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

[solo4652]

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 April 11 by solo4652

[nilorius]

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

[Rosie C]

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 April 11 by Rosie C

[solo4652]

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.

 

 

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 April 11 by solo4652

[Mykesbass]

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?

[nilorius]

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.

[tauzero]

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.

[bassist_lewis]

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 April 11 by bassist_lewis

[Rosie C]

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.

[Mykesbass]

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?

[nilorius]

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.

[Mykesbass]

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.

[Count Bassy]

On 09/04/2024 at 11:34, police squad said:

yep I'd go for that

But he's a tw@t.

Edited April 11 by Count Bassy

[Count Bassy]

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.

 

[nilorius]

34 minutes ago, Mykesbass said:

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

Before You accuse me - take a look at yourself !

[KingPrawn]

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. 

[meterman]

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 👍

[police squad]

tonights gig, ibufrofen and cocodamol and the bar stool

fkn agony in places even with the pills, another tomorrow.

 

[PaulThePlug]

23 minutes ago, police squad said:

tonights gig, ibufrofen and cocodamol and the bar stool

fkn agony in places even with the pills, another tomorrow.

 

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

[police squad]

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

[solo4652]

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/

 

[Boodang]

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 April 14 by Boodang

[police squad]

16 hours ago, solo4652 said:

 

Would this help at all?

 

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

 

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

[casapete]

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. 

[police squad]

29 minutes ago, casapete said:

Sounds horrible - hope you get it sorted soon. 

thanks mate, I had a similar thing last year and managed to sort it, fingers crossed