Arm support for basses.

[alembic1989]

I’m looking for a good solution to a problem I’ve been having regarding my right arm when playing bass.

For years I’ve been resting my forearm on the body  like almost everyone...but as I’m sure you all know..it creates a bend in the wrist..so after a while the back of the hands hurt. I never really had a problem with this when I played my Alembic, as the body was quite wide..which meant my wrist was a lot straighter..I can get round it by using ‘ sliding thumb technique’..but I like playing ‘ normally’  with thumb anchored.

If there were an ergonomically designed bass body with a wide lower bout..that’d work...

I was thinking about some cool way of kinda artificially widening the body..so when resting my forearm..my wrist would be straighter..just can’t think of a simple solution..there must be a good hack somewhere?

[Doctor J]

[TheGreek]

I dare you to do that to YOUR Alembic - second thoughts, please don't...it would be a waste of a good bass.

[Bassfinger]

I mainly pick play because I have no feeling in 2 fingers, but when I do play with my fingers I suffer at the wrist like the OP.  So if you have no idealogical objection perhaps try a few sessions playing with a pick, see how you get on.

The whole wrist bent down to the strings thing is a bit orthapaedically dodgy.

[4000]

Playing mainly with a pick, which is how I first learned, saved my playing life when my nerve problems started. Now there are all sorts of things I can’t play with my fingers and I’d be stuffed if I couldn’t play with a pick. 

[Pea Turgh]

I just play with my elbow up in the air!

[alembic1989]

3 hours ago, Doctor J said:

Funny enough that would work really well.

I was thinking of a way to add something to the body ..something that can be removed.

 

[alembic1989]

2 hours ago, TheGreek said:

I dare you to do that to YOUR Alembic - second thoughts, please don't...it would be a waste of a good bass.

..I sold my Alembic about a year ago.

[alembic1989]

2 hours ago, Bassfinger said:

I mainly pick play because I have no feeling in 2 fingers, but when I do play with my fingers I suffer at the wrist like the OP.  So if you have no idealogical objection perhaps try a few sessions playing with a pick, see how you get on.

The whole wrist bent down to the strings thing is a bit orthapaedically dodgy.

No ideological objection..I just prefer using my fingers ..I like the tone.

Edited December 3, 2020 by alembic1989

[Bassfinger]

Not wishing to stray off topic (apologies!) but ive found that with practice, the right pick and proper technique, its possible to significantly lessen the attack and get a tone pretty close to that which I would with fingers.  So much so that listening back to recordings I can't always tell whether I'd  played a part with fingers or pick.  

I can play with fingers but suffer with my fine motor skills which makes it really difficult, so necessity became the mother of invention in that regard. I'm far form being the worlds best bassist, being a fairly recent convert after 40 years of guitar, so if I can do it a decent player should be able to ace it.

[Maude]

On 03/12/2020 at 16:07, alembic1989 said:

I was thinking about some cool way of kinda artificially widening the body..so when resting my forearm..my wrist would be straighter..just can’t think of a simple solution..there must be a good hack somewhere?

I'm not sure if I've understood correctly but what about the arm rest from a banjo? 

https://images.app.goo.gl/b6QvT18JxkmkKpUw5

You can get metal or wooden ones, metal ones start very cheap (£5) and could be taped on to test the water. 

Edited December 5, 2020 by Maude

[Bobthedog]

On 03/12/2020 at 17:46, Doctor J said:

It looks like a fairly drastic solution to stop neck dive to me.

[chris_b]

If your tendons hurt when you play, try warming up before you start. If you want to play with a straighter wrist then get a longer strap and lower your bass. If your hand is hurting because of an acute wrist angle, develop a lighter touch. Do all three before you spend a fortune on another bass.

[Ricky 4000]

Oh, sorry.

I thought it said "Armed support for bass players".

As you were...

[andruca]

A bigger body bass might be a solution. But then those come with no contours, so there's another problem, they carve a groove into your forearm. I got away with "children head saver" rubber cornering in my Star Bass. Not the best aesthetically tho'.

[4000]

4 hours ago, andruca said:

A bigger body bass might be a solution. But then those come with no contours, so there's another problem, they carve a groove into your forearm. I got away with "children head saver" rubber cornering in my Star Bass. Not the best aesthetically tho'.

It’s basses with contours that are the problem for me! Flat with binding? No problem.

[alembic1989]

On 04/12/2020 at 21:13, Maude said:

I'm not sure if I've understood correctly but what about the arm rest from a banjo? 

https://images.app.goo.gl/b6QvT18JxkmkKpUw5

You can get metal or wooden ones, metal ones start very cheap (£5) and could be taped on to test the water. 

That’s a really good idea!

thanks, I’ll look into it.

[MacDaddy]

On 03/12/2020 at 16:07, alembic1989 said:

*snip*

If there were an ergonomically designed bass body with a wide lower bout..that’d work...

 

That's what I did with my Shuker's. They have the body slightly extended at the bottom and have contoured edges, to fit where my arm rests when I'm playing.

[Hellzero]

Buy a Klein bass. 😉

[itu]

Classical guitars have arm rests. Maybe some searching might reveal tape and suction cut designs.

[alembic1989]

4 hours ago, MacDaddy said:

That's what I did with my Shuker's. They have the body slightly extended at the bottom and have contoured edges, to fit where my arm rests when I'm playing.

Excellent..just can’t afford another bass right now.

[alembic1989]

1 hour ago, itu said:

Classical guitars have arm rests. Maybe some searching might reveal tape and suction cut designs.

That’s a good idea..I’ll look into it.

[bazzbass]

On 04/12/2020 at 08:28, Bassfinger said:

Not wishing to stray off topic (apologies!) but ive found that with practice, the right pick and proper technique, its possible to significantly lessen the attack and get a tone pretty close to that which I would with fingers. 

I bought wooden picks from treepicks , a Canadian company. Awesome sound, less click on the attack, very smooth mellow tone. It has transformed my playing,as arthritis has limited my finger speed.