bass stands

[narcopolo]

i looked around and didn't see any mention, but i'm curious about those stands for double bass. are they a good idea, or do they encourage poor technique? also, how cat-proof are they? thanks!

[Bass Barrister]

Which stands? Ingles? Meisel? KC? Florea? DoubleTrolley? ???

A little specificity wouldn't hurt.

The only way a stand can hurt your technique is if the bass spends too much time on the stand and not enough being played by you.

[fdeck]

If I interpret the OP correctly, he's assuming that the bass is on the stand while it is being played. I always understood that the stand is just for storage. In that case, there's a recent thread which attracted many comments to the effect that there are better ways to keep a bass when not being played: Leaning face first into a corner, or lying on its side, are the two most common.

[RandyMolson]

Originally Posted by fdeck

If I interpret the OP correctly, he's assuming that the bass is on the stand while it is being played. I always understood that the stand is just for storage. In that case, there's a recent thread which attracted many comments to the effect that there are better ways to keep a bass when not being played: Leaning face first into a corner, or lying on its side, are the two most common.

...not to mention just as many comments to the effect that bass stands are the best way to keep a bass...

[narcopolo]

sorry. i meant to make clear that i was referring to the types of stands that allow you to play the bass whilst in the stand . . . as far as specific brands go, i wasn't really aware of the varieties in the bestiary.

[Freddels]

I'm not aware of any stands that allow you to play while the bass is sitting in the stand. Could you post a pic or link?

[Bass]

Originally Posted by RandyMolson

...not to mention just as many comments to the effect that bass stands are the best way to keep a bass...

The most recent stand thread is found right here. 9 people stated that they used a stand and 1 person recommended leaning the bass in a corner. 10 people use a stand if you count Brandon Tuomiko.

This thread also includes an interesting discussion on playing the bass whilst in a stand.

I very much dislike the Ingles stand and instead lean my bass in the corner.

[Damon Rondeau]

Isn't the play-the-bass-while-it's-on-the-stand a popsicle stick thing? Oh, excuse me, and electric upright bass thing? I've never seen a single double bass player play that way...

I have zero available corners in my little music room, so that's out. My Ingles stand works with no trouble at all in that environment. I never move it from that room. I don't like using any kind of stand on the job -- there I just find the safest, lowest place to put the instrument, as much as possible out of the way of colleagues and guests. Endpins seem to have a way of catching legs and giving basses a twirl...

[Gary Lynch]

The Ingles is fine for the $50 it cost. I replaced the rubber protectors on the bottom rails because the weight of the bass cuts thru them pretty fast. I went with a higher grade of material.

The only thing I was wondering about is the weight of the whole bass resting on the top and back bottom edges that protrude past the body. That couldn't be good over decades in the stand. The bass was not engineered to rest on those edges like that.

[drurb]

Originally Posted by Gary Lynch

The Ingles is fine for the $50 it cost. I replaced the rubber protectors on the bottom rails because the weight of the bass cuts thru them pretty fast. I went with a higher grade of material.

The only thing I was wondering about is the weight of the whole bass resting on the top and back bottom edges that protrude past the body. That couldn't be good over decades in the stand. The bass was not engineered to rest on those edges like that.

Well, it would seem that all those luthiers can't be wrong. Think of all the basses (including very precious ones) that sit in stands in shops and elsewhere. Now that you mentioned it though, maybe I'll just have to start worrying!

[fdeck]

I was thinking of this thread...

small piece of laminate breaking off

Looking back, there were a lot of comments because they were all from me.

[greitzer]

Originally Posted by Bass

...I very much dislike the Ingles stand and instead lean my bass in the corner.

How come? I've got the Ingles stand and it seems really handy. What is it that you don't like about it?

[narcopolo]

i checked out the old thread. how contentious . . .
anyway, i think i'm too nervous to store my bass vertically. it's currently stored on its side as close to the corner as possible. i assumed that this would be catproof, but i have found myself impressed by the ability of an eight-pound furball to swivel the bass via the headstock if'n said furball decides said headstock looks kinda like a (giant) mouse . . .

on a sidenote, i don't know if anyone else has noticed this, but there seems to be a 25% higher chance of snarkiness on the double bass side of the forum, as opposed to the "slab" side - which strikes me as kind of a bummer.

[RandyMolson]

Originally Posted by Gary Lynch

The only thing I was wondering about is the weight of the whole bass resting on the top and back bottom edges that protrude past the body. That couldn't be good over decades in the stand. The bass was not engineered to rest on those edges like that.

Setting the bass on the bout edges disperses the weight in a forgiving direction if you think about it, kinda like stacking plywood boards on edge.

[fdeck]

Originally Posted by RandyMolson

Setting the bass on the bout edges disperses the weight in a forgiving direction if you think about it, kinda like stacking plywood boards on edge.

In my case, it is exactly like stacking plywood boards on edge.

[RandyMolson]

Originally Posted by narcopolo

i assumed that this would be catproof, but i have found myself impressed by the ability of an eight-pound furball to swivel the bass via the headstock if'n said furball decides said headstock looks kinda like a (giant) mouse . . .

Sounds like a good candidate for a bass stand.

Originally Posted by narcopolo

on a sidenote, i don't know if anyone else has noticed this, but there seems to be a 25% higher chance of snarkiness on the double bass side of the forum, as opposed to the "slab" side - which strikes me as kind of a bummer.

25% is being quite generous. DB forum Snarkiness Meter:

[narcopolo]

lol - i guess 25% was a lowball, but mypoint would have been obscured if i had gone for statistical accuracy.
my mistake with the kitties was to encourage them to lie on the bass when i first got it. they were scared every time i practiced, so i thought if they sat on it, they might stop being scared. my plan ended up working way too well. i suppose the plus side is that they don't run away when i'm playing now (though i like to pretend it's because my intonation has improved).

[MIKMAN]

[QUOTE The only way a stand can hurt your technique is if the bass spends too much time on the stand and not enough being played by you.[/quote]

+1

[Freddels]

Originally Posted by narcopolo

lol - i guess 25% was a lowball, but mypoint would have been obscured if i had gone for statistical accuracy.
my mistake with the kitties was to encourage them to lie on the bass when i first got it. they were scared every time i practiced, so i thought if they sat on it, they might stop being scared. my plan ended up working way too well. i suppose the plus side is that they don't run away when i'm playing now (though i like to pretend it's because my intonation has improved).

You need to switch to all gut strings.

As far as the corner thing, what many do is get a shoelace and make a loop. You attach the loop in the corner, then you lean your bass in the corner and put the loop around your scroll. It stays safely standing in the corner.

[drurb]

Originally Posted by Freddels

You attach the loop in the corner, then you lean your bass in the corner and put the loop around your headstock.

Headstock? My double bass doesn't have one of those.

Oops-- didn't mean to be snarky!