a wide leather strap (3" width) that has a lining of dense (1/4") foam attached to it by gaffa tape- it works really well.
Many years ago I had a bass made with a very small headstock and mini lightweight alloy tuners (no elephant ears for me), as well as an extremely light body made from poplar - a long top horn on the body will also allow the bass to balance better - take a look at the old (cheap) Peavey millenium BXP - I use one for teaching and it's very light and balances superbly.
I also have a "bass brace" which came from Canada where the bass is attached by a strap peg on the back of the body to a belt of velcro so the bass "hangs" on the belt so no strap needed - found it a bit weird so when I use it I also have a strap to stop the bass tipping forward. I don't think they are made anymore as it didn't really catch on...

[Gary Williams]

[quote name='muso' timestamp='1399535505' post='2445042']
Tai Chi is also very effective to loosen up joints/muscles/tension etc - I do it every day as well as keeping an eye on my diet - no coffee(effects the joints with crystaline deposits) & no alcohol; as little sugar as possible;no energy drinks (diuretic and overload of sugar) lots of fresh veg and lots and lots of water; coconut water is also excellent for rehydration, especially when touring.
I use a wide leather strap (3" width) that has a lining of dense (1/4") foam attached to it by gaffa tape- it works really well.
Many years ago I had a bass made with a very small headstock and mini lightweight alloy tuners (no elephant ears for me), as well as an extremely light body made from poplar - a long top horn on the body will also allow the bass to balance better - take a look at the old (cheap) Peavey millenium BXP - I use one for teaching and it's very light and balances superbly.
I also have a "bass brace" which came from Canada where the bass is attached by a strap peg on the back of the body to a belt of velcro so the bass "hangs" on the belt so no strap needed - found it a bit weird so when I use it I also have a strap to stop the bass tipping forward. I don't think they are made anymore as it didn't really catch on...
[/quote]

Hi Muso - that's some really useful information, many thanks!