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Topic: Bass guitar question |
Joachim Kettner
From: Germany
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Posted 1 Aug 2021 7:44 am
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I have a low budget bass guitar, Mavery is the brand, I'm okay with the sound of it, but it is very top heavy (if that is the right expression for when the neck draws the whole thing to the left, or in other words: it's not balanced)
Is that common or are other brands better balanced. _________________ Fender Kingman, Sierra Crown D-10, Evans Amplifier, Soup Cube. |
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Doug Taylor
From: Shelbyville, Kentucky, USA
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Posted 1 Aug 2021 9:34 am
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I don’t know that brand but I have owned multiple Fenders and a few other brands over the years.never really had that problem, I would try a 3 inch strap. |
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Joe Hensley
From: Boise, Idaho, USA
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Posted 1 Aug 2021 9:48 am
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This us called "neck dive" and is common on basses like the Gibson/Epiphone Thunderbird among others. There are a few things to help with it such wider straps and relocation of the neck side strap button. I'm sure some other options are out the if you search for 'fixing neck dive'.
Good luck! |
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Karl Paulsen
From: Chicago
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Posted 1 Aug 2021 10:15 am
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Neck dive is fairly common on cheap basses with very light and smaller bodies with a shorter upper horn.
It can be helped in many cases with lighter tuners, but they might be nearly the cost of the bass. I have a very lightweight Fender Precision that was just on the cusp of neck dive and I cured it with Hipshot Ultralight tuners.
A wide strap can also help somewhat for a minor weight imbalance. _________________ Nickel and Steel. Sad Songs and Steel Guitar.
https://www.facebook.com/NickelandSteel
Chicago Valley Railroad. Trainspotting and Bargain Hunting...
https://chicagovalleyrailroad.blogspot.com/ |
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Jerry Overstreet
From: Louisville Ky
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Posted 1 Aug 2021 10:31 am
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Yeah, very annoying. I once had an electric hollow 60s Vox violin bass with severe neck dive. Couldn't take my hands off it. Really small and light body. Hard to play.
Depending on the style and type of hardware on your bass, you can sometimes replace the bridge with a brass hi mass unit that will help some. They won't just bolt on to some guitars though. |
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Fred Treece
From: California, USA
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Posted 1 Aug 2021 10:36 am
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I have a semi-hollow Tele style guitar with this problem. One of my solutions was to tie a 2-pound cannonball fishing sinker to the strap button. Kinda clunky, but it works. |
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Rick Barnhart
From: Arizona, USA
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Posted 1 Aug 2021 11:58 am
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_________________ Clinesmith consoles D-8/6 5 pedal, D-8 3 pedal & A25 Frypan, Pettingill Teardrop, & P8 Deluxe. |
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Joachim Kettner
From: Germany
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Posted 2 Aug 2021 3:10 am
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Thanks for your suggestions.
Silly me! I only played it at home having its waist on my knee without the strap. I now tried it with a strap and the bass is perfctly balanced. Sitting down I hold it now sideways instead of placing it on the knee.
Btw Jerry, did the VOX bass have the same shape as Brian Jones six-string? _________________ Fender Kingman, Sierra Crown D-10, Evans Amplifier, Soup Cube. |
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Jerry Overstreet
From: Louisville Ky
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Posted 2 Aug 2021 5:54 am
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http://www.voxshowroom.com/us/guitar/violin.html
Joachim, same ugly headstock, but not a teardrop body. It was a violin shape body, copy of the Hofner Beatle bass I guess. The massive head only exacerbated the neck dive.
The man I bought it from had a young grandson who was a Beatles nut and erroneously thought this was the model Paul played. The grandson wanted it back, so I traded him for a Starfire style BL16 Framus hollow that played much better. We both still have them. |
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Karl Paulsen
From: Chicago
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Posted 2 Aug 2021 8:40 am
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Joachim Kettner wrote: |
Thanks for your suggestions.
Silly me! I only played it at home having its waist on my knee without the strap. I now tried it with a strap and the bass is perfctly balanced. Sitting down I hold it now sideways instead of placing it on the knee.
Btw Jerry, did the VOX bass have the same shape as Brian Jones six-string? |
Good to hear.
There's alot of basses that balance on a strap but tip on the lap. Elevating your foot just a bit so it pulls the bass closer to your body might help if it lets your forearm rest over the body. The forearm resting on/against the body can keep if from tipping. _________________ Nickel and Steel. Sad Songs and Steel Guitar.
https://www.facebook.com/NickelandSteel
Chicago Valley Railroad. Trainspotting and Bargain Hunting...
https://chicagovalleyrailroad.blogspot.com/ |
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D Schubert
From: Columbia, MO, USA
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Posted 2 Aug 2021 11:19 am
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Relocate the strap button, the one opposite from the neck. May have to drill and plug several holes to find the sweet spot. |
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