Help! I need a stand to support my bass without using a strap

[petergales]

I've injured my shoulder in a fall and I can't use a strap as it limits how much of the fingerboard is available to me.

An idea came to me that if I could find one of those stands that multi-instrumentalists use that keeps the guitar in a playing position, then I can move myself to reach those parts that are impossible for me to reach now.

There was one showing on Amazon from K&M but it's no longer available.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Pete

 

[Woodinblack]

There is a K&M electric guitar stand, I am sure a bass would work just as well

 

https://www.thomann.de/gb/km_14760.htm

[petergales]

Thanks for that. I'd looked on Thomann but missed it.

Thanks again

Cheers

Pete

 

[Boodang]

Out of interest, would sitting work? I've got to a stage in life where I can't be arsed to loon about on stage live, I use a musicians stool and do the whole gig sitting with no strap (admittedly it's jazz and no one in the band is standing). I remember seeing Herbie Flowers play with Sky and he did the same thing only with more talent.

[Woodinblack]

I did a gig sitting down once, although to be fair, I had just had my knee replaced and I wasn't even really supposed to be out

[Boodang]

I'm now looking at getting a custom stool made in steam punk style with lots superfluous dials, pipes etc just to make a feature of it on stage!

[petergales]

15 hours ago, Boodang said:

Out of interest, would sitting work? I've got to a stage in life where I can't be arsed to loon about on stage live, I use a musicians stool and do the whole gig sitting with no strap (admittedly it's jazz and no one in the band is standing). I remember seeing Herbie Flowers play with Sky and he did the same thing only with more talent.

 

14 hours ago, Woodinblack said:

I did a gig sitting down once, although to be fair, I had just had my knee replaced and I wasn't even really supposed to be out

Thanks for that. I'd looked on Thomann but missed it.

Thanks again

Cheers

Pete

 

Thanks for your replies, guys. I knew that BC would come to help.

Sitting is partly a solution but the real issue is that I can only move my left arm about 5 degrees away from my side so I can't get my hand further down the neck than the 8th fret. I have always been a 4 string player but I bought a 5 string bass so that I can get those lower notes by playing above the 8th fret on the 5. This has been a last ditch attempt to be able to keep on playing but I did think that, by having my 4 string held up on a stand, I could adjust my playing stance to get down the neck to first position. In the meantime I am paying for physiotherapy to see if that will restore full movement but it will be a long process and I have gigs pending and I don't want to let the other members in the band down. Quite apart from which, I just love to play. 

Kind regards

Pete

[Boodang]

Good luck with the physio, hope it works out and you can keep playing.

Just a suggestion in case it might help, when I play sitting down I rest the bass on my right leg when I'm predominantly playing in the lower register and on my left leg (classical guitar style) when it's higher up the neck.

[Jack]

Out of the box suggestion: Wingbass? (not my pic) 

Edited November 13, 2021 by Jack

[Boodang]

...or even an Ashbory...

[Woodinblack]

When Dusty Hill damaged his shoulder he just played a keyboard!

 

[petergales]

17 hours ago, Woodinblack said:

When Dusty Hill damaged his shoulder he just played a keyboard!

 

I hadn't thought of that one! Thanks

[petergales]

21 hours ago, Boodang said:

Good luck with the physio, hope it works out and you can keep playing.

Just a suggestion in case it might help, when I play sitting down I rest the bass on my right leg when I'm predominantly playing in the lower register and on my left leg (classical guitar style) when it's higher up the neck.

Thanks, I might try that but my problem is the other way around. With my bass on my right leg it brings the area I can reach nearer to my body as my arm just freezes when I try to move it more than 3 or 4 inches from my side.

I'm managing to play after a fashion but I'm having to learn the 5 string fingerboard around the octave position and rethink how I play as I've never played a 5 string before.

Thanks for your good wishes.

[Hellzero]

Maybe a Steinberger-like headless bass could be of some help as thanks to the design the lower notes are more easily reachable.

 

That's a problem a luthier who is interested in challenges might want to give a (successful) try, but those able to achieve that peculiar goal are quite rare.

[petergales]

5 hours ago, Hellzero said:

Maybe a Steinberger-like headless bass could be of some help as thanks to the design the lower notes are more easily reachable.

 

That's a problem a luthier who is interested in challenges might want to give a (successful) try, but those able to achieve that peculiar goal are quite rare.

Thanks for that suggestion but I've tried headless basses before and didn't connect to them. I think the lack of a headstock threw me off.

[petergales]

Thanks for all your replies. I bought the cradle but it's not the solution. The bass, when, cradled is just in the wrong position and my shoulder will not allow me sufficient flexibility of movement. I'll just persist with 5 string and a capo for the time being in the hope that I'll either get used to it or my shoulder will heal and allow me to get back to my 4 strings. The thing I find most difficult with the 5er is the 18mm spacing (I'd prefer 19mm) and having to relearn the fingerboard.

[Boodang]

Have you tried a 30" short scale? The Guild Starfire looks good... sound great too. Tempted myself. 

[petergales]

11 hours ago, Boodang said:

Have you tried a 30" short scale? The Guild Starfire looks good... sound great too. Tempted myself. 

Thanks for the suggestion. I tried the Talman short scale but - because the movement in my arm is so limited - it wasn't any real benefit. For the moment I'm trying a

Yamaha BB235 and play up around the 12th fret to replicate the lower notes of the E string on a 4 string.

[Boodang]

Just had another thought! Bit left field this one but could be fun; I've got a NS Design CR upright which I play on a stand. The arm movement is obviously more vertical than horizontal. They also do a Omni model which is 34" scale. It's available fretted or fretless, the strap makes it playable in an upright position but there's also a stand.

Not cheap, but if it's anything like the CR it's also great fun to play.

[petergales]

Thanks for that idea but I don't want to spend any more than I have to as I'm aiming to get back to playing my 4 strings as I have a lot of money invested in them.

Regards

Pete

 

[fretmeister]

I used one that fits on a mic stand while I was getting over surgery.

 

I’ll try and find a link

[fretmeister]

MBrace guitar holder.

 

http://mbracestand.com

 

For a bass you need a wide bottom, / tripod mic stand for balance.

 

I’s a bit more wobbly than other more expensive options, but it works well enough.

Edited December 5, 2021 by fretmeister

[petergales]

Thanks for the suggestion. Unfortunately when I look on their website it says it's out of production. I did, however, try a similar cradle from Thomas but it didn't help as it held the bass in the wrong position. Thanks anyway

Kind regards

Pete